Exceptional article for exceptional service

Dearest Courtyard by Marriott Ahmedabad,

This is a love letter from me to you. Though Marketing Love Letters is a weekly newsletter, your exceptional customer service deserves this one time exception.

As I mentioned in my Wednesday edition, I am a fairly recent convert to vegan and plant based way of eating.

I have learnt to not be strict about the 'no oil, no processed food' rule when out of home. But I refuse to make exceptions for eating dairy. I am strict about veganism even outside, even on holidays.

But I am learning to make do with what's available. If it's an Italian menu, I can survive on aglio olio spaghetti. If it's Punjabi, chole becomes my buddy, instead of the rich paneer subzi.

The thing I find most difficult to resist and takes up all of my willpower is sweets: be it Indian sweets or bakery desserts.

I haven't yet found a work around or a sweet dish that is coincidentally dairy free.

This is where, you, my dearest Courtyard Ahmedabad come in.

Before I get to the sweet part, bear with me while I narrate the full story from the moment I fell in love with your service.

1. Give without being asked

Husband and I checked in after a long road trip. It was almost after lunch time that we reached, famished and sunburnt from the road trip.

As my new normal, I checked the menu for naturally dairy free options. Asked the server Sukesh if item A or B contained dairy or no. He wasn't sure of my ask.

He sent Chef Laxmikant to understand my ask and explain. The Chef said let me make something from scratch for you instead of you adapting from the existing menu.

And boy did he make it or what! It was absolutely as per my taste, as if my mom had made it. I was so hungry and it was so tasty, I pounced on that vegan dish, guilt free.

Food is the way to a man's heart. But trust me when I say, a hotel and it's team MAKING vegan food when it's not remotely on the menu is the way to a marketer and a happy guest's heart.

The story is just starting.

2. Own up to own us

Hubby ordered a pizza. Server Ashileen (not sure of the spelling) also brings peri peri fries "Compliments of Chef Laxmikant". We were pleasantly surprised.

The twist in the tale was when Chef Laxmikant comes and apologizes for some issue with the oven and hence he says he sent the complimentary fries.

We did not even find anything amiss in the pizza. It was perfectly tasty. Had he not owned up to some oven issues, we wouldn't have known and would have simply been happy with the free fries.

This action made it memorable.

3. Home away from home

We had no plans to have all meals at the hotel but the warmth and the utter willingness to do something specially for me, a vegan, swayed us. We ended up having every meal there over our 2.5 days stay.

Chef Laxmikant, Sukesh, Ashileen and the entire staff were enthusiastic, friendly and with an obvious urge to do all they could to make us guests happy.

The Chef was so enthu to have me try some variation of Thai curry that he felt was perfect for a vegan that despite me not being sure of making it in time for dinner, he still prepared a small bowl, just in case we did manage to reach by dinner.

Luckily we did. And I got to taste the yummy version he so excitedly prepared.

4. Sweet endings

Ditto feedback about the breakfast Chef Rajesh. Day 1 at breakfast I simply enquire of the server which of the array of scrumptious desserts were vegan, if at all.

I hadn't asked for the chef or anything. Yet Chef Rajesh came, asked about what exactly do I mean by vegan and said let me make something for you tomorrow. I was so touched.

He offered to make not one but two desserts vegan, just for me, one single guest.

Don't forget the soy vanilla milkshake, to round off the yummy yummy breakfast.

This was more exceptional because the hotel was full! Breakfasts especially were completely and totally full. Yet to do this for one single guest was nothing but 'sweet' (pun intended).

5. Icing on the cake?

End of breakfast, we are chilling before embarking on our long drive back to Mumbai.

Nilesh Chawla, the F&B executive, offers us a Bon Voyage pastry, gives us the history of the hotel, generously offered to pack us some sandwiches or nibbles for the road. We declined, of course. But the point is, he sincerely repeatedly offered.

Enough said, right?

Ananya, from guest relations, this was the exceptional service I was telling you about.

6. Sweet and spa

Oh before I forget, it was not only the F&B team that won our hearts and loyalty but also the Ode spa team.

Maya, your 30 minute back and neck massage was far better than EVEN the 60 minute full body massages we got at Bali, the unofficial capital of massages!!

Now, finally, enough said!

Nothing fake about it:

First, hubby and I thought perhaps post Covid, hotels are going out of their way to provide wonderful service to make up for the lockdown downs.

But during our stay, the hotel was fully booked, 3 weddings, one corporate event and enough room guests.

While chitchatting with the friendly team, we understood that Courtyard Ahmedabad was one of the few hotels that pivoted well during the pandemic (as explained in the TELCoS Model of Immunity).

So they were not doing this to make up for heavy losses either.

Hence, conclusion? It was genuine and sincere, across the board.

And that is why...

See you soon,

Courtyard by Marriott, Ahmedabad.