The wonder of floristry

As soon as you set foot inside the marbled entryway of Hotel President, the flamboyant colours of the central flower arrangements capture your eye, delicately assembled each Wednesday by Samia Guellil’s nimble fingers. Her love of flowers has been a longstanding passion. “I’ve been completely immersed in it since childhood”, she said. “My parents always had several flower shops in Paris and Yvelines. On Wednesdays and weekends, my brother, my sister, and I would play amongst the flowers all day, pretending to stock the shop and help tidy up. We were captivated by the magical colours”.

Being a florist sounds appealing, but the working hours are strict. Discouraged from pursuing it as a career by her parents, Samia turned her attention to studying biology… but flowers have their reasons which reason knows nothing of. “My passion consumed me. I stopped my studies to become a florist. I just love flowers, and this life, far too much”.

The young woman began her career working in several family-owned flower shops, before running them herself. Very quickly, her talent and attention to detail opened the door to the world of luxury. As the event planner for the star florist Éric Chauvin, she spent four years working on the sumptuous displays at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, under the guidance of Jeff Leatham. And the contracts just kept coming, from Dior on Avenue Montaigne and Taittinger Champagne, to opulent hotel displays and bursts of colour on Fashion Week podiums… Samia Guellil is certainly in hot demand. One of her most memorable experiences? Managing six semitrailers of flowers for the marriage of Prince Al Thani in the Qatari desert!

A blossoming world, from Avenue Montaigne to the shores of Lake Geneva
In 2012, Samia set course for Geneva after a phone call with the Hotel President. “I like new challenges, and I was drawn to the hotel’s exceptional reputation”. To this day, she knows she made the right choice and is charged with meeting the hotel’s clients’ sometimes exuberant requests. Like decorating the entirety of the famous 8^th floor penthouse suite in red roses for a marriage proposal or spontaneously finding rare Cattleya orchids in utmost secrecy… these challenges inspire and motivate her. One experience that stands out was when YouTube star Mr. Beast stayed at the Hotel President. “There was a massive crowd outside the hotel. I was honoured to be part of his video shoot in the penthouse with his team, set around a gigantic feast prepared by our chefs that highlighted all of the hotel’s specialities”. It’s moments like these that put Samia above the common daily grind of being a florist, when she is given the chance to do what she does best: setting the scene for unforgettable, almost surreal moments, to bring childhood dreams to life, for her and everyone around her.

Following the flowers, from one hotel to another
This floral fairy brings her charm to several of Geneva’s most beautiful hotels, including the lobby of the magnificent Beau Rivage Hotel, which is famous for its exceptional Christmas tree each year, to the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, where the scent of lilies in the spring enraptures visitors as they enjoy a relaxing cocktail. Discover more of Samia’s most beautiful creations in the digital version of our magazine.