the someday hotelier

Oh, you fancy, huh? (Taken with Instagram at Chase Lounge...

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:00:31 -0400

Oh, you fancy, huh? (Taken with Instagram at Chase Lounge F&W 2012)

Happy birthday, Epcot! You’re 30 now; look at yourlife,...

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:14:43 -0400

Happy birthday, Epcot! You’re 30 now; look at yourlife, look at your choices (Taken with Instagram at World Showcase)

GFlo. (Taken with Instagram at Disney’s Grand Floridian...

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:37:42 -0400

GFlo. (Taken with Instagram at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa)

A stool and the crazy jungle carpet in our fantastic Lion...

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 23:48:50 -0400

A stool and the crazy jungle carpet in our fantastic Lion King-themed room. (Taken with Instagram)

Back home in the kingdom. (Taken with Instagram at Magic Kingdom...

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 13:23:34 -0400

Back home in the kingdom. (Taken with Instagram at Magic Kingdom Park)

A hello.

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 20:32:46 -0400

I haven’t updated in quite a while.

There’s a lot to chat about - I’m now working days, I saw a play yesterday that had to do with the hotel industry (a bit), I’ve earned guest letters and awards at work. And I’d love to update you.

However, I’m currently on vacation, and tomorrow I leave for the Wonderful World of Walt Disney World. Brace yourself for lots of Instagram, and tweets on the sidebar. I’m staying at the newArt of Animation, and will be sure to do a full review. Crossing my fingers for a preview of any of New Fantasyland as well!

So, hello. I’m still here. And I haven’t abandoned you. I’ll be back. Stay tuned.

Why I’m awake at what is 3am for me....

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:58:48 -0400

Why I’m awake at what is 3am for me. #CertificateofGuestRecognition (Taken with Instagram)

wordsoverpixels: the person that works the hardest wins

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 09:50:55 -0400

wordsoverpixels:

the person that works the hardest wins

Notes From Hudson, NY

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:26:03 -0400

Good afternoon, friends. If you’ve been following my Instagram or Twitter feed, you’d notice that I was away for the last few days. By helping out a coworker and working an extra day last week, I found myself with a three day weekend, and Sunday, I traveled two hours north to Hudson, New York, a small antiquing and foodie town along the Hudson River. Hudson isn’t home to your Hiltons or Hyatts, but monopolized by bed & breakfasts and the occasional boutique property. I stayed at The Croff House (pictured a few posts below), a darling bed & breakfast rated #1 in Hudson on TripAdvisor.

Now, surprise: I have never stayed at a B&B before, preferring my discounts from working at nation-expansive brands and tried-and-true properties in places I’ve been before. But I’m pleased to say that I have never experienced a more relaxing and guest-focused experience than at the The Croff House. Duncan & Russ, the men who opened the inn in 2009, are some of the most wonderful people, preparing ridiculously delicious three-course breakfasts, featuring local ingredients (their roasted red pepper muffins and huevos rancheros rank among the best things I’ve ever eaten). Their tips on Hudson helped, too, though I spent a lot of time reading in their library, drinking far too much coffee, using the free WiFi, and watching the Apple TV in my room.

Hudson frustrated me a bit as the shops on the main stretch are open few hours and closed most days, and are mostly centered around antiquing, which is not my style (as I’m more of a find-my-own-treasure at the flea market type girl). And a car might’ve been helpful - I rented a bike but once I exited the main stretch found myself in miles of suburbia. But the architecture in the heart of town was gorgeous (including the Croff and the house next to it, which belongs to Russ & Duncan), and the guest service was fantastic. My goal of this trip was to get away from the eight million inhabitants of this city, and I got back excited to rejoin my never-sleeping neighbors, and inspired from the hospitality I learned from Russ & Duncan.

Hospitality history along Warren Street. (Taken with Instagram)

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 18:26:37 -0400

Hospitality history along Warren Street. (Taken with Instagram)

So beautiful and so peaceful. (Taken with Instagram)

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 07:07:30 -0400

So beautiful and so peaceful. (Taken with Instagram)

"Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I’m not living."

