Allegria's New General Manager Has Vision for Hotel

This story was written by Jeff Lipton.

About 18 months ago, when he was still general manager at the Garden City Hotel, Nassar Samman was called by Hofstra University officials to begin booking rooms for this year’s second presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on Tuesday.

Samman was hired as the new general manager at the Allegria Hotel in Long Beach last month, but he has found it is more difficult for the seaside establishment to book rooms for the supporters of the candidates and the media because there are several hotels in Hofstra’s backyard.

“They’re closer to Hofstra and it’s tough to capture some of that business,” said Samman, who noted that those who will attend the debate may turn to the Allegria if they are booked at other hotels and pressed to find a room.

If a presidential debate is hosted locally again in four years, he said he will create a different plan to attract some of that business, just as he will work with  the Long Island Association to attract celebrities to the full-service hotel. He said the hotel’s amenities and ocean views are reason enough to book rooms there, including its restaurant featuring a new American cuisine, its grand ballroom and lounge, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a business center, along with 24-hour Wi-Fi, concierge and security.

These are just part of the new general manager’s vision to make the Allegria the top luxury resort on Long Island.

“I want it to be the number one hotel on Long Island, where the Hamptons meets New York City,” he said.

Samman was hired as general manager last month after working in the same position at the Garden City Hotel for 15 years. “As soon as I saw the Allegria, I fell in love with it,” he said.

At the three-year-old Allegria, Nasser said his main focus is customer service and satisfaction.

“I want to exceed their expectations in customer service,” Samman said. “And at the same time, we want to work closely with the community.”  

Samman said he has been tracking corporate business from New York City, and during the week most of the corporate business clients have booked rooms there. On the weekends, the 150-room hotel turns into a social hall, catering, hosting and booking rooms for social gatherings such as weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, sweet 16’s, bridal or baby showers or any other celebration.

“Any event, we will do it,” he said. “There’s nothing at the Allegria Hotel that we can’t do. Our customer service is the thing that will bring business to the hotel and Long Beach city. If we bring corporate groups to Long Beach, the city will benefit because people will shop there and eat at the restaurants.

“They will then explore the area and decide to come back for vacation, instead of going to Jamaica, Puerto Rico or the Bahamas. What’s better than Long Beach city? It’s gorgeous.”

Samman said he has a team of 200 employees ready to put their customer service plan into effect.

“At the Garden City Hotel I put together a team and we built a reputation,” he said. “With this team here at the Allegria, I will build an even better reputation.”