Filipina hotelier Nikita Conwi never considered working in the hospitality industry before.
She grew up seeing her father travel extensively for business, which exposed her to the world of sales and marketing. “I liked the idea of being creative, so marketing was perfect for me,” she says. As a result, Nikita enrolled at Enderun Colleges and took up BS Business Administration major in Marketing Management with a Certificate in Hospitality Operations.
Nikita started her internship at The Miami Beach EDITION — famously called the urban resort of the 21st Century, in 2015 as a guest experience agent. She was also offered to stay for another year for a new position in the VIP concierge team as a VIP supervisor.
“Being part of the opening teams for EDITION is a big accomplishment for me. I got to travel around for work and really help people on a successful opening,” Nikita shares.
“When I got exposed to working for the hotel, I fell in love with it. There was so much to learn, and it was more people-oriented–which I really wanted in a job! It was so interesting to me and really spoke to me.”
In 2018, Nikita gradually built up her name and moved to Abu Dhabi to open The Abu Dhabi EDITION, the first EDITION hotel in the Middle East. As part of the pre-opening team, she ensures that standard operating procedures are created, implemented, and followed by the guest relations and front office teams. She was also part of the pre-opening team for Times Square and West Hollywood and did a task force in New York EDITION as a team trainer.
At present, Nikita is the Head of Spa for Bulgari Resort and Residences Dubai, a gleaming gem perched on a seahorse-shaped island in Jumeira Bay. Bulgari Resort and Residences Dubai brings Mediterranean style to the Middle East. It is the only Forbes Five-Star rated spa in the UAE.
“Getting rated with a Forbes 5-star for the Bulgari Spa Dubai for the first time ever since they opened 5 years ago is truly an accomplishment for me. And to be the only one in the whole UAE, that’s massive. I did not have a spa background, but my rooms’ operations experience helped me a lot.”
With her wealth of knowledge, success stories, and genuine concern for others, Nikita believes that true hospitality is about living in the moment. “Getting to interact with different types of people is one of my favorite things about working in the hospitality industry, and being a problem-solver too is. There are so many options on how to make a person happy and help them solve their problems. It’s so much fun for me.”
