My first choice of career was psychology but after one year I changed my degree to tourism. In the summer I was working behind a bar in summer clubs and that’s when I understood that hospitality was a better choice for me than psychology.

I joined Accor five years ago working as an F&B Manager in 2020 and after three weeks we closed the hotel because of the pandemic; we re-opened in 2021.

I like Accor’s diverse portfolio, it has many brands that appeal a variety of guests. I always stay in Accor brands when I’m travelling – I love them all, and I benefit from Accor’s ALL loyalty programme. For me hospitality is making someone happy and making their day, to add sparkle and make a connection. To work in F&B you do have to be interested in food and drink, and I am.

Hospitality can give you an excellent career. There are not many places where you can start at the bottom and work your way up to be an industry leader; that is what I hope to do.

Heartist® is a fundamental philosophy of Accor, it is about creating moments of connection and giving people an exceptional experience; we all try to do that. The idea is to lead with our heart, to engage with guests and to create memorable moments.

I have worked in hospitality for more than 17 years and at this hotel since 2020. It is always a challenge to start a restaurant and make it work; hotel restaurants are mostly for hotel guests. Occasionally, I have launched an à la carte restaurant, when we get customers from outside the hotel as well, and we have introduced some live music – it is a great feeling to have an idea and make it work. Every day we have live evening shows and seat about 60 people; most restaurants in Georgia have entertainment.

To be a team player is one of the most important characteristics when you start in hospitality, and to be flexible, to adapt quickly. Emotional intelligence and good communication skills are also important.