A Time for Transition

We recently had two positions open up at the Residence Inn by Marriott Beverly Hills, and while it's always hard to say goodbye to quality employees, we are very happy to welcome a new Front Office Manager and Director of Sales. 

Mauricio Joya has worked at our hotel for almost 10 years, starting out as a valet parker, and now working his way all the way up to Front Office Manager.  Mauricio has always been a steadfast and hard-working individual, and we're thrilled to have him take over the front office reigns.

Mary Durham previously worked as a National Sales Manager at our sister property, the Embassy Suites LAX North, and has taken over here as the Director of Sales.  Mary brings a wealth of sales knowledge and expertise, having worked at the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach, and also as a Corporate Sales Manager for Marriott.

We're are excited about our new lineup, and look forward to providing excellent customer service to our guests.  We hope you'll come see us soon!

Marriott Operational Excellence Training

I have recently completed my brand required operational excellence training and I have once again been convinced (if there was any shred of doubt before) that I made the right choice by joining the Residence Inn team. The training we receive at Marriott is second to none in the hospitality industry and it shows in every aspect of their programs.

Each day I spend time in the morning working with our Gatehouse team on our breakfast service, assisting them in restocking food, cleaning tables and talking to our guests. I overwhelmingly hear positive comments about our hotel and even more importantly our Residence Inn brand and Marriott on a daily basis. Our employees feel proud to work here, our guests feel proud to stay here and I feel proud to be a part of it.

Marriott’s training resources run deep, as does their breadth of experience and talent base. All of this comes together to provide a great experience for our guests and employees, and a great investment for our owners which ultimately is a home run for everyone!

I am now effectively 9 months into my position and it’s exciting to see the growth as it relates to guest and employee satisfaction, along with my learning as a Marriott General Manager. I look forward to ushering in a busy summer season with the new skills I’ve learned and look forward to welcoming you home to the Residence Inn by Marriott in Beverly Hills should your travel plans bring you to the Los Angeles Westside area.

It's Marathon Time!

On March 17, 2013, thousands of long-distance runners will descend upon Los Angeles to take part in the annual tradition that is the Los Angeles marathon - a 26.2 mile race through the streets of LA, starting at Dodger Stadium and ending at the Santa Monica pier. Typically, an average runner will spend 4-6 months training for a marathon, a grueling experience in itself.

According to Greek legend, the messenger Pheidippides was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. After reaching the assembly and announcing the victory, he collapsed and died. Of course, we hope this does not happen after this marathon!

The Residence Inn by Marriott Beverly Hills sits about 1 mile away from the race route, approximately halfway between the start and the finish line. We've had runners stay with us in the past, and look forward to welcoming more competitors this year.

To all the participants, we wish you good luck, happy running, and a speedy recovery!

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

What do business travelers truly value?

Greetings All,

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday!  Hard to believe that we are quickly closing in on the Holidays and the end of 2011.

I came across this article that I wanted to share that really shows the value of the Residence Inn brand and specifically mentions the Residence Inn Beverly Hills!

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/what-do-business-travelers-want-most----i-need-my-space-134772003.html

Enjoy,

Michael D’Amodio

Trick or Treat?

I cannot believe that fall is here and the holidays are fast approaching.  As a kid, Halloween was one of my favorite holidays and signaled to me that Thanksgiving break was not far off.  I couldn’t wait to pick out a costume and go trick or treating.  Today, Halloween is one of the biggest commercial holidays in the USA. It is estimated that over 150 million Americans celebrate Halloween in some form or fashion.  Of course, a good portion of those 150 million people are the kids going door to door for candy and treats.

According to Wikipedia, the practice of dressing up in costumes and going door to door for treats on Halloween dates back to the Middle Ages.  Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when folks would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food and treats in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls' Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain   although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. 

I am sure that most of us were not even aware of the origin of this day.  However, it is a fun day for most kids and many adults too!  At the hotel, we usually see a decline in occupancy on October 31st, since so many parents want to be home with their kids for the trick or treating and costume parties.  So enjoy Halloween and for those guests that are checking into the hotel on October 31^st I will make sure we have plenty of candy and treats for each of you!

Be well and more to come soon!

Michael D’Amodio

End of Summer Already?

August 24, 2011

Wow, it is really hard to believe that the unofficial end of summer is upon as we approach Labor Day Weekend and the start of the school year for most grade schools, high school and colleges! I thought summer flew by when I was a kid, but it seems to be going by faster as an adult. It seems like we were just talking about Memorial Day plans and barbeques, no? 

I hope everyone had a great summer and did some vacationing. I was lucky enough to spend a long weekend in Palm Springs in June, but I am holding off on a longer vacation until the fall with a trip home to NYC to visit my family, catch two Broadway Shows, and enjoy some real authentic Italian home-cooked food. However, at the hotel it seems many people took and enjoyed vacations as this summer was good for us. Our guests took advantage of our Shopping Package and competitive room rates available in the hotel. There is still plenty of warm weather and summer fun left for those of us who want the season to continue.

