Renaissance Chelsea delivered the true meaning of hospitality to one of their guests and was recognized by Marriott Leadership. Check out the guest letter and Marriott's response! Thank you for your commitment to guest satisfaction Renaissance Chelsea Team!
Letter from Marriott:
"Dear Chris and the entire team at the Renaissance New York Chelsea Hotel,
As you can probably guess, in the last 18 months I have spent a great majority of my time handling negative guest situations across the country with my management companies. It’s very rare nowadays to hear from a guest who has positive things to say regarding their experiences in our Marriott hotels. This particular survey made its way to me, and I must say, I AM IMPRESSED! Chris, I know that you and your team are experiencing the same challenges as other hotels across the country. The difference here, is that you and your team have found a way to balance the situation in the direction of customer service. This is all about leadership – you and your team working together to overcome the very real challenges you are faced with and at the same time, ensuring the customers know they are important.
Well done to you and your team Chris! Please send along my thanks to the rest of the team. I appreciate the gift of reading a fabulous review such as this. Keep up the great work. Happy New Year!
All the best,
Michele"
Letter from Guest:
"Wonderful Experience. Restored my faith in hotels.
Let meet start by saying that, because off my work, I've had to travel throughout the pandemic. I've seen hotels in the early days not know what to do so basically a stay was a, "here's your key, good luck, make sure to order door dash”—and this is at the premium Marriotts (Ritz-Carlton, Edition, St Regis, JW, Luxury Collection)
As time went on and things started to open up, I had high hopes of hotels getting back to creating great experiences for their guests. Unfortunately, instead of that happening, COVID is being used as an empty excuse just to not rehire people, have bad service, and oh by the way charge more than pre-pandemic prices. The strategy being “since all hotels are doing it, we can charge the same prices and do way less, why stop now!” So basically luxury hotel prices for motel service.
In all of my 130 nights in Marriott’s this year that was the case. No matter how nice the hotel had been or how expensive, every stay was mediocre at best with ALL the compromises and adjustments pushed onto the guest with an incredible lack of empathy from management or staff.
I got used to it and resolved to expect nothing more and just deal with it.
So when I checked into the Renaissance New York Chelsea hotel, it was a shocking surprise. From the second I walked in the door at 7am to check-in and was greeted with a, “no problem and thank you for being an Ambassador” (don’t remember the last time that happened) to the great rooms, to the OPEN lobby bar, to the fact that they actually clean your rooms, to the unbelievably happy and friendly staff. I was there for a business meeting in a conference room and even the catering staff went out of their way to smile and make things pleasant. And the food, and we’re talking buffet food for 40 people, was outstanding.
I thought about it for a while. Was this hotel experience so great because I had be treated like crap for 2 years straight? Or were they just really great? And the answer is they are twice as great at the Renaissance New York Chelsea Hotel. First, they run a beautiful, well oiled hotel with an amazing staff. Second, they do this while all the other hotels in the country are taking advantage of the pandemic situation to not make taking care of their guests not a priority.
Sure, there were some things closed because of COVID at the hotel, but the staff never let you feel the inconvenience.
They next time I check into hotel and they start the conversation about all the things they don’t have, followed by the DoorDash QR code, I’m going to have them call the Renaissance New York Chelsea Hotel to tell them how it’s done.
Thanks everyone."
