Ahhhh….the holidays

Somehow I felt I had to say this now that we’re between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.  Is it hard to believe 2013 is already staring at us?  Where did the year go?

I look back on 2012 and think about how exciting it’s been.  If the presidential election wasn’t enough to stir some emotion, good or bad, the passing of greats like Neil Armstrong, Etta James, Whitney Houston, Dick Clark, Phillis Diller, Sally Ride, Donna Summer and Andy Griffith (to name a few) was enough to stir some in me and remind me of my own mortality.  Thank goodness Betty White is still with us!

I took some time to travel home to Ann Arbor, Michigan for Thanksgiving, celebrate my birthday and to spend time with my family.  Traveling to Michigan during this time of year makes me thankful I live and work in such an amazing place, as I wrote below, but it also reminds me how thankful I am to have such a wonderful family and friends.  Accepting the passing of some of my childhood and adult idols makes me stop and think about how temporary life is.  When I was younger I would listen to people make statements like this and think “yeah sure, how boring” but now I realize just how true it is.  How lucky I feel to have finally had this epiphany.

The other day, 10 of us from the hotel attended the funeral of one of our long term guests, Jewel Price, who has stayed with us for 14 years.  Can you imagine?  Many things come to mind when you learn this, but more than anything I can’t help but to say “Thank you Mrs. Price for touching our lives” and being such an inspiration to so many people.  We will miss you but will always be grateful for your friendship and loyalty.

I always get a little melancholy at the end of the year, but underneath that feeling is an excitement about what the next year has in store.  Get out and travel, do what you’ve always wanted to do and make a difference.  If that happens to include a visit to Beverly Hills; we’ll be waiting for you.

To everyone; Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy New Year!

Oh, and December 17 is National Maple Syrup day which we’re happy to help you celebrate on your waffle at our Residence Inn breakfast!

A Great Time to Visit Los Angeles

I celebrated my four month anniversary on November 2 and it’s been an amazing experience so far, getting to know our loyal guests and associates. I thank everyone for the warm welcome and for allowing me to be a part of such a great team!
 
We have now transitioned from the summer season and it’s interesting to see the change in our mix of guests. Nearly gone are the large families who traveled to Beverly Hills to enjoy all of the attractions Southern California has to offer, to be replaced with our loyal long term and short term travelers who are here for business. 

After living in California most of my life, I’ve never quite understood why more people don’t travel to our area in October, November and December for vacation, arguably the most beautiful months to be here. Gone is the typical morning coastal fog, only to be replaced with dry days, sunshine and temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s. It’s days like this that make us feel so lucky to live here. Most of my family still lives in Michigan so I always try to encourage them to visit during this time of year.

Many people say holiday time is more special in areas of the country where it snows and the leaves fall from the tree. I am from Michigan and while I have fond memories of waking up to falling snow on Christmas morning, I whole-heartily agree that now I’d rather deck the halls with some amazing shopping fare from Rodeo Drive than have to spend two hours shoveling myself out of the house so I can get to the grocery store!

The moral to my story…come and visit us during the most beautiful time of the year. It’s a very special place we call home here and we’d love to welcome you soon.

My first 30 days

What an amazing first 30 days at the Residence Inn by Marriott Beverly Hills!

I have lived and worked in Southern California for most of my life and I can't believe my lack of awareness of our truly unique and spellbinding neighborhood. Our hotel's proximity to all the best that Los Angeles has to offer is truly remarkable, which helps explain our friendly mix of guests. The cultural diversity present within walking distance keeps me up late searching Wikipedia, toggling from one new fascinating lesson to another.

I happen to be an American history buff and have been since my childhood years in Southwestern Michigan. All that I've learned, from the culture that built the Great Pyramids, to the religious struggles of history, to the colorful artistry of Latin America, to TV Land's I Love Lucy  can all be researched and experienced right in our own back yard. What a truly amazing city we live in where so many cultures can come together in peace, and prosper!

Some of the most progressive and important advances in medicine happen daily in one of our top-rated medical institutions, also within walking distance or a short drive. On top of all this, we have a hotel that is newly renovated with a team of employees who take pride in everything they do on a daily basis. Our hotel is beaming with pride and I can see why.

