Page 195 - Midas Touch

Leisure magazine’s list of the best new hotels. It was the only hotel in New
York that made the list.

What qualifies our hotels for these distinctions? It’s our commitment to
luxury and then fulfilling that commitment through the little things that
matter to our guests. It means attentive service on all levels, and state-of-

the-art amenities and conveniences. No detail is too small for us, thus, the
big awards. Yes, the hotels are big, but the personalized service is as far
from impersonal as you can get. We realize that our guests are expecting a
certain level of service, and that’s what we give them. Often, on a return
visit, they are surprised that we’ve kept their information and can ask the
appropriate questions, such as whether they’ll require a babysitter during

their stay and other personal requirements. We have a gold standard to
attend to, and we do. None of the so-called little things are little to us.

People are surprised to hear that I sign my own checks. That’s a lot of
checks every week, piles and piles of them. It’s one of the little things that
can matter. I like to know where my money is going.

I had one job that, for some reason, seemed too expensive, and I was
unhappy with the costs. At the time, I was not signing the checks for that
job. I got very angry at the people running the job and ultimately said to

them, “From now on, I want to personally sign every single check.” The
minute I suggested that, my costs automatically went down by 15 percent,
without negotiating. Now I sign everything.

Books and Skyscrapers

Considering the scope of my projects, people sometimes ask me why I
spend time writing books. I don’t consider writing books a small venture
because I prize education, as does Robert. Writing books is essentially a
sharing experience. A lot of people don’t want to share their knowledge. A
level of confidence is necessary here, but both Robert and I have had the
success necessary for an audience to want to know how we think and work.
I don’t mind sharing my tips for success because I know I will continue to

work and succeed. Books can be teaching tools. They may be small items
compared with golf courses and skyscrapers, but they can be powerful.

A good example of that is how my first book, The Art of the Deal, which
came out in 1987, affected Mark Burnett as well as Robert and his wife