The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman Resort
The 5* Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman is a 144 acre hotel resort located on Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands.The property had** the accolade of being recognized as a luxury AAA Five Diamond Award** hotel establishment within the Caribbean. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC is a subsidiary of Marriott International Inc.
During an eight month contract of employment with the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman Resort, a tenure of responsibility as principal Butler to provide personal guest service to both the Oasis and Haven Cabanas. Dissatisfied however, to witness first hand during my early employ an alarming number of major deficiencies whilst on duty, raised my awareness to question the true 5* status of the beach Resort. In particular, the real visual disregard by personnel on duty incorporating the Ritz-Carlton 'Gold Standards' ethos :
1. The Credo
2. Motto
3. Three Steps Of Service
4. Service Values
5. The 6th Diamond
6. The Employee Promise
In relation to 'First Impressions Last', the analysis to the prominent discrepancies highlighted below opens with probably the most instantaneous and revealing assessment towards the new employer, particularly within the context that the company orientation is the first day of employ for ten new personnel, and directly involved the Resorts most senior and responsible individual at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, the General Manager.
The 'Compromise and Complacency' as observed to the visual Work Environments and guest service etiquette of the Personnel:
- 10:30 AM Tuesday 18th February 2014, day one of a three day orientation program organized by the Ritz-Carlton Human Resources department. The General Manager Mr Marc Langevin opens with a 1 hour presentation on the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman and the associated history of the Company. However, viewing Mr Langevin from the right, I notice upon his light suit jacket, two small but distinct red 'stain marks' on the jacket's right side ? Mr Langevin appeared totally unaware of this visual anomaly and continued to complete his presentation.
- 14:20 PM Friday 28th February 2014, upon viewing the preparation and presentation of the Bar Jack food menu sent from the restaurant kitchen to the guest Pool, Beach and Cabanas, I observed the Bar Jack waitress Diana Reyes enter the kitchen 'chewing gum', then blatantly 'blows out a bubble' when handing her guest food order to the restaurant Supervisor. Whilst both employees converse, the Supervisor does not counteract the 'gum chewing' to cease ?, whereupon the waitress then leaves the kitchen environment returning to continue her guest service duties at the Pool and Beach.
- 13:00 PM Thursday 6th March 2014, the newly laid wooden panel flooring located beach front at the guest Haven Cabanas, start to 'buckle' significantly under the extreme heat of the midday sun ? The deck flooring is bizarrely dark brown and not light in colour, therefore high heat retention within the panel flooring is constant daily.
- 11:00 AM Friday 21st March 2014, feedback this morning from one of my lady guests in relation to last nights birthday celebrations with her family at the 'Signature' restaurant Blue by Eric Ripert. Unfortunately, Christine explains that she did not dine along with her husband and daughter, as the restaurants tasting-menu policy prevented guests from selecting an individual choice from the tasting-menu ? The restaurant protocol as implemented by the Management, stipulated that only a collective table consensus for a same size choice by all guests from the tasting-menu ? The family were my guests for one week and occupied a beach Oasis Cabana. Additionally, the family were repeat guests having stayed with the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman two years prior.
- 15:30 PM Wednesday 9th April 2014, the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman Resort 'failed' its Company BSA Inspection.
- 13:45 PM Saturday 26th April 2014, observed Tamsyn Human the Bar Jack waitress whilst on duty greeting three Ritz-Carlton hotel guests with 'hugs and kisses' at the pool bar ?, and in full view of Resident guests and Resort employees.
- 17:10 PM Thursday 8th May 2014, viewed Kingsley the Pool and Beach guest service attendant standing atop of the Resort's beach sea-wall openly 'eating M&Ms candy' ?, and in full view of the guest Oasis Cabanas, Bar Jack Restaurant, and Pool/Beach areas.
- From the outset of my employ in February 2014, I had observed and experienced during guest service that a substantial amount of the sun loungers throughout the Resort's private beach environments were, both damaged and unfit to accommodate our Resident guests comfort expectations. This embarrassing situation is exemplified, as a high percentage of the discerning clientele on vacation were Ritz-Carlton Rewards Members and repeat guests.
The above deficiencies prompted me to conduct personal research into the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman's profile in mid-May 2014. The emphasis to ascertain the properties ethics as a luxury 5* resort hotel, and its attributed industry persona to the hospitality Awards** and accolades as bestowed. Continued.....
