Pastoral perks
In the early 1990s, Elaine Blood worked as assistant manager at London's Café Royal. Now she operates in a very different environment, as deputy general manager of the Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa, in an idyllic setting in west Cork.
"As I look out of my window I can see the waves crashing on the shore," she says. "It's unbelievable in summer, with our two beaches, and it's even more spectacular-looking in winter. It's such a beautiful place that you like coming to work."
The 29-year-old started her career in her native Dublin, adding skill and experience with jobs in London, Sydney, Melbourne and Dingle before ending up in west Cork. "The only thing I miss about Dublin is that my mum and dad still live there," she says.
The hotel's spa offers a wide range of treatments, all of which are available to staff at significant discounts. More than 120 full- and part-time workers are employed, and to help retain them an annual car raffle has also been introduced.
Another well-known rural destination is Dromoland Castle in County Clare, where Nico Hernandez works as food and beverage manager.
Hernandez, 29, came to Ireland with his parents when he was two years old, and his career choice was never in doubt. He joined the Fitzpatrick Group's in-house training programme and spent four years at their Bunratty hotel before moving to the quiet elegance of the five-star Dromoland Castle.
He insists working in the heart of the Irish countryside doesn't cramp his social life and points out that Ennis - "the fastest-growing town in Ireland" - is just a 10-minute car trip away, and Limerick less than half an hour.
Among the perks of the job are accommodation, meals and use of the hotel facilities, including a new golf course. Dromoland Castle is rarely short of a celebrity guest or two. "It's not every day you get the chance to meet Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton," says Hernandez.
Dromoland's sister hotel, Ashford Castle in County Mayo, also has its share of celebrity events, including the wedding last year of James Bond star Pierce Brosnan. Restaurant supervisor Tracy Wallace, 23, admits that moving from Dublin to the countryside of Cong, County Mayo, was a bit of a culture shock, even for someone born in Tipperary. "It's a huge challenge but I love it," she says. "In this business everyone wants to work with the best, and Ashford is recognised as a world-class hotel."
Wallace trained for three years at Dromoland Castle, spending six-month periods working in different departments, and keeps up to date through an in-house programme at Ashford. Her ambition is to become a duty manager.
"I certainly don't miss the Dublin traffic jams or the endless struggle to find a parking spot. After work we go for a drink in Cong village or, if we're having a big night out, to Galway, which is only 40 minutes away. It's a completely different way of life."
