This archive report was first published on 4 July 2020.
Breaking Barriers in Hospitality ¶
Sheila Tonui, the head butler at Hemingways Nairobi, has made a name for herself in the hospitality industry, but her journey to the top was not without its challenges.
Graduating from Kenya Utalii College in 2012, Sheila set out to follow a different path, one that would take her to the forefront of the industry.
With a rich experience working for top hotel brands in Kenya, Sheila found her calling in the butler service, a concept that was new to her at the time.
She did a butler course at the NovusLuxus Innovative Luxury, a UK-based company that trains top-class butlers globally, and within two years, she ascended to the role of head butler, managing a team of 12.
So, what does the job of a butler entail? According to Sheila, it's about attending to guests in a personalized way, anticipating their needs, and delivering that.
Butler service is more of a 'wow service,' Sheila notes, where guests are assigned a personal butler who attends to all their needs during their stay.
As a female butler, Sheila has faced her share of challenges, including guests who are surprised to be attended to by a woman, but she believes that women make better butlers due to their keen eye for detail.
With controlled access to the presidential suite, service is done through a private butler service door attached to a private kitchenette, Sheila explains.
Guests, she notes, base their impression of the hotel on the butler, and she must do her best with confidence and composure.
Despite the challenges, Sheila is passionate about her work and has attended to VIPs and VVIPs during her time as a butler.
With the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the hospitality industry, Sheila has had to adapt to new rules of social distancing and minimal contact, including sanitizing guest luggage and disinfecting suites.
Would she advise someone to take up this profession? Sheila says it does pay well and exposes you to different experiences, but it's not without its challenges.
As the head of her department, Sheila is happy but not limited, and she could grow within the organization to become the operations manager or move on to work in a different capacity but within the industry.
