“we all support each other both personally and at work.”
Martin, Budapest
Stories of our trainees
Luis
Riviera Maya, MEXICO
“In my second year of my university career at Iriarte, I decided to take a step further and cross the Atlantic to do my internship on the American continent, specifically at the Hotel Iberostar Playa Paraiso, located in the Riviera Maya in Mexico. The opportunity to come here was very good and I wanted to do this internship in the Human Resources Department. The coworkers have welcomed me very well and are teaching me day by day to feel fulfilled in this important area of the hotel. In Human Resources we receive people who want to apply for all kinds of professional positions in the hotel and we advise them so that they can advance in their lives. Without a doubt, coming to this Resort is the best option that Iriarte has been able to offer me, not only for the professional part but also because I am getting to know the rich culture of this country and making good contacts for the future.”
JORGE
Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS
“The first thing I want to express is my gratitude to Iriarte and to the NH Krasnapolsky hotel where I am doing my internship this year. The opportunity to be as an intern in this position, Housekeeping Supervisor, will add a lot of value to my resume and will allow me to grow more within this sector. As Housekeeping Supervisor I have the opportunity to have between 3 and 4 people in my charge every day and to be responsible for a specific area of the hotel. Honestly, it has been a very enriching experience and, at the same time, very complicated, as the hotel has 450 rooms! It is not easy to get out of your comfort zone and, on top of that, to get into an environment where you have to be speaking a language that is not your own all day long? However, when you get used to it, you start to feel comfortable with the environment and everything changes for the better. In fact, I wouldn’t change this experience, I think it’s giving me a lot both professionally and personally.”
María
Fuerteventura, SPAIN
“This experience at the Meliá Fuerteventura hotel, from a professional point of view, has been very interesting. I have been fortunate to be able to work both at reception and in the customer service department, which has allowed me to learn a lot, practice English, really know the inner workings of a hotel and the internal procedures of a large chain like Meliá. On the other hand, the treatment with the professionals working in the hotel, has been excellent, especially with my tutor, Teresa.”
CAROLINA
Cancún, MEXICO
“I am an intern at Iberostar Playa Paraiso, a complex of five hotels in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. The experience has been one of the best I have had so far, both for the different areas of the hotel where I am interning and for the colleagues I have met. The truth is that I am learning a lot on a professional level and also on a personal level. On the other hand, I am very happy to have chosen to do my internship in another continent such as America, because this way I am getting to know what the tourism market is like there and what the preferences of tourists are. Besides, I have been very lucky to meet local people who are teaching me what Mexico is really like, its culture and gastronomy among many other things. Sometimes it gets a little complicated for many to be away from home, but without a doubt, experiences like this make you learn and grow as a person, so I encourage anyone who wants to take the risk to live it.”
JORGE
London, ENGLAND
“London is a city that constantly teaches you to overcome challenges, both professionally and personally. The hotel where I am doing my internship belongs to the Hotusa Group, a Spanish company with more than 40 years of experience, with three hotel brands and an international presence in cities such as New York, Berlin, Prague, Mexico City, among others. The relationship with my colleagues and the tasks at the front desk are made easier by having Spanish colleagues who also help you learn new things every day. After one month here, I already know how to perform several tasks related to both the front desk and the back desk. From my experience, I can say that this is an opportunity that should not be missed. This city offers you a thousand and one opportunities in every way, which helps you face the working world in a much more optimistic and ambitious way.”
VISHAL
Rivera Maya, MEXICO
“My experience as an intern in Iberostar’s central purchasing office in Mexico has been one of the best I have ever had in my life. At first the beginning was a bit complicated, because the work system in this company is more intense and the number of hours to work on a daily basis is much more significant than in previous work experiences. Despite this, everything is rewarded and ends up being very worthwhile for the effort they have put into preparing me and for the trust they place in me when it comes to performing tasks and functions of high responsibility. I am in charge of purchasing for a total of 10 hotels and the team with whom I share this experience has not only been able to transmit to me the dynamics of the department but also to broaden my knowledge of the proper functioning of a hotel company with such a high reputation. Without a doubt, coming to Iberostar, Mexico, has been one of the best decisions I have made in my life, now I see my professional future with more and better work options.”
