From an early management appointment to decades of work in hotels and property development, the Italian entrepreneur’s career offers an insight into the business of hospitality in the Caribbean.
Building a career in hospitality involves more than managing hotels. It requires an understanding of finance, people, property and the destinations in which businesses operate.
For Saro Spadaro, an Italian entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience in Sint Maarten, these responsibilities have been closely connected throughout his professional life.
His career began with a senior management appointment in the Caribbean before he had completed his university education in Milan. It subsequently expanded across resort operations, residential developments and commercial property.
Today, Saro Spadaro leads The Maho Group, whose activities span hospitality, real estate and leisure in Sint Maarten.
His professional journey illustrates how managing a tourism business can involve both the immediate demands of serving guests and decisions that shape properties over many years.
An education in Milan and an early start in the Caribbean
Saro Spadaro studied Business Administration at Bocconi University in Milan, graduating in 1999 with a specialisation in the Management of International Corporations.
By then, his career in Sint Maarten was already under way.
In May 1996, Saro Spadaro was appointed Managing Director of Resort of the World N.V., operating as Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten.
His responsibilities included overall company management, business development strategy and finance.
In May 2003, he became the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
The appointments marked the beginning of a career that combined operational leadership with financial and commercial decision-making.
Running a resort involves coordinating a wide range of activities. Guest services, maintenance, staffing and purchasing all need attention, while investment and business development decisions must take account of longer-term objectives.
The ability to work across these areas has remained an important part of Saro Spadaro’s professional experience.
Building experience across different hospitality businesses
Saro Spadaro’s career has included management responsibilities at several companies operating in Sint Maarten.
From 1997 to 2017, he served as Managing Director of St. Maarten Resort Hotel & Casino N.V., associated with Great Bay Beach Hotel & Casino.
Beginning in 1999, he also held Managing Director positions at MADCO N.V., operating as Royal Islander Club La Plage, and Strathclyde Hotel Holdings Corporation N.V., operating as Royal Islander Club La Terrasse.
His responsibilities included company management, business development and finance, with project management also forming part of his work at La Terrasse.
These positions involved different businesses, but they shared a common requirement: balancing daily operations with decisions about how a property should be managed and developed.
For hotels and holiday accommodation, that balance is particularly important.
Guests experience a property during a relatively short stay, but the business must maintain its facilities and services throughout the year.
Decisions about investment, maintenance and management therefore influence both immediate service quality and the property’s long-term operation.
Expanding into property development
Alongside his work in hospitality, Saro Spadaro developed experience in commercial and residential real estate.
From 1999, he held a Managing Director role at Cocowalk N.V., a commercial property business.
In 2000, he became Managing Director of Monedo N.V., associated with the AquaMarina real estate development.
In 2006, he took on a similar role at Paradise Bay Resort N.V., associated with BlueMarine.
His responsibilities in these businesses included financial management, business development and project management.
Property development involves a different set of decisions from the daily running of a hotel.
Before a project can be completed, its location, design, financial requirements and intended use must be considered.
Once a building is in use, maintenance and management become continuing responsibilities.
This connection between development and long-term operation is especially relevant in tourism destinations, where hotels, residences and commercial facilities often form part of the same local economy.
The Maho Group and the business of a destination
Sint Maarten occupies the Dutch side of a Caribbean island shared with the French territory of Saint-Martin.
Tourism is an important part of its economy, supporting accommodation, restaurants, leisure activities and other services.
The Maho Group operates across several of these areas.
Its portfolio includes Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa, Royal Islander Club La Plage and Royal Islander Club La Terrasse.
Residential developments associated with the group include AquaMarina, BlueMarine Residences and BlueMarine Villas.
Maho Village, Casino Royale and Diamond Casino are also part of its broader portfolio.
These businesses serve different purposes.
A hotel must provide accommodation and services to visitors. Residential properties meet different needs, while commercial and leisure facilities contribute to the range of activities available in the area.
Managing such a portfolio requires an understanding of several business models rather than a single approach to hospitality.
It also means considering how individual properties relate to the wider destination.
A visitor’s experience is influenced not only by the hotel they choose, but also by the services, facilities and environment around it.
