2019 February Winner

Donna Mandanas

Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown

While staying in Vancouver on business, I caught a nasty case of strep throat.  The doctor advised that I stay in my room for 24 hours while the antibiotic worked.  I was miserable.  While drinking tea, I accidentally knocked it onto my bed and had to ask for housekeeping to come and change my sheets.  When Donna knocked, I warned her that I had strep throat, and that I didn't want to get her sick, but could I please have new sheets?  I could change the bed myself.

She took one look at me and implored me to sit down.  She ordered hot water with lemon for my throat and proceeded to clean and tidy my room.  Donna said a clean room would help me heal better, since she was like me and knew that when something wasn't tidy, she couldn't fully relax.  I laughed because she immediately could see that's the type of person I was.  She was cheerful and positive and offered me everything from soup to a newspaper for me to read so I wouldn't get bored.

The next day I was recoverd and was about to head out to work with a major client and it was snowing outside.  She saw me in the hall and I thanked her for her service the day before and told her it was the first time I felt at "home" in a hotel room.  She asked where my umbrella was.  I said I didn't think it was so bad out.  She said, "You look beautiful and you need an umbrella.  Here, there's one in your closet for you to use."  I was so touched.  She is amazing and I will look forward to my return to Vancouver and the Marriott Pinnacle because she changed the course of my day, not once, but twice.

-- Carlotte