One Bellman, Huge Impact at the DoubleTree by Hilton New York Times Square West

If rank-and-file associates ever wonder about the contribution they’re making to the daily operation of their hotels, they should consider Carlos Diaz, bell captain at the DoubleTree by Hilton New York Times Square West, who was featured in a recent Facebook post that generated dozens of positive guest and team member comments.

Guests call Carlos “wonderful,” “helpful,” “an absolute gem,” “a credit to the hotel.” One guest commented “absolutely nothing was too much trouble” for Carlos. Another observed that such service is a rarity: “Not many like him left in the industry,” she wrote. Yet another guest said, “His team was great too. They’re learning from the best.”

Janelle Schwartz, M&R vice president of sales & marketing, termed the flood of guest comments “incredible.”

It’s rare on Facebook or review sites like TripAdvisor for former guests to single out an employee by name for special praise. DoubleTree General Manager Margarita Garcia refers to Carlos as “the face of the hotel,” acknowledging that as bell captain, he’s the first hotel employee guests are likely to see on arrival, first impressions being critical to the eventual success of the entire stay.

In a fast-paced market like New York, the city often gets a bad rap for hurried or slipshod personal service. But not Carlos. “He will always be there to assist with luggage or tell you the best place to buy your New York bagel with cream cheese,” noted Dani Koeller, M&R regional director, digital, ecommerce/social media & digital performance, in her comment that accompanied his photo in the original post.

Not surprisingly, Carlos takes the newfound attention in stride. He believes all his fellow associates have a job to do and do it to the best of their ability.