After eleven weeks of preparation, Tio students can finally proudly open the doors of their own hotels this week. Five Stayokay hostels throughout the Netherlands have been transformed into star hotels and are completely run by students from the Hotel Management and Hotel and Event Management courses. Take a look inside!
‘Burgundian’ Château Noordwijk
At Château Noordwijk, Burgundian enjoyment is the theme: everywhere you will find baskets of fruit and vegetables, the bar is full, the restaurant is being prepared for dinner and guests are in the middle of a cocktail workshop of Hotels van Oranje. How did the students arrange all that? “We have attracted many sponsors; for example, we’ve made a deal with Jumbo supermarket that we get a 50% discount on everything, and Bavaria supplies us with beer,” says hotelschool student Cato van der Werf (Tio Eindhoven). As a sponsor manager, she has been busy managing the sponsor team in recent weeks. Successfully! The PR department also did not sit still; there are flyers and business cards everywhere and the mayor even came to open the hotel. Student Hotel and Event Management Nina Heiligers is part of the PR team: “It's really fun to do; I am really enjoying myself here! "
‘Topperjes’ at Tio Royale in Haarlem
"These students are really great (‘Toppertjes’)," says lecturer Ella Smith proudly. “Sometimes something goes wrong at the hotel, such as a double booking, but that is very neatly resolved by the housekeeping department. And that way you also have your learning moment: always ensure a good transfer.” What is it like to open such a hotel? Hotel management student Liz Broeks (Tio Amsterdam) from front office: “The first day I was in shock; we had to prepare everything quickly, test systems and open the doors. Fortunately everything is going well, and there’s a good atmosphere.” You can see that: classmates (also from other programmes) come and go for a drink, a bite to eat or just a chat. Liz adds: “Normally you see your fellow students at the campus, but now you have much more contact with each other. You really have to do it together! ”
Arabian atmospheres in Heeg
You have to travel for a while, but it pays off: Stayokay Heeg is completely in Arabian spheres: "The Arabian". But Hotel Management student Lucas Leurink (Tio Utrecht) is not concerned with the decoration: “I am responsible for the finances of the hotel. For example, with my team I manage the budget of the bar, restaurant and rooms, and I ensure that the cash is counted and skimmed. In this position you must be able to work accurately. Super cool that we get the chance to run a hotel like this together!” Hospitality student Nienke Bartels agrees: “I mainly worked in the restaurant and that was very educational. Nice to take good care of our guests!”
Teamspirit at Bohemian Bliss in Apeldoorn
“can I help you?”, “No dude, you are not scheduled to run the bar now, I will clean the bar for a while”, “I do want to help in the kitchen!” The team spirit kicks off in the very nicely styled Bohemian Bliss in Apeldoorn. The thight-knit group of students is well attuned to each other on day two, and students who are not "employed" are having fun at the bar sponsoring the cashflow. As a guest you also receive a very friendly and hospitable welcome: a tour of the beautiful rooms in the forest, a cup of tea and “would you like to see the menu right away?” Hotel and Event Management student Marleen van Doorn (Tio Utrecht) says: “As a bar manager I manage the bar staff and I keep an eye on everything: when does the beer cask have to be replaced, does the wine have to be ordered? It is very hard, but it is really fun here! ”
International Art hotel Àdroit in Bergen op Zoom
Art hotel Àdroit opened at a beautiful location in Bergen op Zoom, in the middle of Brabant nature: a colourful world full of art and creativity where guests create their own masterpieces. "It is going well," says general manager Mika Broer (Tio Amsterdam) proudly, while he is keeping a close eye on the restaurant. "Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow the hotel will be completely full." Together with his fellow students from the Utrecht and Amsterdam campuses, including exchange students, Mika has been preparing for quite a while. “What I love about the Hotel and Event Week is that you really get a glimpse into this world of hospitality. Certainly as a general manager I get to see all aspects of the hotel. You learn so much during this week. And we haven't had any complaints yet, so that's a good sign," he says with a wink. Guests Rob and Andrea from Zwolle were pleasantly surprised, they say, while being checked out by the friendliest front office employee: “We loved it here! We have really enjoyed ourselves. The food is good and we are well looked after. Very nice to spend the night in this hotel. The students are doing fantastic!”