I’ve always loved hotels. Traveling, seeing new places, eating, the sea, mountains, being with family and friends, making memories…all of it, but mostly hotels. I love hotels. I remember telling my dad when I was young, I can’t wait to grow up so I can go to hotels whenever I want. There was just something luxurious and special about them. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this one thing has never changed for me. I love hotels.
In fact, my first job while I was away at university was working in a hotel—Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn & Suites in San Diego, California. I walked my resume in, met with the General Manager, and the Front Office Manager and got the job the same day. I started in the back office as a PBX Operator. I just answered phones. But here it was more than that, we had people from corporate calling to check how we answered them, you never knew when it might be someone calling to audit our hotel. Thank you for calling Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn & Suites, this is Tracy, to where may I direct your call? It was a mouthful. I can still say it with my Hotel Operator’s voice.
I spent quite a few years in the hospitality industry, working my way from PBX Operator to Front Desk Agent, and eventually Front Office Manager. I worked in small boutique luxury hotels, extended-stay properties, and big-name hotels like the Hyatt in Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco. I enjoyed all of it. The ups and downs, the guests, challenges, perks, learning new property management systems (PMS), bonding with my colleagues, and even the late nights and occasional overnight shifts. But it wasn’t really conducive to being in a relationship, especially a marriage. As a manager, I received calls at all hours to come in to deal with grumpy guests (we called these ‘screamers’) or get on the phone with someone who ‘wanted to speak with a manager’ at 3am.
So I left it, changed my career path and eventually moved to Europe. But I never stopped loving hotels and I still have dreams of being back at the front desk helping guests. I assumed I’d return to the hospitality industry in one way or another, Maybe open up a B&B or work in a hotel part-time in retirement. It’s not uncommon for me to help people plan their trips or provide ideas of what they can see or do—both people from the US traveling to Europe or European friends who want to see the US. And a few years ago, I even wrote a travel book about Barcelona.
So in reality, I never left the industry. Launching Escapade World Travel brought it all together for me; it is a way for me to continue to share my love of trips, travel, and especially hotels!