MARÍA
Palma de Mallorca, SPAIN
“Being lucky enough to be able to do my internship at the reception of a hotel of the prestigious hotel chain Meliá has taught me how a hotel works from the inside and the work that each department performs. The Meliá Calviá Beach hotel located in Calviá, Palma de Mallorca, has four stars, 316 rooms and two receptions adapted to the type of service contracted by the client. Being able to work in the main reception has made me understand the importance of the treatment and exclusivity to the client and above all the organization and communication that each and every one of the departments must have so that day by day everything goes as expected. It has been three and a half months in which I am learning how to perform the different procedures of the reception department, how to work under pressure, how to have an organization of everything that must be ready in the work shift, giving a good treatment to the customer, practicing and improving languages and using the hotel’s operating system and its complexities. I am very happy with the experience and with the treatment received. I will repeat.”
JENNIFER
Tenerife, SPAIN
“My experience in the internship I am doing in the Department of Management in the hotel chain Be Live, is being very rewarding. In the month and a half that I have been with them, I have learned and put into practice the knowledge acquired in the training process of the Degree in Tourism at Iriarte. I am very happy with the treatment received and with the implication that each one of the people working in this hotel chain is putting into enriching my training and my future entry into the working world of tourism. The experience I am acquiring will undoubtedly help to facilitate my future access to employment. I am very grateful to Iriarte University for offering its students great opportunities for their professional life, and also to Be Live that has welcomed me with open arms, contributing time and enthusiasm in teaching.”
SUSANA
Fuerteventura, SPAIN
“One more year I am doing my internship in the great hotel company Meliá Hotels International, more specifically in the hotel Meliá Gorriones, in the HR department, where personnel management and staff welfare is one of its goals. For a hotel it is not only important what you can get to see from the outside, such as customer service, but it is also essential to have a good human and professional capital for a good business to function properly.”
CARLOS
Tenerife, SPAIN
ALEJANDRO
Tenerife, SPAIN
“My experience at the Sheraton La Caleta Hotel, in the Marketing and Sales department, has met my expectations and has been very satisfactory. From the first day I found a very pleasant work environment and very close colleagues. They have trusted me from the beginning, they have given me responsibilities and included me in the organization of several events, as well as freedom to propose new ideas and projects; I have been one more of the team. I recommend the passage through this hotel to anyone who wants to receive good training in the sector.”
NATALIA
Tenerife, SPAIN
“I have been doing my internship at the Silken Atlántida Hotel in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. I am very happy and grateful for having been able to do this internship despite the hard year we have lived through and above all, how affected the tourism sector has been. In my internship I have put into practice, fundamentally; the organization, since one must be able to manage reservations, hospitality and customer inquiries at the same time, being courteous and pleasant, as well as in the most agile way possible. It is a versatile and rigorous job, so it also requires a bit of dynamism. And it is thanks to my colleagues, for their warm welcome and for doing everything in their power to make me learn as much as possible and feel comfortable. Once again, I thank both Iriarte and the Silken Atlántida Hotel for having offered me this opportunity, since it is in practice, with the problems that arise on a day-to-day basis, that you really learn.”
PAULA
Prague, CZECH
“The truth is that this internship has been one of the best experiences of my life. Thanks to this I have had the opportunity to meet incredible people, as well as to open a gap in the working world by getting my first job. Regarding the company, I would simply like to thank them for the trust they have placed in me by hiring me and everything I have learned with them, without a doubt an experience that I will always remember. As for the destination, I could not be happier with Prague, a city that I had always wanted to visit and that I will always carry in my heart as it has become my second home. If I could repeat these months again I would certainly do it without thinking about it.”
Martin
Budapest, HUNGARY
“Initially I didn’t like Budapest and preferred to go to Prague, but Eurostars showed me a new hotel they were opening that needed staff and I decided. It was the best decision, because Budapest is a beautiful city and great for sightseeing. My co-workers are mostly Spanish and we all support each other both personally and at work, and it’s a hard but rewarding experience to be part of the start of a new 5* hotel. It really is an unforgettable experience.”