My first 30 days have been amazing and I am eternally grateful for the warm welcome by our employees, our regular guests and those who come just to have fun in one of the most exciting cities in the world.

Thanks to everyone and for those of you who are considering the trip, just do it! Welcome to Los Angeles!

Transition of Power

There comes a time in every person's career when a new opportunity must be pursued.  For me, that time has come.  After 7 wonderful years as the General Manager of the Residence Inn by Marriott BeverlyHills, I am passing the reigns over to our new GM, Tom Beedon.  I will continue as the Area GM over this hotel, but the majority of my time will be spent elsewhere. 

This hotel has experienced both good times and some challenges in the past 7 years; but through everything, the staff has remained steadfast in providing excellent service to our guests, and will continue to do so under Tom’s guidance.  Tom brings over 25 years of hotel management experience to the table, and is eager to leave his mark on this great property.

The name on this blog will soon change, but the top-notch service and quality product at the Residence Inn Beverly Hills never will.  We are still the best choice for travelers looking for extended stay accommodations in the Beverly Hills area of Los Angeles, and our staff will continue to welcome each guest with a warm smile.

Tom, best of luck for continued success!

Until we meet again, safe travels, and please be well.

Michael D’Amodio

Employee Appreciation Week

To anyone that works in the hotel business, it comes as no surprise that the unsung heroes are those staff members that toil behind the scenes, and often out of the spotlight.  This includes the housekeepers, engineers, laundry attendants, valet staff, and food & beverage team.  Many of the tasks performed by these teams go unnoticed, but are essential to hotel operations.  Each of these departments affect guest experience and satisfaction, while an average guest may only physically interact with 1 or 2 of these team members during their stay. 

The Residence Inn Beverly Hills takes time each year to fully recognize the effort and hard work put forth by these team members.  Last week, associates were surprised with breakfast, lunch, massages, a candy buffet, and ice cream.  Not to mention special awards to our employees of the month!  Our team of managers is charged every day with recognizing and showing appreciation to our staff behind the scenes, but Employee Appreciation Week allows us to bring that gratitude to the forefront and reward our team members for their hard work.

I’ve worked at many hotels over the years in various management roles, and I can speak from experience that these aforementioned departments truly make a hotel what it is.  My sincerest thank you to the staff at the Residence Inn Beverly Hills for your tireless efforts in making our hotel a restful destination for our guests.  Keep up the great work!

Until next time,

Michael D'Amodio

Travel Channel's Hotel Impossible

The Travel Channel recently debuted a new show entitled Hotel Impossible, featuring a seasoned hotel insider that helps specific hotels turn around a sagging business.  Host Anthony Melchiorri has been in the business for over 20 years, and has helped turn around many struggling hotels, including New York City’s famed Algonquin Hotel.  The show offers great insight into the multitude of responsibilities and tasks faced by hoteliers, including business management, customer service, guest experience, safety, and overall presentation.

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” may be an overused cliché, but its significance cannot be overlooked.  Hotel Impossible stresses this concept; we also take this very seriously at the Residence Inn Beverly Hills.  A sparkling lobby, a smile from the staff, and a warm welcome at the front desk help to immediately set the tone and make our guests feel comfortable.

With the increasing presence of social media and transparency in today’s online world, our “first impression” comes much sooner than arriving on property. Hotels must take great strides in managing their websites and online presence, including review sites like Tripadvisor.  A potential customer that has a negative online experience may never make it to the hotel, and then a customer is lost before ever arriving on property.

If you’re interested in a behind-the-scenes look at how a hotel is run, take a look at Hotel Impossible.  Mr. Melchiorri is doing a great job of educating travelers while helping distressed hotel owners turn around their business.

Until next time,

Hello All,

I came across this article I wanted to share.  Now, we don’t have these type of guests at the Residence Inn Beverly Hills, but I remember them from some of the other hotels I worked at over the years.

How NOT to Behave at a Hotel

Enjoy,
Michael D'Amodio

Hospitality Tips from a US Army General!

