Iñaki Villaluenga Orue, owner of the Hotel Mandy: ‘To set up in Morocco you have to be professional and work as you would in Spain’

Iñaki Villaluenga, hotelier, has been established in Morocco for three decades, with various businesses, from textiles to restaurants. In recent years he has made a name for himself after acquiring the Hotel Mandy in Tetouan: a hotel-restaurant paradise that has become a tourist attraction in the area. Iñaki spoke to Atalayar to share his experience during this time. 

How did you settle in Morocco?  

I came with my mother 28 years ago: she had a clothing company in Bilbao and I was in charge of logistics. From there we moved into the hotel sector, with a restaurant in Tangiers, until, 12 years later, we bought the Mandy Hotel and came to Tetouan.  

How were you received then in Morocco, a country that was very different from the one we have today? 

The welcome was very good. The people here are spectacular: in terms of work, they respect you a lot and the truth is that we are very happy in Morocco. Little by little, we have been improving the business for 18 years, making progress and people appreciate it and are grateful for it. 

In your experience, what should someone who wants to come to Tetouan to start a business take into account? 

First of all, professionalism and knowing what you are coming for. And then, work in the same way as you would in Spain or in any other country in the world: you have to do things well and go straight to the point. 

What was the beginning of Hotel Mandy like? 

We saw that it was for sale, we studied it and my mother and I bought it. The project was approved, with the alcohol licence also included, so we started building little by little over the years, until it was almost finished.

For those who don't know it, what is the Mandy Hotel? 

The Hotel Mandy has a pub, a restaurant with two floors and bungalows of 48 square metres each, with a swimming pool. We have clients who come from Ceuta to eat. We are very happy. 

In summer, the attraction of the Mandy Hotel is special, because it also has many night attractions... 

In summer there is a lot of nightlife: the pub is open until one o'clock in the morning, with music; at the swimming pool we offer live music, food, tapas... Winter is quieter. 

You had another restaurant in Tangier, which you sold to move to Tetouan. How did you go about setting up the hotel in terms of taxes, licences...? 

I didn't own the restaurant in Tangiers, it was rented. It took me a while to get started, because the cuisine here is very different from the cuisine of the Basque Country or Spain. In the end you adapt to them and they adapt to me. I spent two years setting up the restaurant there until we bought the hotel. 

As for the licences, you have to pay the alcohol licence, which goes up year by year, but it's not so exaggerated. And then, in terms of taxes and so on, the same thing: social security is not as expensive as in Spain, which makes it a bit more bearable. That helps a lot. 

Is the secret of Mandy's restaurant top quality produce? 

Yes, of course: what I like is what I want to give to my customers. I do all the purchasing personally. I try to vary the menu little by little. It's a menu that's a bit Spanish, a bit Mediterranean, a bit Basque... I've just added a cider menu, with cod and other products. 

The truth is that the customers are very grateful and Moroccans are getting used to eating things they had never eaten before. 

In the Tangiers-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, the Hotel Mandy has a prestige and a clientele that you have built up over the years. 

Yes, it is a reference. We have clients from Casablanca, who come when they dock at the marina of Marina Smir, a spectacular port in this area. People who come by boat ask us for take-away food and so we are expanding our clientele. 

Including people from King Mohammed VI's entourage, who spend their summers here in Tetouan, right?  

Yes, some of them have come to eat here. And we also have customers coming from Italy and other countries. 

Where do you buy the meat, the cutlets or the fish and seafood? Are they local products? 

The meat is a 100% Moroccan product. We serve a lot of steaks, entrecôte, sirloin steaks... The prawns are special, they come from the Rincón area; the sea bass also come from the Mediterranean Sea, as do the spider crabs. Everything is national and of high quality. 

What would you recommend to a Spanish investor or businessman considering doing business in this northern region of Morocco?

The first thing is to have the desire to do things; and then, you have to have a bit of patience to get started, because sometimes it costs a lot, just like everywhere else. But if you do it well and are professional, you're sure to get ahead.

What are the Moroccan staff you work with like and are they well trained? 

The training is very good: the customers are very happy with the waiters we have and they appreciate that the same waiters stay with the company for many years. That is a good sign. The staff at the moment is great and I wouldn't change it for anything. 

How attractive are the bungalows at the Hotel Mandy? 

They are 48 square metre bungalows, with very good views. We have the Mediterranean in front of us, with the villages of Rincón and Martíl, just a short walk away. And we also have the mountains, which offer quad biking routes. 

Would you start a business in Morocco again? 

Of course, seeing what we have achieved over the years. Even my mother too, with her business. I'm very happy and I'm not moving from here. In fact, my wife is Moroccan and I have two little girls from Tetouan. 

Do you think that in Spain there are too many stereotypes about Morocco and that the country has progressed in recent years? 

Morocco has taken a huge leap forward in terms of infrastructures and everything. The southern area, Dakhla and so on, is growing enormously. It is a country with great economic potential in the world. 

What is your experience of security? 

During the years I've been working, I've never had any problems. You have to have your security, of course, but nothing more. 

And in terms of legal security as well? 

No problems. I came here to work as I did in the restaurant we had in Spain. I don't come here to invent anything, or to do anything. I don't cheat anyone, I do things the way I have to do them and work. 

What would you tell an acquaintance with your experience if he or she wanted to set up in Morocco? 

That they should be very clear about what they are coming for and do what they know how to do. They should get good advice and surround themselves with competent people, as in any other place. I would encourage people to come.