The Reception

We can now see light at the end of the tunnel, with the design of our new reception area. The reception is now being relocated to the rear of the lobby which, amongst other benefits, gives the reception team a clear view of arriving guests rather than being off to one side. A funky retro style desk has been put into place, new lighting installed and better storage facilities for guests’ luggage will hopefully benefit all and lift the lobby area to a new dimension. New uniforms for the front of house staff are also being considered, so it will make for a refreshing change.

Reaping the benefits

The start of this year has also seen little extras for both first time and returning guests when booking directly with the Jalta Hotel website, such as a complimentary transfer from the airport, a free welcome drink voucher and free coffee and cake voucher for use in the Como restaurant.

As part of upgrading the all-round experience whilst staying at the Hotel, we now offer a 24 hour room service menu which is ideal especially for guests arriving on late flights, those of us who struggle with drastic time changes when crossing the continent and those who just wish for peace and quiet whilst relaxing or working in their rooms.

As we continue to further our appreciation to returning guests, The Jalta Hotel is now offering a rewards scheme with various benefits ranging from a complimentary transfer to or from the airport, one free night secure garage parking and in addition to various other benefits, a complimentary one night stay at The Jalta (subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply). 

Restaurant Como

The Hotel restaurant and bar has recently reopened the front garden terrace and extended seating capacity to 60 from 48 the previous year. It really is superb spot for people watching and Wenceslas square certainly has more than its fair share of both the weird and wonderful.

In addition to the weekly live music evenings, Friday nights now include DJ spun music from the 80s and 90s which seems to be gathering momentum with both hotel guests and outside guests popping in for an impromptu boogie.

Wenceslas Square

There have been some changes in the square this year regarding the traffic and street parking.

Prague city council have decided that the lower part of the square will now be closed to general traffic and parking restrictions have come into force. Apart from the obvious logistical headaches for premises that need to take delivery of goods and supplies, it can only be good thing for this boulevard. In addition to this move, the first Sunday of each month sees a total vehicle ban (emergency vehicles excluded obviously) and a number of Prague citizens hope this will not only lead to less carbon emissions in the  immediate area, but also the proposal of more events for families, tourists and the general public alike.

On the down side, it doesn’t eradicate the problem of excess vehicles and carbon emissions. It only moves the problem to other parts of the city.

And finally…

Congratulations to two of our reception team, Oliver and Vojta,  who last month completed the Prague half marathon with relative ease, bettering their times from the previous year. An impressive feat considering neither of them trained for the run. Unless of course the Hop-on -Hop-off Bus played some part along the way ??

The reservations department

The General Manager and Sales director recently decided to give some of the team the chance to try something different from their everyday positions and in this case it was one the reception team who was drafted in to our reservations department for a little ‘hands on training’.

 In the words of our receptionist:

Office work has never been something which has ever appealed to me, however, I could easily get used to this, not having to wake up at some un-godly hour of the morning in order to be at work by 6:30am, not having to inform our guests why we take a credit card copy as a guarantee, not having to face some of our more challenging guests (especially first thing in the morning), not having to make the various daily reports, no more counting the cash till several times per day, no ordering airport transfers, no more giving directions to the castle, no more booking restaurants, tours, taxis, no more room assignments, no more standing for most of the day, no more aching feet and calf muscles and finally not getting home and only having 3 hours to cook dinner, wash up and prepare for the next day before it’s time to go to bed.

This reservations training in our sales office is going to be a walk in the park, a piece of cake. I can imagine it now. Glide into the office, bid the ladies a pleasant morning, catch up on the local gossip, talk about the weekend activities, grab a freshly brewed filter coffee and a chocolate digestive biscuit, slump in to one those nice leather swivel chairs and take down a few notes. Job done

 How wrong was I?

The handle on the reservations handset was still glowing red from the previous day. Apart from a brief acknowledgement and friendly smiles from the team as I entered the sales office, all I could hear were the furiously fast tapping of keyboards and various telephones either ringing or having numbers punched in for the days business.

I was shown my seat, (cloth not leather and had seen better days possibly in the 1980s) given as much explanation by the reservations manager as was possible whilst in between the numerous phone calls she had begun to answer. ‘Kettle is over there by the way’. I think you get the picture…

 Where to start?

Faxes, phone calls, internet, extranet, intranet (in fact everything short of a fishing net is used), form filling, form filing, document distribution, reservations, modifications, cancellations, data input, additional guest requests, guest emails, travel agent emails, internet travel agent emails, invoicing, group reservations, group reservations coupled with conference facilities, price strategies, management meetings, brainstorming meetings, sales meetings, promotions, corporate client queries, online price changes and the list carries on and on and on.

