A lone – not lonely – bagpiper stands by the main door of TRUMP TURNBERRY in Fife (yes, that’s Scotland, as shown by the kilt). Most of the resort’s 209 rooms are in the original three-floor 1906-vintage house, painted white, everywhere, outside. Inside there are no less than 197 gorgeous chandeliers, all chosen personally by Eric Trump – see below. The house sits on a hill, surveying, as it were, the 800 acres of golfing and pasture around. Stay, say, in room 123 ‘rear’-facing, and you look back down the hill and out to sea, and Ailsa Craig islet.
Being welcomed by local musicians can result in the players getting a bit tired, but not at Turnberry. Perhaps bagpipers can always summon up at least second wind. Girlahead’s been welcomed with glasses of Champagne, mid-morning and straight after a long flight when a bathroom is top of the immediate to-do list.. At GRAND HOTEL EUROPE in St Petersburg’s good old days it was a glass of ice cold vodka from the pop-up bar outside.At ANDAZ TOKYO it was bows from all management that saw their black hair almost sweeping the floor. At MANDARIN ORIENTAL HONG KONG the GM.RVP was in her – admittedly ultra elegant – running gear as it was middle of Sunday afternoon.
And the ideal welcome then continues. If every team member you pass enroute to the room at least acknowledges you, you feel good. The welcome evolves to familiar interaction, and you want more.
Now listen to that chandelier chooser:
