Meet Our Director of Sales
A longtime member of our team, Monica Tarango plays a big role at Days Inn San Diego Hotel Circle Near SeaWorld. In order to learn more about her role, responsibilities, and personal life, we sat down with her to discuss her position as Director of Sales here in San Diego.
How long have you been working at Days Inn San Diego Hotel Circle Near SeaWorld?
“I’ve been working at the property for seven years. Although that may seem like a long time, within Bartell Hotels, I’m still a newbie. I started as a front-desk supervisor, moved into the sales department as a sales manager a few years later, and became the Director of Sales just last year. I feel like I had a crash course in sales, and I’m still learning something new every day!”
Where are you from?
“I was born and raised in sunny San Diego. I honestly feel lucky to have been born in such an amazing city. The Mexican food, the beach, and the beer do not get any better than this.”
What does your typical day-to-day consist of as Director of Sales?
“Every day is a little different depending on client needs and requests. There are some days when the phones are off the hook and the emails are flooding in, and other days where it may be more quiet. The quieter days give me the opportunity to reach out to our clients for lunch dates and search for potential new clients to form relationships with. Between weekly meetings and site visits, our work week always flies by!”
What is your favorite part of the job?
“My favorite part of the job is that it involves making new friends. I love having lunches with old clients and attending networking mixers to meet new people. It’s also so rewarding to be able to help each guest make their trip as fun and as easy as possible and form a relationship where I know I’ll hear from them the next time they’re in town.”
What do you like doing on your days off or when you’re not at the hotel?
“My husband and I love staycations! We like to book hotels in different parts of San Diego. We explore the area looking for the best happy hour deals and live entertainment in the evening, and in the morning, we’re on the hunt for the best breakfast spots. Since not every weekend can be spent at a hotel, I also love having pizza and scary movie nights, or pizza and game nights where we play Speak Out or Monopoly. Now that I think of it, anything combined with pizza equals an amazing night in my book.”
What would be your favorite hang-out spot in the area to suggest to a guest?
“I always suggest Old Town! Great food, fresh tortillas, and tasty margaritas create a terrific day or night. Afterward, stroll through The Old Town San Diego State Historic Park to experience the early days of San Diego, with buildings from the 1800s.”
Where do you see yourself in five years?
“I look forward to spending the next five years really honing my skills as Director of Sales. There is so much to learn, and I know that I have a strong support system across all the Bartell Hotels properties to help guide me. In five years I see myself in beautiful San Diego, representing this amazing family-owned company as a seasoned Sales Manager.”