 At the end of the shift my eyes are blurred and sore from staring at the screen all day, my spine is screaming out to be straightened after sitting in that awful office chair and my wrists are crying out for some TLC due to keyboard fatigue.

I’ve only been here for a gentle introduction and training session, but it really has changed my opinion of this particular department. In such a short period of time, my respect for the office team has grown considerably and quite rightly so. I didn’t even manage to talk to the sales department, the conference department, the banqueting department or the marketing department, but from what I saw, I can safely testify they are well-oiled cogs in the engine room of The Jalta and without doubt like any business, the pressure to sell in this current financial climate, is quite evident.

 Although this has been a refreshing experience, I personally feel more at home down at the front desk, amongst the hustle and bustle, the arrivals, the departures, the challenging guests and along with other duties eg. giving directions to the castle to the 998^th guest this week.

 I suppose we are all destined for or stumble upon our own particular roles in life, but mine is definitely not office bound.

 My personal role at the Hotel is to try to ensure or enhance guest satisfaction face to face, whether on a weekend away, a lengthy vacation, an overnight stop, a business trip, a company conference or a family reunion. This is what gives me job satisfaction at the end of the day.

 Nothing beats this, apart from a foot massage and a lie in after 5:30am………

We make no apology for reporting Sundays’ international news that the great man himself, ex-president Vaclav Havel passed away at the age of 75.

 He was not only an ex-president, but playwright, a film director and an avid supporter and activist of human rights. 

It was Havel who carefully steered Czechoslovakia’s transition to democracy after the communist rule ended in 1989.

He then guided the now Czech Republic in a separation from the Slovak Republic after the Slovaks demanded independence and their wish was granted. It was at this time that Havel stated ‘After every party there’s always a hangover’. 

As a great fan of both Jazz and rock, Havel also became well known on the music circuit. 

He made the musician Frank Zappa an honorary cultural ambassador,ushered Bill Clinton onto the stage at the Reduta Jazz club in 1994 for an impromptu rendition of ‘Summertime’ on saxophone and instigated the 1^st Rolling Stones concert in The Czech Republic! Incidentally the Stones were so taken aback by the support from their new found (and formally secret underground) fans that they left the massive outside spotlights from their original gig at the Letna outdoor stadium in 1990 as a gift to the people of the Czech Republic. 

They have since returned several times and Mick Jagger even celebrated his 60^th Birthday party in Prague though no doubt he probably celebrated in several other countries as well.  J

Yesterday evening, Prague witnessed a massive gathering in various areas of the city including Prague Castle and Wenceslas Square, where a steady stream of people both young and old, came to pay their respects by lighting candles in honour of this somewhat unsung hero.

Today the city continues to both celebrate and mourn the life and death of Vaclav Havel.  

In addition to this, prayers will also be said to ward off any electrical power cuts because today you won’t be able to buy a candle for love nor money…

 After an unseasonably mild and dry month, we are now gearing up for the festive season, although November hasn’t been the so called ‘calm before the storm’.

Occupancy statistics for this past month have proved fruitful for the Jalta and it seems that the current financial crisis hasn’t put off as many tourists from coming to Prague as was first indicated in the Hotel predictions.

We were also pleased to be able to accommodate the rock group Nazareth whilst they had their 29^th November gig in the city. The group, originally formed in 1968 thrashed out numerous hits at the Lucerna music club including the continuously popular ‘’Love Hurts’’ which was first recorded by the Everley Brothers in 1960.

The Christmas markets are already open along with the purpose built stage in Old Town Square, where a variety of singers and performers woo the crowds amidst the aromas of the winter grills.

The ever present hot wine and punch stalls are already doing brisk business regardless of the milder temperatures.

The ice rink in Ovocny Trh behind the Estates Theatre (just off Old Town Square) is also being prepared for skaters’ young and old, beginners and the competent or the brave and crazy.Even participating as member of the audience is still fun. 

It also seems that tourists are taking advantage of the currently stronger euro and sterling rate. The Czech Korun has weakened slightly as of late, which is obviously making a favourable difference to the traveller.

So what about next year? The news coverage regarding Europe and its finances looks bleak; however, reservations for the hotel for 2012 still seem to be steadily flowing in. One would assume that holidays, gifts, dining out and general luxuries associated with non-essential travel would be the first items to cut back on. With Italy amongst several countries in a catastrophic financial crisis, one would also assume that reservations from this part of the globe would slump to a mere trickle, but they are still travelling and more surprisingly, we experienced a considerable rise in the number of Italian guests staying this year!

