Because hospitality is such a social industry, we end up making lots of work friends turned real friends. I still keep in touch with many people from almost every hotel I’ve worked in. It’s really a sweet side affect. One of the things I love about this industry is that the people working in it typically (and truly) recognize and acknowledge the hard work of their colleagues. I remember a former boss saying “Treat Rock Stars like Normal people and Normal People like Rock Stars”. It stuck with me because if you love hospitality, it’s those moments where you make a “normal person” feel extra special, that makes it all worth it. And that usually applies to industry people. If a former hotel colleague is staying with you, it’s your time to shine.
One of the obvious ways a hotel shows they care/love you/want you to return and write a great review is by leaving in-room VIP amenities and a handwritten note. As someone who loves gift giving in general, this is the most fun for me. I love thinking about what will get someone extra excited and what will create an impactful memory for them. I recently read Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality, and he certainly takes this concept above and beyond. When I was working with Sydell Group, opening the NoMad Hotel in DTLA, many of these high-touch guest-gifting concepts were carried over to the hotel side, and it was so much fun to get extra creative to wow our guests. Even though an in-room amenity program has become pretty standard for VIPs at most hotels, when you receive one, it always feels like a special surprise.
This weekend I did a little staycation at the Petit Ermitage in West Hollywood for my birthday. I love the hotel (I think it might be the most risk-taking and against-the-grain hotel brand, at least in LA) and was so happy to learn that Tess Dunne, a former colleague from NoMad days, is now the AGM. She made our stay perfect : champagne at the Front Desk, a beautiful newly-renovated room, a pool bed reservation upon arrival. And when we checked in, some sweets, a handwritten bday note, and a split of Rosé on the coffee table. Such a lovely way to check-in.
It made me think (more than I already do) about the ritual of gift giving, and also about the practicality of the gift. I really like a 1/2 bottle as an amenity. Usually when I’m staying at a hotel, I’m visiting somewhere or working or celebrating something. That means I’ve got places to be and things to do. Receiving a full bottle of wine is visually impactful and so generous, but especially if I’m traveling by myself, I usually have time for only a glass or two in my room, if any. And a whole bottle wasted is even sadder than none at all. I’ve got meetings, plans with friends and family, or simply would rather have a cocktail at the pool vs. drinking solo in my room. So the whole bottle seems like the perfect gift, but if I do crack it open, it’s usually gone to waste.
However, the wine split is a perfect invention! It’s says all of the same things as the big bottle. It’s cute and manageable and might even more easily fit in your luggage if you want to sneak it back with you instead. The problem : I don’t know of any excellent wine brands that do 1/2 bottles. Do you? Let me know if so.
One solution I’ve found : cans. I’ve used Nomadica for in-room hotel amenities and I think they really do the trick. It’s perfectly reasonable to polish off a can while hiding away in your room before dinner. And with such a boom in beautifully branded N/A canned beverages these days, I think they would be a great gifting alternative.
I’m here to proudly say that a 1/2 bottle (or can) is not a lesser-than hotel amenity. It’s perfect and practical and still feels extra special when you’re generously gifted it in your hotel room.
Cheers!