August '17 - May'18

The first month working at the hotel, for me, was the most crucial. This was the time in which I was able to show the team, of both the spa and the hotel, how well I would be able to adapt to a new working environment and how quickly I can learn new skills.
During my first week at the Hotel, it was mostly a case of shadowing the receptionists and trying, where I could, to lend a hand in order to actively learn. I find that carrying out newly learned skills allows me to improve more quickly than if I was just watching.
This was not only an important month on a professional level, but also on a personal level. Starting a new job can be a difficult process. But also having to adapt to a new way of living in a foreign country with very few familiar people around. I found this to be the most difficult part due to some personal things slightly affecting the way I was working because of how it was impacting me. However, I found a gym a used this as a distraction from the other events at the time.

August was spent learning everything I could of the job before being left to work on my own starting from September. The main skills to learn, included a whole new booking system, learning the protocols of the hotel as well as Leading Quality Assurance Standards, which are extremely important in the Leading Hotels of the World (LHW). Being a part of LHW means that you have to pass or exceed in all mystery guest visits. At the end of the year, the hotel must have at least an 85% average for it to even be considered for staying in LHW.
Between September and November, there was a noticeable drop in hotel occupancy as well as in the spa during September and October when the protests and riots were starting for the Catalonia referendum. This meant that the spa had to find ways to try and gain more business from within the hotel. We used a massage chair in the lobby for any large group of people checking. for anyone waiting, we would offer the complimentary service and once we were finishing, we would give them the details of the spa and just let them know that we were there. This method, in my opinion was not the most 5-star service we could have provided for a few reasons.
first of all, the chair was in a corner of the lobby with chunky wooden screens around it, blocking out any natural light. Also, we would have to approach clients instead of clients seeing what we were doing and approaching us. I, personally, find this method slightly pushy and unprofessional if you know that clients have just come from long flights and most likely want nothing more than to check in and go to their room. However, with that being said, we did manage to provide the experience for a few willing clients.

Then came November-January. This season is when we are mostly selling gifts and vouchers for people to give at christmas and for Día de los Reyes Magos (King’s Day). These months in terms of spa treatments can prove to be quieter than the rest of the year other than people coming to prepare for christmas events and dinners that may be taking place. This is then the perfect time of year to start thinking about the new years promotions.
During this time in 2017, Cataloniand took to the streets of Barcelona on a number of occasions between September and November.
This meant that many clients of the hotel would stay inside and use either the food and beverage facilities such as the Terrace bar, La Dolce Vitae, or they would come to the spa to escape the madness outside.

In terms of work, I started to gain a lot more confidence when left on my own which I would really worry about before due to my nerves when speaking with Spanish clients. However, once I knew that there was always going to be someone to help me, even if it was over the phone, I started to grow more confident. The rest would come with practice.
After January is when i really felt confident with many of the clients, both hotel and regular. As I had been there a few months, I became a familiar face for clients who visit the spa often, which for me was a rewarding feeling.

As the start of summer approaches we are seeing a steady increase in the number of bookings being made in the spa after a fairly quiet winter/spring period. This is the greatest opportunity for product sales because people love to try new products to make their skin summer ready and it is likely that they will listen to a professional opinion, allowing me to work on my retailing skills.

Effects of the experience:

This experience has shown me that it is possible to learn something new as well as enjoying yourself.
I have learned a great deal of skills and have grown as a therapist and receptionist. I feel confident that when I return to university, I have experiences that will truly help me in my future career both at university and beyond.

To move to a different country without my parents was a scary and new experience for me.  However, in my opinion, that often builds you that confidence to grow and gain the experience without anything keeping you back.

SWOT Analysis

This SWOT analysis is based on the end of my placement looking at it from the perspective of going back to university for my final year with thoughts towards graduating.