Ritzy Water

This is really the color of the water at the Ritz-Carlton Cancun.

My event just ended at the Fairmont Mayakoba. On the walk back to my room, after a beautiful cloudless evening, I kept running over the service details that take a hotel from good to great.

Neither the Ritz Cancun, or the Fairmont Mayakoba are what I would consider perfect properties.

The Ritz is old school.  The front desk staff seriously need to lose their nylons and suits. One day, I hope that hotel discovers its beach vibe, and improves its food scene.

The Fairmont is modern and swanky and the food is sufficiently delicious. However, the service needs improvement. Its not that the service is bad, its just that it doesn't quite make it. All the elements are there. They've got the same staff positions as the Ritz-Carlton, but they just don't quite know how to work together.

For example, tonight, when I arrived at the dinner venue, there wasn't a banquet captain or convention services manager in sight. Its important to have these key players identified from the beginning in order to reserve tables, change billing, adjust music volume, and to authorize any of the changes and requests that happen the last 30 minutes prior to a dinner.

In a further example, the Fairmont didn't allow us to set up for our 9 a.m. general session meeting until just hours before. We had a full day of arrivals on Tuesday, 7 June, with a $20,000 dinner, which in my mind justifies blocking the ballroom for me. 

Our lack of prep time, caused by the hotel's crammed meeting room schedule, made me look unprepared, and gave the impression to the owners of my company, and to our guests, that we were flying by the seat of our linen britches. Legally, its my fault for not stipulating this in the contract. But ideally I want to work with companies that look after my meeting's interests.

Sometimes staff at the Ritz come across as a little robotic. I think this impression comes in part from the long check-off lists of standards and procedures employees must religiously follow.  But I'll take robot any day, especially if it means that at a Ritz, I'll never had to dart around hallways looking, searching, or praying for someone who might be able to help me when in a bind.

I suspect what I experienced at the Mayakoba property reflects Fairmont corporate culture in general. Their employees, may not be properly trained or recognized, resulting in exhaustion and apathy.

Perhaps they're all just overworked, and need a day at the beach. I know I'm about ready for one.