I have been in the Hotel Industry for 10 years.
I have worked in 8 hotels in Canada + Internationally.
My first job/position in the hotel industry was a porter at the beautiful Elkhorn Resort in Clear Lake, Manitoba.
The number of times I have…
opened a hotel: 1
renovated a hotel: 4
removed a dead body: 3
escorted a guest off the property: 5
seen a ghost in a hotel: 0
kept “it” confidential: 3
driven a guest to the hospital: 3
dealt with an “Act of God”: 1
performed Housekeeping Duties (made beds, scrubbed toilets): 100
taken a sick day: 1
What does it take to be a GM? What’s involved day to day?
Being a GM to me takes ongoing learning. I have found that I have worn many hats each and every day and learned something new throughout every process, whether it be about the task at hand or the people we are dealing with.
The three things I can’t live without are:
- Coffee
- Calculator
- Cell Phone
My caffeine fix: Coffee, 2-3 cups a day
When I wake up, the first thing I think about is …what am I going to do to cause change today?
My MOST
The Hotelier (or person) that has inspired me the most is David Brooks from the Victoria Inn Flin Flon. He showed the confidence in me to give me my first management position and then took me under his wing to mentor me.
My most embarrassing encounter with a hotel guest was doing a pool test in the hot tub and having an elderly lady come down the water slide and lose her swimsuit. Awkward…
My most famous hotel guest was Rick Mercer
My most bizarre special request from a hotel guest was to send back his dentures on the bus because he forgot them under the bed!
Best CANADIAN hotel for a shopping trip: Fantasyland Hotel at West Edmonton Mall
Best CANADIAN hotel for business travel: Holiday Inn Express in Timmins, Ontario.
Best CANADIAN convention hotel: Intercontinental Toronto Centre
Best CANADIAN airport hotel: Delta Calgary Airport Hotel in Calgary, Alberta
Best CANADIAN resort: Elkhorn Resort Spa and Conference Center in Clear Lake, Manitoba
Best RESTAURANT in a CANADIAN hotel: Farina Ristorante in the Best Western in North Bay, Ontario. Chef Eric Fleming does an amazing job!
Best technology innovation in hotels: RFID Key locks
The best advice given to me: Don’t control what you can’t control!
My biggest pet peeve when visiting “other” hotels is I always tear apart the bed and bring my black light to check out the bathroom!
The Hotel amenity I can’t live without is wireless high-speed internet
The worst feeling in the world is losing your luggage!
If I could change one thing about the hotel industry, it would it be: making food and beverage less stressful! (pipedream)
If I could meet one person (alive or dead) it would it be: Wayne Gretzky and Craig Ferguson
If I had to do it all over again, I would: not change a thing! I love the places I’ve been and all of the amazing people I have met. I have been quite fortunate to be where I am today at only 26 years of age and am very grateful for everything!
I prefer…
Day over Night
Winter over Summer
West Coast over East Coast
Sunset over Sunrise
Quiet over Loud
Rock over Classical music
The “best hotel story” of my career.
I would have to go back to having a guest call back after checking out and asking me to take a look in his room under the bed and see if he left his dentures behind (which he did.) He asked if I could package them up and mail them back to him. Going through my mind was what do I put these in and of course how do you forget your dentures! I ended up wrapping them up in facecloths and express mailing them back to him, and I did it all with a SMILE!
