Actors and artists do it, politicians do it, AND some hotel managers do it. They all live or have lived in a hotel. Some of them longer, others shorter. For an interview, we asked Julia and Constantin von Deines from the Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden what their experiences with life in a hotel are like:
- Dear Julia, dear Constantin, tell us: Since when are you part of Falkensteiner and do you have “experience” with the hotel as your own home?
True to the motto – “Sometimes you have to leave to come back”, we have been back in the Falkensteiner family since 26.10.2018 – based at the Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden. Initially, we actually stayed directly at the hotel. It was a wonderful experience to understand the little castle, the team, the specifics faster. In particular, we appreciate it very much to perceive the hotel from the guest’s point of view, so that we can also better assess various feedbacks, or in turn, sensitize our employees to it. But at some point, there comes a time when you wish for a little more distance from the workplace – as much as we love our work. It is particularly entertaining when, after a wonderful and muddy bike ride through the Carinthian Nockberge mountains, you sneak through the underground parking garage to your hotel room and then encounter guests who immediately recognize you and open up a conversation.
Or staying in the hotel during a period of closure and hearing every single creak. Whether perhaps a castle ghost is still at home somewhere, or it’s just our house technician on his daily rounds through the building after all?
- How is living in a hotel different from living in your own apartment, away from the workplace?
The refrigerator in the form of the minibar is much smaller, and it’s hard to fit in milk for the daily cereal. No joking aside – on the one hand, it is wonderful to be able to enjoy all the comforts of a beautiful hotel room, but on the other hand, we don’t want our employees to have to “take care” of us as well. We always try to keep this extra effort as low as possible. They should rather concentrate fully on our guests and spoil them. And it is nice to be able to cook on a stove at home. In the hotel room, there’s only the kettle. You can do a lot with it, but it’s not a kitchen…
- How can our readers imagine your service apartment or room in the hotel? What were the differences between “normal” rooms or suites?
Since we always consider our accommodation only temporary accommodation, we do not make great changes to it. Besides a nice, fresh flower, or plant, the following things are still important for us: a decent mountain cheese together with a crusty farmer’s bread, an apple juice from the local farm store, and always one (or more ;)) Chocolate(s). Although frankly speaking, we still needed a mobile clothes rail for the room. And also not every room has with us a clothes horse for drying the laundry. Of course, the hiking equipment including via Ferrata set, as well as the touring skis may,
Zipfelbob, bike accessories, and various tour recommendation materials not missing…you could also think that you are in a small expedition camp. We love the mountains and like to be out in nature in our free time. The Schlosshotel is located in a beautiful and also very diverse area between lakes and mountains – right at the 3-country corner. Carinthia stands for the province with the most lakes, the highest mountains, and the most hours of sunshine in Austria – it is a dream to live and work here!
- How difficult was it for you to switch off after work? After all, you literally take your work home with you!
Since we work together and like our work very much, we talk a lot about work – that’s true, but we always admonish each other, laugh about it briefly and immediately move on to other topics after the office door closes. The last details of work are discussed during an evening walk through the forest or along the lake. The best way for us to switch off is outdoors in nature, or with our families or friends. But we actually separate work and private life very strictly and consistently.
- Finally, a quick question: Would you dare to take the step back into the hotel again?
For a transitional period always very happy – it is a wonderful experience to be allowed to “live” in the hotel for a while to experience and feel the house, the technical facilities and also our services from the point of view of the guest, but in the medium and long term, we prefer our own home, where you can again start a nice big campfire under the stars, grow your own lettuce & vegetables in the raised bed and cook yourself. If it were ever necessary again, we would again be very grateful for the opportunity. But a home outside the hotel is an enrichment, which we would not want to miss – as nice as the hotel is.
