Karina Bartz's first day at the Fairmont Pacific Rim
A day in the housekeeping department
at Vancouver's newest luxury hotel
Day 1:
9 Hours
I woke up, early in anticipation for my first day working at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Luckily, the weather was moderate and not humid or rainy, thus the walk was not so grueling. I waited outside of the hotel, on the corner of Burrard and Canada Place Way. I met others working in housekeeping and Mostafa and Iris who came early. Slowly others were surrounding the area, which we then started small conversations on how they commuted to the hotel, the chill in the air, and which department they were going to be working. It was the standard small talk to pass the time.
There was a group of us, some in banquet, others in housekeeping, and six in our group being in kitchen. (An interesting point regarding the kitchen staff is this, there are two positions left in kitchen which these six would be vying for. It seemed similar to a cooking competition television show.) Considering it was the first day, it seemed very similar to orderly chaos. The feeling in the air was somewhat in pandemonium. Although it was an invigorating sense of the term.
We were then escorted, through the mazes of hallways and stairs, to a banquet room which a human resources manager made an excellent presentation on the values of the Fairmont Brand and Mission Statement. “Turning moments into memories.” She talked about the many features of the hotel, having 377 rooms, with residential rooms at the top floors. She talked about the unique white Fazioli piano, one of only one hundred made per year. We were then told to mingle amongst our tables and to learn the names of other people in the room. Then, we sat back down and announced our names and our departments to the group.
After we had all somewhat timidly introduced ourselves, the presenter then stood up, points to the tables and announces each and every person’s name at the tables. I believe there were seven tables with about six people on each table. All in the room were amazed at her level of memorization, and in such a short time manner, and ended in applause. She continued the presentation with discrimination, health, and safety policies.
Before this she switched the tables quite a bit, and then had each of the groups create an artistic interpretation of the Mission Statement through a story that each of ether having been working at a hotel and giving this treatment to guests, or having had an experience with a person who gave this exceptional service. Iris and I managed to be in the same group of four. One story depicted was of Fairmont, which a meal for the buffet was made specially for a couple. Iris's story was being upgraded from one hotel to a much nicer hotel free of charge. Another story we had on the sheet was of one of our group being an employee who had ran to store to get film for her guests, because they had left it at home.
My own story was of a chef coming out to meet my family to discuss how we wanted fish which my father had caught to be cooked. One amusing story, not from our table however, was one of an employee which led a guest to the roof to see the view, however the guest was afraid of heights. When they got to the roof, the door inside had locked. So, in order to get the guests off of the roof, she climbed down the fire ladder to the ground and get the key to get the guests inside. I thought that was the ultimate in “Turning moments into memories.” In the end that introduction was very educational.
We were then escorted to security, which we were supposed to place punch in our employee number and place our hands onto a small machine to match our fingers, this in itself seemed very futuristic.
The next part of the introduction was actual housekeeping training by a trainer from the Empress hotel, named Mattias. This involved the standards of how a bed should be made at a this particular Fairmont hotel. The bottom sheet involving hospital corners, rather than being a fitted sheet, the second sheet involving foot folds, and this continued on until the creating a partial hospital corner with the duvet and top sheet. This entire process had much more involved than that stated here. The bed sheets and towels were all Italian made, by Mascioni, the bathrooms were made of a gray beautiful marble. Each room had a wonderful view of either the city or the water outside. We were able to practice this on a bed, and finally it was time to go.
However, before we went we were able to see the lobby. There was a fireplace in the middle, with Oru, the restaurant at the up the stairs and the Raw Bar at the floor below. Again, there was that same sense of commotion within the organizational structure and of the building itself. Although it was not finished, when it was it would make an amazing impression on any guest.
By Karina Bartz
at Vancouver's newest luxury hotel
Day 1:9 Hours
I woke up, early in anticipation for my first day working at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Luckily, the weather was moderate and not humid or rainy, thus the walk was not so grueling. I waited outside of the hotel, on the corner of Burrard and Canada Place Way. I met others working in housekeeping and Mostafa and Iris who came early. Slowly others were surrounding the area, which we then started small conversations on how they commuted to the hotel, the chill in the air, and which department they were going to be working. It was the standard small talk to pass the time.
There was a group of us, some in banquet, others in housekeeping, and six in our group being in kitchen. (An interesting point regarding the kitchen staff is this, there are two positions left in kitchen which these six would be vying for. It seemed similar to a cooking competition television show.) Considering it was the first day, it seemed very similar to orderly chaos. The feeling in the air was somewhat in pandemonium. Although it was an invigorating sense of the term.
We were then escorted, through the mazes of hallways and stairs, to a banquet room which a human resources manager made an excellent presentation on the values of the Fairmont Brand and Mission Statement. “Turning moments into memories.” She talked about the many features of the hotel, having 377 rooms, with residential rooms at the top floors. She talked about the unique white Fazioli piano, one of only one hundred made per year. We were then told to mingle amongst our tables and to learn the names of other people in the room. Then, we sat back down and announced our names and our departments to the group.
After we had all somewhat timidly introduced ourselves, the presenter then stood up, points to the tables and announces each and every person’s name at the tables. I believe there were seven tables with about six people on each table. All in the room were amazed at her level of memorization, and in such a short time manner, and ended in applause. She continued the presentation with discrimination, health, and safety policies.
Before this she switched the tables quite a bit, and then had each of the groups create an artistic interpretation of the Mission Statement through a story that each of ether having been working at a hotel and giving this treatment to guests, or having had an experience with a person who gave this exceptional service. Iris and I managed to be in the same group of four. One story depicted was of Fairmont, which a meal for the buffet was made specially for a couple. Iris's story was being upgraded from one hotel to a much nicer hotel free of charge. Another story we had on the sheet was of one of our group being an employee who had ran to store to get film for her guests, because they had left it at home.
My own story was of a chef coming out to meet my family to discuss how we wanted fish which my father had caught to be cooked. One amusing story, not from our table however, was one of an employee which led a guest to the roof to see the view, however the guest was afraid of heights. When they got to the roof, the door inside had locked. So, in order to get the guests off of the roof, she climbed down the fire ladder to the ground and get the key to get the guests inside. I thought that was the ultimate in “Turning moments into memories.” In the end that introduction was very educational.
We were then escorted to security, which we were supposed to place punch in our employee number and place our hands onto a small machine to match our fingers, this in itself seemed very futuristic.
The next part of the introduction was actual housekeeping training by a trainer from the Empress hotel, named Mattias. This involved the standards of how a bed should be made at a this particular Fairmont hotel. The bottom sheet involving hospital corners, rather than being a fitted sheet, the second sheet involving foot folds, and this continued on until the creating a partial hospital corner with the duvet and top sheet. This entire process had much more involved than that stated here. The bed sheets and towels were all Italian made, by Mascioni, the bathrooms were made of a gray beautiful marble. Each room had a wonderful view of either the city or the water outside. We were able to practice this on a bed, and finally it was time to go.
However, before we went we were able to see the lobby. There was a fireplace in the middle, with Oru, the restaurant at the up the stairs and the Raw Bar at the floor below. Again, there was that same sense of commotion within the organizational structure and of the building itself. Although it was not finished, when it was it would make an amazing impression on any guest.
By Karina Bartz
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