Filiz ‘buzzing’ at being appointed General Manager of new Clayton Hotel Manchester City

City centre four-star hotel opened its doors recently

The General Manager of Manchester’s newest four-star hotel fell in love with the city when she moved there over a decade ago and is now delighted to be rolling out the red carpet for guests.

Filiz Smith took up her appointment at the 329-bedroom Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre after moving the short distance from the Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport where she had been the Deputy General Manager since 2018.

The Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre, which is owned by the Dalata Hotel Group, is in the heart of the city, just a five-minute walk from Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street. It is also just an eight-minute walk from Piccadilly train station which opens up the whole north-west region for guests staying there.

Manchester has always held a special place in Filiz’s heart, ever since she moved to the UK from her home city of Istanbul in Turkey in 1999.

Filiz said: “My favourite thing about Manchester is its ‘buzz’. The city is thriving with fantastic bars, eateries and traditional pubs, not to mention the art galleries, museums and a plethora of historical locations in the area.

“Mix that with the diverse culture of living ‘in town’ and you have a perfect mix for a city that (almost) never sleeps. It is easy to see why Manchester has been voted one of the most liveable places in the country on more than one occasion. I am proud to live in this wonderful city.”

Filiz always wanted a career in the hospitality industry, even if her journey towards working in hotels took a few different turns.

She said: “I am extremely passionate about service and providing guests with an experience that exceeds their expectations. Nothing gives me a bigger thrill than hearing or reading guest reviews about how you have made someone’s day.

“The most satisfying part of my job is when guests leave completely satisfied and become return guests.

“I always wanted to work in hospitality since I was a child. When I arrived in the UK in 1999 I was talked into leaving my passion of hospitality and I ended up studying computer science.

“In year two of my course I knew I had made a mistake and whilst studying I started working in hotels. I hate leaving things halfway through therefore I completed the four years in computer science before moving to work full time in hotels.

“My biggest learning from this experience was to always listen to your heart and never be influenced by others.”

The Clayton Hotel Manchester City opened its doors in January however, Filiz has been in post since last June making sure everything was in place to welcome guests.

“There has been a lot of hard work as we prepared for opening day but I am delighted with the hotel and the team we have in place. There has been a lot of interest in the hotel and the reception so far from the public has been very encouraging.

“Away from work my mornings start pretty early. I have a six-year-old son and I love the time in the mornings getting him dressed and fed before the school run.

“I love spending time with my family and my weekends are usually spent keeping our son busy and engaged with bike rides, golfing and board games (chess being his favourite).

“If I can get a little “me” time, then I absolutely love reading and power walks, I could walk for hours without feeling tired.”

To find out more about the Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre and to book your stay, visit www.claytonhotelmanchestercitycentre.com