We recently had two positions open up at the Residence Inn by Marriott Beverly Hills, and while it's always hard to say goodbye to quality employees, we are very happy to welcome a new Front Office Manager and Director of Sales.
Mauricio Joya has worked at our hotel for almost 10 years, starting out as a valet parker, and now working his way all the way up to Front Office Manager. Mauricio has always been a steadfast and hard-working individual, and we're thrilled to have him take over the front office reigns.
Mary Durham previously worked as a National Sales Manager at our sister property, the Embassy Suites LAX North, and has taken over here as the Director of Sales. Mary brings a wealth of sales knowledge and expertise, having worked at the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach, and also as a Corporate Sales Manager for Marriott.
We're are excited about our new lineup, and look forward to providing excellent customer service to our guests. We hope you'll come see us soon!
View from the General Manager's Window
Lobby observations and hotel industry insights from our GM, Tom Beedon
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Marriott Operational Excellence Training
I have recently completed my
brand required operational excellence training and I have once again been
convinced (if there was any shred of doubt before) that I made the right choice
by joining the Residence Inn team. The training we receive at Marriott is
second to none in the hospitality industry and it shows in every aspect of
their programs.
Each day I spend time in the
morning working with our Gatehouse team on our breakfast service, assisting
them in restocking food, cleaning tables and talking to our guests. I
overwhelmingly hear positive comments about our hotel and even more importantly
our Residence Inn brand and Marriott on a daily basis. Our employees
feel proud to work here, our guests feel proud to stay here and I feel proud to
be a part of it.
Marriott’s training resources
run deep, as does their breadth of experience and talent base. All of this
comes together to provide a great experience for our guests and employees, and
a great investment for our owners which ultimately is a home run for everyone!
I am now effectively 9 months
into my position and it’s exciting to see the growth as it relates to guest and
employee satisfaction, along with my learning as a Marriott General
Manager. I look forward to ushering in a busy summer season with the new
skills I’ve learned and look forward to welcoming you home to the Residence Inn
by Marriott in Beverly Hills should your travel plans bring you to the Los
Angeles Westside area.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
It's Marathon Time!
On March 17, 2013, thousands of long-distance runners will descend upon Los Angeles to take part in the annual tradition that is the Los Angeles marathon - a 26.2 mile race through the streets of LA, starting at Dodger Stadium and ending at the Santa Monica pier. Typically, an average runner will spend 4-6 months training for a marathon, a grueling experience in itself.
According to Greek legend, the messenger Pheidippides was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. After reaching the assembly and announcing the victory, he collapsed and died. Of course, we hope this does not happen after this marathon!
The Residence Inn by Marriott Beverly Hills sits about 1 mile away from the race route, approximately halfway between the start and the finish line. We've had runners stay with us in the past, and look forward to welcoming more competitors this year.
To all the participants, we wish you good luck, happy running, and a speedy recovery!
According to Greek legend, the messenger Pheidippides was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. After reaching the assembly and announcing the victory, he collapsed and died. Of course, we hope this does not happen after this marathon!
The Residence Inn by Marriott Beverly Hills sits about 1 mile away from the race route, approximately halfway between the start and the finish line. We've had runners stay with us in the past, and look forward to welcoming more competitors this year.
To all the participants, we wish you good luck, happy running, and a speedy recovery!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Ahhhh….the holidays
Somehow I felt I had to say this
now that we’re between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Is it hard to believe
2013 is already staring at us? Where did the year go?
I look back on 2012 and think about how exciting it’s
been. If the presidential election wasn’t enough to stir some emotion,
good or bad, the passing of greats like Neil Armstrong, Etta James, Whitney
Houston, Dick Clark, Phillis Diller, Sally Ride, Donna Summer and Andy Griffith
(to name a few) was enough to stir some in me and remind me of my own
mortality. Thank goodness Betty White is still with us!
I took some time to travel home to Ann Arbor, Michigan for
Thanksgiving, celebrate my birthday and to spend time with my family.
Traveling to Michigan during this time of year makes me thankful I live and
work in such an amazing place, as I wrote below, but it also reminds me how
thankful I am to have such a wonderful family and friends. Accepting the
passing of some of my childhood and adult idols makes me stop and think about
how temporary life is. When I was younger I would listen to people make
statements like this and think “yeah sure, how boring” but now I realize just
how true it is. How lucky I feel to have finally had this epiphany.
The other day, 10 of us from the hotel attended the funeral
of one of our long term guests, Jewel Price, who has stayed with us for 14
years. Can you imagine? Many things come to mind when you learn
this, but more than anything I can’t help but to say “Thank you Mrs. Price for
touching our lives” and being such an inspiration to so many people. We
will miss you but will always be grateful for your friendship and loyalty.
