Introducing - The Aurora on George Team

OR IS IT..."We are all MAD* here." 

*MAD = Making a difference

At Aurora on George, we have a wonderful team of people who work hard both in front-of and behind the scenes so that our guests get an accommodation experience that is warm and welcoming, spotlessly clean and comfortable, and in surroundings that are stylish, practical, relaxing and even a little indulgent. As business owners, we are proud of our people, their loyalty, their collegiality and their work ethic. We applaud their commitment to the work they do, their attention to detail. 

As an American poet Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886) once famously said, 

“If you take care of the small things, the big things take care of themselves."

So at Aurora on George we endeavour to pay attention to the details - whether it is finding the exact right room configuration for a guest's budget and needs in the booking process, or warming the room up on a cold day for an incoming guest - we even strategically position the pencil on the feedback form in the room! Certainly, when alert level changes became part of the COVID 19 norm, attention to high level and stringent health and hygiene practices became more important than ever. We thank each and every one of our team who has helped us get through the most difficult 12 months of trading with COVID-19.

So let me now introduce you to some members of our team:

Chris and Adrienne Roy - Business Owners

Some might say "Jack of all trades, master of none" - that's our role. Chris and I have been working together in business now since 2007 and we approach it very differently, I tell you! We both have our strengths which we utilise in all aspects of our business (and in life in general). Indeed our first company name described our specific attributes perfectly -  "Nitpicker and Bigpicture Ltd". When you stay with us, you can decide who is who.

Rosann Connolly-George - Relief Manager

Service at another level, Rosann goes the extra mile!!!  Our saviour, our breath of fresh air. Rosann takes over the reins of the motel to give us a break for longer periods of time, a few days here and there. We leave the business in her wonderfully caring hands.  You see, Rosann is a powerhouse in the travel agency business, with Vincent George Travel, and with the impact of COVID-19 on that industry being absolutely devastating, we were so incredibly grateful that she could help us. She enables us to get some much needed timeout and head-clearing space, as well as us helping her at a time when she needs time to be able to re-build their business. So if you need any travel arrangements sorted with the best travel agent in town, come to us, talk to Rosann! 

Annelies van Dijke - Duty Manager

New to the team, Annelies took over a role that had previously been occupied by son Jaren. You see, we realised that he was not going to be able to help his old Mum and Dad out for much longer as his studies came to an end and a career in accounting loomed near.  We were so glad we found Annelies when we did. The thought that we may never be able to leave the motel for short periods of time was horrifying, whether it be to see a movie or go for a walk together, take a yoga class or catch up with friends.  Annelies brings an international flavour to the Aurora family with her Dutch origins. She is also a yoga teacher (just like Adrienne), and does shorter shifts at reception, and this works well with her other teaching commitments. Plus - she certainly adds a more youthful face to the front-of-house team!

Alissa Barker - Senior Housekeeping Supervisor

The heart, backbone and soul of the housekeeping team, Alissa is an amazing leader. Having a large family at home means she can rally the troops superbly; she is more Mama Bear though than Drill Sargent!  Alissa is responsible for the smooth running of housekeeping, the scheduling of tasks as well as the intricacies as a shift unfolds.  She sets exceptionally high standards for herself and her staff, so that our guests have wonderfully clean and well-presented rooms during their stay. She takes this responsibility incredibly seriously. Indeed she gives each room its quality assurance check and seal of approval.

Alissa brings the best out of each housekeeping team member and works with them day in and day out. She is hard working, multitasking and has had some great ideas to enhance the guest experience. Alissa is a real asset to our business.

Cassandra Diack -  Housekeeping Supervisor & Staff Trainer

Cassandra is one of those young people who really is an old soul with maturity, well beyond her years. She takes on the role as Housekeeping Supervisor, running the daily shift on Alissa's days off -  and she does this with a calm yet purposeful demeanor. She works closely with Alissa in the training and professional development of the housekeepers. She is a patient mentor, sets high standards as well. We are most impressed with her seamless transition to this role. She has really stepped confidently into it. 

Our Housekeepers

Housekeeping is one of the most important roles in our business. The success of our business can certainly ride on the standard of housekeeping. Housekeeping is hard, physical work. It requires rigorous hygiene practices, a systematic approach to tasks and steely-eyed focus on detail! Our housekeepers take care of the detail in our rooms, around the property and they do an exceptional job. We have a fantastic team, some of whom have been working at Aurora now since early on. Nicola is the most senior housekeeper, with Michelle the next longest serving. They have seen staff changes over the years but continue to help build the team culture that we aspire to, even when situations change. We enjoy diversity within our team, and enjoy the uniqueness everyone brings to the job. We have young university students (Jordyn and Noami) who fit work around their studies. Some, like Rezina and Idayu, are studying in New Zealand having come from other parts of the world, far off lands. We have parents of young children (Nicola, Sheree and Alissa) who have to juggle school hours , holidays and all the other things kids do that impact on work. Most recently we have welcomed Lee-ann, who has come have back to the workforce after raising a family  and Sheree also has joined us. She too juggles multiple roles.

All in all, we are grateful for who we have, we are proud of our team, the people they are and the work they do. Thank you.

George - Gardener

George is a bit of an institution, having been here for longer than any of us. Just like the musical statue in the garden, George often appears like a garden gnome. However, he is certainly not stuck in one spot as he is constantly on the go, directing a lawn mower or rake, secateurs or loppers, or maybe just a trusty garden hoe! Indeed George moves with the energy and enthusiasm of a man half his lifespan and at 82 years of age he is an inspiration. George has tended our beautiful garden for many, many years; well before Aurora became the name. And in that time he has seen the business morph, change and the people come and go - he has seen weddings, conferences, and graduations - all the time ensuring the garden also puts on a show.

We are so lucky to have George at Aurora. Our garden, our centrepiece gem is his pride, his joy, and his passion. And every time there is a change and the garden takes a hit (such as the huge renovations of 2015 or the months after COVID-19 locked us down) he comes back with the loving care and attention one might pay to a ill person. George's attention to the garden is akin to resuscitation, as he breathes back its life, shape, colour and spirit.

As an aside - George does well to humour me when I plant my edibles in the garden as I know he really doesn't like me doing that.

Finally: There are always changes in personnel in any business and we are grateful for anyone who has been part of the Aurora family over the time we have been in business.