The Front desk

The Front desk

The face of a hotel. A restaurant. A spa.

Delivering Impressions

This is where the action is. If there's one place where the pulse of hospitality can be felt, it's the front desk.

It's where first impressions are made, problems are solved, expectations are managed, and relationships begin.

No road is straight

some of my most valuable lessons in hospitality came from outside the industry.

After spending several years in travel, I took an unexpected detour into the BPO world, handling motor insurance claims for Aviva, a leading UK general insurer.

Every day, I handled between 40 and 60 customer calls from people who had just been through an accident or were dealing with the stress of an insurance claim. Sitting thousands of miles away in a different time zone, my responsibility was simple: listen, reassure, guide, and help them navigate the claims process to resolution. Our service-level agreement was 14 days.

It was an eye opener in managing customer expectations, building trust and resolving customer issues with empathy.

One&Only

Soon after, I received what would become a life-changing opportunity: joining One&Only Resorts in the Maldives, one of the world's most iconic luxury destinations.

I joined the spa as a Lifestyle Consultant, and from day one I felt I had found my calling.

Every conversation was different. I helped guests plan their wellness journeys, recommended treatments, designed itineraries, conducted spa tours, and introduced them to our stunning facility.

Within ten months, I was entrusted with leading the reception team—three receptionists and four attendants.

My world

The front desk became my world.

Managing reservations, handling guest enquiries, coordinating therapists, welcoming guests, overseeing check-ins and check-outs, and ensuring every guest journey was seamless from beginning to end—it was exhilarating.

My background in sales proved invaluable. I naturally began upselling treatments, recommending retail products, and creating experiences that benefited both the guest and the business.

One of the greatest privileges was designing personalised spa itineraries for royalty, business leaders, and movie stars from all over the world. I made it a point to remember their preferences, personally welcome them back, and ensure every visit felt familiar rather than transactional.

My biggest takeaways:

• Personalisation matters. People remember how you made them feel far more than what you sold them.
• Attention to detail creates unforgettable experiences. Small touches often leave the biggest impressions.
• Take care of your customers—both external and internal—and the numbers will take care of themselves.
• Your team is your greatest strength. Trust them, delegate responsibility, and help them grow.

The front desk taught me far more than reservations and guest check-ins.

It taught me leadership.

And it ultimately opened the door to my next chapter—joining Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, where my journey into hospitality operations truly began.

Stay tuned...