Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Hobbs.
Hi Kristen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started with AvantStay 3 years ago, as a Field Operations Agent. This was an entry level position where I was going into our properties inspecting, onboarding, dropping items off to guests, etc. We only had 45 homes in Nashville at the time. I moved up to Assistant Area Manager within the year and last year I officially accepted the role of Hotel Operations Manager of the Gilmore Hotel in 12 South. When I left the Assistant Area Manager position, our Nashville market grew to over 250+ properties within in 2 years and it is still growing!
AvantStay was set to open their first full service hotel and I wanted to be apart of it, I was so excited to be selected as the Operations Manager, being trusted with running the Gilmore well and elevate the guest experience. It has been a major learning experience and a position that didn’t even exist when I first joined AvantStay. I had no idea where I would go when I first started at the company but I am glad I have grown with the company and truly enjoy being the manager of the Gilmore
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In hospitality, everyday is different. We have different guests and guest experiences. We have to be ready for anything thrown our way. Our first week opening, there was a power outage in the neighborhood. Something totally out of our control but we are responsible for getting the information and sharing it with all guests and working on solutions to help our guests navigate their day while the power is out. Any natural disasters; tornado warnings, our major ice storm we had in Nashville, we have to take steps to make sure our guests our safe. We have protocols to follow that we train our team on quarterly and we have maintenance items that need to be taken care of in prep for any bad weather that comes our way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am in charge of day-to-day operations at the Gilmore. I hire and train our front desk and housekeeping team, monitor our budget and expenses, handle guest issues, and now I help train the staff for other hotels that are opening up across America including The Code Hotel in Austin, TX & Sense28 in Miami, FL (more hotels to come this year). I went to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (go vols!) with my degree in Business Management. I first started out in residential real estate and moved into property management in 2023. I am most proud of my growth at AvantStay, starting from the bottom of the company and making it into a manager position in less than 2 years is something I worked very hard for. I take a lot of pride in my work, always pushing myself to be better than the day before. A lot of people can’t say they love their job but I really do. I enjoy coming into work, to be in the beautiful Gilmore building & working with my team. The front desk team is the heart of the hotel, interacting with every guest and getting to know them personally. The housekeeping team is the backbone of the hotel, they work harder than anyone to make sure each room is clean & in order in a timely fashion. The Gilmore wouldn’t have been named #1 hotel in Nashville on TripAdvisor in just 2 months without their hard work and dedication. Our hotel is different because it feels like home to our guests. The rooms are comfortable and cozy, with full kitchens! We have a beautiful courtyard and terrace space for guests to enjoy and we offer live music on Fridays and Saturdays outside to give our guests the true Nashville experience of the great talent in town. We do po-up events in our courtyard on the weekends to showcase local businesses like, floral workshops with local florists, chips & dip bar with bartaco, bourbon tastings with belle meade bourbon, and pastries from dozen bakery.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I have learned that your team is the most important part of your hotel. If you don’t have a good team, you don’t have a good hotel. You have to pour into them everyday & listen well or things will fall through the cracks.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thegilmorenashville.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegilmorehotel
