Inside the Merchant, Episode 1 Full BBC Documentary 2016 

I worked in a hotel, and I will never work there again. It is a highly stressful job with little returns. You are literally cow towing to spoiled brats who nit pick everything,, aka the head staff---- not the clients.. I was one of the best cleaners at the hotel ; one night a group of people left, and I had to get the rooms fixed up for the next day. I went down stairs to the laundry room to get clean sheets, when I saw the place was closed. I didn't know what to do; it seemed the laundry staff was at a meeting, and wouldn't be back for over an hour, so I waited and waited, all the while getting the rest of the rooms cleaned. After the hour was up, I went back downstairs to get the sheets, and to my surprise the entire place was still closed. I told one of the head staff, and he said well just go home then, and we'll sort it out in the morning. The next day I was cussed out by the manager; I tried to explain what had happened, but she continued to yell obscenities at me. I turned around and walked out. It was the best decision I've ever made.

This is the only problem when it comes to working in very high standard hotels, they expect everything to be perfection and I really have sympathy to those who are still committed in working in this pressurising environment. Some wouldn’t even last within a month to work in places like this. I worked in a similar hotel. The manager was a perfectionist even on inspection of a clean shave if not handing over a razor to shave over and over again to get your skin smooth. Nothing is good enough for them. They push and push and push and the more you work there the more they expect from you which then some end up leaving because they can’t tolerate it. If anything blame the managers because it’s down to them to be more supportive to their staff and not to be utterly rude. I know they have a pressurising job themselves but you don’t need to be a dick just because someone above you is being one. You can handle certain situations firmly without shouting or swearing. Welcome to hospitality.

These behind the scenes look at high end hotels are great to watch. People who chose to be in this industry at such a superior level treat it as a vocation, not just a job. They're clearly passionate at what they do. ~Love it!

If it was renovated & turned into a hotel just ten years earlier then you would think that they would have designed a chandelier with a motorized lift system. I’m sure it needs almost daily light dusting between cleanings.

Pure joy to watch. I love that this is a hotel I've never heard of before in a city that doesn't get attention it deserves.

Just wonderfully done Merchant in Belfast. Much guts, much glory.

Wait! Did she just talk into that "clean" coffee cup? Uh, oh! Spittle invasion!

Everybody seems stressed but the work is excellent. Beautiful models and wonderful staff👏👏👏👏👏

Get Del-boy in to clean the chandelier, top service they provide👍😃

Thanks for the download - really enjoyable

Classy hotel. The manager missed a spot on either lampshade or mirror at 16:22. Surprising also that the folks checking for dust in the rooms do that with their naked hands: it's icky + white gloves would be more effective. At 21:52, heavy curtains needs adjusting - that's done by pulling directly on them - surefire way to pull them out of shape. Surprise they're not on a remote control system.

Damian you're looking SNATCHED !!!!!

I love this

Wonderful documentary and a great staff, however......the housekeeping staff should use gloves when cleaning for their own protection.

I've worked in a hotel and it was one of the worst experiences of my life because people act like animals when they check into a hotel and it doesn't matter how nice of a hotel it is, I watched a video about the mandarin oriental in London and there was the middle eastern princess who would stay there for a month with a huge entourage and then the hotel had to hound her financial people for six months to get the six figure hotel bill paid or when the hotel had to replace all the carpet in a suite becasue the guests let their children write on the carpet with markers or when a guest had a ten thousand pound mirror charged to their room because her son had shattered a floor to ceiling mirror in the gym.

🇦🇺 Each and all that work there have a good head on there sholders from listening to there prospective on there rolls .hit the nail on the head with there sense of logic and hard work . I certainly hope there going strong in Ireland they deserve all the best .so happy to see this documentary being of Irish decent 2nd generation in Australia, i can relate to there way of thinking being in hospitality all my life.

BRAVO !

Owners are a charming couple but Christmas lights for fashion show background hardly 5 star.

Looks like the front of the hotel could use a good power wash.

Thank You for the upload, do you have anymore episodes ??

I do private catering and I can relate totally to everything that's happening. People ask why the cup handles have to face the same way, cutlery straight, cleanliness plus and so on, plus, I'm Irish as well!!!!

