I’ve always believed the hospitality industry is about the people, and that everything else is just a reflection of how good are the people and the way they are treated. So, when it comes to Goa, every time I receive an email from the Park Hyatt Goa, it says,” Greetings from your home in Goa…” which can be inferred as clever emotional marketing by some, or the statement of facts by others. It is a great hotel and they recently fended off a takeover battle by ITC Hotels, but the people remain as warm and friendly as others.

So, Shipra & I decided that when it was time for our first anniversary (over the last weekend), we’d go back to where our it all happened, and we expected it to be different. The General Manager who was all along there, Mr. Thomas Abraham, had moved to Park Hyatt Hyderabad and a new GM had taken over. Shobhit Sawhney, the new GM came from Grand Hyatt Mumbai recently. However, we were surprised to see more of the same.

Right from the people who were around at our wedding, the butlers, the front office staff, the event sales people and the F&B managers, everyone in short, came and said hello whenever they were around. The hotel literally put their best foot forward, even after the fact that the biggest billings I could have done for them at this point of time, were already done last year. Ours was a small wedding by Indian standards, so not like we took over the entire hotel, just 20% of the rooms I think.

The first shocker came right at the airport. Our favourite car turns up.

Next, it turns out we are not staying in our usual suite (confirmed with a DSU ahead) after all. We will be in the Presidential Suite this time around! It was as big or maybe even bigger than my home. We gave an overview on Facebook Live, so check it out.

Not just that, one of our favorite wines was waiting on arrival.

The Diamond Amenity

We go out for breakfast, and people who were managing and serving at the restaurant last year were still there, and had their stories to share at our wedding last year. One of them remembered I love Eggs Benedict, while even I had forgotten about myself! Evening, we popped out for dinner at the all-day dining restaurant, and the chef runs into my wife, and tells her he’ll have her favorite fish ready if she wanted to have it.

As if on cue, the Goan gentlemen who pop in every now and then to play for Diners come around, and play a song for her as well. Thank you Mario for singing for us!

And then, while I’d organized with the support of the hotel a private dinner for Shipra, they pulled a fast one on me as well, with some of the amazing crew setting up our room for a celebration, and Prachi, the event sales manager responsible for our wedding assignment, along with a whole bunch of old and new crew came over to help us cut a cake and make us go down memory lane with a quick video they made.

Oh, and yes, the flawless setting of the private dinner. You couldn’t ask for a better view than this in the times of torrential rains.

I know it works differently for different people, but this is one place where I check-in and let the amazing staff take care of the rest. Until the next time at this amazing hotel!

Do you have any such hotels where you’ve seen an amazing level of service and hospitality that you keep going back. Do share with us, so that we could try it out too!

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