Housekeeping Management Consulting
Interviews News
PHAN puts the spotlight on Catherine Barbeoch – Executive Housekeeper, Sofitel Wentworth
In 2005 Catherine entered Hospitality Management in her native France. She was studying for her MBA with an internship requirement and she gained a traineeship at Four Seasons in Paris. At her interview she cited her ambitions in Rooms Division. The General Manager had a background herself in Housekeeping and looking at Catherine’s experience to date in Front Office – suggested a good stint in housekeeping was just what was needed to balance her experience to become a great Rooms Division Manager.
Interview with Philip Cram, Facilities Manager Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa
Wolgan Valley resort and Spa borders the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage region, less than 3 hours by road from Sydney, this carbon-neutral resort actively protects its surrounding habitat and indigenous wildlife species while delivering first-class standards and quality expected in luxury resorts around the world. L&A’s Liz Lycette, recently visited the resort and had the opportunity to meet with Phil Cram, the resort’s facility manager and found out more about the challenges Phil faces maintaining the resort’s carbon neutral status while ensuring the functionality of all the resort’s support services.
Interview with Josephine Wallis, Executive Housekeepers – Burj Al Arab
Josephine Wallis is in charge of Housekeeping at the Burj Al Arab and knows about the challenges of housekeeping in a 7 star luxury hotel. Burj Al Arab does not have rooms; it has 202 suites, where each one is arranged over 2 floors. Ranging from a spacious 170 sq m to an astonishing 780 sq m in size, the floor to ceiling glass windows offer simply breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf.
Interview with Jenny Goh – Assistant Director Environmental Services, City of Dreams, Macau
Jenny Goh
Lycette & Associates was on another assignment in Macau recently and met up with the City of Dreams’ Assistant Director Environmental Services, Jenny Goh. The City of Dreams, widely known as COD or COD Macau in the industry is an integrated entertainment resort in Macau with entertainment, nightclubs, a diverse array of accommodation, regional and international dining, shopping and 2 casinos. The City of Dreams is situated along the Cotai strip and opened its doors in 2009. The resort comprises 3 hotels Crown Towers Hotel (300 rooms), Grand Hyatt Hotel (800 rooms) and Hard Rock Hotel (300 rooms)
Interview with Sharmila Tandon – Director of Rooms, Mandarin Oriental New York
Sharmila Tandon
When Liz Lycette is anywhere on business or holiday she always takes the opportunity to get together with industry experts and housekeeping professionals. During a recent visit to New York, Liz was able to meet up with Sharmila Tandon, Director of Rooms at the 5 star luxury Mandarin Oriental New York in Central Manhattan. This centrally located 248-room hotel, high above Columbus Circle, opened in 2003. The rooms start at the 38th level up to the 54th level; all of the rooms have breathtaking views over Central Park and the Hudson River.
Interview with Dina Angelucci – Assistant Vice President – Housekeeping and Environmental Services Galaxy Macau
Dina Angelucci
By Liz Lycette
Meet Dina Angelucci, Assistant Vice President for Housekeeping and Environmental Services at Galaxy Macau. Dina is responsible for Galaxy Hotel with1459 guest rooms and a number of the shared services to the entire Galaxy property. Galaxy Macau a 550,000-square-metre property comprises of the 1,459-room Galaxy Macau hotel tower complete with casino and entertainment areas and two other hotel partners, Hotel Okura Macau and Banyan Tree. This also includes retail facilities, more than 50 food and beverage outlets, the gaming facilities comprises of 5 gaming halls and VIP gaming rooms on 3 levels, gardens, the world’s largest sky wave pool with a 350 tonne white sand beach and an additional 5 swimming pools. Furthermore Dina is in charge of wardrobe, linen, floral and environmental services across the resort with a total of 800 staff and budgets in the millions.
Top Tips for the Perfect Uniform
Interview with Pamela Batt, Contractor for uniform Installation Galaxy Macau
Pamela was born in Melbourne and grew up in Perth. She began her career by owning and running and a card and gift shop in Perth for over 15 years before moving to Sydney in 1995. Her hospitality career began at Star City as a Wardrobe Attendant in the Wardrobe Department. She then moved to become Wardrobe Clerk, responsible for quality control, ordering and maintaining the quality of all items in the Star City Wardrobe Department. She finished off as a Supervisor at the casino/hotel operation and left Star City for Saint Catherine’s Girls School in Waverley. Here she was the Uniform Shop Manager for 4 years until she moved to Macau with her husband in April 2006. She took on the job as Wardrobe Manager for Altira Hotel and Casino and undertaking the wardrobe installation for the opening of the hotel in December 2006. After 18 months she was transferred to the sister property; City of Dreams to set up the new wardrobe operation there. City of Dreams has 6300 uniformed employees and Pam’s role was to coordinate the uniform design and set up for the installation. She left the hotel in January 2009 and after a break took on her current job as Wardrobe Consultant for the Galaxy project which began in July 2010.
Interview with Jean Chen, Executive Housekeeper – Four Seasons Macau
Jean Chen is the Executive Housekeeper at the Four Seasons Macau, which opened its doors in August 2008. In that same year Jean was transferred from Four Seasons Shanghai for the opening of the Four Seasons in Macau and to take on the role as Executive Housekeeper there. The hotel has 360 rooms, 84 suites and 2 presidential suites. While in Macau Lycette & Associates caught up with Jean for a Q&A session, by Liz Lycette
Q. What is your cultural background?
A. I am Malaysian Chinese
Q. Where were you born and where did you grow up?
A. I was born in Penang, West Malaysia
Setting up and successfully running a 100% non smoking Hotel
The Westin Sydney contains 416 guest rooms, a large ballroom and function space and many F&B outlets and was at the time of this interview the only Sydney 5 star hotel operating entirely as a non-smoking Hotel. I met Assumpta McDonald, Executive Housekeeper at the Westin Sydney to discuss how she set up and successfully continues to run a 100% non smoking Hotel including all guest rooms and public areas and if she had any help or advice for those going into the non smoking arena. By Liz Lycette
Interview with Brenda Olson, Executive Housekeeper – Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa
A Q&A session with Brenda Olson, Executive Housekeeper at Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, conducted by Liz Lycette.
Q: Where were you born and where did you grow up? Go to School?
Recent Posts
- The Impact of the Carbon Tax on Housekeeping Operations
May 13th, 2012 - Housekeeping Coaching Skills workshop in Sydney – 17 May 2012
May 12th, 2012 - Raymata – elearning Superstar from Bali!
May 2nd, 2012 - UKHA voted on new committee
May 1st, 2012 - Khatna’s journey!
April 30th, 2012
About Us
L&A is an experienced and energetic consultancy and training company dedicated to the improvement and maintenance of performance standards of hotel Housekeeping operations.
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