XpatLoop Interview: Tímea Panari Co-founder & Managing Director of In-room Spa

  • 26 Feb 2013 11:00 AM
XpatLoop Interview: Tímea Panari  Co-founder & Managing Director of In-room Spa
At the beginning of her career she worked for a small hostess agency as a junior manager where she coordinated different promotions; then she got her degree at Budapest College of Communication and Business. During and after her studies she spent 3 months in Italy with a student group of cultural exchange, 1 month in France another in Belgium.



In Vienna she met her personal best friend and co-founder of In-room Spa. Therefore a good friend and business relationship started. With all the knowledge and experience she returned to Budapest and in 2011 In-room Spa was established.

Tímea is focusing on human relations and on the accounting department of the company. Introducing In-room Spa as a completely new field of beauty and spa market to the hotel-, business sector is among the main achievements.

1. Where did you grow up?
I was born in Reghin. I spent part of my child years in that unique and traditional area called Transylvania. Later on I studied and lived in Budapest.

2. If you could be an expat anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
I spent some months in Rome during my studies, then a year in Vienna, but I was always missing Budapest. The vibration and the atmosphere of this city is the essential of my balanced life.

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?
The feeling of “I am at home”.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Apart of the historical places, I would recommend a nice daytime walk in the forest (of course at spring or summer time), I would show the amazing panorama of the whole city, and then I would show my favourite restaurant both at Buda side.

5. What is your favourite food?
Something absolutely not Hungarian: Wienerschnitzel mit Kartoffelsalat

6. What is your favourite sport / form of exercise?
I love salsa; I learnt dancing in Cuba. There are good places with really good dancers here in Budapest as well. The dancers are like a big family everyone knows each other. Nowadays I have a new addiction called skiing. Before, I didn’t like the cold weather and the snow, but since the first time I’ve been wearing skis I´m on the ski-truck as often as possible.

7. What is your favourite place in Hungary?
During the last weekends I visited Veszprém and Eplény, I found really nice places with such a kind atmosphere. I also like Mohács at the end of the carnival season when the Busójárás is. People are wearing traditional masks and dancing on the streets.

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
I like the philosophical and psychological conversations, also reading these kind of books. I think I would be a psychologist to help people.

9. What’s a job you would definitely never want?
I can’t name anything. I think every job has its own good and bad part.

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?
I was sailing on the Caribbean Sea on my last vacation. St. Lucia, Tobago Keys, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada are amazing islands. I hope one day I can return.

11. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
I don’t have any fixed plan yet. Sea, sand, blue sky and sunshine, the destination can be anywhere.

12. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
My favourite film was Pretty Woman. I watched it hundreds of times.

13. Apart of temptation what can’t you resist?
McDonald’s chicken burger with french-fries after or before any meal.

14. Red wine or white?
White. I know that “the colour of the wine is red”, but I drink red wine only when the weather is cold and the drink is hot.

15. Book or movie?
Both, but after a good book is a must not to watch the same movie.

16. Morning person or night person?
Daytime person!

17. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
I feel strongly about issues which are related with domestic violence, such as child abuse or harassment of women. I think these topics should be handled more strictly in the Common Law.

18. Buda or Pest side?
I live at Buda side and work at Pest side. I think Buda is calmer, the nature is more around. On one hand I love Pest side´s vibration, but on the other hand I need the relaxation of Buda side.

19. Which achievement in your life are you most pleased about?
I was not afraid to make a dream come true by setting up In-room Spa from beginning till nowadays.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
“Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.” -Jim Rohn

  • How does this interview make you feel?