Her outspokenness is matched only by the energy she deploys in all circumstances.
Her outspokenness is matched only by the energy she deploys in all circumstances. « I hate doing nothing, it's a waste of time for me ! » So, for almost 35 years, Emilia Mateis, the longest-serving member of staff in the entire Cosy Hotels group, has been giving her all at the Hôtel Saint-Nicolas. Of Portuguese origin, Emilia Mateis arrived in La Rochelle with her parents at the age of 8. She first obtained a CAP (vocational training certificate) in accounting, which she never took up, then worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant in La Rochelle, where she quickly moved into the kitchen, then moved to Paris to work as a cook in the Marais district, before returning to her adopted seaside town to work behind the stove of a restaurant for a summer season. On 1 September 1991, responding to an offer to join her as a «chambermaid», she began her long lease, which is still ongoing, with the Hôtel Saint-Nicolas.
« At the time, we prepared continental breakfasts and served them on trays. »she explains, before adding that she then joined the cleaning team to continue her work in the rooms. Today, Emilia continues to get up early so that she can start work at 6.30am in the restaurant, which has undergone a radical facelift thanks to the extensive work carried out with renowned architects over the last few years. In her personal rear-view mirror, she is also reviewing the evolution of the breakfast on offer, with an ever-increasing number of «home-made» products, such as the cakes she prepares almost daily, as well as local and short-run products (cheeses, yoghurts, jams, honeys, herbal teas, teas, etc.), and the particular attention paid to the eco-responsibility of the buffet laid out every morning. Seated under the glass roof, in a warm and elegant setting, customers can appreciate the quality of this meal.hould be designed to be the first good moment of their day».». There's nothing like customer satisfaction to make this cheerful woman happy. « A smile and a kind word go a long way with the team we form with Mélanie and Montse, our manager.. »
What will I miss most when the time comes to retire in a few years' time? The sense of well-being and harmony that all the staff at the Hôtel Saint-Nicolas enjoy, as well as the regular recognition for a job well done. Emilia already knows that she will be getting more involved in charitable associations. Always with the aim of serving others to the best of her ability.