Like I do every year, I spent a few days at a Marriott hotel somewhere in the world — wherever my business trips take me — to celebrate my birthday with friends or family.
This year, I was excited for my first birthday stay at a Marriott property in the Philippines, and I even coordinated with the hotel staff beforehand. But sadly, unlike my past birthday stays, there was no special effort or gesture to make it memorable. It ended up being just a forgetable stay, with nothing that stood out.
It was completely opposite experience to my stay at a Marriott property in Thailand the very next day — they completely exceeded my expectations, with birthday cake, decorations, and drinks waiting in my room, just like my amazing experience in Beijing last year.
Honestly, I can’t help but compare it overseas and just but feel a bit disappointed that this how it goes in Sheraton in my own country.
That said, I really appreciated the restaurant staff member during dinner — he was wonderful with my niece and made her so happy. That small moment was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable stay.