Corinthia Hotel Lisbon offers stunning views, not least from its Executive Club Sky Lounge, perched high on the 24th floor. It’s a perfect place to unwind or start the day, and it’s made even more perfect by the work of its remarkable headwaiter, Daniel Silva.
Daniel’s silky-smooth management of the Lounge’s food and beverage offerings has been delighting guests since 2011, and it’s no wonder this modest manager is held in such high regard, by both colleagues and guests. It’s simple: his attention to detail is faultless.
“It’s about always trying to give the guest perfection,” says Daniel, as we sit talking, looking out to the Lisbon skyline. “It’s about giving each guest an experience they’ll never forget.”
He’s an early riser as well. To lead his breakfast team, Daniel is up at four a.m. and at work by five. Remarkably, he does this seven days a week, usually finishing at seven in the evening.
“It’s my choice,” he says with a smile. “I’ve worked like this for years now, to ensure I have good things in my life – a good house for my wife and three daughters, to have a good car, but I work like this also because I just love helping guests. I love the interaction.”
An inspiring mentor to colleagues, the lessons Daniel is passing on could not be more in keeping with Corinthia’s philosophy.
“I train them my way,” he says, with a hint of pride. “For instance, I encourage them to take care to remember a guest’s particular wishes – the kind of coffee they like, or their breakfast favourites.”
“When I first started with Corinthia I didn’t speak English. They said I had to learn, and it was difficult, but I’ve come to learn that when you need to do something, you can do it.”
Of all the Corinthians whose attitude to their work illustrates the notion of a ‘craftsmanship of care’ – few shine as brightly as Daniel. They do things differently at Corinthia he says. “I’ve worked for other hotels but at Corinthia you feel the spirit of family. It’s something I feel very much when I arrive in the morning. It’s a kind of magic.”
Unsurprisingly, Daniel has won many fans while going about his duties.
“So many guests have become friends. Sometimes they invite me to go out for a meal, with my family, or to visit them overseas, on my holidays. But of course, I never have time. It’s so nice that people remember me.”
“Outside work, my wife and daughters are my life. One day perhaps I’ll do something different, change some things, perhaps not work so many hours. I’m 47 now. My wife calls me an impossible perfectionist.”
Daniel Silva’s contribution to Corinthia is all about quiet perfection. Impossible? Not a bit of it.
Daniel’s story is one of many similar stories about the Corinthia family – where true passion and a commitment to excel, embodies the Company’s purpose: uplifting the lives of its people, and its guests.
In 2018 Corinthia Hotel Lisbon unveiled the first phase of a €15 million guest bedroom and suite makeover, with designs based on a concept by London-based interior designers Goddard Littlefair. Phase two of the refurbishment is currently underway. By late 2019 all 518 guest rooms will have been upgraded.