When Silvia Karstens began working as a Room Attendant at The Westgate Hotel in May of 1981, it’s safe to say that things were a little different. She remembers, for example, the way her team used to communicate with the front desk staff using a series of colored buttons. If a room was clean and ready for guests, they would press the green button on a large board in the housekeeping office. If it hadn’t yet been attended to, they would press a red one.
When The Westgate opened its doors only 10 years prior to Silvia’s arrival, The San Diego Union-Tribune described its “ultra-modern exterior” with “the elegance inside of a European palace,” declaring it “America’s most beautiful hotel.” Silvia, now 42 years into her career at the hotel, has witnessed almost every iteration of this elegance. Quickly promoted from Room Attendant to Housekeeping Dispatcher to Assistant Housekeeping Manager, and finally becoming the Executive Housekeeping Manager in 1984, Silvia has an intimate understanding of the guestrooms. She still remembers the dark satin colors of the room’s fabrics when she first started at the hotel. She recognizes the updated furniture and can distinguish these pieces from the originals. She even remembers how the bathroom lighting in the guestrooms used to be dimmer, and can tell how much brighter the lights appear these days.
An Expert Eye for Detail
Though she’s been in a managerial position for many years now, Silvia continues to take a hands-on approach to everything she does. Her days usually begin with administrative duties, like approving supplies orders and invoices, responding to emails, and the like. After this, though, Silvia walks through all the shared spaces in the hotel and through every floor of guestrooms. She looks for anything out of place–making note of any cleaning or maintenance needs. She measures everything she sees according to a high standard, and double checks everything from the condition of the carpets to the condition of the housekeeping carts.
But her attentiveness also extends to supporting her team. Every day, she makes sure all of the washing machines are in working order. Then, she checks that all the linens needed for the day are clean and ready to go for her staff. With everything in its place, and with her support, Silvia’s team can maintain the visible wow-factor that sets The Westgate apart.
The Why Behind the Work
To stay in any one place for four decades, you need to have a significant “why” behind the work that you do. For Silvia, the why is multifaceted. “I love cleanliness,” she says, “and making guests feel pampered.”
But beyond the kind of work she does, it’s the community and the culture that really have kept her at The Westgate for so many years. Here, she says, “who I am matters.” Being a part of a team where she feels respected and celebrated has made all the difference to her. When she thinks about stand-out moments from her storied career, she thinks about being taken care of. Like the times she was treated to getaways to Sun Valley Resort where she felt “pampered” like she was “royalty.”
For Silvia, the hospitality industry has given her the opportunity to do what she loves. Her advice to anyone starting out in this industry? “Work hard, be reliable, care about your team members and guests. Make a difference. Love what you do!”