Best of luck - why not ...... 5 star city deserves it.

👏👏👍🇦🇺 Thumbs up went there last time I was in Belfast from Melbourne beautiful high tea 10/10 😊

MY HEAD PASTRY CHEF!!

Show was like 80s flashback. Looked like Duran Duran video!!

thanks

Very good idea to focus so much on cleaning. Almost all hotels don't do that.

Stone facade is very grubby, you'd think they would have had this sensitively cleaned before filming.

Great inside story, worst micromanaging boss giving everyone headache.

16:20, Bill, you worry about the lamp shade, but are those smudges on the mirror?

up dara!

great

Beautiful building. To think what's gone on prior and now, steeped in history. The lift with local accent 😁 It's things like that, where you will be seeing and paying the difference between 4 & 5 star.

No comparison to the furniture, furnishings, or uniforms of any 5star on the mainland. It looked like an 80's British rail main hotel building attached to Premier Inn! It needs a complete revamp to measure up to the quality of service and facilities from these committed staff, which gave it the 5 star rating, albeit an AA rating.

working for a family owned hotel is a big no no

Súper interesting video !! 👍👍👍

Is it me or does Bill look like he is Marc Jacobs twin?

Something of a picky type myself, I appreciate this level of detail. I would notice if the towels didn't match. No, they'll dry you all the same, but that kind of attention speaks to the whole experience you should expect. More than once I have rearranged the furniture in a hotel room. Checking for dust with bare hands? You're transferring your body oil to the item you're touching, and then you have dirty hands. Wouldn't a cloth or the proverbial white glove not be better? Anyway, love seeing how hotels are run. Also-- the models in the fashion shows were beautiful!

All done when the camera is there. I'd say those two now would be bossing the staff. Hey mate I'll meet you and show you how clean it is

The background music is very annoying, totally unnecessary.

Use the Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners - pay them a mental wage and I'm sure they'd rather clean this than their boring, old , already sterile houses. :)

Did anyone else notice the fingerprints on the mirror in minute 16:32? Clean my heinie.

Looks very old-fashioned to me. For example, the ghastly chairs used for the fashion tea and the curtains are like something from a 3* hotel! Don’t think Ill be rushing to stay there somehow!

use the white gloves for dust control!!!

Lovely hotel, and hard working staff. People here are too harsh in their comments.

That fashion show is the tackiest thing I've ever seen. I'd be very upset to pay for a champagne tea and see that they'd decorated with a red carpet and string lights. That's a prom, not a five star hotel.

🌈💝 Harika... Hayat, herkesin evinde bu lūksū yaşayacağı şekilde oluşturulmalıydı...Evet! Çok absurt ama öyle...

Gosh dammit Damien!! Get your act together boy!!

Mr squeaky clean Bill Wosley . NOT !!! Don’t give any credit to builders who actually made the hotel , I worked on this building for months replacing all the lead sheet flashing it was a total nightmare and real shit hole to be honest

❤

It’s nice to know how our overlords are living. I would hate them to experience the nightmare of some other humans speck of dust being in their vicinity. So glad we are all paying fo them to live in the lifestyle they are accustomed too… better to experience it in this life, as they certainly won’t be in the next one 👍🏻

One of the most chalenge things

I've worked at a couple of hotels before, Never ever again. You are time limited I'm cleaning your room, So how do they expect it to be so perfectly clean. You have to rush rush rush through every room. It's insane and not worth the money.

It's like a top grocery store in Trinidad 🇹🇹 ( MASSY FOOD STORES) mean mean people 😊

having only 30-mins in between the two shows is sign of a company that's all about making money at the expense of their employees wellbeing. Yes sometimes the prior shows does run over, and a reputable, well experienced hotel, should always anticipate that and plan appropriately. Again, failure to plan fairly and adequately places undue strain and stress on employees.

The outside looks no star quality. Inside different place altogether.

My God everyone is so negative and nasty. There's nothing wrong with trying your best and shooting for 100%. None of these people are forced to work here. I think their work ethic is fantastic. The world needs more people like this.

Good design would have included maintenance of the piece

I don't feel so weird now that I use Q-tips to clean the little areas on the toilet; they do it too.