Sara
Tenerife, SPAIN
“On this occasion, I did my internship in the Marketing Department of the Hotel Jardines de Nivaria, belonging to the Adrián Hoteles chain. My internship tutor, Stanislav Klajban, in the photo, has allowed me to enter the world of social networks, blogs and websites from the point of view of the company, thank you Stani for everything you have taught me. I have learned to analyze the impact of campaigns or publications transmitted on different platforms. I also worked with the new means of information that the chain uses in its hotels to communicate with its customers, totems and tablets, which replace the information on paper, permanently updating the information and adding the latest news. I was also, for two weeks, in the Public Relations Department at the Hotel Roca Nivaria (belonging to the chain), here the experience was totally different, as I was able to come into direct contact with customers, solving problems and mismatches, and also, receiving thanks and praise for the attention and services provided. Without hesitation, internships are essential to get closer to the reality of work, they enrich us and help us to improve professionally.”
Valeria
Berlín, GERMANY
“After doing my internship last year in Menorca, this year I decided to go a step further and travel to Berlin to do my internship at the Hotel Eurostar Berlin, Luxury Class, a business hotel located in Friedrichstrasse, the most important commercial artery of the German capital, in the heart of Berlin. I had been in Berlin a year ago on a trip and I fell in love with the city, so being here is being wonderful and a great opportunity to improve my German. In the hotel I will rotate through three departments, the first two weeks I have been as a Checker in Housekeeping, now I am in Reception and later I will move to Reservations. Rotating through the departments is helping me to know which area I like the most and in which I see myself the least. Although I miss the Canary Islands a lot, I encourage my colleagues to take advantage of the opportunity that Iriarte gives us to get to know new places and live unique experiences”.
Joel
Munich, GERMANY
“These internships in Munich have been very enriching, I have had the opportunity to acquire numerous skills such as a sense of responsibility or knowing how to handle pressure situations, among others. This experience is also allowing me to become more fluent and fluent in the language, which is important in our sector. The hotel is going to allow me to rotate through other departments and grow hierarchically, without a doubt this opportunity is allowing me to acquire a good work experience that will help me to obtain an interesting professional future.”
DANIEL
Mallorca, SPAIN
“This year I did my internship at the Sol Guadalupe Hotel, 4*, in Magaluf, Mallorca. At first I came with intrigue to know if Magaluf was as they said it was or as we saw it on television, but also with enthusiasm and eager to know a new place, new colleagues, new experiences …. My internship has been incredible, I only have words of thanks to the team that works in Sol Guadalupe, I have felt like one of the team from the beginning. They have allowed me to face many situations alone, which has helped me to become a great professional.”
LAURA
Ibiza, SPAIN
“I am doing my internship in the Administration Department of the Meliá House Hotel in Ibiza, a four-star hotel located in the spectacular bay of San Antonio. My colleagues in the department are very nice and I am learning a lot. As I am in Administration, my job is mainly to prepare the accounting and listings for the audit, although I also do other tasks related to the department. The experience is going great, both for what I’m learning and for the colleagues I’m working with.”
SEBASTIÁN
Pamplona, SPAIN
“Doing my first internship at the NH Iruña Park hotel in Pamplona has been a great experience and an excellent decision to start me on this path of tourism. All the hotel staff has welcomed me with affection and respect, each one giving me a bit of their knowledge and putting their little seed in this process of learning live. It has also helped me to be close to my family in Navarra, without a doubt it has been easier to carry out this internship, which has not been easy, a lot of effort and dedication that in the end has been worth it, I would come back to this place a thousand times. The rewarding experience, both professionally and personally.”
CAROLINA
Tenerife, SPAIN
“I have done my internship in the Animation Department of the Hotel Vinnci La Plantación, a 5 star Luxury hotel located in Costa Adeje. Working in this department has allowed me to be in direct contact with the youngest tourists, the children, and the experience has been very enriching. Although it may not seem like it, when working with children you have to take into account a million details and you have to pay a very personalized attention adapted to the needs of the child. This job has allowed me to practice a lot of languages and to learn to perform various tasks: budgets, supplies, games…. Satisfying the little ones requires a lot of effort that is rewarded when they come back the next day because they want to enjoy all the activities offered to them. Each day in this department has been an adventure and different from the previous one. What stands out the most about this experience is that, paradoxically, the children will call me “teacher” when I have been the one who has learned the most with them.”
