After delaying my hotel booking and getting locked out of several first choice hotels in Vancouver for the Travel Blog Exchange event (TBEX) in early June, I lucked out by getting into the Vancouver’s Four Seasons, which is conveniently located downtown on West Georgia Street (the hotel is also a half block from a central train station which goes everywhere in the city as well as to and from the airport). They’re active on social media too btw – you can find them on Twitter @fsvancouver.
Given that I’m a bit of a foodie, my favorite part of the Four Seasons experience was the meal that their food and beverage head organized for us, and of course the service. Four Seasons is renowned for their service around the globe and Vancouver didn’t disappoint. A few call-outs worth mentioning:
1. Director of Food and Beverage Stephan Castera is incredibly passionate about food and the experience people have with it. For him, it was about bringing us into a “food and wine” experience with him, not just recommending what we order and having it delivered to our table. Originally from France, he was equally passionate about Canada’s wine as he was the French-styled offerings on the menu. And, the man has a sense of humor and truly cares about customer service, a must for any four star or above to succeed long term.
Grant the Chef at the Four Seasons restaurant Yew came to the table, explained how he cooked some of the dishes and why he focused on the style of cooking that he does. See our video clip here.
2. A true standout is assistant manager Anna Ng who was on the night shift during my last night in Vancouver. Truthfully, Anna provided some of the best service I may have ever experienced at a hotel. Why? Rather than just respond graciously to my requests and needs, she was proactive about them, from printing out my boarding pass and having it delivered under my door before I went to bed, to changing my Canadian dollars back to U.S. dollars at a favorable rate (many hotels have a less favorable rate because of the convenience) and ensuring that calls were off-limits so I’d get a good night’s sleep. What can I say? She was amazing. Thank you Anna.
3. Lastly, kudos and thanks to marketing and PR team Samantha and Sarah, who was responsive to queries about the reservation before we arrived as how to manage the city logistically during our stay.
The beds were incredibly soft and comfortable, the bathrooms spacious, the Internet worked and everyone I dealt with from email exchanges before my arrival to the day I flew out the door to head to the airport, went above and beyond.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