Britain has also featured heavily on news channels recently regarding the financial crisis, however one major hotel chain is apparently purchasing new premises. Hilton hotels have announced they will open 100 new hotels in the UK in the near future. Although a little too late to catch the guests for the 2012 London Olympics, they obviously strongly believe the market will support this investment.

 And finally …..After the addition of a new shoe polish machine placed in the reception area, it was rather fascinating to watch one guest shining up their open toe sandals.

Bringing open toe sandals on holiday to central Europe in November is one thing, but polishing them is something else…..

Two years ago we were partly blessed and partly frustrated, when two internship students arrived at The Jalta for some ‘hands on’ training in the various different departments.

Granted, it can’t be easy leaving the comforts of home, school, friends and country albeit for only a few months, but it ceases to amaze how some students just adapt at the switch of a button whilst others give up all too quickly.

Some embrace the experience and yet others just come along for a jolly or as a matter of course because ‘they know everything’

The brace of students who arrived two years ago were quite simply chalk and cheese, completely different in attitude and yet friends doing the same college course and each apparently with a desire to succeed in the hotel industry.

One of these students who grabbed every opportunity to learn and actively get involved has already climbed the slippery ladder of employment and we are delighted to hear that she is now Assistant Housekeeping Manager for a five star hotel. Quite a feat in such a short time.

The other student, it seems, has not been so fortunate and now works as an assistant in a bowling alley.

A similar scenario happened last year when two students arrived from Spain. The first, an energetic, studious and sociable young lady, rolled up her sleeves and became a useful member of the team, not only at the reception, but in also in the housekeeping department and the restaurant.

This student is, we hear, progressing well and has already enrolled in a training program with a hotel chain.

The second student decided he couldn’t stand for any longer than 10 minutes at a time whilst at reception and returned to his homeland as quickly as he arrived.

And this year, we have another student. This student has already shown signs of how she intends to map out her future.

After a brief spell on the reception desk, she is now in the housekeeping department. It’s too early to tell how she will cope in this equally important department.

Sadly the early signs whilst working at the reception are that she too will be applying for a position at the local bowling alley… 

This well-known budget airline was recently blowing its own trumpet after scoring top marks for serving the best quality white wine on board their flights.

 The following text was taken from their news website.

The wine tasting, commissioned by flight comparison site Skyscanner, involved a panel of ten judges, lead by wine expert Tom Cannavan, who were asked to blind taste 12 red and 12 white wines served on board the major carriers, and score each a mark out of 10. 

Louis Mondeville Côtes de Gasgogne (from France) took first place in the white wine category. easyJet beat the likes of AirFrance, British Airways, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic to the top spot for airline white wine.

James Cave, Skyscanner's wine expert and editor of the wine blog regularwino.com, commented: "Before the tasting, I had high expectations of airlines such as Emirates as I know they invest heavily in their on board food and drink – but I was pleasantly surprised by how well the low-fares airlines fared.

It’s all very well having a great product, but as one of our team discovered recently whilst flying from Prague to London Stansted, it was the service that left a nasty taste.

Whilst reading the inflight magazine article, our colleague decided to order the above mentioned white wine and was asked if ice was required. ‘Only if the wine is at room temperature’ joked our traveller.

And the response? ‘What do you expect if it’s been flying around Europe all day long?’

We trust the same due care and attention is not applied to their storage of meat and cheese filled sandwiches.

Any rubbish ? No, just an upset stomach….

Spacious, modern, seductive lighting and cool music are just a few ways to describe this Hotel restaurant in the heart of Wenceslas Square.

Comfortably seating up to 150 guests, the venue is ideal for not only for lunch and dinner, but also cocktail parties, receptions, product launches and charity functions.

Only last year, Como was in the spotlight after raising the amount of 109,400Kc for the Cancer Research Foundation, simply by donating 10kc for every Cappuccino sold in the previous year.

Quite a feat and quite a few Cappuccinos!

Talking of Cappuccino, the coffee beans used in Como are from the well known La Bohéme coffee company.

And where better to drink it than on the terrace of Como looking out across the famous Wenceslas Square. It really makes for a fabulous people watching podium.

There are also complimentary magazines and newspapers available for those who enjoy catching up on the latest news or features.

The Menu

Predominantly Mediterranean style, but if you don’t feel like wandering aimlessly through the centre looking for Czech cuisine, Como also offers a tasty selection of traditional dishes.

