Do you remember your first day at the Bristol Palace?

As if it were yesterday: it was August 5 2016, hence the high season, and I was an absolute beginner with a foreign language degree under my belt. I was submerged by a whirlwind of novelties. It wasn’t my “sector”, but it is now. I developed a passion for the job and enjoyed it a lot. So when I finished my internship, I was taken on permanently. What impressed me and convinced me to stay was also the atmosphere inside the hotel, meeting clients from different cultures and countries, and the fondness with which regular clients, who we see again every year with great pleasure, greet us.

What is it like to be involved in the management of a small world like that of a hotel, among international guests and all the members of the staff?

It isn’t easy. But every day flies by, what with dealing with suppliers, invoices, receipts and all the various problems that arise, not to mention the accounting side of the job.

How would you describe your typical day?

Every day is different but what I can say is that the precision my job demands is reflected in my daily agenda. At present, as soon as I get to work, I take care of accounts, meaning wages, payments, credit notes, checking bank transfers and so on. When I’m done, I lend a hand at reception, with a special eye on bookings. The accounting work is obviously ever present, however, and I generally end the day checking invoices from the restaurant, grouping them by type and supplier, and liaising with the management. Days are long and challenging and I’m happy with my job.

What advice would you give to people who do a managerial job like yours but have never worked in a hotel?

In the hotel sector, even a managerial job is more various, animated and challenging than elsewhere. I’d recommend this profession to anyone with passion and motivation to improve. Practising it, one learns to be competent and well-organised, and to distribute the workload across the day without creating confusion. Anyone who loves this type of work really can grow and learn a lot.

What’s your favourite memory of the Bristol Palace?

I have many. Recently, for example, I did a lot of overtime work because we had accumulated a lot of arrears in payments. The manager and I spent a whole week recovering deposits and invoices from the start of the year to July, and we eventually got the job done. Coming through a challenge like that is stimulating and exciting. But the real source of satisfaction for me is knowing that I enjoy the trust of the management. I appreciate it and am very grateful for this opportunity.