Tag: Hotel Employees
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It's Probably Never A Good Idea To Sneak Up On A NYC Hotel Maid
The New York Times ran an interesting piece today on a contract reached between union members and the major NYC hotels that employ them. Among other tidbits, we learn that hotels will soon be providing employees with their own personal panic buttons.
The decision, clearly influenced by a certain scandal at Sofitel New York involving a certain IMF chief last year, is a sure victory for housekeepers and room-service waiters and waitresses everywhere.
As long as they don't get button-happy, of course, and start panicking every time a door slams shut. But still, the less we see of this kind of thing, the better.
DSK / Sofitels / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Woes / Hotel Security Footage / Hotel Sex / Hotel Employees / Hotel Dancing / → All Tags
The Three-Minute Celebratory Dance At Sofitel. Or Was It Eight Seconds?
An in-depth article published by The New York Review of Books recently laid out DSK's every move on the morning of May 14, 2011. Now, several news sources are now trying to figure out the meaning (if any) of a three-minute celebratory dance performed by Sofitel employees immediately after their colleague, Nafissatou Diallo, gave her testimony to police.
Um, what?
Apparently, there is footage of hotel staffers high-fiving each other right after Diallo's sexual assault charges were made official—as if they had 'pulled off' some kind of premeditated plot. Though the hotel released a statement saying the dance only "lasted eight seconds," and that it had nothing to do with DSK whatsoever, it is still unclear why they were frolicking in the first place.
Cool Hotel Jobs / Hotel Employees / Bangkok Hotels / Four Seasons Hotels / Thailand Hotels / Hotel Lounge Acts / → All Tags
Who Is The Magic Doorman?
If our recent coverage of the Bangkok hotel scene hadn't already whetted your appetite to visit the Land of Smiles yourself (perhaps you could time your trip to the opening of the future W Bangkok?), then maybe this will get your travel wheels spinning. To the Four Seasons, that is.
Four Seasons Bangkok has a special trick up their sleeve, in the form of what they call the "Magic Doorman". Narongsak Khamkaew is a Bangkok-born doorman at the hotel who just so happens to be an amateur magician. Or is he an amateur magician who also happens to work at a hotel? We can't really be sure.
Either way, he bought a David Copperfield DVD on day on a whim, and now dazzles young guests with his "lightning-quick hand movements." His favorite trick? The flying card.
Cool Hotel Jobs / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / Dubai Hotels / Hotel Employees / → All Tags
The Ritz-Carlton Dubai Now Has a Hookah Sommelier on Staff
If you've ever wanted to smoke a hookah but were afraid of looking like a novice, the Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Finance Centre now has an expert on hand to ensure that every puff you take is perfect.
The Shisha Sommelier is a part of the hotel's Shisha Terrace. Shisha, also called hookah, is just smoking tobacco in a glass-based waterpipe but the Shisha sommelier is there to help guests choose the shisha flavor that will compliment their food and beverage or simply, their preference of tobacco flavor.
So who is this man tasked with such a cool hotel job? Sadek Zeineddine, a Lebanese national, who has worked in a food and beverage capacity in several different areas of the Middle East like Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates. Most recently, he was at another Ritz-Carlton hotel, the Sharq Village and Spa, before joining the Ritz Carlton Dubai on the pre-opening team.
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Best Hotel Job Perk: Montage Laguna’s Sommelier Classes
Last week we told you about how seriously the Montage Laguna Beach’ takes its wine program, and about its weekly Sunday Artistry of Wine tasting series. This time, we’re going to fill you in on the employee continuing education class that just might be the coolest hotel job perk ever: sommelier training open to every staff member interested.
Manhattan Hotels / Andre Balazs / Hotel Employees / → All Tags
The Mercer Hotel Recollects The September 11 Attacks
The view downtown from Soho, without the Twin Towers of course
This weekend is not like other weekends. Why? Because it's the tenth anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and that means everything from heightened terror alerts to large memorial services to front page news around the world. As New York prepares, the personal tales of those who survived the World Trade Center are being re-told, and it's important to remember that it wasn't just the towers that fell, but also surrounding buildings such as the Marriott World Trade Center.
With lower Manhattan crippled and locals evacuated from their homes, hotels outside of Ground Zero rose to the occasion, helping with accommodations, supplies and even toiletries, as we've learned from the personal recollections of a concierge at The Mercer Hotel.
Edition Waikiki Lawsuit / Hotel Takeovers / Aqua Hotels Hawaii / Edition Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Employees / Honolulu Hotels / → All Tags
It Turns Out The Edition Waikiki Was 'Just a Job' to Some
We all had a three-day weekend thanks to the Labor Day holiday but down at the Waikiki Edition (or Edition Waikiki or Modern Honolulu, whatever team/side you're on), the employees were still working--both to serve guests and to fight against their new bosses, Aqua Hotels and Resorts.
As far as we know, Aqua is still running the hotel as the Modern Honolulu and Marriott is begrudgingly respecting the hotel owners, M Waikiki's recent bankruptcy filing. In the meantime, Marriott plans to sue M Waikiki up the wazoo, or for tens of millions of dollars in damages for breaking the management contract. As for the guests, Marriott is now urging them to call the Marriott reservations center and make reservations at other nearby Marriott hotels.
