Signature F&B Amenities Complimentary edibles and the messages they convey to guests. By Michael Costa
THE ROYAL HAWAIIAN Honolulu, Hawaii
Kelly Hoen, General Manager
“We use locally grown bananas to make freshly baked loaves of
banana bread for arriving guests, which has been an amenity at
the Royal Hawaiian since opening in 1927. Pastry Chef Aquino
Domingo, who has been at the
Royal Hawaiian since 1986, says
the recipe has only changed once
in his time here. The message we
want to convey to guests is that
the tradition continues. The bread
is like the Royal Hawaiian—rich
in culture, Hawaiian hospitality,
and genuine ‘aloha.’ Grown locally
and baked daily with fresh island
produce and ingredients, this
authentic gift, or ‘makana,’ from
our ‘ohana’ to yours, welcomes
you to the warmth and graciousness
of the Royal Hawaiian. We
say, ‘Komo mai, and enjoy our
mai’a bread!’”
THE GREENBRIER White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Casey Lavin, VP of F&B
“The Greenbrier has an incredible
amenity that ties into long-standing traditions
of the resort. Every day from 4 to
5 p.m., we invite guests for complimentary
Afternoon High Tea in our main
lobby. We offer a variety of pastries,
scones, and menu samples from our
restaurants, while a violinist and pianist
perform. At check-in, our agents tell
the guest, ‘On behalf of the president
and staff of the Greenbrier, we cordially
invite you to join us for Afternoon Tea.’
We also employ the hotel historian to
walk through the tea party and share
stories about the 200-plus year history
of the property. Afternoon Tea is often enhanced and updated, but we are
careful not to ever disrupt the nostalgic experience that it represents. It’s a
timeless tradition here.”
WESTIN CHICAGO RIVER NORTH Chicago
Gregory Carlson, Director of F&B
“We offer an eco-friendly amenity of water and a chocolate bar. The message we send is on
recycled paper and reads: ‘Welcome to the Westin Chicago River North! This water,
the bottle it’s in, the chocolate, and you are all very important
to us. The water is sourced from Genessee, Wisconsin,
which is 115 miles from Chicago. Due to the proximity of
the spring to our hotel, the water is considered ‘low-mileage.’
This is both good for the environment and the local
economy. The bottles are made from plants, not petroleum,
and are 100 percent recyclable. So please put your empty
bottle on any flat surface, and we will recycle it. With this
candy bar comes a verified TerraPass offset of 133 pounds
of carbon dioxide reductions, the average American’s daily
carbon impact. In addition, the carbon emissions associated
with the production and distribution of the chocolate bar
has been balanced out. Thank you for staying at the Westin
River North, and thank you for making a difference.’
Overall, this amenity shows that our guests and our environment
are very important to us.”
SKAMANIA LODGE Stevenson, Washington
Russell Owens, Dining Outlets Manager
“We have many
groups return each
year, so we change
our amenities based
on the group. In the
past, we’ve presented
a basket with
assorted chocolatecovered
berries and
nuts from regional
vendors, as well as a
large chocolate foot.
The foot is in the
shape of a Bigfoot print, because we are in the middle
of Sasquatch country. Currently, we have a fruit-andcheese
basket featuring local artisans, along with wine
from nearby vineyards. When we give the amenities, we
want guests to know that we support the local economy
and promote sustainability within our region.”
