This week we sat down with our amazing Reception Manager Kelly, who brings a wealth of experience and passion to her role. She shares with us her career journey, daily responsibilities, and what excites her most about the role.
How long have you worked at Penventon?
I started working at Penventon in October 2017 as Assistant Reception Manager as Nigel, who was our Reception Manager at the time, was on countdown to retirement! I then took over as Reception Manager when he retired in June of 2018.
How long have you been in your industry? How did you get started?
I started working in Premier Inn as a Receptionist in Exeter back in 2011 after I finished my diploma in “Private Secretarial & Business Administration” – I wanted to move back home to Cornwall, so in July 2012 I got a transfer and moved to Truro Premier Inn. I worked there for 5 1/2 years developing my career to become the Assistant Reception Manager. Learning those aspects of the business including revenue, targets, occupancy etc made me eager to progress further and that is why I made the move to Penventon.
Walk us through a typical working day.
There’s no typical day in hospitality! I tend to do day shifts between the hours of 8am-6pm so that I can be here for the peak times of Check-In/Check-Out. Our checkout is up until 11am so the main focus of the morning is on that. Reception does restaurant and hotel bookings as well as vouchers so we always have plenty of day-to-day stuff to keep us busy as well as the admin duties of paperwork ready for our new arrivals that day! If it’s a Thursday we have our weekly Sales Meetings to go through the events/hotel bookings of the upcoming weekend/next week so I prepare numbers for that so the team are aware of any VIP guests coming in, tour groups which we get a lot of in the Spring/Summer and any special packages to be aware of.
Check-In is then from 3pm & I always love being on the desk during a busy shift. It always feels like such a productive day when you start with 40+ arrivals and then leave a few hours later when everyone is all checked in and happy.
What’s your favourite part of your job?
That’s a tough one – I’m a bit of an organised nerd so all the admin stuff I actually adore. I give myself one admin day a week where I go completely off the desk & in the office and it’s just paperwork central making sure all the bookings match and everything is perfect. Of course though it’s also the guests… and the team I work with. Whether it’s the new guests who come in and are amazed by our chandeliers in the reception atrium or the ones who come in for lunch every week and tell us stories about what they’ve been up to. The team I work with as well truly makes me want to come in every day…it really is a family run hotel and all the team are one (sometimes dysfunctional) happy family.
What is something you’re currently working on that you’re excited about?
We are heading into Summer now so all eyes are on that – we don’t do any particular packages during the summer months but we are looking at a “Summer Nights” campaign to show how much we have to offer here at the hotel for your perfect Summer Staycation so keep your eyes peeled.
If you were staying as a guest what would you do?
I would 100% be getting a spa treatment, the girls are amazing! If it was sunny I’d be out on the patio and then head in for dinner – I love food so 3 courses for me – and then crash out on one of the super comfy sofas in the lounge after dinner.
Which fictional character are you most like?
Hermione Granger – I am a big Harry Potter fan and I could totally imagine myself taking extra classes and doing all my assignments first.
What’s Your Favourite Band?
My music taste drives everyone insane. It is so repetitive…just pop music galore.. anything charty I just love, especially all the older stuff like Girls Aloud & Mcfly!
Angel is the Marketing Assistant at Penventon Park Hotel, doing all things social media, photo + video. She was born in South Africa but now calls southwest Cornwall home. She loves spending her weekends reading, exploring Cornwall (anywhere with a good coffee shop), and going for runs with her husband.
