A Rainy Morning, a Busy Lobby, and the Energy You Can’t Ignore 🌧️🤎
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The call came in last night from my front office manager: “Can you come in early tomorrow?”
Without hesitation, I replied, “I can be there at 5 a.m.”
Flexibility is part of hospitality — and truth be told, I’ve always been the kind of person who will step up when my team needs me.
When I arrived, the quiet hum of the River Street Inn greeted me, along with the sight of our Director of Operations already in place, covering for the night auditor. He’d already processed the day’s arrivals, so my first tasks were simple — departure billing and setting up the coffee station.
By the time the aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted through the lobby, the rain outside was steady but soft, and the air carried a welcome break from the week’s heavy humidity. Savannah has a way of making even a rainy August morning feel charming.
When Service Gets Personal
While reviewing the arrivals list, one name caught my eye — a first-time guest. I doubled back, checked the details, and shared with the team: Let’s make her stay memorable so we can turn her into a return guest.
We decided on a simple, thoughtful welcome: a handwritten note paired with a taste of Savannah’s charm — locally made salt water taffy — placed in her room before arrival. Inside the card, I wrote:
“First stay, forever favorite—consider this your Savannah address.”
These are the moments that define hospitality for me. A guest may forget a room number or a Wi-Fi code, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
Guest Needs and Quick Responses
The day brought its share of service situations.
One gentleman couldn’t find his son’s medication. I listened, took notes, contacted housekeeping, and documented everything in HMS so the next shift could follow up.
Not long after, another guest misplaced his wallet. It became an all-hands effort, with several staff members helping him search. I added it to the pass-ons so tomorrow’s team — including me — would be ready to assist again.
We also had to clear up a service animal mix-up from the previous night. It was a reminder that clear, accurate communication is as much a part of hospitality as a warm smile.
An Unexpected Safety Lesson
Mid-morning, the fire service panel lit up with an alert. My heart skipped a beat — was there smoke in the hall? Thankfully, there wasn’t.
In that moment, I got a quick refresher on our safety protocol: press Acknowledge, then Silence — never Reset (that’s for the city fire department). Another day, another skill added to my hospitality toolbox.
Accessibility Matters
Later, I was made aware of a couple experiencing challenges with the River Street entrance due to mobility issues. Lee, our GM at The Broken Keel, personally gave them his number to ensure they could get assistance anytime. I made sure to document everything for the team.
These moments matter — they’re how you turn a guest’s challenge into a story of care and trust.
The Energy You Can’t Ignore
And then came the early check-in. I wasn’t involved at first — another agent was assisting. But after the third time she asked for the guest’s email without a response, I felt the shift in the air.
I walked over, checked the reservation details, and asked if he was going to give us any trouble. His reply was, “I know you think I can’t hear you, but I’m writing it out because…” — yet the reason faded for me as soon as I saw the email address.
It was simple. Straightforward. No need for delay.
What stayed with me wasn’t the words, but the energy. Arrogance. And a quiet thought I couldn’t shake — did he have a preconceived notion about my co-worker, who happens to be of African descent?
In hospitality, we deal in more than transactions — we read the room, we sense the unspoken, and we protect the dignity of our colleagues as fiercely as we care for our guests. I responded with professionalism, but I carried the reflection with me for the rest of the day.
Closing Thoughts
By the time my shift ended, I’d handled billing, coffee service, lost items, safety alerts, accessibility needs, and a subtle, unspoken bias I can’t prove but felt all the same.
Hospitality is never just “checking people in.” It’s the sum of a thousand tiny moments — listening, anticipating, documenting, supporting — all while navigating the personalities, moods, and energies that walk through the door.
Tomorrow, I’ll return with the same commitment I had at 5 a.m. today: to make guests feel valued, to support my team, and to let grace lead the way — even when the energy challenges me to do otherwise.