Reflecting on the past year I hear often the sentiment wishing that the year would come to an end, as it was the worst year ever. I agree it was not great but I always like to find the positive in things so here are some of the changes I made at The Wentworth that I am glad I made.

• Gave all of my office staff the ability to work from home. Going forward if you ask for Irina, Cita, Kathleen, Deb, Liliia or myself – the chances are we may be answering your phone call from our home where we have access to our reservation system and our office computers.  
• Gave you my guests the ability to check in via text and have most of the paperwork done prior to your arrival. Although we miss spending time with as you check in at the Front Desk, we recognize that time is precious and you want to spend your time with the one you love.
• Outdoor dining – this summer more often than not my outdoor patio was busier than in my dining room. Coincidentally I had purchased all new tables, chairs and awnings for there the year prior so I was already set up for outdoor dining, we just could not convince many to utilize it. But this summer, too buggy – Sheila my gardener planted citronella plants around the patio. Too hot – we learned to cope, too cold – we added heaters and firepits. Going into winter on special days we will be serving après ski out there.  
• Expanded the lounge menu, Chef Brian’s flatbread pizza and The Wentworth burger, to name but a few and we just started serving our Traditional Swiss Fondue.
• Space, we gave you space – I am not sure if I will ever again squeeze so many tables back into my dining room.
• A work in progress but I am switching my cable TV and my Wi Fi system. You will soon have 182 channels and 5 movie channels; you will have only one remote and simple controls – no more baffling TV instructions. Wi Fi – individual to each room, you can stream from your own subscriptions. If you are here to work, we can create a private network for you with advance notice. 

Post pandemic there are things that we can look forward to putting back into place – in the guest rooms, bed throws, decorative pillows, real glasses and mugs (the environment will thank us). We look forward to reinstating daily housekeeping service. We look forward to setting up a coffee station again in the morning, or seeing our guests enjoy cookies and tea in the afternoon. Even something as simple as having a bowl full of delicious apples at the desk during foliage season. We look forward to uncovering the pool table again and letting guests play, personally I most look forward to welcoming Rob Robbins our House Pianist back into our lounge. 

Perhaps most of all though I look forward to the sound of laughter, lively conversations and strangers becoming friends.