The other day, during one of our many group activities at FHS, I was in a discussion about hospitality in different cultures and ways of offering hospitality around the world. Due to my minimal experience in the Canadian hotel industry, I had little to contribute regarding my perceptions. However, I believe that now I will be able to bring some unique observations since there has been a change in the scenario since then.
I had already been selected to start my externship at a luxury hotel in one of the most desirable places in Canada, and I was looking forward to it, but my biggest expectation was: what to expect from a guest who spends so much money for a night in a 5-star hotel? What do they demand? How to surprise them? How to treat them? And today I can say with certainty that the requirements of this luxury guest are very similar to the requirements of the guests I used to treat in Brazil at a budget hotel. They want to be recognized, they want to receive what they booked/paid for, they want to receive recommendations on what to do in the region as a local, which is luxury and inclusive. And of course, there are so many more options to be offered in an all-inclusive property that leaving the hotel is almost unnecessary.
However, it is still always interesting to have an ace up your sleeve, to leave a personal suggestion (as long as it is worth it and I have something to recommend) because the local experience is something that makes the guest more at ease and feel part of the community. I have served guests from all over the world and, contrary to what I thought, adapting to individual and cultural needs has not been as hard a task as I expected.
I see guests being so genuine and comfortable with me and my peers that I have noticed that, although there are cultural differences, the human connections easily cross those boundaries.
When walking through the hotel door, guests seem to allow themselves to establish a cordial yet light and non-rigid relationship, making it easy to establish a quick relationship with hotel staff. From there, the biggest differences are summarized in taste for sports, or linguistic affinities, and food preferences. You soon realize and appreciate that the language of hospitality is truly universal. I bring a phrase which has meant a lot to me since I began my journey beyond Brazilian borders, which goes like this: "I don't know your language, but I know how to smile!" It is incredible to be able to say that my profession speaks to everyone, everywhere, in the same way!
I invite everyone who feels comfortable, to share your thoughts about your journey in the hotel industry and comparisons about difficulties, similarities, or particularities.
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