6 million the company is doing rather well

In the early 20th century, Corsica had a dozen of palaces were the delights of a wealthy clientele. This hotel high range did not survive to the second world war, but to Porticcio, on the South shore of the Gulf of Ajaccio, an establishment continues the tradition of the hotel of quality.

Since the beginning of the 1950s, Catherine Salini Ketty to his friends is at the controls of the Maquis, the first hotel 4 stars-luxury of Corsica. Sky blue and sand blond, this facility hosts to Porticcio, on the South shore of the Gulf of Ajaccio, the gotha of show-biz, politics and business. With 27 rooms of which 5 junior suites, apartments or suites with views of the sea, it offers its customers a quiet haven. Affiliated with the chain of the Leading Small Hotels of the World as well as the Châteaux & hotels of France, it is primarily an adventure, initiated by a woman from head. It is the location of the classroom where his mother was a teacher that Ketty Salini gives body to his dream, a few weeks after he had spent his tray philo, in Paris in 1945. Pushing the prejudices of the time, it invests CHF 12,000 at the time to open a bar to which it gives the same name as that of the Latin quarter where she worked during his studies: the Maquis. The owner cultivates the meaning of contact and continues to improve its establishment became restaurant, and hotel, with a help of 10,000 francs for the resort credit. In the garden of his grandfather, a few metres from the sea, the young woman builds her corner of paradise... We are in 1952 and first building out of land; four years later, another house opens its doors, offering a restaurant and eight rooms. Gifted character tempered steel, the mistress of sites enlarges its establishment, it embellishes, the modernizing, investing in training. In 1968, while in the France tempers, Ketty Salini begins a tour of major institutions and part study at the School of Hotel Administration of Cornell, in the United States, the deemed hotel school in the world. In a few years, the Maquis wins its classification in 4 stars-luxury. Between mimosas, Arbutus, eucalyptus and flowers of the maquis, Corsican hotel of legend known to put customers at ease. Equipped with two swimming pools with a salt water covered by a tropical canopy of a heliport for a wealthy clientele, short tennis, a park and a restaurant gourmet "the Arbutus", it is also a beautiful family affair. The founder prepares succession for several years: his son Gérard leads kitchens, daughter Chantal, accommodation, Pearl will take care of the management and granddaughter Sandrina already ensures the receipt. The employees know about the operation of the Maquis and Ketty instructions fingertips: smile, discretion and efficiency. Among the 30 permanent, many are for several decades. The establishment has been in the past some turbulence, but with immediate occupancy of 75 on year and net sales of EUR 4.6 million, the company is doing rather well. And if it is a vow that his boss has always form, is to be competition. "I dream of was built in Corsica several 4-star hotels which would cohabit with a quality independent hotel, she says. It is fifty years that I fight to understand that tourism in our island develop if we want all together. This, to build infrastructure for home, but also of golf courses, hiking trails, what distract range high customer we receive. "A soixante-dix-sept years, at the time of pass the reins, Ketty Salini hoped that the island would negotiate the turn of the tourism of quality.