We recently welcomed Nóra Varga to the Hotel-Spider family. As an onboarding specialist and account manager, she actively supports us and our customers every day.
But there's more to Nóra's story. So we sat down for a quick chat.
We discovered fascinating details about her diverse career in the hotel industry, her passion for hotel technology, her role at Hotel-Spider and some exciting personal projects.
It was always clear that Nóra wanted to explore the world.
From a young age, Nóra showed an interest in languages. This led her to a German-speaking high school in her native Hungary. Then came her studies in hotel management, and for Nóra it was clear: it was time to venture abroad.
“I was eager to see the world and landed in Switzerland right after graduation,” she recalls.
Once there, Nóra gained valuable experience in top destinations like Gstaad and Graubünden, first in service, then at reception. In Davos, she even had the opportunity to attend the World Economic Forum several times, welcoming heads of state and other VIPs.
A new direction: from receptionist to professional puzzle solver
In 2012, she moved to Zurich, where she eventually transitioned from reception to sales and marketing. “That was my first office job after all those years – quite an adjustment.”
In her new role, she was responsible for CMS maintenance, setting up newsletters and cleaning up the guest database. But she didn't stay there long.
“After about six months, I was offered a role in revenue management. That's when I finally felt like I had finally found my place,” Nóra recounts.
“Alongside PMS maintenance, I was also responsible for price adjustments. I was essentially the RMS. I also implemented the first interfaces between our programs. That’s when I realized how much I was fascinated by technology.”
When asked what she finds so exciting about it, she has an amusing answer: “Working with different technology solutions feels like solving crossword puzzles. I have to apply logic and find the similarities between the different systems to connect them. I also enjoy supporting and training others in this field.”
She had even more opportunities to do just that in her next role as a project manager at a leading PMS provider.
Returning to her roots with Hotel-Spider
Nóra found her role at the PMS provider fulfilling. The position had a significant advantage, especially during the pandemic: “I was able to split my working time between Switzerland and Hungary. That was great because it allowed me to spend more time at home.”
When the special restrictions ended, Nóra began looking for a solution that would allow her to continue working from Hungary, at least part-time.
“That’s when I came across the position at Hotel-Spider. It's the perfect combination for me. I can maintain my connection to Switzerland, speak German at work, work for a hotel technology company and do it all from Hungary. I’m really thrilled that it worked out this way.”
Although she sometimes misses life in Switzerland, Nóra is happy in her adopted home of Budapest: “Of course I miss the mountains, my friends and occasionally the tranquility of Switzerland. But I enjoy seeing my family and friends here more often after 17 years abroad. Life in the capital is exciting too. There's a wide range of cultural offerings, thermal baths, lots of festivals and of course the delicious Hungarian food…”
An exciting new role
As an Onboarding Specialist and Account Manager, Nóra assists hotels in setting up and implementing their Hotel-Spider solutions.
“This means that I help hotels with tasks like connecting their booking portals. I also assess their needs, provide advice and answer further questions,” said Nóra.
Hotel-Spider customers quickly appreciated Nóra and her approach. Her prompt responses and persistence in finding the perfect solution for each hotel are well-received.
“One customer even jokes that they look forward to their next technical challenge so they can contact us again,” says Nóra.
She has also encountered some familiar faces at Hotel-Spider: “Many hotels that use my previous employer's PMS are also Hotel-Spider customers. I had also interacted with the Account Manager Maria Perez several times before, as we were always at companies that worked with each other. Now we are colleagues.”
Soon she will be back on the road as a host
In addition to customer onboarding and enjoying Budapest's cultural life, Nóra also has another project she is passionate about. She was not quite ready to completely leave her role as host behind.
“A few years ago we bought a house in the countryside. It is wonderfully hidden in the forest near Lake Balaton. Heviz, the largest swimmable thermal lake, is also easily accessible. We renovated this house and plan to rent it out as holiday accommodation,” reveals Nóra.
Her recent training as an interior decorator came in handy for the project. Nóra was able to take charge of the design herself. The result is a modern, cozy accommodation with warm wooden tones and rustic design elements reminiscent of a Swiss chalet. You can see for yourself on the Pine Tree Chalet Instagram profile
Thanks to her many years in the hotel industry, marketing and sales are also sure to run smoothly. We are confident that the Pine Tree Chalet will be a great success!
The same could be said for her work with Hotel-Spider. We look forward to continuing to work with Nóra and seeing how she helps customers to ease into the world of Hotel-Spider. We wish you all the best in your endeavors, Nóra!