Working in a destination exposed to severe weather
Business planning in the Caribbean must also account for the possibility of extreme weather.
In September 2017, Hurricane Irma struck Sint Maarten, causing widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and businesses.
The storm disrupted the island’s tourism industry and created major challenges for recovery.
For hospitality businesses, events of this kind illustrate why management involves more than ordinary commercial planning.
A major disruption can affect buildings, employees, suppliers and the services on which a hotel depends.
Restoring normal operations requires attention to practical matters such as property repairs, infrastructure and the availability of essential services.
The experience of Sint Maarten in 2017 provides an important backdrop to the wider business environment in which Saro Spadaro has worked.
It also highlights the need for long-term planning in destinations where severe weather can have significant consequences for the tourism sector.
How hospitality management is changing
The hospitality industry has changed considerably since Saro Spadaro began his career.
Digital booking platforms, online reviews and new methods of researching travel have influenced how visitors choose accommodation.
Artificial intelligence is now creating further opportunities for hotel operators.
Saro Spadaro has identified several potential applications, including predictive maintenance, more accurate food preparation planning and better management of cleaning and laundry supplies.
These tools could help hotel teams analyse information and make more informed decisions.
However, their effectiveness would depend on how they were introduced and used.
Saro Spadaro believes technology should support human expertise rather than replace it.
That distinction matters in an industry where professional judgement, communication and personal service remain essential.
Digital systems may improve planning, but employees still need to interpret information, respond to unexpected situations and look after guests.
The relationship between business and the local environment
Hotels and property developments operate within communities and physical environments that influence their long-term prospects.
For a tourism destination, the quality of the surrounding area is part of its appeal.
The Maho Group’s stated approach to development includes considering the environmental effects of its activities and how buildings relate to their natural surroundings.
The relationship between tourism businesses and the communities in which they operate is also an important consideration.
These principles should not be confused with independently measured environmental or social outcomes.
They do, however, reflect the need for businesses involved in tourism and property development to consider the places in which they operate.
For companies managing resorts, residential properties and leisure facilities, decisions about buildings and services can have implications beyond an individual business.
A career connecting hospitality and real estate
Saro Spadaro’s career links a business education in Milan with decades of professional experience in Sint Maarten.
His appointments at Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten, his management responsibilities at Royal Islander Club and his work with real estate developments such as AquaMarina and BlueMarine show how his activities have extended across different parts of the tourism economy.
Those roles have involved financial management, business development, hotel operations and project execution.
They also demonstrate why hospitality and property development are closely related, even though they operate on different timescales.
A hotel must provide reliable service every day. A property development requires planning that may extend over several years.
Both depend on sound management and an understanding of the people who use the facilities.
For Saro Spadaro, combining these responsibilities has been a defining feature of a career built in the Caribbean.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Saro Spadaro?
Saro Spadaro is an Italian entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience in hospitality and real estate in Sint Maarten. He has held senior management positions in hotel operations, business development and property-related companies, and he leads The Maho Group.
Where did Saro Spadaro study, and when did his career begin?
Saro Spadaro graduated from Bocconi University in Milan in 1999 with a degree in Business Administration, specialising in the Management of International Corporations. His management career in Sint Maarten began in May 1996.
What positions has Saro Spadaro held at Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten?
Saro Spadaro was appointed Managing Director of Resort of the World N.V., operating as Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten, in May 1996. He became President and Chief Executive Officer in May 2003, with responsibilities for overall management, business development strategy and finance.
What is Saro Spadaro’s experience in Caribbean real estate?
Saro Spadaro has held management roles in commercial and residential property businesses in Sint Maarten, including Cocowalk N.V., Monedo N.V., associated with AquaMarina, and Paradise Bay Resort N.V., associated with BlueMarine.
How is Saro Spadaro connected to The Maho Group?
Saro Spadaro leads The Maho Group, a Sint Maarten-based business group active in hospitality, residential real estate and leisure. Its portfolio includes Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa, Royal Islander Club properties, AquaMarina, BlueMarine and Maho Village.
Featured image credit: Saro Spadaro
Join the discussion