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 10:52:06 -0400

“Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I’m not living.”

- Jonathan Safran Foer (via kari-shma)

Construction on “the quintessential New York hotel”....

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 06:49:59 -0400

Construction on “the quintessential New York hotel”. #thequin (Taken with Instagram)

Photo

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 09:46:45 -0400

Bill Marriott Won't Judge If You're Gay

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 09:40:27 -0400

“This church helped me raise a family and has brought great joy and happiness to my life,” he told me. But that didn’t mean gay employees had any less status at Marriott. “We have to take care of our people, regardless of their sexual orientation or anything else,” he said. “We are an American Church. We have all the American values: the values of hard work, the values of integrity, the values of fairness and respect.” Marriott has both a deep faith and a deep understanding of his responsibility as a leader. Many of his shareholders, customers, and employees don’t belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their values matter, too.

“Our church is very much opposed to alcohol and we’re probably one of the biggest sales engines of liquor in the United States. I don’t drink. We serve a lot of liquor. You’re in business. You’ve got to make money,” he said. “We have to appeal to the masses out there, no matter what their beliefs are.

There’s so much controversy surrounding this issue, and I haven’t been blasting this situation as much as some of my friends have, but this article makes me proud of leaders in our industry.

Here’s the deal: I believe that people have the right to believe whatever they’d like. But don’t impose it on others, especially as a CEO, and take a rude and judgmental stance on part of your market. This article from Bloomberg Businessweek outlines a better leader, who isn’t letting his personal beliefs meddle with his company. Marriott does not support anti-gay or same-sex laws, deciding instead to support those that believe differently than he does. It’s a professional and respectful stance.

If Dan Cathy wants to strengthen families, how about donating to foster homes or adoption agencies instead of promoting narrow-minded and unprofessional behavior?

I have returned! This time for daytime revelry. @RevelResorts...

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:38:40 -0400

I have returned! This time for daytime revelry. @RevelResorts (Taken with Instagram)

A Marina room at Harrah’s. I’ve never stayed in a...

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:21:10 -0400

A Marina room at Harrah’s. I’ve never stayed in a hotel room with hardwood floors before! (Taken with Instagram at Harrah’s Resort Hotel & Casino)

On Surviving the Overnight In Your Twenties

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 13:57:04 -0400

It’s called “putting in your dues”. Some people may never experience it, but for those of us Someday Hoteliers, entering the workforce at the lowest seniority, it’s required.

I’m speaking about overnights, those dreaded shifts in which the world sleeps or parties while you are at work. And where you change into your pajamas while your friends head to brunch. Add these to the prevalence of shift work sleep disorder (or SWSD), and this shift can seem like a prison sentence.

I’ve been on the overnight for a little over six months now. While not an ideal schedule, there are some things I love about the overnight: more time with guests, more issues to solve (walking guests, should the situation arise, is a piece of cake, where it used to intimidate me), and a smaller workforce, which leads to more trust and comraderie between departments. And, surprisingly, my social life has not suffered a great deal. In this past year, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks that have made this shift a lot more bearable. If you’re a young hotelier stuck on the graveyard shift, consider these tips:

1. GET ENOUGH SLEEP. It’s difficult to sleep during the day. Science dictates that light signifies being awake, and dark signifies a time to rest. Working against this natural pattern is difficult, and many colleagues of mine and others that work my shift only tend to get around 6 hours of sleep a day. Make sure you set aside at least 8 hours each day to get proper sleep.

But, in the same vein…

2. DON’T SLEEP TOO MUCH. It can be tempting to hit the sheets as soon as you get home, and because you don’t want to be tired for work, to force yourself to sleep until it’s time to get ready again. Although good-intentioned, this pattern just makes you more tired.

3. BUY A FAN OR NOISE MACHINE. My roommates are my best friends, and I love them dearly. But when I began overnights and didn’t have a fan or any noisemaker in my room, I would turn into the Hulk if they made enough noise to wake me up. My air conditioner is currently the love of my life because it drowns out EVERYONE - my roommates, the noisy kids downstairs, the clock tower at the local church.

