Andrzej Wisniewski – Wellness & Recreation Specialist, InterContinental Khao Yai Resort
In this interview, Andrzej Wisniewski, aka Andy, Wellness & Recreation Specialist at InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, shares the fun and rewards of his role.
What do you do?
I’m a Wellness and Recreation Specialist at InterContinental Khao Yai Resort.
How did you get into the industry?
I have over 20 years of experience in hospitality. In 2003, I started in the USA as a hotel porter and housekeeper. After that, I worked in the UK, Thailand, Maldives, and Vietnam.
Share with us a story from behind the scenes.
While working at InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, I received a request for private yoga lessons with dogs (puppy yoga), and I absolutely adored it. My rule for it is that dogs should only be gently massaged, petted, cuddled, and occasionally used for support, but strictly without any force. The focus is on the connection between the pet and the owner and a gentle flexibility routine for the owner.
What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?
They are linked to local flavours, scents, and images, such as the taste of vanilla ice cream on a trip with my parents, the smell of pine trees in Poland, and picturing waterfalls and mountains from my region.
What’s the best/ worst part of your job?
The best is customer interaction during special events, yoga sessions, head and shoulder workshops, etc. The worst, but it must be dealt with, is administrative tasks—I try to do the tasks in bulk, so it helps me enjoy the role more when the to-do list is quickly ticked off.
What’s one of your favourite food and beverage pairings?
I have a sweet tooth, so hot chocolate or mocha latte with apple pie and vanilla ice cream.
What’s one of the funniest things you’ve seen behind the scenes?
On a daily basis, they are linked to animal behaviour at the resort, such as observing dogs’ personalities: calm, overexcited, and anxious. They always put a smile on my face.
The perfect day off would be …
A day by the pool or any active hike in nature.
A day in the life of Andrzej Wisniewski is …
Starting early with morning recreational activities for guests, assisting spa and kids club attendants with any challenges, joining afternoon activities, and assisting other departments. Ad hoc work on admin tasks like scheduling meetings and emails in between.
What does Andrzej Wisniewski do for fun?
I enjoy various physical activities, such as swimming, jogging, callisthenics, yoga, hikes, and via Ferrata. I also like reading and practising mindfulness, breathwork, concentration, and meditation.
What would you like guests to know about InterContinental?
The brand takes pride in inclusivity, social responsibility and sustainability.
How have you grown in your profession? What have you learned from your start in the industry until now? Are there any misconceptions?
I made a major career change one and a half years ago. Due to health reasons, I transitioned slowly from Director of Revenue to Wellness Specialist. I am enormously grateful for the industry’s support of my needs at different stages of my life.
What would you like people to know about being a Wellness Specialist as a profession?
I had a few moments in my current role when I said to myself, “This is probably the best afternoon I’ve had so far in my life”. The role is very rewarding, with some tradeoffs like working weekends.
What’s your view on the hospitality scene in Khao Yai?
The location has traditionally been very popular for getaways for people from Bangkok, and I feel it will also be growing on the international radar. Khao Yai is a relatively short car drive from Bangkok, but it offers a much cooler climate, beautiful nature, and clean air—true luxuries nowadays.
What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future?
My department’s practices include preparing Alms Offerings and gift aids for a Blind Children’s School, using locally sourced essential oils and other ingredients in the spa, and educating guests on how to prepare DYI coffee scrubs to reduce waste.
What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months?
People love Khao Yai in the winter when the temperature drops to 15 degrees or cooler, and the surroundings become misty and mysterious. The resort will work on a wide range of activities to cater to all types of people—individual travellers, families, and groups. We are flexible in tailoring activities to guest needs.
Read more interviews like this with Andrzej Wisniewski to learn more about careers in the hospitality industry here. Stay updated with the latest gourmet and travel recommendations with The Yum List on Facebook here and The Yum List on Instagram here.