JUNCTION, St Elizabeth – She will wait up for you, check you in, cook for you and, if you want, she can be your alarm clock in the morning.

She is 21 year-old Tateka McMellion and she weaves her magic at the Junction Guest House in St Elizabeth. Over the past 10 years the cosy little getaway has become a household name in the parish where it is known for offering service at it’s very best.

Teka provides a large part of its charm.

At breakfast, she serves guests their meals with the most radiant of smiles on her face. And, if by chance, they are yearning for an after-dinner taste of the spirits, she will fix their favourite drink – she offers hospitality at it’s best.

A past student of Hampton High School and Knox Community College, her goal was to become an accountant or a teacher and probably some day, operate her own business.

Hospitality was the farthest thing from her mind.

But two-and-a-half years ago all that changed when she joined the staff at Junction Guest House when a job opening came up. Since coming on staff at the 32-room facility, Tateka, or Teka as most people refer to her, has done her part to raise the bar of the level of service offered. Guests feel no less pampered than those ensconced in the lush five-star hotels on the north coast.

“I am just being me. Whatever I do, it comes naturally; I was not taught how, I just do it,” she said as she struggled to find the words to explain her brand of charm.

Her welcoming air blends well with the property’s well-manicured grounds, beautifully-furnished, clean rooms that range from $1,200 to $6,000 a night.

According to Teka, she tries her best to make people happy at all times, whether she is at work or on the street.

“Whenever I walk on the street and see anybody on the ‘down side’ I always try to talk to them and make them feel better. That’s just me,” she said, flashing one of her radiant smiles.

Teka has been enjoying every moment of her two-and-a-half years in the tourism industry and now has new goals mapped out.

She will be going back to school – but this time her studies will surround tourism, the environment, hospitality and management.

“I see myself running a big hotel and making people happy,” she said.