From Italy to Cuba: a website for Gabriele’s B&B in Havana
Published by Incomedia in Success stories · Wednesday 13 Apr 2022
That’s it, I’m quitting everything and leaving! Many of us have had this thought at least once in a lifetime. Gabriele Righetti, however, went a step further: he actually managed to turn his dream into reality. But he didn’t escape at all: he pursued and achieved his goal instead.
«Hi everyone. It all began out of passion, as it often happens.
Today, Gabriele is the owner and manager of a Bed & Breakfast in Havana, Cuba, and he can proudly say that he reached a perfect balance between his work and passion. In order to present his business to the world and to get more customers, he used WebSite X5 and built his very own website, https://www.bebcentral.com/.
This is what he told us about his experience.
Hi Gabriele, from Zocca (Modena) to Havana (Cuba): how did your adventure begin?
«Hi everyone. It all began out of passion, as it often happens.I’ve always loved the seaside, the tropics and diving: I started searching for a country where I could find good job opportunities and fulfill my interests. Cuba turned out to be the answer.
I left Zocca, where I worked in the 2 tourism companies of my family - a little hotel and a holiday farm in the countryside - and went to Cuba. Today, I am the owner and manager of a B&B downtown Havana.»
I must ask: what’s it like to live in Cuba?
«Cuba is a complicated country, full of contradictions. I can’t hide that it was pretty difficult to get used to this reality at first: working here isn’t that simple!
Apart from having to learn a new language, the cultural context may appear “strange” to Europeans. But, the initial difficulties are definitely repaid by the typical Cuban cheerfulness and joie de vivre. From its landscapes to the amazing seaside, a never-ending summer, music and colors.»
Let's talk about the internet now: when did you decide that you needed a website for your activity?
«Luckily, it was quite clear to me immediately. I was still living in Italy back then, and I managed a B&B in Bologna: I noticed how everything was starting to move online, so I understood that the Internet could turn into a fundamental tool to get new reservations from tourists.
Being the first B&B owner that had a website back in Bologna and then later in Havana too, I gained several advantages: my website improved my image and helped me to significantly increase my customers.»
You chose to build your B&B website by yourself, with WebSite X5.
«Exactly, I came across this wonderful tool by searching online and keeping an eye on reviews. By testing the trial version, I understood immediately that it was the perfect tool for me.
I achieved professional, satisfying and elegant results and was very pleased with it. You can indeed get amazing results in very little time! But, you shouldn't be fooled by this, because despite the ease of use, the possibilities of WebSite X5 are endless.»
Your B&B website has a linear and clean design. What features do you think are a must-have in a tourist facility website?
«I think a good website should always have beautiful high-quality photos as well as interesting text, that must not be too long. Of course, everything should then be elegantly assembled together.
A website should also be available in several languages, especially in my field: our clients are worldwide, therefore guests should be welcomed in the best possible way with user-friendly content. My website speaks Spanish, Italian and English, just like my staff at the B&B.
Finally, social networks are a must-have: we’re on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and, above all, on TripAdvisor where we got back in 2020, the Traveler’s Choice prize.»
One last question: would you recommend WebSite X5 to any other person that needs to create a website?
«I have been using WebSite X5 since 2011, and I could not live without it. I have always recommended it and, as long as its quality level stays so high, I will certainly continue to do so.»