In addition to the A La Carte menu, there are weekday lunch specials on offer which offer good value for money.

http://www.hoteljalta.com/jalta-hotel-restaurant-in-prague/ 

The Como bar

A vast array of beverages are on offer from fresh squeezed juices to fine cognacs, rums and a great selection of homemade infused vodkas or to liven up your evening, our Head Bartender Martin or any of his capable colleagues will blend, shake, stir or whisk you up a heady cocktail.

The Mojito is always a great choice, but a great favourite here at Como is Mai Tai: A fruity, easy drinking rum based ‘’devil in disguise’’. It really packs a punch.

The ever popular Cosmopolitan also seems to slip down effortlessly, made with a fresh raspberry infused vodka.

All these can be enjoyed especially in the evenings whilst listening to some live music performed by various artists from Tuesday until Saturday.

Come and enjoy the great atmosphere.

As a Hotel guest you are entitled to a 10% discount.   

After 21 years of service to the Jalta hotel, our Housekeeping Manager Alena is retiring.

                                                       21 years!

 Alena joined the hotel originally as the Laundry supervisor. It was a disaster area, run at the time by a fearsome sergeant major type woman in her senior years. Nobody ever dared to even wander in, let alone criticise her working methods.

That was of course, until Alena went in to battle.

 6 months on, the laundry progressed from what only could be described as a bomb site, to a fully functional, well organised and easily accessible area to the relief of both the management and the housekeeping team.

 It was quickly established within these first 6 months that Alena had great potential and was rapidly promoted to Housekeeping Manager.

 Rumour has it, the laundry lady switched off the iron and packed her bags on the very day the new Housekeeping Manager was appointed.

 The Jalta Hotel, which was owned for some time by an Asian bank, was losing money and one of the main reasons for this was the enormous amount of employees it had on the books. In all, 148. The hotel was then sold to a new owner and 147 staff were, over a very short period of time, released from their positions and replaced by a smaller, but more efficient team .  Alena was the only original member of staff who was invited to stay on.

 There are now approximately 80 full and part time employees helping to run this 4 Star Deluxe Hotel. (www.hoteljalta.com)

 Forgotten items

It’s not just cleaning rooms :

 The housekeeping department is also responsible for the safe keeping of all forgotten items left in the rooms by guests when they have departed. Each item is logged on computer, tagged and stored in the company strongholds. Where possible, the guest is informed and the items are returned to the rightful owner:

 Clothing,  jewellery, passports, driving licenses, identity cards, reading glasses, sunglasses, house keys, car keys, books, childrens toys and one or two items that can’t be mentioned J, but to name a few.

 Alena has logged them all including a large amount of money which apparently the secret service police and Interpol took away for ‘’forensic tests’’ (never to be seen or mentioned again) and a set of false teeth, which after 20 years of being safely stored, have still not been reclaimed so if you are reading this blog and left your dentures at the Jalta Hotel 20 years ago, you know where they are J

 The Housekeeping department obviously plays a vital role in the hotel as this is the department that prepares the rooms, the extra beds, the baby cots, the complimentary L’occitane cosmetic products, the minibars and any additional special requests that our guests may have for example hypo allergenic pillows, extra covers, additional towels etc.

 20 years ago, everything was recorded manually on paper, however in this day and age, the computer plays an important role and it is here where Alena receives the guest information, correspondence by email with the various different departments of the Jalta Hotel, arranges the purchase orders, logs the various items used in the rooms and juggles the chambermaids shifts to make sure every guest floor is attended to.

This lady has worked tirelessly under pressure, however you can almost guarantee that you will be met with a beaming smile.

 One of her fondest memories was that of a very young Count from the Kinsky family, a highly influential noble family spanning back to the 13^th century, who took up a part time job at the hotel whilst in his young teens.

 He worked alongside the Housekeeping Manager for the most part and was inspired by her work ethic and passion for the job.

 Although these days mixing with equally influential families, royalty, politicians and well known personalities, the Count still remains in contact with Alena and never forgets her birthday or a Christmas greeting.

 Another pleasant memory in the very early part of her career, was when Alena received a gratuity of 5 pounds (sterling) by a very happy guest. It’s almost hard to believe, but she had never seen this type of currency before, let alone realise just what it equated to in Czech money at that time. She almost fainted when she found out it was approximately 25 percent of her monthly salary!

 When we asked Alena ‘’Have you met many famous people? ‘’ She replied ‘’Quite a few but the only one who really impressed me was the Dalai Lama.’’By official invitation from the former President, Vaclav Havel, the Dalai Lama visited the Czech Republic in 1990 and stayed at the Jalta Hotel.

We will all miss you, but equally wish you an enjoyable retirement!