HOTELS schmecken, ob ein Wandbild ausgetauscht oder die Zimmertemperatur niedriger eingestellt werden müsse. «Es macht mir viel Freude, das Hotel herzurichten, wie ich mein Daheim für gute Freunde parat machen würde.» Wand der Wörter In seinem Büro fallen die vielen Notizen an den Wänden auf: Auf Portugiesisch, Deutsch und Italienisch sind Saisonziele notiert, auf einem grossen Plakat steht «Wand der neuen Wörter». Daneben sind die Zahlen auf Deutsch aufgeschrieben. Soares möchte, dass seine Mitarbeitenden die deutsche Sprache lernen. Dies habe er damals bei seinem Arbeitsbeginn vermisst. Die meisten Bewerbungen für Zimmermädchen und Portiers bekommt der Executive Housekeeper von seinen Landsleuten. Nach einer Saison können sich die meisten von ihnen bereits auf Deutsch verständigen. Und seine Mitarbeitenden zeigen trotz der Strenge ihrem Chef viel Wertschätzung: «Ich war sehr gerührt, als mein Team mir als Überraschung ein Video geschenkt hat, in dem ich von Zimmermädchen gespielt wurde.» Abgesehen von den Checklisten, Beispielfotos für die korrekt eingeräumte Minibar oder den Einsatzplänen, fallen in André Soares Büro die zahlreichen Pokale auf: Der Südländer ist ein grosser Fussballfan. Er lässt sich von «seinem» Club Benfica Lissabon begeistern. Aber auch selbst spielt Soares Fussball: Er ist Mitglied beim Engadiner Verein Lusitanos Samedan, zusammen mit seinen Kollegen, nicht nur Portugiesen, spielt der Aktivsportler in der 4. Liga. Aktiv ist er auch auf dem Fahrrad oder auf den Bergen. Nur der klassische Wintersport, der sei nicht so seine Sache. Zuhause ist der Lissaboner in Pontresina, verheiratet mit der Spa-Managerin Nadine Böning Soares aus Deutschland, die er im Grand Hotel <strong>Kronenhof</strong> kennen lernte. Aber auch Lissabon ist Heimat. Dort leben seine Mutter und andere Verwandte. André Soares fühle nach so vielen Jahren an beiden Orten dieses Gefühl von Sehnsucht, das man kaum korrekt übersetzen kann und sich «Saudade» nennt. Saudades, só portugueses conseguem senti-las bem. Porque têm essa palavra para dizer que as têm. – Saudades: Nur Portugiesen können dieses Gefühl kennen. Weil nur sie dieses Wort besitzen, um es wirklich beim Namen zu nennen. Fernando Pessoa André Soares was not the only one from Portugal who followed his relatives to the hotel. Today he, the younger brother, is the boss of his elder brother, although he says that doesn’t pose a problem. “Before I came I was under the misapprehension that my German was quite good.” On the contrary, he had a lot to learn. The first thing that happened was that Soares had a vacuum cleaner pressed into his hands “and so I got down to work. I had no idea about the hotel business,” he grins. As he worked his way up through the ranks, he found that regular guests were behind him all the way, even though there are now some who miss having him as porter. That is no surprise – it was under Soares that the “Special Requests” card index system was painstakingly established, ensuring that his team knows before guests arrive what their favourite fruits are, whether a particular picture needs to be replaced or whether the room temperature needs to be reduced. “It gives me great pleasure to present the hotel in the same way as I would prepare my home to welcome good friends to stay.” Wall of words When you enter his office the first thing you notice are the messages pinned to the wall. Objectives for each season are noted down in Portuguese, German and Italian, and there is a large section entitled “The Wall of New Words”. Next to this are numbers written out in German. Soares wants his staff to learn the language, and he missed having help like this when he started out. Most of the applications the Executive Housekeeper receives for chambermaids and porters are from his fellow countrymen and women. After one season most of them can make themselves understood in German. And despite his strictness, most of them really appreciate their boss: “I was deeply moved when my team surprised me with a video in which I was played by the chambermaids.” Alongside checklists, photos showing examples of how a minibar should be correctly set out, and rotas, André Soares’ office also features a large number of sporting trophies – he is a huge football fan and an avid supporter of “his” club, Lisbon’s Benfica. Soares also plays football himself. He is a member of the Engadine club Lusitanos Samedan, playing in the Swiss 4th League together with his colleagues, not all of whom are Portuguese. He is also an active cyclist and enjoys mountain sports, although he isn’t keen on winter sports. Originally from Lisbon, Soares, approaching 40, now feels at home in Pontresina. He is married to the spa manager, Nadine Böning Soares from Germany, whom he met at the Grand Hotel <strong>Kronenhof</strong>. But he still feels he has roots in Lisbon, where his mother and other relatives live. After so many years living between the two places, André Soares feels a certain yearning, expressed by the practically untranslatable Portuguese word “Saudade”. Saudades, só portugueses conseguem senti-las bem. Porque têm essa palavra para dizer que as têm. – Saudades: only the Portuguese know this feeling. Because only they have the word to express it. Fernando Pessoa 6 KRONENHOF KULM MAGAZIN
HOTELS 7 KRONENHOF KULM MAGAZIN
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