Episode 3 Inside the Merchant

This is Belfast's Merchant Hotel,

a haven of high-end hospitality.

But behind this five-star facade

bespoke fixtures and furnishings mask a world of drama...

You see, I'm sorry, but I just think that's just total overkill.

..decadence...

The girls in the back office took an order yesterday

for £5,000.

Lucky people getting those vouchers for Christmas.

..and attention to detail.

Is the lighting checked? Is the heating checked?

-Is everything checked?

-Everything.

-Perfect, thank you.

It's the countdown to Christmas and the staff

have to pull out all the stops

to guarantee a five-star festive season.

Between you and me, there are people at Christmas...

You know, the person that comes out once a year,

drinks an egg flip and goes bananas.

The Christmas season starts with the arrival of the Christmas tree

and that's really just the start of the magical time.

You get people dressed as reindeers,

you get people dressed as Santa Claus,

and we explain as tactfully as we can

that, you know, maybe they should try somewhere else.

It's November, the month that kicks off the hotel's

busiest and most profitable period.

Christmas in the Merchant is not only a very important time

of the year for us financially,

but it's also a really important time of the year for us to show off.

I remember our first year.

We hadn't got enough people

to give it a real atmosphere, so we let all the staff

bring their family members.

It wasn't on people's radar just yet.

Ten years later and it is extraordinary.

We start getting enquiries for Christmas in June.

The decorations can't be the same as last year,

they can't be the same as anybody else.

There's a lot of time and effort goes in to delivering

what people want from us.

After 12 months of planning, expectations are high.

Any festive garlands must enhance and complement the hotel's

grand decor and the Christmas tree must be Northern Ireland's finest.

Every single year we have to put a lot of time and effort into getting

the perfect tree to make sure it looks perfect in the corner

of the perfect Great Room

and just make sure that everyone coming in isn't disappointed.

The tree is not just any old tree thrown up there.

So now the general manager will go along

and choose a tree and he'll spend

considerable time looking at exactly the right tree.

It's got to look right, it's got to be special.

The only other tree I think that has around the same size

as ourselves would be Stormont,

so there's usually a bit of a race on to see who can get

to the garden centre first to try and pick the best tree.

So hopefully... We're early enough in November now,

so hopefully we'll try and win that race.

That's the one we'd earmarked for you, which is 20 foot.

-20?

-20 foot.

That's big enough for you, definitely is.

-How much...? How tall is that one?

-That one's sold.

Ach, who to?

So there you are, so you've a choice of one, two or three.

I'm getting confused now.

I didn't think I'd have as many to choose from.

This is more difficult than I'd thought. I think I like that one...

or that one...

and that one's not bad.

I kind of like them all.

I would pick the easier one to decorate but I'm

-not the one that's decorating it.

-Neither am I!

Why do you think this one will be easier to decorate?

That's a much, you know... slender shape.

When you say slender I just hear small.

No, just slender. Nope.

I think...

I think probably that... that one.

Or that one.

General manager Gavin is discovering that forestry may not be his forte.

This is embarrassing. I didn't think tree shopping could be so dangerous.

-Yeah.

-All right?

-That's our tree.

-That's the one.

The accommodation staff are under a different type of pressure.

The busy period brings its own problems

and makes it tough to maintain that five-star service.

Christmas brings a lot of extra footfall.

We historically have people who check out that bit later,

we have people who are then arriving early

because they're going out, they're going shopping.

So they're absolutely putting us under pressure to get in the door.

Under the shower...

And there's another issue, which isn't helping.

On the shower door.

I am on the final wind-down of the very long goodbye

I've had out from my job to go on maternity leave.

Let me fix these belts on the robes.

Apparently I have to learn how to rest and how to sit at home

and do all that sort of thing, to get ready obviously

for the baby arriving.

With Eve about to go on leave,

Alice and Joanna will be taking on the management of the department.

We're just going to run through a few things that they need to

look after while I'm not here.

I'll really miss her as a colleague and as a friend

but, as you say, she's not going to be too far away...

and I know where she lives.

-Oh, dear!

-It's going to be a busy, busy time.

It will be stressful, especially without Eve, but we'll do our best.

SHE CHEERS

These amaryllis are absolutely beautiful.

They're big and dramatic.

Event designer Rachael has been given the mammoth task

of decorating the hotel.

These are gorgeous. I think we might use these in the nightclub.

I bought these last year and there's a gold version.

So it's all very rich, very Merchant.

French horn, cornet.

A little nutcracker, carousel horse.

