Call For Resort Information
Call was placed to main Resort number 800-XYZ, April 28th at 8:13 a.m. and was answered in
two rings, “XYZ Resort, this is George. How may I help you?” Information regarding the Resort and
related activities was requested and mailing information was exchanged. Reservationist closed with,
“OK, not a problem. You’re welcome.” Surname was not used during the call. Information was received
on Saturday, April 30th.
The information was interesting, informative and conveyed a variety of activities for both families
and golfers and presented the Resort in a good light. Accuracy of material depicting Resort as a family
destination was evidenced by the availability of an indoor pool, outdoor pool, billiards, nightly movies,
racquetball court, tennis court and various lake opportunities.
Reservation Call
Making a reservation for Monday, June 6th
Call was placed to main Resort number 800-XYZ on Tuesday, May 31st, at 3:05 p.m. and was
answered in two rings, “Good afternoon, XYZ Resort, Shannon speaking, how may I help you?”
Evaluator asked to be connected to Reservations to which the reply was, “This is Reservations.” The
night of June 6th was requested and reservationist replied, “OK. We have rooms available.” After
a short pause, reservationist asked, “Are you lookin’ for (pause) just the room rate, (pause) only, or
athletics plus meals?” When asked for a recommendation, reservationist asked about the number of
adults and indicated the room-only rate would be $145 with a total after tax of $158.05. Reservationist
briefly described the option as a “meal plan” which included breakfast, dinner and unlimited golf
for $260 or $331.59 after 9% tax and 17% service charge. When asked about a meal plan without golf
included, the reply was, “No, the golf is complimentary.” No other room type options were given at
this point in the transaction.
When evaluator suggested the room-only rate, reservationist said, “Are you lookin’ for a smoking or
non-smoking? And do you prefer a king or two beds?” Last name was requested and other information
was confirmed with records in the computer system that were there due to the previous information
request on April 28th. Deposit policy was described as, “Rooms gonna require a $60 deposit.” Credit
card information was requested and given by evaluator, followed by an eleven second silence. Reservationist
then said, “OK. You’re gonna be all set comin’ out Monday, June 6th for one night. I’m gonna
give you the confirmation number” which was done, followed by a silent pause. Evaluator indicated
that this was a first time visit and no area or Resort information was offered despite the prompt.
Evaluator indicated that the trip was special because it was a wedding anniversary and when other
room options were requested, reservationist replied, “Um, I have (pause) the one forty five, that’s for a
standard room. I put you in a lake view with a king. Um, we also have the Terrace section. Those are
deluxe rooms. They have two queens, a sitting area and a porch overlooking the lake.” Response was
followed by a silent pause. Evaluator asked about the price which was $165 plus tax. When asked for
a recommendation, reservationist recommended the Terrace, then paused and said, “I’ll just give that
to you at the same rate.” An eight second silence was followed by, “OK. You’re all set. You’re in the
Terrace now. OK? You’re all set!” Call was concluded with, “Bye.”
Detractors
Different types of available rooms not described
No attempt to upsell
Surname not used
Resort facilities not described
Internet
A search of the Internet for “(state name) travel terms” showed the following placements:
Yahoo
| (State) Family Resort | Page 3; position 5 |
| (State) Golf Resort | Page 2; position 1 |
| (State) Resort | Page 10; position 3 |
| (State) Conference Resort | Page 1; position 8 |
| (State) Lake Resort | Page 1; position 1 |
| (State) Weddings | Not listed in first 10 pages |
Google
| (State) Family Resort | Page 1; position 10 |
| (State) Golf Resort | Page 2; position 1 |
| (State) Resort | Not listed in first 10 pages |
| (State) Conference Resort | Page 1; position 2 |
| (State) Lake Resort | Page 1; position 1 |
| (State) Weddings | Not listed in first 10 pages |
A search for XYZ resort on travel related websites resulted in the following:
| Travelocity | No listing |
| Orbitz | No listing |
| Expedia | No listing |
| Yahoo Travel | No listing |
| Priceline | No listing |
Trip Advisor listed XYZ Resort as a top-rated hotel for (town). There were three published reviews
from previous guests. The most recent was from December 2004 and the other two were from 2002.
Two of the reviews were positive and one was quite negative.
