Alumni Portrait – Salomé Charbit
A graduate of the Bachelor Operational Manager in International Hospitality in 2020, Salomé Charbit now manages 2 sites: Hôtel de Fleurie*** and Hôtel La Folie des Prés***. She talks passionately about her past and future challenges.
What are the most exciting challenges in your role as Multi-Site Director?
First of all, the Hôtel de Fleurie and the Hôtel La Folie des Prés (formerly the Hôtel de Saint-Germain**) are two establishments located in the legendary Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, each with its own character and potential. Two hotels, two atmospheres, and therefore twice the challenge, with all the work that implies.
The main challenge? Bringing them back to life.
Bringing a hotel back to life means first and foremost offering genuine customer service, with a wider range of quality services. For example, the rebranding of the Hôtel de Saint-Germain as the Hôtel La Folie des Prés*** marked a real change in positioning and a move upmarket. With the support of the Hôtel & Performance teams, we were able to breathe new life into this establishment, restoring it to its former glory.
The human challenge? None of this would be possible without teams.
Teams are the key to meeting the main challenge. We need to succeed in building their loyalty, developing their skills, training them and, above all, communicating a shared vision so that they take full ownership of the project.
The biggest challenge?
One of the biggest challenges in my role as Multi-Site Director is the competitiveness of the Paris market. In Paris, excellence is a standard, and each establishment competes on originality and quality to win over an increasingly demanding clientele. So it’s a constant challenge to innovate, refine our positioning, create a strong identity and offer a unique experience that will leave a lasting impression. This dynamic constantly pushes us to reassess our standards, rethink our services and anticipate expectations, to offer our customers much more than just a stay: an immersion in the Parisian art of living.
How does your experience in luxury hotels help you in your day-to-day work?
My experiences as a concierge at the Hôtel Martinez and the Cheval Blanc Paris have taught me the importance of attention to detail and excellence in customer service. Every attention counts, and every experience must be designed to exceed expectations.
At La Folie des Prés***, with our breakfast room still under renovation, we had to find solutions quickly to offer an experience that lived up to our standards. We quickly realised that our customers are looking for much more than a stay, they want to experience the area. That’s why we came up with a partnership with Les Deux Magots, one of the most emblematic literary cafés in Paris for 140 years, to offer them an authentic breakfast rooted in the history of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
At the Hôtel de Fleurie, our approach is different but just as demanding: elegance and quality are at the heart of our vision. Our welcome products are by Fragonard, and we make a point of using local produce for breakfast.
All our hotels share the same philosophy: the art of good living, a warm welcome, and the desire to make every guest feel at home while enjoying a unique experience.
How did your training at Vatel Bordeaux help you realize your career path?
As soon as I started studying at Vatel Bordeaux, I realised that the hospitality is first and foremost a passion that you live and feel. During my first internship in the Bachelor program, I had the opportunity to discover all the departments, which gave me a global vision of how a hotel works. This cross-functional approach was a real asset in understanding how to coordinate teams, optimise operations and ensure smooth, efficient management.
What’s more, all the experience I gained during my training taught me the importance of team management and strategy, key elements in the day-to-day running of an establishment.
But above all, this job is a constant learning process. Every day is a new opportunity to grow, to refine my vision and to take on new challenges with passion and ambition.