Last week I had the pleasure of representing the Residence Inn Beverly Hills at Interstate Hotels and Resort’s Leadership Conference in Washington, DC. As I made the cross-country trip to the east coast, I was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see and visit with many old colleagues and friends that I have made since I started with IHR in 1985 at the Pittsburgh Green Tree Marriott. Of course, the reuniting with my friends and co-workers was fun as we relived old times and retold many hotel stories. However, the highlight for me of the three day conference, with many speakers and break out sessions, was unexpected.

I had heard prior to my arrival that retired General Colin Powell was going to be our keynote speaker. As a political junkie, I was very much looking forward to hearing him speak about his time as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State. I was expecting to be entertained. However, I really was inspired.

After starting off with his very funny top ten hotel pet peeves that went over very well with over 1,300 hotel managers in the room, I began to sense a common theme as he went through both his personal life and professional life. It became apparent that the two things that General Powell did throughout his life when interacting with others at every level, was to listen to what is being said and then compromise at a solution when there are different opinions. General Powell did this throughout his life and it is apparent that this is what made him a great leader as a General and Secretary of State and a wonderful, loving husband, father and grandfather.

He clearly pointed out, without taking political sides, that if our current federal and state politicians really listened to one another and then compromised when they differed, how much more would get done AND how much of a better leader they would be! Sounds easy, right? And it really is easy if you listened to the General click off the times he had to sit face-to-face with a world leader or his wife and listen carefully and compromise to move forward towards the goal.

This was inspiring to me and relevant to us all, I thought. Many times, we get stuck in our ways, shut down from listening, and never want to compromise. It reminded me to keep an open mind and make sure those who work with and for me do the same. Our differences are never as great as we think they are and we constantly have to move forward towards the ultimate goal of whatever it is we are striving for. 

A valuable lesson that we all need to be reminded of, whether you are dealing with a US General, a spouse, neighbor, employee or friend.

Be Well,

Michael D’Amodio

Are You In Love this Valentine’s Day?

As we approach Valentine’s Day next week, we all are being reminded by the shelves full of chocolates in red heart shaped boxes in every retail store, the ads for flowers and the Valentine’s Day packages available at hotels, spas and restaurants. We decided at this hotel to do a Valentine’s Day ard and chocolates for all or our guests staying with us on that day. Which made me think, how did this holiday evolve in America and I found this interesting tidbit on History.com:

“Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap." Today, according to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.”

So make sure you show some love to that special someone next week. Based on the above statistic, most likely the ladies are already planning to, but the men have some catching up to do!  Happy Valentines to all!!

Be Well,

Michael D’Amodio

It’s Winter in Beverly Hills! A Perfect Time to Visit

Each January, as soon as everyone is over their New Year’s Eve hangover, the Rose Bowl Parade and trying hard to keep those newly made new year resolutions, Beverly Hills and Hollywood are gearing up for the annual awards shows. This past weekend we had the always festive Golden Globes held in Beverly Hills, and this weekend the town hosts the Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG) Awards. Then in February we move onto the Grammy’s and, of course, the Granddaddy of them all, the Academy Awards. Needless to say, the city is bustling with celebrity sightings, parties and gossip on which actor or movie has the inside track of being nominated, and ultimately winning. My Oscar pick is The Descendants starring George Clooney. Surely it will be nominated and hopefully it will win Best Picture, and George has a good shot at Best Actor too! 

I really enjoy this time of year in Southern California because of the awards shows but also for the very pleasant winter weather we have here compared to what most of our country has to deal with. Today, a few of us at work were commenting that it was a little “chilly” and the temperature was “only” 65 degrees today. Yes for us that is chilly. However, after chatting with another hotel friend who works in Vermont and hearing that the high temperature was 18 degrees and her driveway is covered in ice and snow and she almost couldn’t get the car started this morning, I realized how lucky we are here! We have no right to complain at all since we have very little rain each year, we average 325 sunny days and our average high temperature is 74 degrees and our low average is 58 degrees. Now, that is what I call winter!

So if you are reading this from a less optimal climate, we welcome you to come visit. Now is a great time to take advantage of all there is to do in the California sunshine. And if you come pay me a visit, I just may be able to steer you into the right shopping area or restaurant where you are sure to see a few of those award happy celebs about town this time of year! 

Be Well,

Michael D’Amodio