I'm a lunatic.

Great, the Christmas pressure must be getting to Rachael.

The theme in the Merchant is always very elegant

and we always try and dress it as organically as possible.

I do spend a lot of money on decorations, because if you don't

I think they can look quite cheap and shiny

and the Merchant cannot look cheap and shiny.

It has to look perfect.

Rachael has to deliver a fresh look every Christmas and this year

she's come up with something rather unusual.

You're always looking for something special and the big tree is

very much the focus, it's the most important thing in the Merchant,

so when I saw this chap I thought, "Oh, perfect.

"We'll have 48 of these, please."

I'll just set him in the branches and, to be honest, he should...

They should be relatively safe because they'll be so high up.

But they're gorgeous.

Hopefully the hotel will be happy

with Rachael's festive feathered friends.

Good afternoon. Christmas desk, Micheal speaking.

How may I help you?

There's no time for swanning around for Micheal,

the hotel's Christmas coordinator,

as the festive phone calls keep coming.

We've been working in the Christmas department for just over two months.

Our role really is to be a Christmas host

and we will be the point of contact for any of the guests

wishing to make a reservation in any of the restaurants

or for some of the private festive banquets that we have as well throughout the year.

So we can go for the 12.30. May I take your name, please, for the reservation?

I love Christmas on a personal level

but Christmas at the Merchant Hotel is completely...

It's just magic.

The hotel really comes alive in December. There's a buzz.

No matter what time of the month you walk down the corridor,

there's always the decorations

and people are excited to be here as well. It's a lovely feeling.

How many guests will be in the party on that date? 14.

Hundreds of calls daily keep Micheal on his toes,

and everyone has a Christmas wish.

Thank you very much. Bye-bye.

'We are dealing with so many calls, the high volume of calls,

'and each call has to be treated totally individually.

'With that person you have to talk to them like that's the only person

'you've ever talked to.'

It's just over a week away, Christine. How has time flown?!

All right, thank you very much. Thank you. Bye-bye.

Belfast's biggest decorating extravaganza has begun.

Rachael and her team have just three days to decorate the entire hotel.

I have a bit to do today.

I'm trying to stay calm but inside I'm going...

SHE SCREAMS

The men from maintenance help Rachael right any wrongs -

wreath wrongs, that is.

It's definitely the top of that one. Where's your top hook?

-So where's 12 o'clock?

-Oh, sorry.

-Definitely.

You see... Oh, God. See, this is worrying.

So this bow is in the wrong position. Oh, zoiks!

It's really important to get...

to find the centre of the wreaths, because

we decorate them before they hoist them,

and if we haven't got 12 o'clock absolutely right,

the bows could well be hanging half-mast

or one or two o'clock, and that looks awful.

Yeah, Ricky, the top one's OK, but this left-hand side,

I think you're going to have to roll it towards me a bit and

over about three inches.

Just half an inch over.

Ricky, it's a bit low.

The bow needs to come up higher.

That looks brilliant. Just don't move.

I can see a few bald patches.

I won't let him down the ladder until it's perfect.

Ricky, slightly fluff it up.

Just where your head is now, fluff it up just above that.

It's just above that Champagne bauble.

Just up from there. Fluff out there and in behind it at the side.

That's it. Move your hand up a bit.

Down a bit.

Now towards the front, right, come back a little bit.

So... There.

I mean, to be honest, there are a few other holes, to me, but...

..I think I'll...

I'll leave it at that.

Actually, there is one more thing.

Ricky...?

With Ricky released, it's time for Operation Tree.

A Christmas challenge made even more tricky

by the hotel's revolving doors.

What we've got to do is try and get it through this here...

double doors. We'll have to then slide the revolving doors over

and try and squeeze the tree in through there

and then get it up into place.

Once it's up in place it's fine, but it's just that worry

of getting it up in place so it doesn't fall on us.

OK, slowly up the steps now, all right?

We're getting the weight down here now.

All right, lift it a bit. Are you ready?

I think it's going to be too awkward.

OK, right. Right, hold on.

Jim, come on, jump in there.

Now, this is the hard part - through the doors.

Keep going, can you?

All right, we need to get it right round.

No, hold on.

No... Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Right, are you ready?

There we go.

See that side? Do the same with that side.

See at the top? OK, try it now. That's you. Nice and gentle.

All right, go on the inside.

With Operation Tree successfully completed,

Peter and his task force now tackle the giant Christmas wreaths

which grace the Great Room's ceiling,

a mere 48 feet above them.

Follow it up, just drop the rope down.

