Behind the Scenes with the Victoria & Alfred Hotel’s Guest Relations Manager

Many a profound word has been spoken about team effort and the positive outcomes which prevail when members work together towards a shared vision. We can certainly testify to this as we have seen the evidence thereof firsthand. It is our daily pursuit to offer our guests the very best experience at each of the properties in our portfolio, and it is our staff complement – working in unison – which makes this possible. Our team is the heart of our business; the catalyst for our success. For this reason and many more, we celebrate our staff members and their achievements.

Perhaps you’ve already had the pleasure of meeting some of the friendly faces behind the Newmark brand but today, we’d like to take you “behind the scenes” to better acquaint yourself with one of our valued team members: Luci Wiltshire. Luci is the Guest Relations Manager at the Victoria & Alfred Hotel – a property that we hold in high esteem as it was the first to be incorporated in our portfolio.

As you enter into this iconic hotel, it is Luci’s priority to ensure that you feel at home instantaneously, and we are proud to say that she and her colleagues achieve this with great finesse. Luci makes sure that guests remain happy and comfortable, that matters that need resolving are addressed and that appropriate solutions are put in place, and that her immediate team is equipped and motivated to do the same.

When asked about what a typical day in her shoes is like, she explained with enthusiasm: “I’m a big believer in starting the day on a positive note. From the moment I wake up, I adopt this mindset and this helps me to inspire my colleagues to remain upbeat too. I enjoy encouraging others to see the glass as half full. Expressing positivity makes a person approachable and in my role, that’s exactly what I need to be.

I spend my day carrying out a variety of tasks from managing arrivals and departures, assisting guests arrange their daily travel plans and tours, and helping guests plan special occasions to ensuring that the front office remains neat and tidy, performing site inspections and attending meetings. In a nutshell, I am guests’ point of contact for anything and everything – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

To Luci, performing these duties is a joy. “The highlight of my day is making guests smile – when I do so, I know that I have done my job well,” she says. It’s rather evident that Luci loves her job, and her resume reveals the same. After qualifying as a nursery school teacher, she decided to take a different route and enter into the hospitality industry. She spent a few years working at different hotels in Cape Town, fulfilling various roles, but ultimately found her niche in guest relations at the Victoria & Alfred Hotel, where she has been employed for 18 years.

Luci has, not surprisingly, made wonderful friends with colleagues and guests during this time. In fact, her friendly manner has such an impact on those around her that some guests like to double check that she won’t be on leave during a certain period before making their following reservation. When Luci does happen to be out of “office”, she enjoys riding Harleys or adventure bikes with her partner and exploring the beautiful Cape. Of course, she always returns to work without hesitation. “The Victoria & Alfred Hotel has so much to offer: stunning views, a stylish setting and a selection of attractions on its doorstep. It is arguably the best located hotel in the V&A Waterfront,” Luci explains. “And, it has a great company culture. What more could I ask for? I’m truly proud to be part of the team and look forward to building on our successes in 2018!”