The best job in the world — but it’s still hard work

TIM’S job was to travel around the world staying in six-star hotels. Incredibly, he’s walked away from the gig.

IMAGINE travelling the world and getting paid to review the best hotels on the planet — testing every massage, tasting every cocktail, enjoying Michelin-star meals and five-star suites in every city.

It has got to be the best job in the world — that of the undercover resort reviewer.

My brother-in-law Tim Mayoh held that very title for five whole years — five years of experiences. Of exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, opening his eyes to every corner of the globe and using his expertise to make the best even better.

It is the stuff dreams are made of, and always attracts some serious oohing and ahhing when you tell people about it.

But believe it or not, it wasn’t all relaxation poolside — he worked bloody hard.

When on an audit he was constantly dialled in, always on, looking for triumphs and faults, testing staff, and working against the clock to finish an incredibly thorough 50-page report to hand to the unsuspecting general manager on checkout.

I saw it first-hand from my Hayman Island deckchair when Tim took me on one of his trips. An incredible perk of the job (and of being his lucky sister-in-law) was he often got to take a guest with him to blend in, so he wasn’t picked as the incognito reviewer.

Before her first birthday, Tim’s daughter Josette had taken upwards of 85 flights, and his wife Chelsea got to spend her maternity leave travelling the world with her young family.

“It was like a dream — seriously addictive and exposed me to the amazing locations and cultures out there,” he told news.com.au.

“That wonderful sensation of stepping foot into a world-class hotel always remained strong.

“The culinary experiences were unforgettable and the golf and spa assessments were always a treat.”

Tim Mayoh got to practice his putts in St Andrews, Scotland as part of the gig.

SO HOW EXACTLY DO YOU LAND THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD?

Tim, 38, began his hospitality journey in Sydney, starting as a porter at The Sheraton on The Park before heading out into the world where he held various hotel management positions. He then settled in Canada, where the incredible opportunity came along.

“I was in the right place at the right time, but important for the job was a strong understanding of the hotel game and management experience,” he said.

“You have to be able to provide perspective, talk from experience and consider the various operating conditions around the world in order to provide constructive feedback.”

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EXPECTING PERFECTION

Responsible for assessing hotels, resorts and spas as a third party consultant, his work typically involved a two-night, incognito stay followed by a feedback session with the hotel’s management team.

“That included analysis from the moment of arrival with the doorman to all front office activities, restaurants and bars, the spa, pools, golf, housekeeping and products offered,” the Killarney Heights man said.

“Essential to the format of the audits was not only to ensure the employees were carrying out their expected service standards, but the emotional experience played a crucial role.

“I would throw in made-up scenarios to provide the employees the opportunity to demonstrate their emotional intelligence, which ultimately outweighs the physical attributes of a property when a guest looks back on their experience.

“There’s an art form to a service such as dinner — the employee needs to execute the expected standards like timing, upselling, wine and food knowledge and order of service to ensure a superior experience — yet deliver those standards in a way that feels natural, connects with the guest and then ultimately look for opportunities to create a memorable moment.”

Not only did he enjoy eating some incredible food, he learnt to cook too.

THE BEST OF THE BEST

The dream job took Tim around the world, but his main areas of focus were the Americas and across Asia-Pacific. Among his favourite memories were Laucala Island Fiji, any Six Senses Resort, Banyan Tree Ringha in the Yunnan province of China, and Bora Bora.

“Bora Bora was postcard perfect everywhere you looked,” he said.

“The Beverly Hills Hotel was also incredible people watching, and I loved the hotel’s history and the great LA vibe.

“The Taj Nadesar Palace Varanasi was amazing too — experiencing The Ganges, her spiritual significance to the Hindus and the fascinating colours, sights, smells and sounds was unbelievable.

“And St Andrews in Scotland — the historic town and the surrounds really resonated with me.”

He and wife Chelsea made the most of the experience, and travelled together for most of Chelsea’s maternity leave with first baby, Josette.

“As a dad, having my wife and firstborn along for the experience as we learnt to be parents together was incredible,” he said.

“My daughter had been on something like 85 flights in her first year and while many of them were mostly major cities around North America, she stayed in top hotels in places like Bora Bora, Lake Como, London, Mexico, Hawaii and Lombok.

“There were moments such as experiencing a boat ride down The Ganges, dogsledding in Quebec or coming down the 18th at the old course in St Andrews which made me pinch myself.”

Josette was very well travelled in her first year.

Chelsea was on maternity leave, so could enjoy travelling with Tim.

THE WORST OF THE BEST

But travelling consistently for up to 40 per cent of the year was also hard work, and this year Tim stepped away from the coveted role to spend valuable time with his growing family and help local companies improve their hotels.

“It definitely became ‘work’, tarnished my enjoyment of long-haul flights and set a false expectation for future family holidays,” he laughed.

“And there were challenges — airport security, flight delays, adapting to time zones, and the time spent on long-haul flights.

“Then there was the commute time to remote resort areas, time away from family and friends were tough and the workload on site was massive, so you had to be dialled in 24/7.”

WHAT MAKES A GREAT HOTEL?

Here in Australia, a favourite that Tim assessed was One&Only’s famed Wolgan Valley in NSW.

“It combines great luxury and an authentic taste of Australian country — I thought it was brilliant — and COMO The Treasury in Perth was seriously impressive,” he said.

“Australia has come a long way in really understanding the luxury offering.

“In recent years and currently in the pipeline, the influx of some true luxury brands demonstrates the demand and confidence in the market.

“Globalisation and the ease of travel has allowed successful hotel formulas and practices to become common place, and we now have some great properties around the country.

“But the human touch will always be the dominant force in a memorable service.

“Aside from high building costs, our high labour costs inevitably impact our ability to deliver a superior service consistently.

“We need to harness the warm engagement Australians are known for and understand the importance of the experience.”

Chelsea and Tim made the most of his job, but understood as their daughter grew, travelling as a career would be more difficult.

Lisa Mayoh is a freelance journalist.