THE MERCURE BRAND

TELLS A STORY ABOUT THE PLACE

The city center of Debrecen has two faces: at the same time, a carefully preserved antique that tells about its history and a pulsating environment with an almost Mediterranean atmosphere. How does Mercure Debrecen fit into this milieu?

The new, four-star Mercure Debrecen hotel, an investment by Bajcsy Invest Kft., is located near the iconic buildings of the city center. The historic location and the elegant hotel environment together provide a perfect experience for our guests. This harmony is closely related to the essence of the Mercure brand, which always tells a story about the location and its cultural heritage. Mercure Debrecen brings the experience of the flower carnival to our guests all year round. The hotel brings this dazzling color world to life.

You primarily count on business travelers: what services can they use to make even shorter stays an experience here?

The needs of business travelers have also changed greatly in the last decade – they are not only looking for simple accommodation services, but also want to enrich their experience. Our hotel can be a partner in this, since in addition to having rooms with a unique appearance and outstanding comfort, the services provided by our hotel’s special restaurant, Winestone Restaurant and bar can turn your relaxation into a special experience. In addition, due to its location, our hotel can also be a starting point for accessing cultural experiences offered by the city.

The hotel’s Winestone Restaurant, which is also open to locals, promises a real gastronomic journey, the starting point of which is Hungarian cuisine. Tell me details about the menu/drink menu!

Today, pleasure and entertainment are increasingly prominent components of tourist motivation. The pleasure of culinary delights is on the list of expectations. While there is an increasing emphasis on healthy, full-value nutrition, high-quality dishes that delight the senses are also playing a role. It’s always exciting when a new restaurant opens in the city: whether the concept is mature, whether the chef is creative, whether the design is unique. The concept of the Winestone restaurant is built on two important elements: one is the selection of excellent quality Hungarian and foreign wines, and the other is the local food specialties, which are served with an attractive presentation, for example, some dishes are served on a black slate board; hence the name “stone”. Winestone is built around wine, in which we Hungarians are very strong. The part of Winestone is a wine shop located at the entrance, clearly visible from the street, where visitors can buy a variety of domestic and international wine specialties. We pair wines with each dish, thereby increasing the gastronomic experience. The wine is also part of the decoration, and you can even buy the tasted items (as well) in an external shop. In addition to food and drinks, the hospitality of our colleagues ensures unforgettable experiences.

During your career, you gained experience in London and Budapest. After a metropolis and a capital, what are the directions that can work well in Debrecen?

It doesn’t matter where you work in the world – London, Budapest, Debrecen – the most important thing is that you enjoy what you do, what it means to work in a hotel, that you participate in one of the world’s first and most dynamically developing industries. Regardless of economic changes and major events, the hotel industry continues to grow globally. Important things for me:

1. You can make your guests’ relaxation memorable
Is your free time one of your most valuable assets? It is certainly important to you where you spend it. Regardless of their travel purpose, hotel guests come to the hotel to relax, and it is also important for them to be able to do so in a clean and friendly environment. All hotel work is for the relaxation and leisure of the guests. If the room is sparkling clean, if the receptionist is helpful, people will feel better and recharge. They will be happy to remember their vacation, the hotel, where they could relax in an ideal environment thanks to the staff.

2. You can work with friendly people
Most hotel jobs require an open and kind personality. This means that in a hotel you are more likely to meet cheerful, fast-paced colleagues and it is more likely that you will work in a friendly team every day.

3. You don’t need decades of experience to get started
You can be a beginner. Most hotel jobs do not require many years of work experience. If you are precise and exacting about your work, if the needs of your guests are important to you, if you are able to turn to them kindly even in the event of a problem, you will already become an excellent host.

4. You can continuously develop personally and professionally
During hotel work, you may need kindness, creativity and good problem-solving skills. Thanks to the varied situations and teamwork, you can constantly develop your personality and advance professionally.

The design of the hotel reflects the symbols of the popular flower carnival, which is a special gesture and also a great connotation of the city’s tourist attraction. Are there plans to offer programs and attractions to hotel guests?

The city of Debrecen will shine in flowers during the carnival week, with a lot of city programs, which our guests are constantly interested in and informed about. Mercure Debrecen opens its doors on the first day of the carnival week, i.e. Monday, August 15. We welcome our first guests on this day. The Mercure brand is also bringing its unique Winestone Restaurant to Debrecen, which will also be open to both hotel guests and Debrecen residents from August 15. In addition to entertainment, those who want to relax can relax in our fitness room and Finnish sauna. The kindness and helpfulness of our colleagues is a guarantee that the time spent in Mercure Debrecen will be memorable for everyone and that our guests will return to us.

How did you cope with the nationwide labor shortage? In this regard, did they have to compromise in any area when choosing their colleagues?

Mindenki számára ismert, hogy a COVID-19 járvány a turisztikai ágazatot nagy mértékben sújtotta. Sok munkavállaló elhagyta a szektort, kevesen tértek, térnek vissza. Szerencsére időben elkezdtük a munkaerő-toborzást minden részlegre. A jelentkezőknél vonzóak voltak a nemzetközi szállodalánc adta lehetőségek. Voltak területek, melyekre nehezebben, de sikerült alkalmazni a megfelelő képzettségű és létszámú kollégákat.