Best Laid Plans

I’ve mentioned before that our company was founded on five core values. One of them –the most important – is to Put People First. That is easy enough to do when things are good, but even more important when things are out of our control. Late last Wednesday night, a...

My Early Memorial Day

As we completed our annual shareholders meeting and I joined our senior leadership on the 12th floor patio of our JW Marriott Hotel in downtown Washington, 16 flights of WWII war birds flew by. They included P51’s, B24’s, B17’s, a B29, a Catalina Flying Boat and several navy fighters. It...

Finding New Ways to Serve

Volunteering at the Atlanta Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity I have always enjoyed giving back whether it’s hammering at Habitat for Humanity or bagging groceries at the Atlanta Food Bank. Ever since the beginning of our company, our associates have been putting people first, and this includes the communities...

Consoling the Loss of a Pekingese

I get a lot of great letters from our guests and here’s how one letter began: Oz at the Henry Hotel “I am writing to praise your outstanding team at the Henry Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan.” Attached to this letter was this picture of a beautiful Pekingese sitting in the...

The Haiti Principle

My daughter, Debbie Marriott Harrison, recently returned from the ceremonial opening of the Port-au-Prince Marriott Hotel in Haiti. Debbie is our company’s global officer for Marriott culture and business councils. She was so moved by her trip that I thought it best for her to share it on my blog....

Heart of the House

I do like to talk (and blog) about our associates who serve our guests every day. Some work in the front of the house and some work behind the scenes in what’s called the “back of the house.” No matter where they work, we’re shinning the spotlight on their outstanding...

Spirit of Giving

Each year, I talk to a group of job trainees from Washington D.C. Central Kitchen and try to leave them with a few words of wisdom. We recently met in our executive boardroom. It’s a far cry from the streets of the nation’s capital where many used to live. DC...

The Lizard and the Boy

If you’ve ever loved something special, you know how upsetting it can be to have it lost. Over the years, our youngest guests have left behind (or lost) toys, books, balls, you name it… But not until recently has someone lost a lizard. I received a letter from the Marco...

My Rules for Tipping

To celebrate International Housekeeping Week, we are placing tip envelopes in 160,000+ rooms. Most people are not sure who to tip and who not to tip when they receive good service. I try to tip everyone from the pizza deliveryman to the parking attendant to the waiter and bellman. I...

Unpacking in a Hurry

During a recent weekend trip with my wife, I noticed something I had not in 59 years of marriage: how she unpacks in a hotel room. The way someone packs, or unpacks, is not usually eye-catching; but I noticed we do different things when we enter the room. My wife...