Guy who's up there will haul it up

and then we have a ready-fitted wire up above

to attach it to, and then we have wired-in power.

We'll just leave it up there... A wee socket for it for Christmas,

which was done there.

So it's just a matter of getting it up into place,

running the cable across and plugging it into the light.

-Have you got it?

-Yep.

-It's all yours.

We always lose a few baubles on the way up.

That's you there, OK? That'll do.

Lovely. What way is that one going across?

Have you got it? Go ahead.

Wait until I see if you're in the middle now. The bows...

It's a bit lopsided. Twist it back up again.

That's us finished now, with the five wreaths up,

with the tree up, bolted into place,

until we've to take it down in early January.

It's a testing time too for the kitchens,

as they must magic up magnificent menus of five-star festive fare.

It's going to be very busy over

the next few weeks for us,

so preparation is very key.

Before it's launched, the staff taste each course

so they can explain to guests exactly what they're eating.

That's the scallops ready to go.

Serve them with pied bleu mushroom, a little bit of carrot puree

and chestnut jus.

That's where the confidence comes of tasting a dish.

You look at a dish now and you can relate to it straight away.

My worry is people look at that and don't know what it is.

They might rule it out straightaway because there's an unknown element to it.

I think maybe if it just said pied bleu mushroom...

People should know to expect a mushroom

because the guys aren't going to be able to get around all 20 people

in that party to explain one particular dish to them.

Yous all know the swans.

If yous didn't know the swans by now...

It's our top seller in the Merchant.

On the profiterole swans, is there a standard way that you want

the staff, the guys, to pour the sauce?

It depends on the guy. Some guys drizzle it

or sometimes the customer just says, "Put it on the side."

Can we get a standard way to do it?

I would rather have...

If it's just poured on one spot, leave it,

and if there's some left they can add their own.

It's time to trim the tree.

Rachael and her team of elves must vanish

before the first guest descends for breakfast.

I think it will take us roughly five hours from start to finish.

That's if everything goes well.

We did have one tree one year that

definitely didn't pass muster

and it didn't get to stay.

I didn't like the tree

and I didn't like the decor so I asked them to start again.

People do expect perfection from us.

It's a fair bit of pressure for the company that do the decorations for us as well.

Look at these puppies!

If they're disappointed that's absolute...

That's just awful for me. I couldn't bear it.

-I really couldn't bear it.

-Oh, yeah.

-Good.

-So we're going to try and get them sitting on the branch

so they're not just sort of swimming in...

in air, but we'll obviously just see what it looks like

when we put them on.

-A swan perched on a branch?

-Yup.

OK.

Rachael always has a number of good ideas and I reserve my judgment

until I see them in place.

So... They're nice, they're different.

Our swans floating on branches above the Merchant Christmas tree

will be the talking point, I'm sure, for this year.

I am relieved that Gavin likes my swans.

Yeah, I'm very relieved!

But for now the swans are the least of Rachael's worries.

Oh, I don't like the sound of that.

What's up? So how short are we at the minute?

-It's about...

-Three branches.

-Three... Three turns.

-Yeah.

-SHE SIGHS

The problem is, the boys have put the lights on beautifully

and they've put them in a bit deeper into the tree

but actually we've now run out of lights.

I know we couldn't put on a different set

with the bulbs not being the same.

It just would not...

The only thing to do is then just to sort of...

-Take if up a wee bit.

-Yeah.

I think the decision is just to pull it up a bit,

because if we strip it out of another tree,

we've got the same problem with that tree.

It's not rocket science really.

We are just lowly Christmas decorators.

It's breakfast time and there's not a trace of an elf.

They've left behind a stunning swan-festooned fir

in a wreath-wrapped room fitting for a first-rate festive season,

but it's only Christmas when managing director Bill

and wife Petra grant their seasonal seal of approval.

I'm just...delighted.

You wouldn't believe how many kids come in and climb under that tree.

-So it's, you know...

-It's got the wow factor,

which is what you want when you walk through the door,

-you want people to stop and...

-SHE GASPS

It's not just a tree.

Like everything to do with this hotel,

there's an awful lot of attention paid to the detail.

Yeah, absolutely. Oh, yes.

While Bill and Petra seem happy,

general manager Gavin is just not as easily pleased.

I do think this would be an issue, though.

I think just because the branches seem very long on the tree

but they're not overly strong and I think already you can see...

We can take off the heavy decorations.

There's always a few things.

You know, Rachael's great that she tries...

just tries different styles and different designs

and some work and some... don't work so much.