There were no sponsored links observed on either Yahoo or Google. The Resort website was
quickly accessed from both Google and Yahoo. All photos were seasonal to summer and conveyed the
impression of a small, perhaps intimate property and facility. Both the website and collateral material
indicated the Resort was family run which, along with other language gave the impression that the
Resort was family friendly. There is no mention of weddings in the text on the home page. There is no opportunity to book online and visitors are directed to a reservation request page. The only link to the Rates page was from a hot link on the accommodations page. Navigation would be improved if there
were links to the Rates page from the Home page, Golf page and Specials page. The Golf page refers
those interested in learning more about the “Course and the Pro Shop” to The XYZ Country Club website. This site is inactive.
There were no specials offered on the site during the guest inspection dates.
Rates for June 3rd – October 9th were listed as:
$123 Main House Garden View
$130 Main House Lake View
$146 Terrace
$163 Suite
$213 Avery Suite
There is no room category for “standard” as referred to by the reservationist and the rates she quoted
for the Terrace rooms differed with those listed on the website.
Detractors
Negative review on Trip Advisor
Rate page accessed from accommodations page link only
Absence of on-line inventory eliminates marketing opportunities with third party web sites.
Monday, June 6th
On-Arrival Message
At 7:00 a.m. the main number for the Resort was called and answered after one ring with, “Good
morning, XYZ Resort, this is Heather. How may I help you?” A request to leave a message for an
arriving guest was made and reply was, “OK. Just a moment.” After a ten second pause, receptionist
asked, “And what is the name?” And then “OK. What is the message?” A short message was conveyed
during which time receptionist did not repeat any of the words back. When message was completed,
receptionist said, “OK. Allrighty.” The call was concluded with, “Bye.”
During the check-in process, the message was read to evaluator, and the message was correct as left.
Arrival
Evaluator drove toward main entrance at 1:05 p.m.. The first Resort sign was visible from the road
and complemented with fresh plantings and flowers. Driving into the Resort, a second and third
Resort sign were visible and were equally clear and framed with plantings and flowers. The golf course
lined entry road provides a pleasant entrance. At 9:30 p.m., one of the lights at the third Resort sign
was not illuminated.
The drive to the front door is through a parking lot that has no visible parking lines. Parking areas
embrace the entire arrival side of the Resort and most foot traffic involves going through a parking
area. Despite the lack of lines, cars were parked throughout the various parking areas in an orderly
fashion. Prior to the main entrance, the East Entrance is visible. There is a green bench on both sides
of the entrance apparently covering hazardous holes, however no signage is present indicating the
presence of a hazard. At 9:30 p.m., the Resort sign above the porte-cochere was not illuminated.
There was no doorman present at the entrance to the lobby. Entryway was clean with front door
flanked by a newspaper vending machine and trash receptacle. Inside the doors were three bell carts
tucked tightly into the space. Evaluator remained in vehicle for one minute and when no employee
approached, entered the lobby. The lobby was quiet and all furnishings were arranged neatly. Approaching
the front desk, an employee with a knit black top and no name tag looked up three seconds
after evaluator stopped in front of desk and said, “Hi there, can I help you?” Another receptionist,
Heather, then approached desk and said, “Checking in?” Evaluator confirmed, placed credit card on
desk and reply was, “OK.” Receptionist confirmed name by looking at the credit card and saying,
“Last name is…” After a twenty second silence while receptionist worked with the computer, she began
to read the on-arrival message with no introduction as to what it was. The message was correct as left
earlier. Evaluator was then asked to sign a registration card and was told, “Also, our phones are down,
and our internet is down because, um, they’re fixing some power lines. Cell phones don’t work either
because there is no cell service in this area” and she laughed lightly. Registration packet was placed on
desk and slid toward evaluator. It contained two room keys, a “no-delay checkout card” and a welcome
note from (General Manager). When asked receptionist did not know when phone service would be
restored. Room number was stated and receptionist asked, “Do you have to back in your car and get
your stuff?” Verbal instructions were then given for the “Terrace parking lot”. “So if you just want
to go right across, over to the Terrace parking. There will be a door, key card will let you in and go
upstairs. OK? You’re welcome.” Evaluator asked what time dinner was served and receptionist referred
to a notebook with a male employee without a name tag. After a ten second pause, the male answered,
“Starting at 6:30 tonight.” And when asked about the end of dinner service, he replied, “Last seating we
have is eight. Do you know what time you would like to have dinner?” At this point evaluator asked
about room service and he replied, “We don’t, but we would be able to arrange something for you.”
