The Swiss Hotel School 2004 Graduate, Anthony Hart.
1 April 2022
In high school, whilst you’re still a teenager you get asked to make a very important life decision “What do you want to do when you grow up?” It’s a huge decision to make when you really don’t have all the information or life experience that would help you to make the choice. It’s a daunting time for everyone. I decided to give a career in hospitality a go, and after visiting a few open days settled on The Swiss Hotel School.
I’ll never forget the first day, meeting all my new classmates and of course the force of nature that is Mr Tschumi! I loved my time at SHS, and I was very fortunate to be one of the second-year students chosen to go to Switzerland for a four-month practical in our last semester. It was my first time away from home, in a foreign country, in a language I only had a very loose grasp of, and it was incredible.
I worked as a housekeeper/pot washer for four months and possibly learnt more about myself and life in general than at any other time. What an experience!
When I graduated at the end of 2003 I started work as a switchboard operator at The Grace in Rosebank (now 54 on Bath) before being promoted to receptionist which I did for two years. I have such fond memories of that time and how much I learned every day. I tried my hand at arranging corporate golf days at a country club which I thoroughly enjoyed, but I missed hotels and the front office. In 2006 I started at the Quatermain and Falstaff hotels in Morningside and I really settled in there. I started as a receptionist and within a few years I was the Front Office Manager. I worked there for 7 years.
In 2013 I decided to travel for a few months and went to Jersey in the Channel Islands. The plan was to go for 6 months and decide where I wanted to go next. That was 9 years ago and I am still in Jersey.
I am currently General Manager of an Independently owned 4-star hotel that sits on one of Europe’s best beaches. I’ve been at my current hotel for 7 years and every day is still something new.
Working in hospitality is truly unlike any other career. I think many young people are put off by the long hours and hard graft, which is valid, but it’s so rewarding. Sitting in an office for 8 hours a day every day might be right for some people, but for those with passion and drive and that little bit of sparkle – a career in hospitality will never ever leave you feeling bored. I always like to remember and remind my team that our guests are coming to us for their special occasions. It may be just another Wednesday dinner service to you. To them it’s a family reunion, a grandmother’s birthday, the night someone proposes to their partner. People make lifetime memories with us and the privilege of being part of peoples lives in that way never wears off.
Jane Patterson
General Manager
Hospitality Management Graduate of 2003
In high school, whilst you’re still a teenager you get asked to make a very important life decision “What do you want to do when you grow up?” It’s a huge decision to make when you really don’t have all the information or life experience that would help you to make the choice. It’s a daunting time for everyone. I decided to give a career in hospitality a go, and after visiting a few open days settled on The Swiss Hotel School.
I’ll never forget the first day, meeting all my new classmates and of course the force of nature that is Mr Tschumi! I loved my time at SHS, and I was very fortunate to be one of the second-year students chosen to go to Switzerland for a four-month practical in our last semester. It was my first time away from home, in a foreign country, in a language I only had a very loose grasp of, and it was incredible.
I worked as a housekeeper/pot washer for four months and possibly learnt more about myself and life in general than at any other time. What an experience!
When I graduated at the end of 2003 I started work as a switchboard operator at The Grace in Rosebank (now 54 on Bath) before being promoted to receptionist which I did for two years. I have such fond memories of that time and how much I learned every day. I tried my hand at arranging corporate golf days at a country club which I thoroughly enjoyed, but I missed hotels and the front office. In 2006 I started at the Quatermain and Falstaff hotels in Morningside and I really settled in there. I started as a receptionist and within a few years I was the Front Office Manager. I worked there for 7 years.
In 2013 I decided to travel for a few months and went to Jersey in the Channel Islands. The plan was to go for 6 months and decide where I wanted to go next. That was 9 years ago and I am still in Jersey.
I am currently General Manager of an Independently owned 4-star hotel that sits on one of Europe’s best beaches. I’ve been at my current hotel for 7 years and every day is still something new.
Working in hospitality is truly unlike any other career. I think many young people are put off by the long hours and hard graft, which is valid, but it’s so rewarding. Sitting in an office for 8 hours a day every day might be right for some people, but for those with passion and drive and that little bit of sparkle – a career in hospitality will never ever leave you feeling bored. I always like to remember and remind my team that our guests are coming to us for their special occasions. It may be just another Wednesday dinner service to you. To them it’s a family reunion, a grandmother’s birthday, the night someone proposes to their partner. People make lifetime memories with us and the privilege of being part of peoples lives in that way never wears off.
Jane Patterson
General Manager
Hospitality Management Graduate of 2003