SAMUEL
Menorca, SPAIN
“The hotel where I did my internship is located in Cala’n Bosch, on the island of Menorca. When I arrived at the hotel, I was welcomed as one more and the treatment has been great at all times. I have developed my internship in the Department of Administration and Human Resources, so my tasks have been linked to accounting and human resources, mainly, although I have also spent some time in the Commissary and with the housekeeper, learning basic issues of the functioning of the department. In short, the experience in my first internship has been very good and has encouraged me to continue doing internships to learn more every day.”
YLENIA
Tenerife, SPAIN
“Leaving my comfort zone in the north of the island to go to the south for my first internship has had, without a doubt, a positive impact on my development as a person. Besides giving a lot of importance to time and family, this department has made me reinforce skills such as working under pressure, working in a group, empathizing with the customer, looking for solutions…. From minute one I felt like one of the team and, despite entering in summer, like the rest of my classmates, they were able to focus on teaching me the best possible operational and functioning of the department to be able to get the job done all together. With this internship, I have reconfirmed that I am right in the career I have chosen.”
SERGIO AND JORGE
Vienna, AUSTRIA
ANDREA
Tenerife, SPAIN
“I have been very satisfied with everything I have learned in the internship. I have learned to use almost as well as my colleagues the computer program used in the hotel, and I am glad for that, because it will be easier in the future to get a job in this hotel chain. I have perfected my English and also my etiquette, as it is a luxury hotel. Regarding the treatment they have had with me, they have been very patient, it is not easy to teach someone new, it is another responsibility. I take with me a great experience from this my first job.”
EDUARDO
Prague, CZECH
“Being able to do my internship in Prague has been a great experience. Not only for being able to work in this hotel, where I have been welcomed from the first day as one of the team, but also for being able to enjoy all the beautiful things that this city has: architectural variety, many bridges, gardens and parks… This internship has allowed me to improve my languages and learn many more things than I expected. Getting out of your usual environment, meeting people with another culture and being able to learn how to work in tourism in another country is, without a doubt, an enriching experience that helps us a lot to become better tourism professionals.”
ADRIAN
Tenerife, SPAIN
“From the beginning the chain has welcomed me as one of the staff, I am learning a lot practically everything I studied at Iriarte.”
Miguel Ángel AND Zuleima
Mallorca, SPAIN
“Less than a month ago this experience began for us, we decided to come to Mallorca and do our first internship at the Meliá South Beach hotel. We arrived full of nerves, full of illusion and eager to learn. The “fears” were soon gone, we were welcomed with open hugs. There is a lot of fellowship and empathy among all the colleagues, they treat us as one more, they teach us everything they know and solve all the doubts that arise. The directors are like colleagues, they help us in everything we need. The truth is that this experience is being very positive and we have left behind all that initial uncertainty because we feel like family.”
Prau
Sofía, BULGARIA
“During my internship at the Best Western Europe Hotel, 4* in Sofia, Bulgaria, I rotated through different departments: housekeeping, food and beverage, and reception. This experience allowed me to interact with guests on a daily basis, learn a lot about them, what they like, and participate in the daily hotel staff meetings as one of them. The opportunity to be able to intern at this hotel is priceless. It has been an incredible experience for me, also having rotated through different departments has given me a comprehensive view of the operation and management of a hotel, but it has also allowed me to learn how to exceed customer expectations and work better as a team. I am very happy to have done my internship at this hotel.”
Ricardo
Barcelona, SPAIN
“I did not think twice about coming to Barcelona for my internship. It is a multicultural, modern and very important city in terms of tourism, without a doubt, the perfect combination to prepare my suitcase with my eyes closed. The hotel where I am has a unique and innovative style, is located in one of the most avant-garde and emblematic skyscrapers of the city and has some of the best views of the city. My second internship is in the Food and Beverage Department (F&B), which is completely new to me and where I am learning a lot on a professional and personal level. My most important functions are preparing and organizing events, preparing and controlling the schedules of all the staff, creating new promotions or offers and, in general, supervisory tasks. I recommend doing an internship in this department, not only because of what you learn but also because of the proximity to the client that it offers, allowing you to get to know them in first person.”
