Meet the Team: Q&A with Melissa Barroso

Here at UnderTheDoormat we want you to get to know us, just as much as we want to get to know you. So, with that in mind, we hope you enjoy these 'Meet the Team' blogs, that give you an insight into our team and how we strive to make your experience 5 star. This is Melissa and she is our Serviced Apartment Manager at 3 Sloane Gardens and also the newest member at UnderTheDoormat, she has given us a little insight into what it's like in her job role.

Melissa, welcome to the team! You have been in your new role for a couple of months but before that you worked in a different role. Can you give us a brief outline of what you do here at UnderTheDoormat?
In my previous role at UnderTheDoormat I was working as part of the Guest Relations Team and this allowed me to see many of our portfolio property and be a part of the amazing service that we provide. It also allowed me to develop the personal quality service a guest deserves, which is something I have taken forward into my new role as Serviced Apartment Manager. My role consists of looking after our Boutique ApartHotel 3 Sloane Gardens. This involves pretty much everything you can think of that a small business would require in order to run smoothly.

What is a typical day like for you?

The only part of my day that is consistent is the morning meeting that we have every day. Other than that, my priority is anything guest related whether it be check-ins or check outs, enquiries, arranging transfers, booking restaurants and other services as well as making sure every customer is happy. Between these tasks I do manage to squeeze in time with suppliers, contractors, and local businesses in the community. It is important to build strong relationships across all areas.

What do you like most about 3 Sloane Gardens?
3 Sloane Gardens is gorgeous and the area is so ideal. What I like most, apart from the guests, is how close everything is as well as how many different events take place simultaneously (pre-Covid times). People mostly come for the fashion and shopping, but a large portion also come for all the great food spots as we are in foodie paradise here. I appreciate how the community have adapted to Covid times and many restaurants are offering finish at home meals. This is great for guests who are staying with us and ‘working from home’ who don’t necessarily want to spend hours in the kitchen but still want a flavour packed fresh meal.

What is your favourite thing about your role so far?

I love that no two days are the same and this is greatly due to the diverse range of guests we host. Whether it be a family looking for a home away from home because their house is being renovated, a blogger in the area for the local attractions we have, a wedding group wanting the whole place for their guests, tourists wanting be in a great location or even corporate travellers attending an event together, we've got it all covered. This by far is my favourite thing!

What makes UnderTheDoormat so special?

Without a doubt it’s the team! We are hired on potential and you can imagine how great that has been. 2020 was a rough year yet something beautiful came out of it: TrustedStays. I believe that, that on its own, shows how hard working and quick thinking the team truly is. I’ve been lucky in the sense that I have always gotten on with team members wherever I work but the Team at UnderTheDoormat is especially what makes working here so great.

What’s your favourite thing to do in London?

This is a difficult one to answer as there are so many things I love about living here. Pre-Covid my favourite thing is probably the fact that there is always something happening no matter your spending budget. With the current time my new favourite part about London is probably the Architecture. I spent a lot of my time in lockdown walking throughout London and grew to really appreciate the structure of some of the beautiful buildings we have here. Oh! And definitely all the Ice-cream parlours!