Are they all a bit...?

It depends which way you look at it.

-That one definitely needs moved over.

-Yeah.

We did that last year, sure we didn't, Rachael?

Did we have a wreath there?

And this is a different tree. OK.

I maybe preferred the tree we had last year.

Bert's is not a hard one to decorate.

I'm always anxious because it's the end of the week,

we're all absolutely exhausted.

So no chance you can really...?

I've just noticed the symmetry of this one is not quite right.

That needs to move.

Are you bothered with the symmetry of these as well?

Well, no, I wasn't, actually. That's asymmetric.

So you have your symmetry and then you've got a little...

-Ditch the red one, so there's three.

-Do you not like the red one?

-And then is that one sort of centred in with the...?

-Yes.

If you don't mind.

I don't think I'm OCD but I do like symmetry

and Rachael was trying with this asymmetry, which I don't understand at all.

So I think there's a reason why things should be

in a certain place in a certain way

and that's maybe just a pet thing of mine.

And this one is symmetrical. There are no quirks.

You haven't followed through your theme of having one in the centre.

No.

-I've got my little elves on your symmetrical mantelpieces.

-Good.

-So it's happening as we speak.

-Good, symmetrical elves...

-Yes, symmetrical elves.

-..what every hotel needs.

'I'm mightily relieved when Gavin says he likes it, obviously,'

but then I'll be back on Monday to go through my snagging list

and fix everything that Gavin's pointed out.

I'm a very happy, old elf now.

With a sparkling festive season in full swing,

the team must now deliver elegance with ease.

But there's trouble brewing upstairs.

Eve, the executive housekeeper, has called an emergency meeting.

What doesn't go unnoticed - some people are calling in sick on us

and obviously letting the team down.

I know people get sick but it's beginning to be a pattern here.

If you've maybe perhaps, I don't know,

been out on a Friday night or whatever and you don't feel

100% for work, please think twice about it,

because you're letting your colleagues down,

and now today we had all our rooms covered and someone has let us down

last-minute, which then puts the whole team under pressure.

Unfortunately, one of the room attendants has called in sick today,

so her work has had to be given out to everyone else in the team.

I've also had to put one of my supervisors on rooms as well,

which is not ideal because I could really do with them being present

in the public areas and being around.

Downstairs a VIP event needs precision planning.

A very important lunch today.

It's the annual Christmas lunch

of the managing director

of the company.

It's an irreverent look at people I do business with.

I get invited to a lot of Christmas lunches

and I tend to avoid them because they're all of a corporate feel.

This is definitely not corporate

and we have some people from the arts

who I've got to know, and friends.

It is just for fun but I like that...if you can get the arts and the business

together and they can...maybe a bit of sponsorship goes on.

The arts are under big pressure at the moment.

He just gets the same menu as everybody else.

There's no difference for Bill.

He likes to be treated

the same as everyone else.

He does like his seafood.

So he'll definitely order the scallops

and then he'll go for a ribeye, medium-rare.

It's all the top end of the industry

and really it's an opportunity for us to showcase

what we do and how we do it.

So every detail is extremely important.

We always must check the table, the cutlery,

the glassware, the room, the lights, the temperature of the room,

the music level has to be perfect.

What do you think?

Operations manager Ashutosh is at the centre of Christmas.

Today he's overseeing two festive banquets

and several private dining celebrations.

I'm overlooking all the events personally,

going and saying hello to all the clients on arrival,

meeting and greeting them and making sure they're happy.

At the end I'll be checking with them as well,

that how did everything go.

Come on, uniform all right, name badges?

Come on, face me, face me, face me, face me, face me.

Please, yes. OK. Name badge perfect, socks, shoes...

Everybody has a pen and notepad and all that there?

Bottle opener, wine opener all ready? Perfect.

They're coming at 1.30.

They're going to be here until 6.30.

We've only an hour and 45 minutes to do the turnaround for 155 people.

Any questions, ask me now.

Don't look confused on the floor, guys.

Yes?

As well as a tight turnaround between events,

Ashutosh has to make sure that everything is absolutely perfect

for his discerning guests.

I don't like those cups and saucers there. Right.

Exciting times.

Two minutes, please. Just two minutes.

That's what we want. Check.

That's too loud.

# Are the clanging chimes of doom... #

Let me know when...

Although the team are tired after a late night,

Ashutosh has total confidence in them.

Last night I was here till three o'clock

and the lady said, "Look, I want to pay

"another extra £200 to all the staff."

