B efore taking on her new posi- tion, she built her career in a number of management posi- tions at hotels in Bratislava, Bu- charest, Sarvar, Sofia and Prague. Since August last year, Gabriela Ditetova, who originates from the Czech Republic, has been at the helm of hotel Belgrade Ra- disson Blu Old Mill… Have you had a chance to get to know Belgrade and its people? - I fell in love with the people of Bel- grade. They are friendly, always help- ful, full of life and easy to connect with. Thanks to this temperament and hospi- tality, you feel like you never left home. Have you found your favourite kafana inn, park bench or place in Belgrade that makes you feel at home? - Among all the amazing places in the city, I very much enjoy Ada Ciganli- ja’s Sava Lake for relaxation and sports. My favourite foodie secret is actually our OMB Larder + Lounge, Radisson Blu Old
oznom lepotom. Ali danas zaista postaje teško osetiti pravi duh gra- da i njegovih ljudi jer Prag sve više liči na prepun muzej. S druge stra- ne, Beograd je autentičan, konstan- tno se razvija, čini mi se da je življi i zanimljiviji od Praga. Počeli ste kao instruktorka ae- robika i stigli do samog vrha. Imate li neki recept za uspeh? – Nikad nisam razmišjala o uspe- hu koji se ogleda u direktorskom položaju, to zapravo nikada nije bio cilj. Sebe smatram osobom koja uži- va u svakom trenutku, uspeh za me- ne znači biti srecan, bez obzira na položaj. Koje vam je omiljeno mesto na planeti i kuda biste voleli da otputujete? – Vec se osecam kao prava Be- ograđanka. Istraživanje ovog prele- pog grada i blaga Srbije u posled- njih nekoliko meseci donelo mi je dragocena iskustva i nova prijatelj-
its people – sometimes it just resembles a crowded museum. On the other hand, Belgrade is more authentic, constantly developing, and for me it is more vibrant and interesting than Prague. You started as a fitness instructor and reached the very top. Do you have a recipe for success? - I never thought of success as a way to achieve the position of a general man- ager – that was actually never a goal. I consider myself a person who enjoys every moment, success to me means be- ing happy, no matter what position I’m in. What is your favourite place in the world and where would you like to travel next? - I already feel like a true Belgrad- er. Exploring this beautiful city and the treasures of Serbia in the past couple of months brought me valuable experienc- es and new friendships. I discovered a country that is so rich in history, culture and wildlife. Now, when Etihad Airways and Air Serbia are providing connections
stva. Otkrila sam zemlju koja je bo- gata istorijom, kulturom i životom. Sada, sa Etihad ervejzom i Er Srbi- jom , mogu da stignem do najneve- rovatnijih delova sveta, a jedna od destinacija koje planiram da posetim je Ruanda, tamo želim da vidim naš predivni novi hotel u Kigali. Šta vaše sadašnje radno me- sto čini posebnim? – Radisson Blu Old Mill je stvar- no nešto posebno. Hotel je dao nov život industrijskoj zoni koja se nala- zi u centru Beograda. Hotel je izgra- đen na mestu prvog parnog mlina u Srbiji, osnovanog 1901. Neverovatno je koliko ovo prestižno zdanje stva- ra jedinstven ambijent i čuva auten- tično nasleđe sa mešavinom indu- strijske šik estetike. Radila sam u mnogim hotelima širom sveta, ali po mom mišljenju ovaj hotel pred- stavlja Srbiju i Beograd na najbolji mogući način.
via Belgrade to some of the most amaz- ing parts of the world, one of the desti- nations I plan to visit is Rwanda, where I can check out our beautiful new ho- tel in Kigali. What your present job makes so special? - Radisson Blu Old Mill Hotel is really something special! The hotel gave a new lease of life to an industrial area locat- ed practically in the centre of Belgrade. The hotel building was constructed on the site of the first steam mill in Serbia, established in 1901. It is incredible how the prestigious Berlin–based Graft Ar- chitects design bureau created a unique ambience and preserved the mill’s au- thentic heritage, with a mixture of indus- trial-chic aesthetic, symbols of Belgrade (The White City) and its rivers (Sava and Danube). I have worked in many hotels around the world, but in my opinion this property represents the country and the capital city at its best.
Mill’s restaurant and bar, where I had my first encounter with unique Serbian cu- linary tradition and where special atten- tion is paid to locally sourced products and creative cooking techniques. The city is a joy to explore! Belgrade boasts history – Kalemegdan fortress, the beau- tiful riverfront, with its unrivalled par- ty scene, seriously hip areas – Sava Ma- la, the bohemian quarters – Skadarska Street and Zemun etc. But what I would recommend to everybody who visits Bel- grade is to meet with locals in order to feel the city’s specific atmosphere. Do you miss Prague; are there many differences between our two cities? - Prague is my hometown and, of course, it has to be the most beautiful city in the world. The city’s particular ar- chitecture was well preserved for cen- turies and has been attracting millions of tourists every year with its gracious beauty. But nowadays it’s really getting hard to feel the real spirit of the city and
Radisson Blu Old Mill predstavlja Srbiju i Beograd na najbolji mogući način Radisson Blu Old Mill Hotel represents Serbia and Belgrade at its best
| 83
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator