I’m Barbara and I’ve been the Executive Head Housekeeper at Thistle Marble Arch for the last 18 years.

As the Thistle Marble Arch is a 692 bedroom hotel, it requires over 100 housekeeping staff and it’s my job to manage them all. I believe that the housekeeping team is always the unsung hero of any hotel but I sing the praises of my own team, and in return the excellent calibre of staff I have makes my life a lot easier!

In my career I have been the very proud recipient of two major awards; the first one was for customer care with ‘Wish for a Star’, and the second, which was awarded to me last year, was the Hotel Catey Award for Head Housekeeper of the year in 2010.

Quick fire Q&A

Who would be your dream hotel guest and why?
I’d choose any member of the Royal family as I am a real Royal enthusiast

What’s your favourite TV programme?
The News at Ten

What are your hobbies?
Travelling, reading and socialising

What have been the most interesting items you’ve found while doing the housekeeping?
False teeth, a wedding dress, unlimited credit cards, £10,000 cash and some unmentionables - which you can use your imagination for!

My top tips for making a perfectly neat bed:

• Stand at the bottom of the bed, open out the sheet and lay the sheet flat onto the
  mattress ensuring the iron fold is positioned down the centre and the sheet is even on all
  sides
• Allow the sheet an 8 inch overhang at the top of the bed and sufficient even overhang on all sides of the bed to aide tucking in
• Shake the duvet so that it lies flat onto the bed. Ensure that it is even on all sides and the
  edge of the duvet is in line with the head of the bed
• Ensure the pillow fits into the corners of the pillowcase to ensure it sits upright on the bed
• Turn the mattress at regular intervals