On the bright side, even though there are miserable employees on the property, the booze is free. The hotel is no longer selling alcoholic drinks because it needs to apply for a new liquor license in Aqua's name as the old one belonged to Marriott. That sounds crappy but reports say they are giving away the alcohol. Whee!!
Now onward with the next chapter in this story..
Edition Waikiki Lawsuit / Aqua Hotels / Hotel Takeovers / Honolulu Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Employees / Hotel Woes / → All Tags
Here's The Latest Edition on The Waikiki Edition
The takeover and the takeback of the Waikiki Editionis moving so fast that we're finding it hard to keep up with all the developments especially as we're attending a work conference in Vegas (for realz! and we are actually sober!) So we're sitting here trying to recap all that we can as we get the time. Fortunately, it's only 12:30pm in Hawaii right now so we're not too late!
First off BANKRUPTCY! M Waikiki LLC has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today. No doubt they blame Marriott for their financial woes but the filing also prevents Marriott from filing any countersuits against them. Tricky! Marriott, meanwhile, has called the move "desperate." As it stands right now, the hotel is now an Aqua Hotels and Resorts-run place called The Modern Honolulu. But given the craziness of the past few days, who knows how long that will last.
Edition Waikiki Lawsuit / Edition Hotels / Aqua Hotels Hawaii / Hotel Lawsuits / Hotel Employees / Hotel Takeovers / → All Tags
The Waikiki is Now The Waikiki Edition Once Again (But For How Long?)
Some late-breaking news yesterday--a New York judge has ordered M Waikiki LLC, the owners of the The Waikiki Edition who dumped the brand in favor of The Modern Honolulu, to reinstall the Edition team which is owned by Marriott Hotels.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
On Wednesday, a New York state judge issued a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that stated that Marriott should be allowed to return to its management role at the hotel by 2:30 p.m. local time, replacing Aqua Hotels & Resorts, the management company installed by the owners on Sunday, according to a copy of the judge's order.
But despite the ruling, the WSJ said that by late Wednesday Aqua was still in place and that a bunch of Marriott executives had arrived but then later left the hotel.
Still Marriott says they are accepting reservations for the hotel through Marriott.com and over the phone as well as through "numerous online and other travel providers." (Also of note; anyone who booked a spa deal through PlayHawaii.com are welcome back as well.) But will it still be a Marriott/Edition hotel when you get there? That remains to be seen.
Edition Waikiki Lawsuit / Edition Hotels / Aqua Hotels Hawaii / Hotel Employees / → All Tags
More Edition Employees Talk About 'Invasion Day'
It looks like the takeover of the Edition Waikiki is not quite the "peaceful coup" the hotel owners has boasted about to the Wall Street Journal.
Just days after the owners locked out Edition's parent company, Marriott, and installed Aqua Hotels and Resorts as well as gave the hotel a new name, The Modern Honolulu, more employees are telling HotelChatter what's really going on behind the scenes.
We're keeping their names anonymous because while they might not like the new changes, they can't afford to lose their jobs either, which drives home the real frustration of this takeover situation.
Now, here's what an employee working the night the switch was made had to say:
First off I just want to say, is Hang in there Edition...
I was working the night when Aqua decided to come in and take over. It was such a shock to all the employees, and they had no information as to what was going on. All they told us was that it's under new management and if we didn't sign we would not be given our jobs back. So I signed on and was not happy about it, and told new management the guest deserve to have the same great service no matter who is running the hotel now..
To all my fellow coworkers and managers. Hang in there and never forget what you did for the hotel and the hotel did for all of us.. And to never forget your ETHOS!!
Edition Waikiki Lawsuit / Marriott Hotels / Edition Hotels / Aqua Hotels Hawaii / Hotel Employees / Hotel News / → All Tags
Edition Waikiki Employees are Holding Strong During These 'Modern' Times
The fallout from the Edition Waikiki/Modern Honolulu switcheroo continues today with a moving testimony from an actual employee at the hotel. There's no need for any further commentary so let's just get right into it:
I work for Edition. The employees here are more than that, we are a tight knit family. We built that place, we are the face of Edition. We are proud to be part of the Marriott family. We are loyal to Marriott. We said no to the union coming in. It takes quite a bit for employees to trust a company, and turn away union representation. So this situation has really brought us that much closer.
Every day we are meeting up, and talking, waiting to see what is going to happen. This group, Aqua, can't come in and try to ride out what we worked so hard for. We won't just move on, and work our hotel job like nothing happened. WE are Editon. We were trained by the best of the best, and the reviews reflect that.
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Any Concierges Out There Especially Good With Handling Ducks?
There are all sorts of niche hotel jobs out there--we've profiled more than a few of them here--but being a duckmaster at the Peabody Memphis might be the most unusual hotel job out there.
However, taking care of the ducks is a full-time job and apparently a busy one as Head Duckmaster Jason Sensat is looking for an assistant to help him out. The Associated Press reports:
The assistant would help head Duckmaster Jason Sensat feed and care for the ducks. The new hire also would guide the four hens and one drake on their two daily walks from their penthouse suite to the marble fountain in the hotel lobby. The walk, a tradition for 78 years, draws hundreds of spectators every day.
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