HOUSEKEEPING PROFILE
THIS ISSUE WE INTERVIEW PAWEL KOLPAK , EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER AT HOTEL GOTHAM IN MANCHESTER
Q1 : GOTHAM HOTEL IS RATHER UNIQUE SO IT MUST BE FUN TO WORK THERE . WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR JOB DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST ? H There are many , but the most important must be working as part of such a fantastic team . It is great to work with people who really care about our guests . And of course working in the iconic “ King of The King Street ” building is a big plus .
I love the fact that I ’ ve been involved with Hotel Gotham since the opening of this unique space in 2015 . I have been given the chance to recruit my team , implement Standards of Operation , Procedures , and build the entire Department from scratch beginning . Which has resulted in a wonderful team and experience .
Q2 : THERE ARE 60 ROOMS TO LOOK AFTER SO WHAT , IN YOUR OPINION , IS THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB EACH DAY ? H The objective of the business is to consistently make the Gotham experience as comfortable and unique as possible . Within this , our job is to make sure we give every guest the highest standards of personal and memorable service . The guest ’ s experience is the most important , but my responsibility is also to ensure my team feel happy and appreciated for the hard work they put in .
Q3 : WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FUNNIEST , STRANGEST ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT BY GUESTS IN THE ROOMS ? H Oh there are many stories I could tell but ….. What goes on at Gotham stays at Gotham , right ?
Q4 : IS THE GUEST EXPERIENCE IMPORTANT TO YOU IN YOUR ROLE , AND DO YOU THINK GUESTS APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF THE HOUSEKEEPING TEAM ? H Guest experience is our priority and of course our guests appreciate the housekeeping team and hard work we do every day . We get a lot of positive feedback and comments regarding cleanliness and the standard of service provided by the housekeeping team
Q5 : WHAT WOULD MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER AS EXEC HOUSEKEEPER ? H The relationship with suppliers can sometimes be challenging . If I have a delivery , it needs to be complete and be delivered at the scheduled time and that ’ s not always the case . But you can ’ t have everything , I suppose !
Q6 : IN YOUR OPINION , WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS PROVIDED FOR GUESTS IN THE GUEST BEDROOMS AND BATHROOMS ? H Firstly , our beds are very comfortable , with good quality bedding and a high thread count for the linen . The touch and feel of our linen suggests unrivalled luxury . In fact , our mattresses are so great our guests often write requesting to purchase them !
Secondly , our bathrooms have powerful monsoon showers , high quality toiletries and fluffy towels .
Q7 : DO YOU WORK AS A TEAM AND , IF SO , HOW DO YOU MANAGE EACH DAY ? H Housekeeping , as with any successful department , relies heavily on teamwork in order to be successful . To manage such a team you need to have patience because you are dealing with so many different employees . You really need to understand them and remain calm while juggling multiple priorities and considerations . You need to listen to all your team members and ensure they understand each other .
The manager must also must make sure the team feels valued and appreciated . More often than not , a simple “ Thank you – Great Job ” will suffice . But one shouldn ’ t stop there . A birthday card , fun incentive , box of chocolates … all little touches like this can add to making a work place a great environment to be in .
Q8 : TELL US ABOUT A TYPICAL DAY H I start early , at around 7am , when I allocate all jobs for Room Attendants , Public Areas and Linen Porters . I then inspect the public areas to make sure
26 Housekeeping management