The Sezz Saint Tropez has put together an enthusiastic and well-qualified team whose main mission is to ensure that your stay is unforgettable. This month, we are pleased to present Daniela TUCAN, reception manager at the Sezz. Read on for a brief interview that will give you a portrait of a passionate person who does everything she can to help you make the most of your stay.
- BEFORE YOU ARRIVED AT THE SEZZ SAINT-TROPEZ, WHAT WAS YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER?
Arriving in France in 2011 at the age of 19, I took a receptionist position in a hotel in Val D’Isère. After this first experience, I discovered I had a passion for the hotel industry, helping guests and the various opportunities that the hospitality sector offers. Continuing to work on a seasonal basis (winters in the mountains, summers on the French Riviera), I did my first summer at the Sezz in 2012. Following this, I decided to resume my studies and did a BA in Applied Foreign Languages in Aix-en-Provence. During those 3 years of higher education, I financed my studies by working in a hotel in Aix en Provence, where I received promotion to the position of Assistant Reception Manager. When I finished my studies in 2016, I realized that I was missing the seasonal rhythm and I went back to the mountains, this time in Courchevel. My choice of establishment for the summer season was made fairly quickly as I had very fond memories of my first season at the Sezz in 2012. For two more years I returned to Courchevel in the winters and to the Sezz Saint-Tropez in the summers. In 2017, I had to make a very important decision because, having attained a position of responsibility in the two hotels, it became impossible to be 100% involved in both. I was offered a permanent contract in both establishments. I subsequently chose the Sezz and since 2017 I have lived and worked all year-round in Saint-Tropez.
- WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN DUTIES?
The way the reception works at the Sezz is quite different from other establishments, in my experience. We are versatile and manage the room reservations, looking after the guests and the reception itself. My mission is therefore to ensure the proper functioning of all these aspects, including booking management and pricing, organising our yield management strategy, as well as billing, arrivals, departures, etc. and, of course, team management. My main objective is to do everything I can to ensure that our guests have a great stay and that the teams are motivated and come to work with a smile, happy to provide impeccable service. The general atmosphere is very important and the harmony we have achieved within the team is also felt in our relationship with our guests.
- WHAT ARE THE KEY MOMENTS IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE?
The key moments of our daily routine are all centred around the arrivals and departures of our guests. Upon their arrival at the hotel, we are the first people to greet the guests and so it’s essential that we give a very good impression and help them to relax into the Sezz spirit as soon as they walk through the door. It’s the same when the guests depart. We are their last experience when they leave the hotel and therefore their last memory of the Sezz. But, generally speaking, a day at the reception is filled with ‘key moments’ because it’s the ‘hub’ of the hotel; the place that all the information passes through and where communication plays a vital role. Each detail of a client's stay is information that is regularly transmitted to reception so that we can then communicate with everyone who helps to facilitate the guest experience.
- WHAT ARE THE LITTLE EXTRAS PROVIDED BY THE SEZZ GUEST EXPERIENCE?
The ultra-personalised service and our availability to the guest. We strive to make our guests feel completely at home. Every detail counts, and every requirement of the guest becomes a part of our mission, for their current stay and especially for future stays. Every year we have guests who come back to stay with us each time they return to Saint-Tropez because they know that here they will find tranquillity, discreet staff, and attention to detail. It all adds up to hassle-free luxury.
- TO FINISH, CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE ANECDOTE ABOUT LIFE AT THE SEZZ SAINT-TROPEZ?
The beauty of the hotel trade is precisely the diversity of situations that we experience every day. I would even say that every day is full of anecdotes! One which comes to mind is related to an incident (a few years ago) that we had with a dog belonging to one of our guests, a dog who was very young and full of nervous energy. As our housekeeping team walked into the room do the cleaning, the dog escaped and ran at full speed out of the hotel. We didn’t have the chance to turn around and try to catch him because he’d already hurtled off like a furry bullet! We asked passers-by if they had seen him, found out the direction he’d headed in and set off to find him. After a good half-hour, we still couldn't find him and became very worried. I finally took my car and went around the area, asking people on the street if they’d seen a small dog wandering alone... After an hour or so, while passing a villa some 2km from the hotel, I met some neighbourhood residents who told me that they’d seen a dog hiding under the hedge of the house next door. Happily, it turned out to be our escapee. He was frightened and huddled at the bottom of a hedge under the fence and didn’t want to come out. After multiple attempts to lure him out, I had to sneak under the hedge and grab him. I got several bites (because he was frightened and bewildered) and a lot of stress for my efforts, but the dog was eventually brought back safe and sound to the room without the owners noticing... Shhh ☺
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Sezz Saint-Tropez, a 5-star hotel in the heart of Saint-Tropez