Breakfast service was then confirmed as being offered from 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.. Receptionist was
brief in presentation and did not smile during the transaction.
Following the verbal instructions, evaluator drove to a building marked Terrace Wing. There are no
directional signs on approach to the area. A smaller sign at a doorway reads “600 – 610” and another
reads “620 – 629 -->”. It is unclear if that refers to the stairwell or another door twenty feet away to the
right. If a guest takes the door to the right, room corridors are well marked once inside and it leads to
the guest room, although it is a bit out of the way. The door at the top of the stairs was unlocked and
did not self lock after use.
The carpeted entry into building was soiled with bits of debris near the doorway. In the hallway, a
housekeeping closet door remained open during the entire visit. A piece of baseboard was lying on the
floor next to a baseboard heating section, exposing a sharp edge and a cardboard trash receptacle was
outside the maid’s closet, also for the duration of the visit. Two empty water bottles were placed on the
window sill of the window at the top of the 620 corridor stairwell. At the end of the hallway, the doors
to rooms 629 and 630 remained open and appeared to be check outs.
At 5:40 p.m., Tim called from the front desk and said, “Hi, Mr. XXXXX? We just wanted to let you
know the phones are back on now. So everything should be up and running. They just came on about
two minutes ago.”
Detractors
No welcome to the Resort
No anniversary recognition
No luggage assistance offered
Instructions to room not highlighted on a map
No offer to enjoy the stay
No offer to contact guest when phone service is restored
Surname not used
Exterior door unlocked
Guest Room
The guest room neatly arranged and furnishings and décor were pleasant. The design of the room
allowed ample space for working or relaxation. Overall the room was very clean, free of debris, tears,
scratches and stains. The view of the lake was impressive. Various lake craft were in view and neatly
stowed on shore and at the dock. The guest room porch provided a chair, lounge chair and side table.
Both chairs were in need of cleaning. The quality of the view of the lake and proximity to it should be
underscored here. It has a very positive impact on the quality of the accommodation, and is especially
noteworthy in the morning hours when the sounds and serenity of the lake are all-encompassing.
Despite a full occupancy in surrounding rooms, there was no noise either from plumbing or other
guests throughout the visit.
The bathroom was clean and orderly with the only exception being rust which was on the ceiling.
All amenities were well placed. Four drinking glasses were covered with stan caps and were all facing
front.
The guest service directory appeared to be complete and was presented in a blue notebook binder
with page protectors. It included in-house printed matter on Resort activities and services and marketing
collateral materials including a rate card, an 8x11 promotional piece and an Internet information
card. Information regarding the history of the Resort appears to be discrepant with other materials:
The welcome note in the registration packet reads, “My family has been in the hospitality business for
45 years.” The Spring 2005 Resort newsletter has an article on the 100th anniversary and reads, “The
XXXX family bought the Resort in 1972…” And the welcome letter contained in the guest room
directory reads, “My family has been in the Resort business for nearly 60 years.”
Evaluator pressed the front desk speed dial and a male receptionist answered. When a down pillow
was requested, his reply was, “We don’t have down pillows. OK? You’re welcome.”
Detractors
Stain on desk chair cushion
One milk dud under television cabinetbr>
Crooked lampshadebr>
Scuff on wall behind luggage rackbr>
Knob missing from closet doorbr>
Sliding door does not lock easilybr>
Sliding screen door ripped
Public Space
In general, hallways were free of debris and clean. A tour of the building at 5:45 p.m. resulted in the
following: In a potted tree near the main lobby, there was a hanger in the pot. Outside of room 270
an ionizer sat next to a potted tree on the floor. There were several housekeeping and utility closets
left open. Specific locations included the housekeeping closet by room 620, both the utility room and
kitchen double doors in the lower pool corridor, storage room across from the Edgewater Meeting
Room and the chemical room door in the swimming pool was unlocked. All doors were closed by the
following morning with the exception of the housekeeping closet by room 620.
Public restrooms were clean with the exception of the restroom by the Lakeside Meeting Room
which had debris on the floor and missing toilet paper from the roll, and men’s room across from the
Edgewater Meeting Room had an out of order urinal and stains above both urinals.