4. STAY HEALTHY. I used to absolutely despise the gym. I’m not a fan of running, I don’t want other people to see me sweat, and showering and fixing my hair and makeup afterwards takes forever. But I love going to the gym right after my shift, as the sun starts to rise. There’s barely anyone there, and I can work out without cancelling or turning down plans, because who wants to hang out at 6am? (also on overnight: your friends are always like, “let’s have breakfast one day!” it never happens). And I always feel better and more energized after I go. Also a plus, providing your hotel allows it: using your own hotel’s gym! Super fancy and even LESS people than a normal gym.

5. MAKE PLANS FOR YOUR DAYS OFF. The rule I think most important, especially for twentysomethings. One of the biggest detriments of this shift is being asleep while everyone is going to Smorgasburg or free movies at Brooklyn Bridge Park or going out when you have to go to your job canyoutellI’mjealous! The key to not going crazy? Make sure to plan adventures with your friends for those sweet, sweet days you don’t have to go to work. My “Friday night” (Monday during the day) corresponds with the group of friends who I used to work on Broadway with. We’ve been planning beach days each month to spend together. I tend to get a little worse for wear later in the day, but staggering my sleep on my days off in order to feel normal is totally, totally worth it.

The most important thing to remember is that this is only temporary. Things change, people with higher seniority leave or even choose to be on the overnights. And someday you’ll be the higher up, and calling the shots, and it’ll all be gravy.

Keep smilin’, keep shinin’. Even when the sun isn’t.

"But perhaps more than any other theme park’s, Disney’s rides rely not only on providing jolts of..."

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 14:55:39 -0400

“But perhaps more than any other theme park’s, Disney’s rides rely not only on providing jolts of adrenaline for its visitors but also on immersing them in a story, in letting people live out the lives of characters they have learned to love.”

- Jessie McKinley, in his review of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure, SOMEONE who understands what Disney Parks are about.

Disneyland? Isn't that for children?

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 08:48:00 -0400

Aware of the potential for mortification, I set up some ground rules: first and foremost, I would avoid rides that would flip me upside down or twirl me like a top. It is forgivable when an 8-year-old gets sick — and impressive to watch the Disney cleanup crew spring out of nowhere with mops and buckets — but adults know how to avoid this, and should.

I also promised myself not to be goaded onto rides that frightened me (that’s you, Space Mountain). And finally, no mouse ears. No one wants that photo out there.

[…] Thirty years ago, I actually did work up the nerve to ride Space Mountain, and each time I have returned to the park over the last few months I felt a tug to ride it again, to see if it was as terrifying as I remembered. On our last night there I paused. Was this the moment? No. Some things are for kids.

As the comments point out, this article has been done hundreds of times over. Adam Nogourney’s New York Times piece article reads as “Hipsters Guide to Still Looking Cool at Disneyland”. His digs on adult Disney fans are deep, calling them “cultish”, who created a “storm” when there was a rumor that the Haunted Mansion was to be shut down, which I’m not familiar with - besides refurbishments, the Haunted Mansion is continually put out of service for a few weeks in November to make way for the Christmas overlay.

All nostalgia aside, many adults are fans of Disney for just how immersive an experience can be. A stay at Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian can make you feel as if you’ve been transported 100 years back; a ride on Big Thunder Mountain feels as if it literally transports you to a California mining town. And the guest service culture at The Walt Disney Company is truly a study in itself, one that keeps guests coming back and paying premiums. Not many jobs have “creating magic” in their descriptions.

I’ve had friends, coworkers, ex-boyfriends and the like seriously judge me for liking Disney. But I ask you to name hotels and amusement parks that truly provide an experience as perfectly escapist, and fun, as Disney can. I’ll don my Mouse Ears with pride, thank you.

[PHOTO: Myself with Mickey Mouse, last year. Mickey & Minnie shirt worn with pride.]