🍍 Employees of the year

Today we’re looking at:

• The Forbes Travel Employee of the Year awards

• Lessons from a veteran DC concierge

• The Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s Italian designer experience

• The plant wall at the Il Sereno Hotel

The Forbes Travel Employee of the Year awards

In its third annual Employee of the Year awards, Forbes Travel Guide honors the people who stood out in their service to guests and co-workers. I’m impressed with the winners. Take Imane Aaqili, Lobby Ambassador at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain, for example.

A family checked into the Bahrain hotel during the pandemic’s peak, when kids weren’t permitted in many public places, including malls, beaches or pools. Aaqili came up with 10 days’ worth of surprise activities to keep the three young children entertained in their room. She gathered the kids’ preferences to personalize the offerings, which included puzzles, Star Wars lightsabers and a basketball board game, all of which were handmade.

Read the whole story here

We need to celebrate more stories like this. How does your company do this? Let me know and I might feature it in an upcoming issue…

Lessons from a veteran DC concierge

Jenny Peters’ interview with Jeffrey Morgan — the veteran D.C. hotel concierge who is now is the man who never says “No” at the Conrad Hotel Washington, DC. — was a reminder for me on the power of giving local recommendations as part of a great hospitality experience.

There’s nothing like having a veteran concierge like Morgan on property. But I’d also like to see other examples of providing great local recommendations for other types of properties. Who has one we could share here?

The Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s Italian designer experience

This month, the owner of Lake Como’s Grand Hotel Tremezzo —Valentina de Santis—decided to create a new experience for guests that allows them to meet famed Italian designers and have a bespoke item made.

Created as an extension of the hotel's e-boutique Sense of Lake, guests can now meet with the teams and families behind the items featured in the boutique. Whether it's accessories, fashion items, or homewares, this offering gives visitors insight into the skill required to make an item. For example, you can visit the Mantero silk factory and create your own silk scarf or meet with the charismatic owner of BRICS luggage to see what inspired them to start the business.

“At the beginning and the end of a journey, we always ask ourselves what we will pack,” De Santis said. “And the answer is dreams, stories, memories.”

Read the story

This combo of travel + place + relationships + experience is powerful. What could that look like for you?

The plant wall at the Il Sereno Hotel

Before we go, I had to share these photos from one of our Hospitality Daily community members, Richard Fertig:

I love the use of plants to create something relaxing, memorable - and sharable. Who else is doing this?