Lucie Dowling, a receptionist at the Pembroke Hotel, Kilkenny, speaks to SANDRA O'CONNELL
I’VE BEEN working here at the Pembroke for a year. I’m from Kilkenny and live a two-minute walk away which is great. I work a five-day week with every third or fourth weekend off.
We have two shifts, 7am to 3.30pm or 3pm to 11.30pm. I like to work a late followed by an early as much as I can. It means you have almost a whole day to yourself between shifts.
I’d never do a traditional office job. What I love about reception is that you are meeting people all the time. Most people are nice and my theory about those who aren’t is that if you smile at someone long enough they can’t help but smile back.
I used to work in a huge, five-star hotel. This is a four star with 74 bedrooms and a boutique feel. What that means is that you can take the time to have a chat with guests, recommend places to go and just generally get to know them better.
The first thing I do when I get in is go through the handover with the night manager, making sure the guests are okay. Then I count my cash and print off reports about occupancy, arrivals and departures.
I’ll have had some wake-up calls to make and then check-outs will start. Corporate clients and tourists are generally up and out really early, but Irish people like to stay in bed up until the last minute before check-out.
I’ll have lunch in the staff canteen. We can ask the chef for whatever we like, but mostly it’s soup and sandwiches. There’s a great atmosphere here among staff, again because of our size. In a big hotel you don’t get to meet staff outside of your own section.
After lunch it will be early check-ins. I’ll start to communicate constantly with the accommodation manager to see which rooms are ready and which require cots, camp beds or champagne, say.
On the late shift the guests tend to be in their rooms more so you are sending up extra blankets or tea bags and helping them with their telly. Then I’ll get ready for the handover with the night manager.
