Redefining Hospitality: Director of Experience, Karen Dobis, at The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel is Changing the Face of Business Travel

    /24-7PressRelease/ - COLUMBUS, OH, February 29, 2008 - In a time where business travel is the norm for more and more people, The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel's own Karen Dobis is reinventing what corporate travel has the potential to be.

As the first Renaissance hotel with a full-time Director of Experience, Karen Dobis knows how hard it can be to travel on business up to 12 months a year. A long time retail industry executive, who routinely traveled on business, Dobis found that she could relate to guests who frequently returned to the property on account of business ventures in Columbus.

Eventually her position managing this hotel in Columbus' gift shop turned into a full-time hospitality position in which she became responsible for enhancing this unique clientele's experience, thus making her the first and only Director of Experience at The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel, as well as a success story for the Marriott brand.

Not only does she greet her Rewards Elite guests by name upon entering the hotel, she has made herself available 24/7 by personal cell phone to all 80 of them. Whether chatting with guests late into the evening, throwing themed parties such as cook-offs and poker parties to help travelers mingle, or surprising guests with their favorite candies left on personalized embroidered pillows, Karen Dobis is a true representation of hospitality in every sense of the word.

"I know what it is like to be on the road and so I try to provide the kind of service that would make me want to return: someone who knows me and who cares," states Director of Experience, Karen Dobis.

Dobis also makes herself available to assist guests with availability and schedule requests for future events at the downtown Columbus, OH hotel, in order to provide a streamlined sense of service throughout busy travelers' entire stay. Business travel for many can be hectic and exhausting, but at The Columbus, Dobis has created the ideal home away from home for travelers who regularly return to the city.

Her thoughtfulness has not only inspired numerous thank you notes and phone calls, but other Renaissance Hotels are taking her lead along with her business model as inspiration for their own future Directors of Experience.

"Karen is not only a great asset in caring for our customers," explains Laura Whitehead, Director of Sales and Marketing at The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel, "but, she also models the kinds of customer service that we all strive for and raises the bar on customer service for the entire hotel."

Experience a hotel that goes above and beyond to ensure that each guest is treated like family, and each trip is sure to be one in a long line of many.

About The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel
Discover a luxurious downtown Columbus, Ohio hotel fresh from a dramatic $15 million renovation. Take pleasure in this masterpiece of design and distinction with dazzling contemporary flair, artfully contrasted by colorful local flavor. Situated in the heart of Ohio's capital city, this stylish downtown Columbus hotel is located near Nationwide Arena, COSI, Convention Center, City Center Mall, as well as popular museums, theaters, and attractions. Enjoy the comfortable, yet sophisticated Latitude 41 Restaurant that celebrates traditional flavors with a new world style, while Bar 41 serves signature cocktails in a vibrant atmosphere. Indulge in a leisurely swim in the seasonal rooftop swimming pool, complete with a fabulous city view. Boasting 22,500 sq ft of indoor and 11,000 sq ft of outdoor meeting and event space, this elegant Columbus, OH hotel enriches corporate and social gatherings with distinct, innovative surroundings. Experience the joy of discovery at The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel. For more information or to make a reservation call 614-228-5050, or visit
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cmhbr-the-columbus-a-renaissance-hotel/.

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