You've Been Served: Patricia Roberts - proprietor of No 1 Pery Square Hotel and Spa

Patricia Roberts is the proprietor of No 1 Pery Square Hotel and Spa in Co Limerick. The hotel opened in 2009. www.oneperysquare.com

I’m owner and manager at No 1 Pery Square Hotel and Spa and I began this journey over 10 years ago now.

I have worked in hospitality and catering for the past 24 years. I studied hospitality through hotel and business management between Cathal Brugha Street and completed my degree at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. I was attracted to hospitality with the notion that it was a glamorous business that could give one the opportunity to travel worldwide and enjoy a wonderful lifestyle of food and wine!

I often think I would love to be a gardener but I think it comes from craving more time outdoors, and the love of growing flowers and food and so on. It’s a great balance of physical work while also great for the mind, nurturing in nature.

Maybe someday I will get to enjoy it as a hobby.

Owning a small hotel is very much a 24/7 business. A typical day for me starts from 6.30 am or 7am. I check in on emails and messages first and then I check in on the overall operation of the hotel and the plan for the day ahead in terms of customers and staff. While there is a plan for every day to accomplish the necessary tasks, quite often that gets hijacked and takes another direction.

One of the best parts of my job is when customers have a wonderful experience throughout the hotel and rave about it. The satisfaction it brings to a job well done is second to none. It is also fantastic to work with young staff and watch them grow through the business and develop into great hospitality professionals.

Meeting wonderful people and getting to engage with such interesting people from all over the world and being able to share stories with them is a wonderful part of working in the hospitality industry.

One of my favourite memories at No 1 Pery Square Hotel and Spa was making the Conde Nast Hot List of newly opened hotels in Europe in 2009.

Not a week goes by without an unusual surprise at the hotel, I guess that’s what makes our days most interesting and exciting. We have hosted many great people with famous faces but I would be reluctant to give away names as the guests who visit No 1 value the privacy of a small townhouse hotel.