Not Just Another Boring Hotel

The biggest surprise of my life is how many beds I’ve slept in. It just didn’t enter my mind that satisfying my wanderlust would mean staying in hundreds of hotel rooms. While I’m hardly an expert on hotels, I do know that most of them are so similar that I don’t remember much about them. 

That all changed when I had a hotel experience that was so extraordinary, that I couldn’t wait to return. I was doing a seminar series in Sacramento and learned that the hotel I’d stayed at in the past was under new ownership and had a new name, Larkspur Landing. I assumed the name change was the only difference. I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

Even though major construction was taking place, there were  little signs of change all around. A table in the entryway had perpetual coffee, tea and other hot drinks plus a heaping bowl of fresh fruit. Hot-from-the-oven cookies were added every evening. In the rooms, which all had a small kitchen, I found Starbucks coffee, bottled water and a packet of microwave popcorn—all without the exorbitant charges attached that you find in most hotels.  What really captivated me, however, was the Larkspur Library where you could borrow books, DVDs, CDs, and (my favorite) board games.

There were plenty of other amenities, too, including  an exercise room, a laundry, vending machines with foods that were not junky, and free wireless service. Since they were still remodeling, they hadn’t gotten to  the fabulous mattresses and pillows that are part of the Larkspur furnishings. 

On a return visit, after the remodeling crew was long gone, I was charmed by their lobby which looked nothing like those in other hotels. Instead, the space adjacent to the front desk looked like a living room in a lovely  Arts and Crafts home. The centerpiece was a fireplace with bookshelves on either side. Seating was arranged for conversation—or daydreaming. 

This was all accomplished without charging any more than an ordinary hotel. I loved being there and noticed the staff and the guests were all smiling alot. 

I’ve been musing about how this hotel came to be so memorable and I’ve come up with a theory. Instead of simply copying how other hotels do things, I suspect that someone decided to create a hotel where they’d actually enjoy staying at themselves. As a result this attention to small details makes something ordinary into an extraordinary experience for Larkspur’s guests. 

The Pleasure of Their Company

Ever since I connected with them on Twitter, I’ve been a big fan of Flashlight Worthy Books, a Web site that makes recommendations on all sorts of books both old and new. Since they also invite experts to create reading lists, I submitted a list of books with the title The Art of Being an Entrepreneur.

It finally posted today and here’s how FLW announced it on Twitter: Stop laboring for someone else this Labor Day Weekend. Use these books to become an entrepreneur. 

Check it out. You’re bound to find a title or two worth adding to your personal library.