Hospitality was my first choice when I was growing up because I realised, I loved working with people, communicating with them and meeting new cultures. My family always wanted to give the best hospitality at every family reunion, and we did our best to ensure our guests had fun and felt comfortable. I started my hospitality career when I was 14, just before I went to hotel business school. 

After school, I went to Italy to get experience as a waiter and then I worked in hotels in my hometown Bielsko-Biala before coming to Krakow. From 2014 to 2017, I was working in Krakow in an aparthotel; I started at the bottom, helping make up rooms, and later I was responsible for housekeeping and then a receptionist.  

Because I was working in Krakow, I became a trainee at the Novotel Krakow City West and Mercure Krakow Stare Miasto – they were two of the best hotels in Krakow and that meant Accor was always part of my life. And now, I am part of the first TRIBE in Poland. The lifestyle, design brand was founded in Australia and expanded into France, Germany, Latvia, Hungary and now Poland.  

I love Accor because it is changing hospitality in a good way; it values people in hospitality from the beginning. Accor lets you be yourself, you can develop your character, and the company gives you every opportunity to give guests your best – there are no barriers. It is progressive and I love it!  

Hospitality is all about contact with guests and cultures, with the opportunity to help them because that’s fundamental to the job; it’s my thing.  

Hospitality is not for everyone, but it should suit most people because you can meet guests and cultures and help people; but if you like paperwork, there is also a place for you. Most important, it gives you the opportunity to grow as a person and you can hear stories about the countries where guests come from, which is like travelling.  

For me, being a Heartist® is being the best ever version of myself for the benefit of guests and it means putting my best effort into making sure guests have a wonderful stay in the hotel and being the best person, I can be.  

My proudest moments are every day – I don’t have a highlight although there have been many situations when guests have been thanking me and hugging me when I was able to help them through dreadful situations like a cancelled plane or train, or sickness. 

The best advice I can give to new starters is don’t be scared of hospitality, you will not become the person you don’t want to be, don’t be scared of guests, just be yourself, help people and smile – a lot!