Meet Lynette Greeff our new GM at Morukuru Family De Hoop. She started her hospitality journey in the heart of the Kalahari (Tswalu Kalahari Reserve) which made her realise the exquisiteness of nature combined with the taste of the industry. From there the passion only grew bigger. She had leading management positions at Sanctuary Makanyane and called Madikwe Game reserve home for many years. We are delighted to welcome her and her family to the De Hoop Nature Reserve.
Welcome to de Hoop and our Morukuru Family! We know taking on a new role means you are getting to understand many aspects of the lodges and the business - and you are very busy settling in your new home and new job and connecting with a new team. We also want to get to know you and learn about the path that led you to our Morukuru Ocean House and Morukuru Beach Lodge here in the De Hoop reserve.
Thank you so, so much! I’m super excited to be here!
On seeing the view of the ocean for the first time - from the verandah of Morukuru Beach Lodge - what were your thoughts? Glad you asked about my thoughts, and not my verbalized comments – because words cannot nearly describe or justify the beauty and pristine setting Morukuru Family De Hoop has to offer. Having the opportunity to join Morukuru Family just in time to witness the arrival of the whales, made waking up each day a race against time to see the first one.
Luxury exclusive use - what does that mean to you? With Luxury exclusive use, you can relax in the knowledge that you'll be able to create your day, your way. From your menu choices to your daily activities offered by our very knowledgeable team.
What’s your advice for someone wanting to get into the hospitality industry and work towards a senior position as a General Manager? It's essential you get relevant industry experience if you want to work in the hospitality sector. The hospitality industry values someone who has actually worked entry-level jobs and understands the front end of the business. If you want to be a manager, the best way to do that is to start at the bottom of the ladder.
You are a wife and a mum – how do those roles help you in your work life and vice versa?We’re getting the definition of life balance wrong. It’s not a maths problem. It’s not doing everything for an equal amount of time. So don’t try to be superwoman and attend every work event, every school activity or social engagement.
On a scale of 1 - 10- how important is communication - and how do you keep channels open between all your stakeholders - guests; staff and outside suppliers? Effective communication is essential for both individual and team success as it can help reduce misunderstandings, develop strong relationships and establish yourself as an active team member. Learning to communicate effectively requires time and practice to master – therefore an 11 for me!
Staff development is a pillar of Morukuru Family - share your experience in training up the next generation of hospitality gurus. Basic skills include communication and ways to interact with the hotel guests. It also involves teamwork training and diversity training, because our staff is perceived as one unit by guests. To do this, we encourage staff to enrol in different studies/programs etc - Training helps our staff feel valued and appreciated.
Food is a huge part of Morukuru Family experience and you are supported by an amazing team of Chefs- which menu items have you flagged for a tasting. Quite right when you say we have an amazing team on the food side - making sure that each and every dish is prepared with the utmost care and passion! The options are endless, but if I had to pick one, it surely has to be the Tastes of Africa – (Chocolate & Caramel sponge, Amarula & Nutella mousse, brûléed banana, candied Pistachio nuts accompanied by homemade Vanilla Ice cream) – YUM!
Morukuru Family De Hoop - has so much to offer guests who want to get outdoors and enjoy a variety of activities. Have you had a chance to get out and walk, mountain bike or explore? What would you suggest to guests visiting the area for the first time? With our exceptionally talented and passionate team, you should let yourself enjoy all activities on offer – mountain biking for one gives you the freedom to explore and still be safe in the outdoors. For the marine walk, the possibilities are endless, almost like opening presents on your birthday, you never know what you will find. Not to mention the nature drives, where you get smothered with information about the fauna and flora on the de Hoop nature reserve. The stand-out activity is definitely the sand boarding – I dare you, come and see for yourself!
You have been lucky to work at a number of top-notch establishments - in your view - what sets Morukuru Family De Hoop apart and what are the top 3 wow factors the property has to offer? That’s very easy – Family, Passionate and Professional: You arrive as a guest, and you depart as part of our Family. We are passionate about EVERYTHING we do and offer, nothing is too small or too big. We are warm and intimate and we pride ourselves on delivering a professional service at all times.
In a parallel universe - you get the day off and have the entire property to yourself - you are a guest for a day - what your plan - food, drink, activities - basically the perfect day at Morukuru Family De Hoop? Gosh, I already feel like that in my daily working environment LOL! Essentials first, there would be a scrumptious breakfast planned with a view to die for in the dining room. A picnic basket for an outing to the Hippo pool. The day spent at leisure next to the ocean with fresh air and rolling views of the tides. On my return, a visit to the Dutch tub would be really enjoyable, whereafter a few cocktails from our amazing butlers around the boma fire pit outside Beach Lodge. Dinner of course under the Pergola next to the pool. To be honest, I think I would need more hours in my day to complete all the treats on offer.