I always despised Labor Day Weekend as a kid in school. Although I did well in school, I was a procrastinator. So Labor Day Weekend meant I had to read the four books I was supposed to read over the entire summer in three days and then do a book report on each book. Ugh! For any of you who don’t need to do any last minute book reports, there is still so much going on in the Beverly Hills/Los Angeles area. Here is just a sample of some of the September festivities:

Labor Day Weekend Events Around Los Angeles
Long Beach Blues Festival
The Taste Food & wine event in Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Downtown LA
Orange International Street Fair, City of Orange, Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend
Mexican Independence Celebration and Latino Heritage Month Events
Port of Los Angeles Lobsterfest at Ports O’ Call in San Pedro
Redondo Beach Lobster Festival 310-937-5555
Fiesta Hermosa arts festival Labor Day weekend in Hermosa Beach
Greek Festivals in Long Beach, LA, Arcadia, Covina and more.
Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona; 909-623-3111, www.fairplex.com
Abbot Kinney Festival, Music, arts and crafts festival on Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice
Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture at Pt. Fermin Park in San Pedro; 323-913-4663
Brazilian Street Carnival in Long Beach, 562-438-3669
Feast of San Gennaro Italian Festival in Hollywood
TarFest, film, theatre, visual and performing arts festival on Museum Row
Septemberfest American style beer festival

So, don’t procrastinate! Plan that getaway or event now. There are places to go and lots to see. Keep this in mind: Halloween costumes are already being sold in the department stores right now!

CARMAGEDDON, SHMARMAGEDDON!

Well, by now the country (and a lot of the world) knows that Los Angeles survived  through the 10 mile closure of the 405 freeway. We not only survived, but thrived!

The huge traffic jams and clogged side streets never materialized and traffic throughout the whole LA area was very light to moderate at best.  Way better than any other day.

The reason is that most of us stayed home and stayed out of our cars, which is like asking an Angeleno to give up their first born child. Nonetheless, it was an opportunity for all of us from LA and guests visiting in the hotel, to explore the local neighborhood.  This past weekend we gave many more directions and recommendations for the many restaurants, bars, cafes and coffee houses within walking distance to the hotel, not to mention Rodeo Drive.  Many guests, if they drove at all, stayed with in a 2-3 mile radius of the hotel.

Even the street I live on seemed to come to life.  Kids playing in their front yards, couples walking together for exercise and a slew of people doing home chores outside.  It certainly was a nice change of pace for many of us.  However, by this morning’s rush hour all was back to normal with the usual daily freeway backups, accidents and even a short high-speed chase that LA is famous for.

Oh well, we have to do it all over again in 11 months, so ‘Carmegeddon: The Sequel’ will soon be here again! 

Be well and more to come!

Michael D’Amodio

JUNE: The month for Grads, Dads and Fads!

As a child I always LOVED the month of June. It meant the end of the school year, the opening of the backyard swimming pool and the longest days of the year to play more kick ball, red rover and hide and seek.  What more could a kid from Brooklyn ask for?

Even today, I still love the month of June. Outside of the beginning of summer, this month is always a month of celebrations and recognition in many families. With the graduation season already in full swing, I would like to congratulate all who are graduating this month from grade school, high school or college. A special shout out goes to all of our UCLA and USC grads and their families who stay at our hotel for the big weekend. What a special time to reflect on the past curricular and extra-curricular accomplishments of each grad and to celebrate the exciting future ahead. Congrats to all the Grads of 2011!

Of course, the month of June also brings us Father’s Day this upcoming weekend. Is it just me or does Father’s Day seem less celebrated than Mother’s Day?  Not sure why, but it sure feels that way. Nonetheless, Fathers do deserve their day of thanks and recognition to celebrate their parenting and fatherhood. The first Father’s Day in America was celebrated in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910 in honor of William Jackson Smart. His daughter threw a big party for Smart to thank him for raising six children as a single parent. The party became an annual event across Washington and the rest of the country. So make sure you make it a special day for our Dads and let them enjoy the day free from mowing the lawn, painting the garage door, and running to Home Depot!

Lastly, this month I have seen more articles, websites and news coverage on what is now one of the hottest fads in Los Angeles (and many other American cities): Food Trucks. These roaming restaurants feature a huge variety of food and show up all over the city at announced times.  Many people follow their favorite Food Truck on Twitter to get something to eat. Some trucks park outside office building complexes for lunch and the hottest bars and clubs at night until 3am. Some of the most popular Food Trucks are the Grilled Cheese Truck, Fish Lips Sushi Truck, Korean Bar b Q Truck and even a Lobster Truck which appropriately was parked in Beverly Hills this past week a few blocks from our hotel. For dessert, you will find the Sweets Truck, Chunk n Chip Truck and Cupcakes A Go Go.  The latest in this fad is for 4-8 trucks to converge on one block at the same time. Talk about a buffet, right!?  Bon Appetit!