JENNIFER
Tenerife, SPAIN
“I am doing my internship in the Management Department of the Hotel Iberostar Anthelia as Assistant Manager. It is a 5 star hotel located in Costa Adeje, Tenerife. As in previous years, the experience as an intern has been very rewarding. I am learning a lot during this internship. As Assistant Manager I perform many tasks and I am very involved in all the departments of the hotel. I also deal a lot with customers and do a lot of administrative work. Despite being a very demanding position, I feel very comfortable thanks to the great professionals that surround me at all times. The work environment is unbeatable, I feel at home from day one.”
PABLO AND RITA
Mallorca, SPAIN
“Our first internship was in the reception department of the Hotel Meliá Calviá Beach in Mallorca. From the day we arrived at the hotel we felt at home. The first contact with the boss and the other colleagues was great. One of the virtues of this hotel is that they want you to be just another receptionist, they helped us and taught us how to solve all kinds of situations. In the department there was a very good working environment, which helped us a lot to improve every day. Feeling the support of our colleagues and the congratulations we received when we did something well boosted our self-esteem and our desire to continue learning. The truth is that when we arrived we were afraid and uncertain, a new destination, far from home and facing work for the first time… however, we can say that we made a good decision and that we have learned a lot at work and personally, surrounded by a great family like that of the Hotel Meliá Calviá Beach.”
NICOLE
Tenerife, SPAIN
“I am happy to be doing my fourth year internship in Tourism at the Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora hotel. I am in the Guest Services department, from the first day I have felt like one of the team, both the head of the department and my colleagues (pictured with me), have not hesitated for a second to teach me and help me when I need it. The truth is that it is being a very good experience, since I deal with clients from different places and I do everything in my power to make their stay as they had always dreamed. Also, seeing how each client thanks you for what you have done for them… is a comforting feeling.”
MARTA
Dubai, UNINET ARAB EMIRATES
“Doing my last internship at the exotic and glamorous Dubai Meliá Hotel, the first Spanish 5* hotel in the Middle East, has been an excellent experience. In addition, I have been able to rotate through different departments, Reception and Marketing, which has allowed me to have a much broader vision of how to work in a hotel of these characteristics and I have also been able to put into practice knowledge learned during my career. Being in the Middle East is also quite a challenge and experience on a personal level.”
SONIA
Mallorca, SPAIN
“In this internship I have performed the position of receptionist and I have been able to learn the different functions that are performed in this position: check-in, check-out, billing charges, providing services to customers, helping them with their doubts….. The truth is that I am very happy with the results obtained, since I have been able to acquire a lot of practical knowledge about the organization and management of the hotel. The reception department in this hotel is fantastic, well organized and with a very good working environment. It has been a very interesting internship.”
JAIME
Prague, CZECH
“Doing Front Desk internship at Exe City Hotel in Prague has given me an insight into how the hotel industry works, all the staff have been very kind to me and strive to teach me a little bit of everything every day, plus I have coincided with a renovation in the company and have been able to learn systems such as Tesipro and SAP.”
ANA
Dusseldorf, GERMANY
“Interning at the Mercure hotel Düsseldorf Airport in Germany has been a great experience and an important change in many ways. The language, the culture, the people. I am learning many more things than I expected a priori. The help offered by my colleagues at the hotel is also important, they are helping me a lot and I have integrated very well into the team. The Director of the hotel is my internship tutor, and he is the one with whom I am in the photo, he has made learning very easy for me, always attentive and willing to help me and teach me how things are done in this hotel.”
ALICIA
Tenerife, SPAIN
MARCO
Prague, CZECH
AMANDA
Munich, GERMANY
JAVIER
Rome, ITALY
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BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Reflected in the Danube, the capital of Hungary maintains the charm of its spas and thermal springs, the rapture of Béla Bartók’s music and a European atmosphere.