I’ll never understand valet service. No f, ing way I’m letting anyone, especially someone I don’t know, drive my car.

Lovely Hotel in a lovely city❤️☮️🇨🇦

Did the catering manager suggest the servers push a "deal" on the champagne? OMG.

Hospitality heaven are hotels❤❤😂😂

I’ve worked in many luxury hotels in London isn’t it nice to see Northern Ireland offering the same high end product

...who is the narrator? Anyone?...

The Housekeepers not wearing gloves🤢

Valet parking being a novel idea in 2016 shows how behind the UK is compared to the US in customer service.

To not have the chandelier on a pulley is madness. And it costs them a fortune.

façade very grubby

Are all of the anti-bombs and anti-grenades nets now gone from rooftops of buildings in Belfast?

Why is the housekeeper cleaning the toilet and floor with bare hands? Do they not use gloves in Ireland? And then she's handling the bath towels and who knows if she washed her hands before she did it. Repulsive!

10 pounds for one glass of Moët Chandon...ridiculous...I just bought a whole bottle for 20 pounds...and I'm sure they receive a discount...ridiculous

Lovely hotel but when you see the girl cleaning the toilet then the floor then touching the towels, Yuk no gloves, but hard hard workers so its all down to them that keeps the place going. x

Big planning error not designing that chandelier on a pulley system so it can be lowered……

I know the staff work v. hard, and the owners, investors etc. had good intentions for creating a high end luxury hotel, but some of the floorings/carpeting, the furniture in the function room and other areas look to be in really poor taste. I guess it is Ireland ... so there's that.

I bet they don't look like that valet Parker driving that car can't buy that kind of handsome 🔥

I can't understand why anybody would want to do these kind of jobs. It seems like a type of life~ consuming slave labour. I just hope they are well~paid and there is no personal cost, especially to their families.

Afternoon tea? Didnt show the tea just gallons of sweets. What kind of tea do they consider 5 star I wonder

No gloves worn when cleaning particular the bathroom. 5 Star yea right. You forgot the hand cleaner pump

Moldels look a bit worn out

@360 ??🤣

I absolutely LOVE this hotel and its exacting standards. However, having been on both sides - worked in many 5* hotels and stayed in many as a guest? Guests don't notice, nor do they give a flying fcuk, which is a huge shame! 😟

Fashion show....really

What a bunch of miserable tediums in the comments...and that's minus the bots.

This hotel looks pretty small and family owned guesthouse vibes it doesnt look as fancy as they claim! Look at London for Luxury . This one is not a match at all, its a family run businesss type hotel not worth the money spent.

Attention to detail for me means $1300 euros a week. If you are not paying that so you will get get no Attention and no detail

Event manager spruce your image up and tie your hair up

Even for Westerners, who think they have to have 3 meals a day (not sure why), afternoon tea, with the assortment of sandwiches, tea, perhaps sherry, and then heavy sweets, scones with butter and jams seems excessive. Humans from whatever continent do not need 4 meals a day. If you have tea at 4 p.m., and dinner at 8 p.m. you have too much food in your stomach.

Fashion people are the new money So don't hurry their not aristocrats

Ocd much?

OCD in 5 star hotel

DREADFUL PLACE

I teach the 1 % around the world. I have more power over them. Get qualifications everyone.

A 5 star hotel in Belfast? This is an April Fool's Day joke, right?

Looks very dated, 5 out of 10 stars?

It’s admirable that they try to be so high class, but this is just silly.

Paint the outside white trimmed in gold.

Thank you for this beautiful video.📹 ❤ I wish all the staff and of course, the Owners of this Beautiful Hotel, nothing but the best of good fortune. May all of their investments always prosper. They seemed to be, very, very🎖honorable, fair, kind, cordial, and hard working. Beautiful Couple. 💯%RESPECT!!!!!!! May God grant them a new and Amazing 🧾 business 💰💰💰 opportunity to add to their Hotel 🛩🛎🧳🧭🌏 SHALOM. ❤

This video should be taken down. We are currently staying here. We had to be moved rooms on arrival as our initial room was filthy and the 2nd room was no better. Things have changed massively from the video it doesn’t resemble this at all now. The rooms are tired and dirty but still expensive.

Pretty dull stuff.