A seating arrangement at room 217 has a lamp and a chair and the lamp was not turned on at all
during the stay. At the swimming pool, several lounge chairs were in disarray and areas of the ceiling
had sub-ceiling exposed which was unsightly.
At 6:00 p.m., the elevator was not operational. It was working properly the following morning.
The floor was littered with debris including paper scraps and toothpicks. The lobby had several guests
enjoying cocktails, billiards and cards and as the daylight dimmed, all but two lights in the lobby
remained off.
Gift Shop
There is a space in the lobby where Resort logo merchandise is on display. The items were neatly
arranged and the area was well-lit. One wall was unpainted with visible drywall and patching present.
Lunch
At 1:35 p.m. the speed dial for Front Desk was pressed and answered, “Front desk.” Evaluator asked
if lunch was being served anywhere and reply was, “Oh, right over across the street at the pro shop.”
When asked if that was the country club, reply was, “Yep.” Evaluator asked about the status of the
phone service and was told “We are still waiting for it to be fixed.”
At 1:45 p.m., evaluator walked to a building marked XYZ Resort Country Club that had several
cars parked in front and entered the door to the left of the pro shop. Inside, there was no sign directing
guests to wait for a host(ess) or seat themselves so evaluator stepped up to the counter and waited
for four minutes as a female cook and waitress worked. The female who appeared to be the cook,
wearing a light blue top and short white skirt and no name tag, greeted evaluator with, “Can I help
you?” A request was made to order a sandwich to take to the room and was accommodated without
hesitation. Order was taken for a Turkey Club and Lemonade and was prepared within five minutes.
A cup of ice was offered for the lemonade. Order was charged to the room and cook said, “Thank you.
Have a nice day.” Service was prompt, pleasant, very casual and offered only a hint of a smile. The
sandwich tasted fresh, was served with potato chips and garnished with a pickle. Lemonade was in a
plastic bottle and no napkins were offered.
While waiting for the order to be prepared, the evaluator observed several individuals playing
golf and sitting in carts nearby. The putting green was not being used and there were several patches
of dead grass patches both on the green and collar. There were seventeen carts parked in an orderly
fashion just outside the pro shop. Flower beds were abundantly planted and very attractive. On many
parts of the walkway and cart path, mulch from the flower beds had spilled and washed over.
Detractors
No sign upon entry or personal greeting leaves guests wondering what to do
Surname not used
Maintenance
At 5:10 p.m., the speed dial for the front desk was pressed and answered, “XYZ Resort, this is
Crystal.” A request for maintenance to repair the sliding door which would not lock was made and the
reply was, “OK.” Evaluator then asked if turndown service was available and reply was, “Turndown?
No. We have wake up calls.” Evaluator remarked a call would be made later for that and call was
concluded.
At 5:20 p.m. there was a single knock on the door with no announcement. After seven seconds,
with no reply from evaluator, employee entered a key into door and opened door. A young male
employee with a red logo tennis shirt and baggy blue jeans entered the room and said, “Hey, how ya
doin.” Evaluator asked nicely what was going on to which maintenance person responded, “Not a hell
of a lot.” He then said he was looking for a piece of wood to stick behind the door because none of
them lock anymore. He indicated that he would obtain one and return. Evaluator thanked him and
he said, “Not a problem."
At 5:25 p.m. Crystal called and said, “The deal with the doors is, the building has settled and none
of the sliding doors lock. That is why there should be a stick in the room to put behind the door.” It
was agreed that a stick to put behind the door was a good idea and evaluator said that the maintenance
man indicated he was looking for one. Receptionist concluded the call with, “OK, bye.”
At 5:35 p.m. George called from the front desk and said, “Hi, Mr./Mrs. XXXXX? This is George. I
am calling from the front desk. Um, you had called about the, um, sliding doors. They don’t actually
lock anymore because the building kind of settled over the last few years. So, I mean, you can lift it
up and it will lock that way, but if you just slide it, it won’t. If you want we can try to find a piece of
wood that you can put in the doorway.” A piece of wood was requested and receptionist ended call
with “OK sir/madam. You’re welcome.”
With some effort, the door locked when lifted up. A stick for the door was never delivered to the
room.
