Gabriel Escarrer Julia

Gabriel Escarrer Julia is the Founder and Chairman of Sol Melia. Sol Melia consists of 410 hotels and it is the largest hotel chain in Spain and the largest operator of resorts in the world. Sol Melia Corporation has a staff of more than 33,000.

At the age of sixteen he began working at Wagons Lit-Cook as a travel agent. He focused all of his energy on his job and into graduating in business studies from La Salle College in Palma de Majorca. At the travel agency he quickly became a "jack of all trades," he usually worked 134 hours of overtime in a month. At the age of 21, he began to operate the Hotel Altair, which he was able to lease from the owner with the local priest as a reference. Gabriel's strong work ethic was evident once again at the hotel, where he not only served as the general manager, but worked as the receptionist, public relations director, sales manager and purchasing manager. During the next few years he took over two other hotels, with the help of his wife, who assisted with the management and with housekeeping duties. By the year 2000 Sol Melia had grown into the corporation that it is today, with over $90 million in annual revenue.

Escarrer has received numerous awards in his career. In 1999, he received the Tourism Personality of the Century award. In the year 2000, he was named the Corporate Hotelier of the Year by Hotels Magazine and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hotel Investment Forum.

Escarrer is an avid golfer and loves to play with friends in Majorca. Some say that he loves the game of golf almost as much as his passion for the hotel business. He is also a lover of the sea and enjoys his yacht with his wife and family whenever work allows.

Gabriel Escarrer's philosophy, "the bed that's not full today cannot be filled tomorrow" has become his obsession and has made him one of the finest hotel managers and entrepreneurs.

 Print Friendly