I arrive bright & early @ 6.45am to start my shift. Mike the Night porter, who’s been here so long he’s part of the furniture, greets me with a big hug & gives me all the details of what has happened that evening. I go to get the tea to wake me up before I need to be on the desk, as a gentleman turns up to check out, this is a sign…. it’s going to be a busy day. And so it begins, the smile is fixed, the hair in place, uniform pristine & for the next 8 ½ hours I will be dealing with every person that enters & leaves the building.

As I’m presenting the guest with a Richardson Passport to Leisure so that they get stamps at each hotel they visit, I hear the dulcet tones of the clock in machine heralding the arrival of my other receptionist.
Having worked the previous night together till 11.30pm it feels like only a few hours since we last spoke. She takes a look at the rotas and I see her face drop, 97 check outs. I assure it’ll all be fine & that we just need to keep on top of everything make sure all requests are listed, phone calls are picked up & early arrivals made a note of, 3.30pm will be here in no time.

Worryingly hardly any other people come to check out & it’s nearly 10am, then the phone starts ringing guests requesting room service breakfast. The wedding must have finished very late last night & there are a few sore heads!

Check outs go smoothly & all guests are happy with their stay. As soon as I think that it has slowed down & we can finish the morning shift plan our check ins start arriving, being a lovely weekend they want to make the best of the weather & so are travelling down early. Although the rooms aren’t quite ready yet, they go through for a complimentary tea/coffee in the Compass Lounge & some even collect towels to tempt the warm outdoor pool.

3pm & the lat shift are here, my receptionist goes home (to have a well earned sleep she tells me) but I head out the back to finish my own work no rest for the wicked another 7 – 5pm and then off to the gym.