Jill Chalmers

MD Glenapp Castle

• What was your favouritesubject at school?  That was such a long time ago, it’s difficult to remember!  I recall always questioning why it was only the boys, not the girls, who were allowed to do woodwork and technical studies and us girls got ‘home economics’!
• What was your first job? A short stint as a clerical assistant at a company called Lep Air, a freight forwarding company based at the old Edinburgh airport.  Quickly followed by my first job in hotels as a receptionist at what was then, the Swallow Royal Scot Hotel in Edinburgh.   I loved the buzz of hotels from my first day working there – still do love that buzz!
• Which is your favouriterestaurant /hotel? Oooh, that’s an impossible question to answer.  I have lots of favorite restaurants and hotels all over the world, but not always a direct result of the product offering, rather the wonderful memories from them created by the people you are with.
• How do you inspire your team? Hopefully by leading by example, fair leadership, finding the possibilities and having fun.
• Which person in hospitality have you most admired / inspired you?I remember attending a training course run by Derek Taylor, who back then was quite the hotel guru, and he inspired me to always evaluate and develop the hotel product and always aim to be the best it could be within it’s specific sector.   I work closely with Peter Lederer and admire his ability to always see the bigger picture and the overall vision.   Currently, the owner of Glenapp Castle, Paul Szkiler, who isn’t a hotelier, but an absolute inspiration for his blue sky thinking and always making things happen, despite the obstacles on the journey.
• How do you manage your stress levels? ‘Sleeping on it’.  Whenever there is something challenging or bothering me, I never make a quick decision, rather always ‘sleeping on it’ – the answer and peace normally comes.
• Instagram, Twitter or Facebook – and why? None of them for personal use (although I do sometimes appear in my daughter’s tik-toks!)  But for business, we use them all to keep sharing the Glenapp magic.
• If you had not gone into hospitality, where do you
  think you would be now?    A policewoman …   the mind boggles!
• What did you do on your last days off? I’m writing this on a plane returning from Marrakesh and Essaouira where I’ve been enjoying a late summer holiday with the family.  Highly recommended!
• What do you do to relax, to support your wellbeing? Daily yoga (although a recent broken wrist is making my downward dogs challenging currently!), lots of walking and addiction to my daily steps, lots of socializing with my friends and family, laughing and living life to the full.