Cape Town - Mitcheala Carol-lee Valentyn is conference and events co-ordinator at Cape Town’s Hotel Verde and, full of infectious enthusiasm, she’s like a friend when you’re far from home.
I am Mitcheala Carol-lee Valentyn. I was born on Women’s Day (August 9) and my name is pretty special.
My first name is uncommon, and my surname is Valentyn, which is Valentine in English. You can call me Mitch.
What can I tell you? I live for my guests, and some of my favourites are the cabin crews who stay over at the hotel.
I get to know the returning visitors, so I often try to peek in at reception just to greet them.
We’re a “green” hotel, and we also do school tours here, to educate children about being eco-friendly and environmentally aware.
I studied hotel and restaurant management for three years before joining Hotel Verde as part of the team when we opened two years ago.
I’ll never forget the day we opened and the first guests arrived: Tears of happiness!
I have worked in different roles, from reception to food and beverages, but now I organise conferences and events.
That means I get to work at 6.30am and check that the venues are set up, the wi-fi is on and the welcome signs are up. Then I check e-mails, help out over lunch by mingling with guests or assisting waiters. There’s lots of admin and often late nights, but I love my work and I’m not one who complains if I’m tired.
In addition, I believe in learning from mistakes. If I do have some spare time I spend it with my mother, my boyfriend, friends and family and love to take drives all over Cape Town.
People say: “Why don’t you go overseas to work”, but why? Cape Town has everything.
Tuesday evenings I have band practice because I play trombone in the Moravian Church band.
My mother works here at the hotel, too.
My work family is close to me; when our favourite guests come, we say to each other “Ooh! My father or grandfather is here!” but we don’t tell the guests that, I have to be professional with the guests!
Some of the guests know me well.
We get to know each other, ask about their personal lives, family, parents and to make their stay memorable.
Something I like to do is surprise a guest if it’s their birthday, I will go to the kitchen and get a special plate of fruit or a champagne flute with orange juice and the staff will sing to them.
It helps to learn some other languages. I can greet guests in French, German and Dutch, and visitors from the Netherlands speak to me in Dutch. I fill in wherever and with whatever I can. I have a big personality and I am proud of what I have achieved at the age of 25.
There’s a quote I like about excellence: “Great leaders don’t set out to be a leader… They set out to make a difference. It’s never about the role – always about the goal.” (Lisa Haisha).
Whether it means filling in with little jobs or introducing guests to Cape Town, I think hospitality is all about the personal details.
l This holiday season, the Cape Argus in partnership with Cape Town Tourism is introducing some of the fascinating characters of tourism every week, in their own voices.
Cape Argus