I always get a little melancholy at the end of the year, but
underneath that feeling is an excitement about what the next year has in
store. Get out and travel, do what you’ve always wanted to do and make a
difference. If that happens to include a visit to Beverly Hills; we’ll be
waiting for you.
To everyone; Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa
and Happy New Year!
Oh, and December 17 is National Maple Syrup day which we’re
happy to help you celebrate on your waffle at our Residence Inn breakfast!
Monday, November 5, 2012
A Great Time to Visit Los Angeles
I celebrated my four month anniversary on November 2 and it’s
been an amazing experience so far, getting to know our loyal guests and
associates. I thank everyone for the warm welcome and for allowing me to
be a part of such a great team!
We have now transitioned from the summer season and it’s interesting to see the change in our mix of guests. Nearly gone are the large families who traveled to Beverly Hills to enjoy all of the attractions Southern California has to offer, to be replaced with our loyal long term and short term travelers who are here for business.
We have now transitioned from the summer season and it’s interesting to see the change in our mix of guests. Nearly gone are the large families who traveled to Beverly Hills to enjoy all of the attractions Southern California has to offer, to be replaced with our loyal long term and short term travelers who are here for business.
After living in California most of my life, I’ve never quite
understood why more people don’t travel to our area in October, November and
December for vacation, arguably the most beautiful months to be here. Gone
is the typical morning coastal fog, only to be replaced with dry days, sunshine
and temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s. It’s days like this that make us
feel so lucky to live here. Most of my family still lives in Michigan so
I always try to encourage them to visit during this time of year.
Many people say holiday time is more special in areas of the
country where it snows and the leaves fall from the tree. I am from
Michigan and while I have fond memories of waking up to falling snow on
Christmas morning, I whole-heartily agree that now I’d rather deck the halls
with some amazing shopping fare from Rodeo Drive than have to spend two hours shoveling myself out of
the house so I can get to the grocery store!
The moral to my story…come and visit us during the most
beautiful time of the year. It’s a very special place we call home here
and we’d love to welcome you soon.
Monday, July 30, 2012
My first 30 days
What an amazing first 30 days at the
Residence Inn by Marriott Beverly Hills!
I have lived and worked in Southern
California for most of my life and I can't believe my lack of awareness of
our truly unique and spellbinding neighborhood. Our hotel's proximity
to all the best that Los Angeles has to offer is truly remarkable, which helps
explain our friendly mix of guests. The cultural diversity present
within walking distance keeps me up late searching Wikipedia, toggling from one
new fascinating lesson to another.
I happen to be an
American history buff and have been since my childhood years in
Southwestern Michigan. All that I've learned, from the culture that
built the Great Pyramids, to the religious struggles of history, to the colorful
artistry of Latin America, to TV Land's I Love Lucy can all be
researched and experienced right in our own back yard. What a truly
amazing city we live in where so many cultures can come together in peace, and
prosper!
Some of the most progressive and
important advances in medicine happen daily in one of our top-rated medical
institutions, also within walking distance or a short drive. On top of all
this, we have a hotel that is newly renovated with a team of employees who take
pride in everything they do on a daily basis. Our hotel is beaming with
pride and I can see why.
My first 30 days have been amazing
and I am eternally grateful for the warm welcome by our employees, our regular
guests and those who come just to have fun in one of the most exciting cities
in the world.
Thanks to everyone and for those of
you who are considering the trip, just do it! Welcome to Los Angeles!
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Transition of Power
There comes a time in every person's career when a new
opportunity must be pursued. For me, that time has come. After 7
wonderful years as the General Manager of the Residence Inn by Marriott BeverlyHills, I am passing the reigns over to our new GM, Tom Beedon. I will
continue as the Area GM over this hotel, but the majority of my time will be
spent elsewhere.
This hotel has experienced both good times and some
challenges in the past 7 years; but through everything, the staff has remained
steadfast in providing excellent service to our guests, and will continue to do
so under Tom’s guidance. Tom brings over 25 years of hotel management
experience to the table, and is eager to leave his mark on this great property.
The name on this blog will soon change, but the top-notch
service and quality product at the Residence Inn Beverly Hills never
will. We are still the best choice for travelers looking for extended
stay accommodations in the Beverly Hills area of Los Angeles, and our staff
will continue to welcome each guest with a warm smile.
Tom, best of luck for continued success!
Until we meet again, safe travels, and please be well.
Michael D’Amodio
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