Best Hotel Service EVER!

January 3, 2012

As many of us have been in the biz for a long time, we’ve seen high and low levels of service in a variety of venues. We hold all those experiences with us, as we continue to plan our conferences and events.

Recently, my husband and I were in Playa del Carmen Mexico, at the Royal Playa del Carmen, where we encountered the best service I believe I’ve ever had, either on vacation or during the delivery of a conference or event.

From the moment we checked-in to the moment we checked-out, whatever we needed or wanted was delivered with grace and a smile.

Should you think this was only about leisure travel, it was not.

The Royal Playa has a fair bit of meeting space and while we were there, two weddings took place. I kept an eye on these events (much to my husband’s chagrin).

As I watched – from our balcony – staff moving about, I couldn’t help but notice how they helped each other; how they interacted with each other; how sincere and genuine they were with each other. And of course, this spilled over into how they interacted with guests.

At dinner one night, our waiter was laughing as he delivered our meals.

We asked how come he was so happy. His response: “I like my job.” When was the last time you heard that from a person?

Celia, the young lady who brought copious drinks to our lounges on the ocean, always smiled. When asked what she did on her day off, she responded, “just what you do – the washing, the cleaning, the cooking and looking after my son.” She was one of us and we were one of her.

I’ve always said I’m only as good as the housekeeping and maintenance staff at a venue, because they are the ones who ensure that delegates’ needs are met.

This was so evident at this property. A tip of my professional hat to the service staff at Royal Playa del Carmen – they like their jobs!

And they will be the service benchmark from now on when I’m at a venue with clients.

Do you have a good service story? Let’s hear it. Often, we only hear complaints – not the really good stuff – and in the end, that’s the stuff that matters.