 Elegance is the word for the ambiance surrounding the Ritz-Carlton. The hotel uses a philosophy that says nothing is so good that it can’t be better. And this effort pays off. The Ritz is busy—occupancy rates run between 80 and 90 percent year round. Six hundred people work in the facility tending 435 rooms. There’s one floor with 13 apartments that receive full hotel services—many of the residents have been there for more than 20 years. On the suite floor, prices range from $495 for a regular deluxe room to as much as $2,500 per night.When asked about the methods he uses to maintain the standards of quality that reward him with top ranking in North America, Kelly spoke frankly. “We’re very aggressive in recruiting both management and operational personnel. People are impressed with our friendliness. We spend considerable resources on our training. People learn that we care about every nuance—how to talk to people, how to dress...There’s a checklist to make sure the new person knows what his job is. “We have task forces. One for food and beverages, another for rooms. We ask ‘What can we give the guests to increase the value of their stay that we haven’t already given them?’ That might be a small, little thing, but they always are directed toward making the guest more comfortable. A couple of years ago, for example, we developed the idea of the ‘compcierge.’ We have a person on staff that helps guests get their computers working, to get on-line. We have spare parts or know where to get what they need. “All our chefs are internationally trained. They’re driven by European and Asian influences. However, it’s been the trend in North America to focus on regional tastes. Here, for example, we feature some Wisconsin cheeses and lamb. The products are just as good and sometimes much better than European equivalents. “Our concierge staff is extremely knowledgeable. The major thing about our concierges is the commitment to really satisfy guests. Guests are all treated alike—even celebrities. One of the main reasons people come here is to protect their anonymity and privacy. Our employees are not permitted to speak to media knowing that if they do, they’re fired immediately. “On the other hand, we cater to special needs and demands. When celebrities travel with their own chefs, we work out plans to let them use our kitchens. We have prepared all kinds of special menus for them. A rock group was here for about 10 days. They asked for peanut butter with salami on white bread with the crusts cut off. We made the sandwiches. We try to accommodate people—whatever they want—as long as we have it or we can get the things needed to serve them. “I think that the bottom line about what we do differently is that we hire people for their attitude as much as for their skill and experience. When we sense that someone has a service or hospitality aptitude, we feel we can teach people any skill...We try to respect people and we treat them fairly.” Lynn Brutman, the assistant director of rooms, spoke about maintaining the service levels of the hotel. “The amenities packages are corporate, but we sometimes add little special things that we feel our guests will appreciate. For example, we’ve added a little loufa sponge and some bath salts. We try to tailor those packages to the type of traveler we expect. On weekends, there are more leisure and family travelers. During the week we cater to business people. We try to get a profile of each guest and our reservation clerk gets as much information as possible about the guest before he arrives. “Every Wednesday, we have a joint walkthrough with housekeeping and engineering to inspect corridors and hallways. We always see things that need preventive maintenance. In addition, overnight housekeepers check the common areas and we meet with them once a week for an update.” According to Brutman, “The basis of all our success is service. We have so many repeat clients who appreciate being recognized by bellmen and front desk people.” Odd requests? “We’ve had to match a wedding dress that was left behind in the rush to get here. Once, we had some guest who loved M and M’s, but only certain colors. We had to weed out the unwanted colors. We try to give them what they want.” At the Ritz Carlton is an extensive spa facility, operated as a private club called the Carlton Club and available to hotel guests for a small fee. There’s a workout room, a pool and massage therapy, a manicurist and other normal spa services. Ritz Carlton restaurants are open to the public. The chefs have won innumerable awards and the restaurants have also been recognized as being the best hotel restaurants in the United States. They offer restaurant service in four different rooms and an extensive Sunday champagne brunch, a daily luncheon buffet and a very popular high tea. The hotel offers a regular schedule of special events. The man who blends their teas, for instance, comes in a couple of times a year to read tea leaves. There are poetry readings and writers talking about their latest books. At the Ritz Carlton, all guests are pampered, they are appreciated and they are served. In fact, the effectiveness of their efforts to delight the guests is what really makes the hotel unique. |
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