Meet Zulema Busto, the Housekeeping Manager at Grand Hotel Residencia

“You can have the best hotel in the world, but if the room fails, everything fails. That’s where the guests rest, where they spend a lot of their time. It is essential, yet so often invisible,” says Zulema Busto, the Housekeeping Manager at Grand Hotel Residencia.

Zulema joined the hotel six years ago, bringing in her extensive experience from a luxury hotel in the South of Gran Canaria, where she served as Executive Housekeeper — overseeing the operations of the entire housekeeping department. Part of the resort’s opening team in 2006, she steadily rose through the ranks, beginning in the laundry department before eventually managing housekeeping staff across the property.

“I was very happy there,” she recalls, “but when I saw an opening for an Executive Housekeeper at Grand Hotel Residencia, I decided to apply. I had always been curious about working at a five-star Grand Luxe property, especially within a renowned company such as Seaside. And here I am, almost six years later.”

What Zulema enjoys most about her work is seeing the tangible results of a job done to perfection. “Walking into a room and being able to say, ‘this is perfect,’ is incredibly satisfying,” she says with a smile. “But above all, I love watching my team grow — seeing them learn, gain confidence and take pride in what they do. For me, it’s truly priceless.”

Driven by a constant pursuit of excellence, Zulema believes the best way to inspire a team is by leading from the front. “There is no other way — if you demand the best from yourself, the team notices,” she explains.

At Grand Hotel Residencia, motivation begins with helping staff understand the importance of their role. “The housekeeping team is fundamental — without them, nothing works,” she says. “For me, motivation also means listening, supporting and showing appreciation for my team’s efforts.”

Maintaining the standards expected of a luxury property, she admits, requires a very specific mindset. “I look for responsibility, attention to detail, the right attitude and a strong work ethic. Without those qualities, it is impossible to operate at this level.”

For Zulema, excellence is not something achieved occasionally, but a standard upheld every single day — through close supervision, continuous training and unwavering discipline. “It is not enough to do things well one day,” she says. “They have to be done well every single day.”

When she works, Zulema always keeps the guests’ experience front of mind. “I want our guests to feel a sense of tranquillity and comfort — that everything has been taken care of,” she explains. “It’s that feeling of arriving and being able to completely relax, without having to think about anything else.” Behind that effortless sense of ease lies an extraordinary attention to detail. From the scent of the room and the arrangement of the pillows to impeccably polished bathrooms, every element is carefully considered. “There are things guests may not consciously notice, but they still feel them,” Zulema says. “For example, we always arrange the telephone settings and print information in the guest’s own language.”

At Grand Hotel Residencia, where many visitors return year after year, personalisation plays an essential role. Zulema and her team anticipate guests’ preferences long before arrival — whether it is a particular type of pillow, an ironing board, or a minibar stocked with favourite drinks and fruit. “These small details make all the difference,” she says.

To ensure every stay feels seamless, the housekeeping team maintains detailed notes for each returning guest, reviewing them ahead of every arrival. The records include previous requests as well as observations shared by other departments for future visits. “Things like: this guest always prefers a double bed; this one likes the room cleaned early; this one will ask for extra towels,” Zulema explains.

What surprised her most, however, was the level of trust and familiarity many guests have with the property. “Some guests leave personal belongings here between stays — clothes, pillows, even bicycles,” she says. “I’ve never seen that anywhere else.”

For Zulema, housekeeping is far more than a routine operation — it is a highly technical profession where precision and organisation are everything. Every room undergoes a final inspection before it is handed over to a guest. “Nothing is ever released without being checked by either myself or my colleague Laura,” she explains. “We make sure everything is impeccably clean and disinfected, that the pillows are perfectly aligned, and even that the small seahorse logos embroidered on the towels are centred and facing the door. These are tiny details, but they create a sense of visual harmony.”

During periods of high occupancy, that attention to detail must be maintained at an even faster pace — something Zulema describes as the greatest challenge of the job. “Everything moves more quickly and there is more pressure,” she says. “In those moments, staying calm is essential.”

At Grand Hotel Residencia, many guests return year after year and often develop a fondness for particular rooms. Taking individual preferences into account requires close coordination between departments and careful planning before each arrival. “We work very closely with Reception to ensure every stay begins as smoothly as possible,” says Zulema.

For Zulema, true luxury is defined by tranquillity — the sense that everything unfolds seamlessly, without guests ever needing to ask. “Luxury means being able to fully switch off, to rest and enjoy both the hotel and the island,” she says.

And when it comes to Gran Canaria itself, there is no hesitation in what she values most. “The climate and the quality of life are priceless,” she says. “There is so much to discover. We have beautiful, peaceful beaches — Playa de las Mujeres and Montaña de la Arena are my favourites. We always encourage our guests to get out of the hotel and explore the island.”