08/07/2015
From a recent unexpected guest:
I checked into your hotel yesterday for the use of a "day room" after missing my flight earlier in the morning. Vanessa was the young woman at the front desk who checked me and my son Noah in. It was Noah's 11th birthday. I was trying to hold back tears but didn't do a good job of hiding how upset I was. Vanessa asked if I was ok which opened the floodgates. I explained that it was Noah's birthday and I ruined it by missing the flight, thereby, missing the birthday party planned for him with family and friends back home in Texas. She was sweet and asked if there was anything she could do for us. I said "no thank you" and we got checked-in and headed to our room. I was in the bathroom quietly crying out my disappoint of ruining my son's birthday. A short time later someone delivered a goodie bag to Noah with birthday wishes. Vanessa hand wrote the sweetest note to Noah saying "our birthdays don't always turn out the way we planned...". She included a complimentary movie, popcorn, and some treats. This gesture changed the entire course of our day. Noah was so excited by the card and treats. He even said "this bad day turned out to be a good day Mom". We made the popcorn, turned on a movie and cuddled up to enjoy his treat.
I can't begin to express how grateful I am for Vanessa and her customer service. Everything about her demeanor that morning made a difference. She was so busy at the time of our check-in and still made time to make sure Noah and I were ok. Her empathy and kindness will be something I talk about to others for a long time. Because of Vanessa's actions, our last day in LA turned into a beautiful adventure with my birthday boy instead of just being the day we missed his birthday party. I am a single woman who adopted Noah at birth 11 years ago. His birthday means much more than the day he was born. It also represents the day God answered my prayers to become a mother. My #1 priority is Noah and his happiness. So, you can understand how awful I felt for missing the flight to get us home for his party. After getting his goodie bag, he never mentioned his party. I was traveling with snacks so, it was much more than getting the goodies. It was the acknowledgement that it was a special day for him. Vanessa helped create a memorable day for him this year.
As a professional woman, I know the importance of a great team. Vanessa is the perfect example of the kind of person I would want representing me and my business. She went above and beyond the business part of her job. We plan to return to your hotel solely based on this one experience. We never know what others may be going through or the difference we can make with a smile and a kind gesture. Clearly, Vanessa, you and your team genuinely care about your guests. What an awesome thing to set you apart from others!
Noah included Vanessa in his bedtime prayers last night. That's usually a short list for Noah including me, his pets and thanks for his Xbox :) So, she really made an impression on his heart. Again, thank you so much for the experience and a special thanks to Vanessa for being our birthday angel yesterday.
