Page 75 - Livre Beau Rivage Palace

Florissant and Lutétia hotels, which it had begun to renovate, to But the success of the Beau-Rivage Palace also derives, profile of its personnel. Precise lists were drawn up, giving names, Carpenter 1 Electricians 2
Beau-Rivage, the municipality of Lausanne gave the hotel the as de Crousaz says, from the active commitment of the staff jobs, salaries and qualifications. If we confine ourselves to the Polisher 1 Upholsterers 3
opportunity to consolidate its grip on the district and to see off who care about the functioning of the operation as a whole. It lists of 1948, we can draw up an inventory of 40 occupations, Gardeners 5 Painters 2
any competitors. A company was constituted with the corporate is appropriate here to mention the hotel’s personnel, and not including management (table 3). Apprentices 5 Heating technicians 2
name La Résidence, Ouchy-Lausanne, fully underwritten by simply as a matter of duty. The Beau-Rivage Palace is first and Men and women worked together in a ratio of two thirds Cellarman 1 Window cleaner 1
the Beau-Rivage Palace. The two hotels were run by a manager foremost an enterprise that pursues business objectives and men to one third women. There were marked variations in staff Silver cleaner 1 Cooks 22
under the supervision of W. Schnyder. For the Beau-Rivage which has the human and material resources to achieve these. numbers depending on the month. The ‘busy’ months required Coffee makers 2 Pot washers 2
Palace, this lease had no commercial objective. Its only purpose From this viewpoint, it is worth considering the less visible, but more staff than the winter months, which were less attractive to Kitchen hands 12 Housekeepers 7
was to ‘ensure the vicinity of establishments whose operation would not no less decisive effects that this hotel industry has on society as the clientele. This particularly affected those occupations directly Telephonists 3 Linen room assistants 12
disturb the tranquillity sought by the guests of Beau-Rivage and therefore a whole, at all levels. These are many and particularly concern associated with service, the kitchen, housekeeping and cleaning. Driver 1 Hall porters 10
damage our own business’. numerous small traders of all sorts, suppliers, both local and more The number of gardeners, mechanics and other trades assigned to Floor porters 8 Night driver 1
39
In 1958, the chairman of the board of directors, R. de Crousaz, distant, of products necessary to the hotel. Above all, these effects the upkeep of the building remained stable. Chambermaids 10 Assistant chambermaids 5
summarised the impressive evolution that the Beau-Rivage Palace can be measured in the employment of diverse personnel. While A more detailed analysis would enable us to pinpoint specific Restaurant staff 2 Maîtres d’hôtel 4
had undergone in a hundred years. ‘Since the hotel’s inception, year the Beau-Rivage Palace is classed as a grand hotel as far as the developments in each occupation and to evaluate their degree of Barman 1 Floor staff 4
after year, our installations have constantly been adapted to the needs and hotel industry is concerned, from the point of view of its size it improvement, as well as their demands. The Beau-Rivage Palace Relief cook 1 Mail room supervisor 1
the tastes of the times. I do not want to list all the transformations that joins the large battalions of Swiss smes. We have not referred to is a provider of employment, but also a creator of knowledge Demi chefs 4 Head station waiters 6
have affected both the facades and the interiors, but I would like to remind this aspect previously because, although the archives are full of and expertise. Trainees 0 Waiters 17
you that, in the beginning, the sole building had only one cold-water tap material on other subjects, they are more discreet on this one. It Pantry staff 4 Staff canteen assistants 2
on each floor, located in the chambermaid’s storeroom. Only the kitchen is not due to indifference. Chambermaids 2 Receptionists 7
(staff accommodation)
had hot water; the bath was in an annexe to the hotel and guests had A detailed analysis of the accounts would reveal the size of
to register in advance. The hotel was lit by candles and oil and paraffin the staff at the Beau-Rivage Palace and the changes. It would also Administration 2 Management 2
lamps, and by gas in the public rooms. Finally, the rooms were heated show the distribution of the personnel (kitchen, housekeeping
by fireplaces in which whole forests of beech trees burned. Today we have staff, etc.): just two of the tasks that we have not been able to SUMMARY
four buildings. With only a few exceptions, all the guest rooms have a full carry out for the purposes of this article. In any case these figures Management 2 Male 138
bathroom, electricity, telephone, radio and, in general, all the refinements would necessarily be incomplete given that staff earnings, in Employees and apprentices 159 Female 40
necessary for a demanding clientele, and for staff who are increasingly hard some cases, are based on tips and the amounts are only rarely Tradesmen 17
to find and satisfy.’ 40 recorded in our sources. On the other hand, it would not always Total 178
While these words testify to the hotel industry’s adaptation be possible to determine evolutions in the number of employees,
to the changing tastes and habits of society in general, they nor in their origins. There are occasional mentions that give
also bear witness to luxury hotels’ ability to pave the way and some insights. We know that in 1918 the Beau-Rivage Palace
sometimes anticipate developments. Luxury is not just about employed 120 people. Given that the construction of the annexe
satisfying the whims of a well-to-do class eager to consume all in 1908 required the hiring of extra staff, is it reasonable to infer
that is needless or extravagant. Nor is it merely the need for that before then, and from the hotel’s inception, around a hundred
social recognition that obsesses each generation. The significance employees had been necessary? It adds up.
of luxury is that it also influences standards of living, consumer At the end of the Second World War, the management
desires and social aspirations. wanted to streamline and was eager to know more about the

Table 3
List of trades and persons working at the hotel in August 1948.

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