Richard Buteau is presently the General Manager of the Karibe Hotel in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He's a third generation Haitian hotelier and restaurateur. He has a Bachelor Degree in marketing from Long Island University and a Master Degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University. He was the President of Association Hotelliere et Touristique d'Haiti, member of the Presidential Commission for Economic growth and founding member of CLED (Centre pour la Libre Entreprise et la Democratie).
The Karibe Hoel is part of the group Buteau Hospitality, said BH. This group joins 3 hotels in Haiti, Karibe Hotel, Kinam Hotel and Servotel, all owned and managed by the Buteau family. The Buteau family has been in the hospitality industry since the early 1900s starting with a small B & B in Kenscoff, then a restaurant in downtown Port-au-Prince. The family agrees to say that hospitality is what they know and it is their passion.
Nearly 100 years later, from generation to generation, the same vision persists: They offer the finest hospitality services in Haiti, continue to invest and innovate in the country, support local companies, and promote the employment and the training of over 400 individuals.
The Buteau Hospitality legacy began 4 generations ago with the grandfather, Maurice Buteau, who was known to be a great host and businessman. He had a land in the cool hills of Kenscoff where he opened a Bed and Breakfast, Aux Cosaques in 1929. Maurice would have his children take on chores from a young age in the B&B, from filling up oil lamps, to helping out with cleaning linens – everybody was involved. The passion for hosting and accommodating was passed on to his two sons who went on to open two restaurants in Port-au-Prince; Richard's father Max found Le Rond Point in Bicentenaire, and his uncle Jean, Aux Cosaques in Chemin des Dalles.
The BH owns close to 460 hotels rooms in Haiti including Satama, a brand new hotel opened in Cap Haitian managed by Bertrand Buteau.
The Karibe hotel remains the biggest one with 190 hotels rooms over 10 years of existence. The hotel has hoted international VIPs such as Bill Clinton and Francois Holland. Karibe employes 230 people full time and 100 part timers.