What is your role?
As a Rooms Division Manager I am responsible for the operational running of the Reception, Concierge, Fitness Centre, Car Park and in the absence of the Hotel Manager the running of the hotel. Within my direct areas I employ and supervise 45 staff.

How many reception areas?
One main reception area within the hotel.

What is the funniest thing that's ever happened to you as a front of house manager?
When I was at a former hotel part of my duties during the summer months were to room-check all the VIP rooms to ensure that they were up to standard and were occupied with the correct guests. This particular room check was to review a family’s set of rooms, which included their staff. When entering the room I was shocked to discover all the furniture had been removed – and replaced by a dark mountain which stretched to the ceiling and cut out all the light. The mountain was made of dates, which the family and staff were eating from. Needless to say that at the time it was not too funny but when you look back you have to laugh as there is never a dull moment in hotels.

What is the strangest thing that's happened?
Naked twins fighting in the lobby of a five star hotel – say no more!

What's the maddest thing that's ever happened to one of your receptionists?
Witnessing naked twins fighting in the lobby of a five star hotel.

How do you think reception services have changed over the years?
I believe that there are huge changes over the years. Reception is now a multi talented team of individuals who have to be aware of all activities within the hotel. The Reception team will consist of first-aiders, credit controllers, specialists in languages, Samaritans, bouncers and immigration specialists. This is all over and above checking in and checking out the guests.

How did you get to where you are today? What was your first job within hospitality?
My first job was a casual waiter in a one Michelin star restaurant called Fischer at Baslow Hall in Derbyshire. I worked here whilst studying Hospitality Management at University and was paid for weekend and holiday shifts. This was a great training ground as believe me if you so much as knocked a pea out of place whilst delivering the plate to the table you would know about it from the chefs! I loved those days – the start of a great career.

After that I held down a variety of jobs, all front of house related. My first job after University was at the Grosvenor House Hotel as a Guest Service Agent (Receptionist) being paid £10,770 – how did I manage with that? Money was obviously not the initial attraction.

Do you think it's very difficult to become a supervisor or manager in reception?
I think that as long as you work hard, are flexible and show initiative, everyone has the chance of becoming a great manager. Sometimes there are not enough positions to promote people, however, perseverance and patience will always win home.

What makes an outstanding receptionist - so that you want to promote them up the ranks?
An outstanding receptionist is someone with an outstanding personality who can remain calm and friendly regardless of how the guests are treating them. A reception is like the theatre: they need to play their part. They must also be numerically minded with lateral thinking and have plenty of desire to go to the top. They should be able to question the system and be innovative in their nature. A team player, self motivator and support for others is bound to get them noticed and assist them in moving up the ranks.

As a manager, do you have to be on call 24hours – do you need to be contactable on weekends?
Absolutely! It goes without saying. The Front of House role is a 24 hour fast pace operation. Unlike many departments in a hotel both the Front Office and Concierge have to be operational throughout the night welcoming people from all over the world. The Duty Managers in most hotels report into the Front Office and occasionally as a senior manager you might be called in the middle of the night due to an emergency that needs your assistance. I am happy to say that this is very rare but I am provided with a mobile and as part of the Crisis Team for my hotel, I do have to be contactable.

Where do you go for your holidays?
Most people working in Five Star London hotels meet people from all over the world as part of their role which gives you the bug to go and travel to as many destinations as possible. If you are part of a world-wide chain like Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide you have great benefits such as special rates in your overseas properties and as long as you plan in advance air travel now is relatively cheap. My favourite destination has to be Sydney. It’s a city that is becoming as lively as London (not as much history) but is warm and friendly. I always stay with friends rather than hotels in order not only to get away but also to get the feel as to what it is truly like to live in the city rather than see it through the rose tinted glasses of a five star hotel! The other country that I favour is Poland. The summer before last I took a car from Berlin, crossed the border and travelled the country – make sure you visit Cracow – a breathtaking historical city. One piece of advice though – don’t visit during the winter unless you like minus temperatures.

What's a popular place for holidays for members of your team?
The majority of my team is multi cultural – Italian, French, Moroccan, Australian, Spanish, Brazilian, Polish, Russian and so on. When they go on holiday they tend to return home to catch up with friends and family and wouldn’t you if you lived in such warm climates?

Do your team get along?
I have always believed that to have a really strong team you should mix as many cultures together as possible. If you have too many people from one country or region they tend to build a clique and it can sometimes mean that others are left out. I believe that when there is a higher mix of cultures, people are more respectful of each other. There are of course two other benefits: people become more understanding of each other’s cultures and societies and the Front Desk also benefits from having a multilingual team that is able to converse with the many guests that arrive from all over the world.

Do you like London?
There is a very special saying in London that “if you are tired of London you are tired of life”. The answer therefore is yes. Where else can you find so many top five star hotels in one city? Where else would you find some of the best restaurants in the world?. Where else would you be able to find such deep-routed history and have the pomp and pageantry of the worlds most recognised and famous institutions – The Royal Family? And what other city remains so alive right throughout the night. London is a magical and inspiring place that has so many opportunities for the young to come and explore.

Where do you eat out in London?
Working late and entertaining means that I have to eat in the hotel restaurant. We are lucky enough to have Hardens 7th best chef in London at the helm of Restaurant One o One so eating here so often is no hardship.

In my personal capacity I would eat at The Goring Hotel Restaurant in Belgravia. Recently refurbished by no other than Viscount David Linley! Excellent attentive and discrete staff, superb English hearty food and the best Beef Wellington ever – yum!

Mark G. Kirby MHCIMA
Rooms Division Manager
The Sheraton Park Tower – A Luxury Collection Property
www.luxurycollection.com/
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