Cathy Goyetche

GM Days Inn Sydney Nova Scotia

Cathy Goyetche

I have been in the Hotel Industry for 32 years.
I have worked in 2 hotels in Canada + Internationally.

My first job/position in the hotel industry was as a Room Attendant.

The number of times I have…
opened a hotel: 0
renovated a hotel: 1
removed a dead body: 1
escorted a guest off the property: 10
seen a ghost in a hotel: 0
kept “it” confidential:
driven a guest to the hospital: 3
performed Housekeeping Duties (made beds, scrubbed toilets): 100
taken a sick day: 3

What does it take to be a GM?
Patience , consistency, looking after your staff along with the guest.
In the industry the Housekeeping staff is getting older and it is harder all the time to find workers who want to do this sort of physical labor.

The three things I can’t live without are:
1-Family
2-Friends
3-Work

My caffeine fix: Coffee
About 10 cups of coffee a day.

When I wake up, the first thing I think about is my father , he is elderly and sick.

My most embarrassing encounter with a hotel guest was witnessing a naked man. I did not know you could have red hair there? I could not stop laughing.

My most famous hotel guest was The Prime Minister.

The best advice given to me:
Stay Strong, Be Honest

My biggest pet peeve when visiting “other” hotels are the ratings.

The worst feeling in the world is letting your staff down.

If I could change one thing about the hotel industry, it would it be common sense.

If I could meet one person (alive or dead) it would it be God.

If I had to do it all over again, I would not change anything. I think starting from the bottom and working all departments in a hotel gives you a feeling of knowing what it takes to get the job done.

I prefer…
Day over Night
Summer over Winter
East Coast over West Coast
Sunrise over Sunset
Quiet over Loud
Classical Music over Rock

The “best hotel story” of my career.
They were doing a movie in the area. We had a bear in our parking lot for weeks and in our rooms we had birds, snakes, and other animals. It was different to say the least.