Meet Natalia | Career in Hospitality
Have you met our house manager, Natalia?
Natalia has had an interesting and diverse career in hospitality, which helps her manage Galtres Lodge with obvious passion. An asset to our team, we’re excited for you to get to know Natalia a little better:
Natalia’s Career in Hospitality
Natalia got her master’s degree in international tourism, and whilst studying, took part in a 6-month student exchange in Budapest. She had always wanted to live abroad and was interested in the different flavours of the world, so she wrote her master thesis on the food aspects of different cultures, and how cuisines are tourist attractions themselves.
She had various roles in hospitality throughout this time, and discovered a passion for the industry - so, after her graduation, she moved to York. From there, Natalia got a supervisor job in a traditional English tea room.
She said, “After about a year, I started looking for a more challenging role to further my career in hospitality - and Galtres Lodge was looking for a new member of staff. It was a hotel and restaurant, both areas of the industry I was interested in.
Initially, under different management, I started learning practical secrets of this remarkable Georgian building and how it’s run and was then promoted to the duty manager role. After a couple of years, Rebecca and Chris brought Galtres Lodge and took it to a whole new level.”
Applying Her Experience to Her Role
A keen traveller, Natalia realised how important it was to receive great customer service while visiting new destinations. She said, “I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to be able to provide amazing assistance, serve outstanding food, have long chats about breathtaking attractions and make people want to come back again.
The city of York is beautiful and compact. All the buildings have their own unique style - there are many listed ones - so for me, it is an architectural feast. I’m always amazed by all the wonky medieval houses and how much charm they give to the cobbled streets of York.
All the distances between landmarks can be covered by foot, so there’s no need to rent a car or use public transport. Everyone knows each other in the industry and there is a network of independently owned businesses who support each other and create amazing products worth buying/visiting.”
A Typical Day Working at Galtres Lodge
Natalia has worked with us for more than 5 years, and in that time has built an amazing rapport with customers and suppliers alike.
Getting to know our customers and being able to recommend the best places to visit during their stay is important to us here at Galtres Lodge. We want our customers to feel comfortable, relaxed and well looked after.
Speaking of a typical day here at Galtres Lodge, Natalia said, “I mostly work early shifts; I’m an early bird so this is perfect for me. I arrive in the morning and am usually the first one on-site (except the night porter who is there for the night shift).
It’s so peacefully quiet at that time, and it’s amazing to see the difference between empty dining rooms, halls and restaurants compared to a full buzzing place in the middle of the day.
I get everything ready for the service, look through the systems to make notes of any special occasions or requests for both hotel and restaurant guests, and let the kitchen team know if there are any special requirements. I make sure we have our shelves stocked up with drinks and contact suppliers to arrange deliveries.
I greet guests coming in for their breakfast in the morning and ask about their plans for the day. I’m always happy to give recommendations for the best places to try. I enjoy sharing my secrets on where to go for the most delicious cakes and ice cream, the best tea selection, melt in your mouth fudge and chocolates, the scariest ghost walk, or the most interesting guided tours!
I then juggle my time and attention between busy service in our amazing Forest Restaurant, choosing the best tables for reservation requests, serving breakfasts, lunches and Forest Afternoon Teas, making cocktails, training new team members, and various other daily duties.
No day is like any other in a career in hospitality, and that’s what’s most exciting about this position, as I’m not a fan of routine. Diversity is my favourite aspect of being House Manager!”
What Makes Galtres Lodge Different?
We’ve recently transformed our back utility yard into a stunning Secret Garden, and it’s quickly become one of the most in-demand places in York. Natalia said, “The whole concept of Forest is absolutely amazing.
I love the fact that we’re building something from scratch with original flavour ideas backed up by the décor. Our staff work like a well-oiled machine - most of the time understanding each other without words - which I love.
Here at Galtres Lodge, we always try to add a personal touch for our guests. We aim to make everyone’s stay special by adding some personalised welcome cards or decorations for special occasions.
We also, where possible, try to fulfil our guest’s special requests - even the most bizarre ones. If I had to describe Galtres Lodge in three words, I would choose cosy, friendly and stylish.”
We’d like to say a big thank you to Natalia for taking the time to talk us through her house manager role.
If you’d like to know more about our beautiful city, please read our previous blog on interesting facts you might not know about York.
Alternatively, to book your stay, please contact a dedicated member of our team.