Marriott associates really know how to roll out the red carpet. Whether the red carpet is for a valued guest or for a special visit from a royal couple, our associates know how to go above and beyond to ensure the best stay.
After touring the island of Aruba and several of our hotels there, the King and Queen of The Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Máxima recently spent a few days at the Curacao Marriott Beach Resort and Emerald Casino. They stopped by to unwind, but when royalty shows up there's no unwinding for the staff.
The hotel prepared and performed beautifully. Two weeks prior to the royal couple's visit, the hotel had "all hands on deck" ready to roll out that red carpet. The food and beverage team tailored their amenities to include organic produce and an original mate tea straw in honor of the Queen's Argentinean heritage. And, with just a few days' notice, the operations team was able to accommodate some unexpected guests, including Curacao's Prime Minister and Minister of International Affairs.
Our General Manager, Louella Brezovar, was there to greet them and give them a brief tour. She said, "I was deeply impressed with their great charisma, their friendliness towards our hosts and guests and how interested they were in the success of our resort." The King asked her about occupancy and tourism. "Is the hotel doing well?" he asked.
You would expect royalty to have manners and style, but what impressed Louella was their sense of decency and a down-to-earth nature. My guess is that when you have a family of three young girls you keep pretty grounded.
King Willem-Alexander is the first male monarch of the Netherlands since 1890. As he was leaving he offered another compliment, "Since the first time I visited this Caribbean resort, I was amazed by the gorgeous view from the lobby and the Dutch colonial architecture of this building."
This is a Royal couple to watch. I'm glad we could make their visit to our hotel a comfortable one.
I'm Bill Marriott and thanks for helping me keep Marriott on the move.
This post first appeared on MarriottOnTheMove.com.