At the hotel-club in Anglet, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the aquagym session is a classic. The establishment is a city within a city, which welcomes more than 110,000 customers each year. Swimming pool, electricity or even plumbing, Frédéric Fourny, the technical manager, manages everything. “I just live in the apartment up there”, he shows. The hotel-club has 20 people on permanent contracts, and nearly 130 seasonal workers. A small army, which is active behind the scenes in the morning, to clean the rooms of the six floors.
The job of governess is physical, and timed. “For a room, it takes about an hour, so if we waste time on something, it will affect the day”, says Emelyne Peguillat. The sustained rhythm does not prevent preparing for details. The rooms finished, the tourists storm the reception. In a hotel-club, rental is often from Saturday to Saturday. The weekend is therefore the great crossover of holidaymakers, enough to overwhelm the receptionist, who remains smiling. “It’s very important, the first impression”explains Anna Spencer.
For a couple, it takes 1,400 euros per week for half board. Everyone receives a bracelet, which allows access to the restaurant and activities, such as musical quizzes, yoga or table tennis. In Anglet, a surf club is also a partner of the hotel, and allows, for an additional fee, to take lessons. In the kitchen, Karim Boukili is busy: more than 900 meals are served per day. Finally, in the evening, the animators take care of the atmosphere.
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