Be well and more to come!

Michael D’Amodio  

SERVICE…..and I don’t mean Room Service!

This past Saturday, May 21^st, was Armed Forces Day and this coming Monday, May 30^th, is Memorial Day.  As we begin to plan for summer vacations and end the school year for many, let us not forget about our service men and women who are currently serving or have served in our armed forces. Let’s especially remember, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their life for our country.

At our hotel we have a Bellman, Matt, who is a Specialist E4 in the Army Reserves.  Matt’s specialty is Chemical, Nuclear, and Radiological bombs/attacks. Wow, heavy stuff right?  Matt has been called for training duty and top secret assignments four times in the past 1.5 years that he has worked here.  Talk about “service.”  Each time Matt leaves his home, his family and his job here and serves his country.  Each time Matt returns to his job here when his service is done and we welcome him back.  He is a respectful, loyal and hard working associate here. Always on time, always eager to serve and always dressed and groomed crisply. You can tell the military has taught him well!  A little too well though, since I cannot get him to stop calling me Mr. D’Amodio as opposed to Michael.  He makes me feel old.  : )

Matt recently informed me that his unit’s Commander has nominated our hotel as their unit’s Employer of the Year for always supporting Matt and holding his same job open for him until he returns. Of course it is nice to be nominated and win awards from the US Army, but it made me stop and think that Matt, and the hundreds of thousands of service men and women around the world, should be receiving an award and should be thanked! 

So, from all of us at the Residence Inn by Marriott Beverly Hills, we want to wish all the Matts a heartfelt Thank You for their Service to our country!  I hope that all of you will do the same to anyone you know that is in the service or any family that has lost a loved one while serving our country.

Have a safe and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Be well and more to come,

Michael D’Amodio  

The "it" Factor

As I sit in the lobby of my hotel, the Residence Inn by Marriott Beverly Hills, looking for inspiration as to what to write about in my very first post for my very first blog, “it” hit me again.  The “it” I am referring to is the constant advances in Information Technology (IT) and how it affects almost every aspect of our personal and professional lives.

Just take this blog and blogging as an example.  I am sure many of you at one point in your lives started or kept a journal of your daily experiences.  Or maybe you had a diary of your deepest personal thoughts.  Of course, if you are as old as me, your journal or diary was a paper-paged notebook and you wrote in it with a blue Bic pen in long hand. And it was not meant to be shared with anyone, let alone the possibility of millions of strangers on something called the World Wide Web!  There again is that “it.”  Technology has advanced so much that I cant remember the last time I even saw a blue Bic ink pen and my young nieces learned how to type on a computer before they mastered how to write long hand!  Having gone to a Catholic grade school, I can imagine the horror on the face of Sister Priscilla, one of the Sister of Mercy nuns who painstakingly taught me penmanship.

I remember the day in 1976 when I was thirteen, my parents bought us the Atari Super Pong video game that we hooked up to our 19” black and white RCA TV in our basement. If you are too young to remember, these were the TV’s that you had to turn the channel and volume dials manually (imagine no remotes or clickers) and they had the big rabbit ear antennas that my father always wrapped in aluminum foil so the TV got better reception. Well, Atari Super Pong was a huge technological hit back then. It was one game with one green blib (ball) that two players hit back and forth on an empty lifeless black screen.  Nonetheless, my brother Joey and I played that game daily for hours. By today’s standards, XBox and Wii make Atari Super Pong look like something that is 2000 years old found during an archeological dig.  There again is that “it.”

The hotel business too has come a long way with technology since I started at my first Marriott Hotel, fresh out of college in Pittsburgh, PA.  One of my first jobs at the hotel was to install mini-bars in every room and train the mini-bar staff on inventorying every mini-bar each day and restocking if the guest drank or ate one of the way over priced items stocked in the mini-bar. Then they had to physically go to the Front Desk to make sure the charge was added to the guest’s bill.  Today much has changed. Outside of the mini-bar items still being way over priced, today any item taken out of the mini-bar triggers a charge automatically on the guest’s bill and alerts the mini-bar attendant of what room needs what item so you are only going into a guest room that needs to be re-stocked. Other advances are we went from cordless in-room telephones to wireless high speed Internet access everywhere in the hotel. From cheap Panasonic AM/FM alarm clocks to Apple iHome/iPod docking stations. From manual thermostats to state of the art digital and motion detection energy systems.  The list is long, but there again is that “it.”

I am sure that the “it” will continue to change and advance. But as I sit here and listen to my staff interact with our guests at the Front Desk and at our evening social hour, I suddenly feel so grateful for working in a hotel where “hospitality” really is the essence of our business. Sure, I welcome the efficiencies and comforts of the IT advances, but they can never replace or adequately imitate the good old-fashioned interpersonal interactions I witness every day.  A warm greeting by name, a friendly handshake and even the ability to look your guests in the eye when interacting with them.  “it” can never replace that.

More to come.   Be well,