Program Reviews

I did my internship at GR Solaris Cancun. I was part of the animation/sports team for about 6 months and it was a great experience. I met many people from across the world and learned a lot.The highlight of my internship period was performing in one of the hotel's shows.

At first i had my doubts about this program but it all turned out to be for nothing. I loved to be in the position that i was assigned to and i never felt unsafe! Sometimes i tought that the communication between me and the office was a bit slow and during the time that i was in mexico i didn't hear anything from the office but that's alright. Only big minus is that i honestly don't get why i had to pay so much for the program??? But anyways i had very nice time and now i have an amazing experience to show for the future employees.

My experience working in a hotel in Chengdu city is being really amazing. It's a very good oportunity to grow up personally and professionally, you have the chance to learn faster the Chinese language, since in this city not everyone speaks good english. It's interesting to know about their culture, lifestyle and gastronomy. Chengdu is one of the safest cities in China, and many good hotels are opening here. The people is always ready to help, very nice and respectful. And if you like the spicy food, here is your place. :)

I´ve already more than 3 months in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, my experience is better than I expected. The City is very interesting, you have many things to do and see. The people is so kind and friendly. The organization cares so much about your learning and your confort. This experience is gonna be very positive for my future.

I haven't thought a lot before deciding to come to China. It just happened over night, and I think it was the best decision of my life, so far. From a professional point of view, I've had the chance to experience a lot; I've been through different departments including Front Desk, Marketing and Sales, PR, Food and Beverage, which makes my internship a lot more interesting and fun. Of course, the language would always be a challenge, not too many locals speak English, but it just completes this amazing experience. Finding ways of dealing with it, adapting to their culture and exploring as much as I can; this is definitely a life changing experience for me. I really love the city, except for the air quality which can definitely be improved, it is pretty much awesome. And the food is absolutely amazing! There's always something going on in the city, you can never get bored. So many things to do, I feel like the time is flying. I'm pretty much sure that I will come back here someday.

I already encountered the first problem arriving at the hotel, being later than expected due to the taxi service, where I had trouble with the security since they were not expecting me anymore. Furthermore, no one at the human resource department spoke good English so it was very difficult to understand the documents I had to fill out and the explanations given. Nevertheless, from that moment onwards my experience only got better and better. At the reception, where I did my actual internship, they did everything to help me out. Although it was very difficult at the start since everything was explained in Spanish and it took me some time to figure everything out, the front desk manager did his best to help me out, he listened to the concerns I had and he really tried to improve me as an employee but also as a person. The coworkers at the hotel were the friendliest and nicest people I have ever met, with their eternal smile. One of the biggest concerns I had before leaving for Mexico as a European girl on her own, was of course the safety. I must admit that I never , at no point, felt in danger. I honestly have felt less comfortable on the streets in Brussels at home, than in Playa del Carmen. It was a dream of a little city and my heart broke when I had to leave. Even up to today, almost 4 months later, no day passes by without thinking about this amazing experience and regretting having left Playa del Carmen. Thank you for helping me live this amazing experience!

The summer of 2012 that I spent in Mexico's Riviera Maya was one of the best experiences of my life. A little apprehensive before I left the UK, my worries of moving to the other side of the world disappeared as soon as I arrived as I was picked up from Cancún airport by my new boss and the Human Resources assistant that I would be taking over from.
Firstly the job as a human resources assistant was perfect for me to improve my Spanish. My duties involved office tasks, updating employee records, running hotel errands, producing presentations, and even translating documents and presentations into English. It was great work experience, perfect as part of my university year abroad. (I study Spanish)
I enjoyed the job, and was very well looked after by me colleagues, however it is the social scene and the life in Cancún/Playa del Carmen that I will always remember. I made friends from all over the world, from France, Serbia, Holland, Argentina, and of course Mexico. We worked 5 and a half days a week, and packed the spare time with new experiences like visiting Mayan ruins or the many 'cenotes' or just going to the beach to relax. The night life in the two cities is amazing too, and in a group I never once felt unsafe.
Overall, I would recommend the programme, it's a great way to experience another culture while gaining work experience and having a fun time.

My experience has been a great beginning for completely new career opportunities. I´ve discovered and gained new interests, skills, and personal growth in a high quality environment of premium services and exclusive luxury in a Caribbean paradise. Up to day I still feel part of the family and experienced that compared to many many others my standards are very high. It is a great eye-catcher on my CV and helps me every day in other working environments. Furthermore, it´s also a process of personal development in another culture, what definitely helped me in being successful in different countries afterwards. It´s hard work and not always about fun, in a world with the highest expectations, but in the end it´s an experience that you cannot miss!!