I’ve left you waiting long enough.
 
I recently wrote about parking and then led you on by promising more.
 
If you have no intention of meeting any time soon, no need to keep reading.
 
But if you do, I can tell you that you would be in good hands at The Aloft Hotel.  At least, that was my experience when I  was there recently, helping a client facilitate a few meetings and training programs. Lots of extras and attention to detail, to more than just parking signs.  
 
1.       When I arrived each day, the room was set up perfectly.    Sounds simple, but rare at many meeting sites.
2.       There were extras on the tables like candy and toys. Also rare.
3.       The requested screen  was missing on the first day. Turns out that this was intentional. The event staff first wanted  to see if their big screen television (for which there would be no extra charge), would suit our needs. It didn’t and so the screen (for a fee) was delivered within minutes.
4.       An extra table was needed and was brought in quickly. No fuss. No extra charge.
5.       A meeting participant needed handouts hole punched. Easy. Done fast and free.
6.       Another meeting participant had a blowout on the way in from Charlotte.   AAA  towed  her and her car 70 miles to a nearby  tire dealership. While the rest of us got the meeting started, hotel staff stayed in touch with our frazzled traveler and picked her up in their shuttle van as soon as she and AAA arrived in town.
7.       Last minute breakfast items were requested. And once again – delivered fast and with no fuss. 
8.       Lunch was a simple but varied assortment of wraps. With not just chips and cookies but fruit, nuts and yogurt covered pretzels.  A special trip had been made to The Fresh Market to take care of vegetarian and vegan requests.

9. A gorgeous  fruit platter was delivered in the afternoon.

 
Plus – there was…
10.   Free wireless.
11.   Fast wireless – helpful for frequent video clips.
12.   An easy speaker plug-in for sound.
13.   Easy set up for Webex so participants from New York could participate.
14.   Volume controls IN THE ROOM so we could have music when we wanted it and not have to chase someone down to get rid of it when we didn’t.
15.   Temperature controls IN THE ROOM, which meant we didn’t freeze!
 
Mark Sherburne, Stephanie Orlando , Kay Hess, Josh Walters and Caesar Swift  are responsible for  all the good things described above. Here’s their number( (919- 932-7772) in case you’d like to make arrangements to meet at The Aloft Hotel. 

Do you have a favorite meeting place?

 

 
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