Detractors
Confusing communication regarding the resolution to the problem
Inability of a guest room door to lock is a safety and liability concern
No offer of a room change
Special Request
At 6:10 p.m., evaluator approached the front desk and asked a male employee in a pink shirt if a
movie was playing tonight. He was not wearing a nametag. He responded, “There is not a movie but
if you want to look through the movie selection, we’ll put one on for ya.” He explained that movies
were only scheduled on weekends this time of year. Evaluator was escorted to the back office to see the
movies available to guests. Receptionist was thanked and transaction was ended.
Dinner
At 6:15 p.m. evaluator approached the hostess in the dining room who was wearing a red blouse
with white shirt underneath and gray slacks. She was not wearing a name tag. When asked about
table availability, she responded that it would be possible to eat right away and escorted evaluator to a
deuce by the window with a nice view of the lake. She presented a wine list and menu and extended
her wishes for an enjoyable meal. The lighting in the room was appropriate and the music, which was
playing contemporary vocals, was set at an appropriate level. A female bus person poured water right
away and cleared the extra place settings from the table. Rosanna, who was dressed in a white shirt
and black pants, approached the table, placed a basket of rolls wrapped in a yellow napkin and butter
on the table and asked quietly, “Would you like a drink?” Drink was delivered promptly. A bottle of
beer and glass were placed on the table, beer was not poured. A few moments later, waitperson asked,
“Would you like to order or wait a few minutes?” No specials were offered. Dinner selections were
ordered and waitperson departed the table with no comment.
The first course, tomatoes and mozzarella, were placed on the table with no comment. Garnish
was bib lettuce and a balsamic vinaigrette. Second course was served, again placed on the table with
no comment. Caesar salad was garnished with croutons and a lemon wedge. Quantity was good, not
too large and dressing was tasteful. Main course was delivered to table direct from kitchen without
a plate cover or tray. It was served with salmon entrée placed at the 6:00 position. Waitperson made
no comment at this time. Empty beverage glass remained on table. Salmon was served with rice as
requested, asparagus, sliced carrots, lemon slice and a lemon dill sauce. The sauce was tasteful and the
vegetables and salmon were dry, due either to overcooking or an extended stay under the heat lamp.
Both the hostess and the waitress checked on the quality of the main course at an appropriate time
and the hostess inquired about a beverage refill. China and glasswear was clean and chip free. All wait
service, plate delivery and clearing was conducted from the left side. Large glass windows overlooking
the lake were very clean.
At the conclusion of the meal, waitperson asked, “All set sir/madam?” Evaluator asked for check
and waitperson displayed a confused expression. There seemed to be a misunderstanding regarding
the meal plan. Waitperson was not able to articulate clearly the nature of the confusion other than
to say, “Your meals are not included with your room?” The hostess then approached the table and
asked if the room had been paid for with a gift certificate because the report indicated the room was
a “comp”. Evaluator said that the meals should be charged to the room and paid for. She excused the
confusion and the waitperson delivered check a few moments later. A $25 meal charge per person, 15%
gratuity and tax completed the dinner check. Upon departing the dining room, the hostess smiled and
extended her wishes for a good night. Waitperson provided tentative service and did not smile.
Meal Timing
| Seated | 6:18 p.m. |
| Drink Service | 6:20 p.m. |
| Order Taken | 6:25 p.m. |
| First Course Served | 6:28 p.m. |
| Second Course | Served 6:38 p.m. |
| Main Course | Served 6:55 p.m. |
| Check Presentation | 7:30 p.m. |
During the meal, two bus persons were observed completing their duties efficiently throughout
the dining room. One was observed replacing a jacket that had fallen off a guest’s chair. Neither was
wearing a name tag. There was a combination of small and larger parties in the dining room and all
seemed to be enjoying themselves while the room operated smoothly.
Detractors
Surname not used
Service and clearing standard not followed
No smile from waitperson
Wake-Up Call
At 10:00 p.m. the front desk speed dial button was pressed and answered after two rings with,
“XYZ Resort, this is Crystal.” A wake up call was requested for 6:00 a.m. and evaluator asked if the
call would be manually done. Receptionist confirmed that wake-up calls are usually automated and
responded, “Manual? You want someone to actually wake you up? Sure.” Call was concluded with,
“You’re welcome.” At 6:03 a.m., according to the guest room clock, the telephone rang and when
answered, a rapid beeping pulse was audible on the other end which was presumed to be the intent of
the automated system. | 