So happiness matters but money as well.

-All happy? Everybody doing OK?

-Absolutely.

-Brilliant, brilliant.

-INTERVIEWER:

-Are you happy?

-I am always happy.

-LAUGHTER

The housekeeping team are far from happy.

The clock is ticking on their final inspection before check-in time.

So if you could do in the bathroom for me there, please.

-Do you want to do the wardrobe?

-Yes.

We'll get this back as quickly as possible.

I think the guest has arrived for this one,

so we want to get them in.

Just to let you know, 326 is ready for you.

This is an arrival. It's the junior suite

so we need to get this one back quickly,

because it's not like you can swap it round with any other room.

Everything gets thoroughly checked.

That's why there's three of us, we can get through them quicker.

Everybody takes their own little section of the room.

Happy guests, that's what we want.

I want this room back as soon as possible.

I don't want someone waiting with children to get into a room.

If you two girls want to go to 208 and I'll go to 212.

It's nonstop at this time of the day.

Nearly done? Five minutes? Ten minutes? 15 minutes?

Five minutes and this will be ready to go for you. We're just checking.

The last thing they clean is the bathroom floor on

their way out so I don't want to be leaving my dirty footprints on the

bathroom floor in case a guest comes in and thinks

it hasn't been cleaned properly.

Oh, dear. That safe's not opening.

I'll have to phone maintenance to get that done.

The safe in 225 isn't opening.

Quick as you can, because we've guests waiting to get into it.

Get out as quickly as possible. No time for lifts, just stairs all the way.

Come on, Deirdre, faster, faster. We're like whippets.

There's a lot of hiding places in these Victorian rooms.

Nothing's made for vertically challenged people

but we just have to get on with it.

-That's us finished. All rooms back.

-INTERVIEWER:

-Oh, really?

Yeah. Good job. Well done. Thank you.

50, 50, 50. Take it off and have it ready for me, please.

Upstairs the team have only an hour and a half to get the room ready

for the next festive banquet, but they've run into a problem.

These people had a lunch and now they are about to leave and now we

are preparing for the dinner, second sitting for 155,

and we are setting up the table as they are leaving.

So hopefully once they leave we will have it all room-ready

by seven o'clock.

We don't ask the guests to leave.

It's been agreed when they were booking.

They know the timings but we cannot push. We don't push our guests.

So hopefully they will leave.

No desserts. No, that's all done.

They need to leave. Six o'clock.

Finally, the luncheon guests leave.

The room turnaround time now is less than 30 minutes.

Go around and check and make sure everything is OK.

You look after your own stuff.

Let me know before you leave the floor.

Rest of the night - please let me know before you leave the floor.

Downstairs, Bill's VIP guests have arrived.

They're in there. I've got to go in and...most of them know each other.

-And...

-You have to mingle!

-I have to mingle.

I can't stand small talk.

It drives me round the bend.

I can't stand the whole corporate thing,

so it will be different to that.

-Ready to go, Chef, please.

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

With dinner on standby, there's a special surprise for Bill's guests.

# Silent night

# Holy night

# All is calm

# All is bright... #

All going well. The boss is happy, I'm happy.

# Stille

# Heilige... #

It was really moving. The kids were fantastic.

That was a special moment.

Upstairs Ashutosh and his team have managed to turn the room around

just in time for another festive function.

You just enjoy what you do, you know?

There are many things you do in events as a manager

and there are many reasons to be happy.

Get in quick!

With their cracking Christmas well under way,

it's time for Eve to bid adieu to her colleagues

gathered for a fitting farewell.

-Surprise!

-CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

-Oh, dear!

-You're a hard woman to keep a secret from.

I'd say so.

-Is there a stripper coming?

-She's already here.

I didn't even know you were pregnant.

I just thought you'd been eating a bit more.

I want to say how thoughtful it is of you to have this child just before Christmas.

During the Christmas period!

-Everybody here wishes you all the best.

-Thank you very much.

And we'll be wishing you the very best

-because we want you to come back.

-Oh, I'll be back, don't worry.

-Quickly.

-Thank you.

'I'll be a wee bit lonely until the baby comes along, I'd say,

'because I will miss everyone here.'

We have a great team. There's a great team spirit here as well

and, you know, yeah, I will miss them all now, I have to say.

The arrival of one more VIP guest

signals that Christmas has finally arrived.

It just feels very warm and cosseting

and exactly how Christmas should be.

It's a magical day and it's a proud day for me

because of what the hotel's achieved,

and being able to pull this one off is...

is good.