Funny, poignant examples of over-the-top service

The Boston Harbor Hotel employs two of my heroes. I didn't catch either of their names, but one doorman and one executive housekeeper saved me considerable embarrassment one day when, while walking the few short blocks from Boston's South Station to the hotel, a truck barreled through the biggest pothole I have ever seen, drenching the entire left side of my body with filthy rainwater.

Although mortified by my appearance, I didn't want to cancel an important meeting. Mustering what little was left of my dignity, I quickly explained to the doorman what had happened, and asked if there might be a place where I could dry off.

Without so much as a raised eyebrow, he immediately called the executive housekeeper, who whisked me off to the hotel's laundry area. She asked me my dress sizes, and within moments produced one of the hotel's front desk uniforms. I was instructed to hand my soaked clothing over to her, dress myself in the uniform, and wait for 15 minutes in the staff locker room.

Meanwhile, the doorman called my appointment and explained that I was running a few minutes late.

Within 15 minutes, my clothing was returned to me, dry-cleaned and pressed. After I changed back into my own clothes, I looked in the mirror and realized that I looked better than I had before I stepped off the train.

The hallmark of every successful lodging establishment is a staff that exhibits a genuine spirit of hospitality. Here are some funny, touching and poignant examples of over-the-top hospitality from hotels, motels and inns:

Will you marry me?

A couple in the process of relocating to Seattle checked into the W Hotel to elope. They had made arrangements for a minister to marry them, but when they arrived, the minister canceled the appointment because she had made plans to participate in a protest march. The bride-to-be asked W concierge Daniel Petzold to assist her in finding another minister. When none was available on the appointed day, Daniel bowed to her request and became ordained over the Internet in the New Universal Church. They couple wed on Friday, Dec. 3, with Daniel performing the ceremony.

Playing Cupid

Eric Edenfield, a concierge at The Argent Hotel in San Francisco, was approached by a gentleman guest for assistance in creating the perfect atmosphere for a marriage proposal. The problem was, the guest wanted to do something unique, but had no idea what it might be. After asking questions about the couples history, Edenfield discerned that their first date had been a blind date at a Mexican restaurant, complete with a Mariachi band. Deciding to re-create that moment for them, the intrepid concierge decided that the Golden Gate Bridge would offer a stunning backdrop.

As the time of day coincided with rush hour and special permission was required from the Golden Gate Bridge Authority, this was no small feat. He arranged to have a sedan drive them to the Golden Gate at the hour when the sun would be at a perfect angle at sunset and the fog would, hopefully, be minimal. As the hopeful bridegroom walked his intended to the bridge, a Mariachi band struck up a tune, and he dropped to his knee and popped the question. Much to the delight of the man, the Mariachi band, and the curious onlookers, the woman said "yes."

Heavenly housekeepersAt the Four Seasons Resort on the tiny island of Nevis, a bride whose wedding was very small confided in her housekeeper, Rosetta, that her special day felt a little insignificant compared to the other large, lavish wedding that was being held at the resort on the same day. When she and her groom returned to their room on their wedding night, she found that the room had been carpeted with flower petals and softly lit by scented candles. So touched was she by Rosetta's gesture that she burst into tears.

The wedding saversA wedding party at Knots Southern California Resort made a terrible mistake. Hours before the wedding, a bridal attendant hung the bridal gown from a fire sprinkler. To everyone's horror, all involved soon learned that it is not wise to hang heavy objects from a fire sprinkler, and that the water that stands in the pipes is greasy. The sprinkler broke, rendering the bride and her gown completely soaked in greasy water. Members of the hotel's staff acted very quickly to locate a similar dress for the bride, have it fitted, and get her ready just in time to walk down the aisle. Someone even ran to the mall to pick up new underwear.

Mother's helpers The Wyndham Wilmington Resort in Delaware recently had a guest who was a nursing mother. Unable to bring her newborn to a one-and-a-half week training course, she was faced with some challenges. With a little creative thinking and a cooler supplied by one of the hotel's staff, the employees of the Wyndham made sure that a fresh supply of food from mom was shipped out every couple of days.

Christmas angel One Christmas Eve, a local family whose furnace had broken checked themselves and their out-of-town guests into the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia for the night because the temperature was 15 degrees, and no one could be found to fix the furnace over the holiday weekend. A large Christmas party had been planned, and it looked as though a great deal of food would go to waste.

Overhearing this, a hotel engineer approached the guest and asked if he could take a look at the heater. The guest was reluctant to take the engineer away from his family on Christmas Eve, but the engineer insisted. The heater was fixed in short order, and the Christmas celebration was saved. When the homeowner offered the engineer payment in the form of money, food, etc., he refused, and wished them a Merry Christmas.

The Real Tooth FairyA man and his 6-year-old son were guests at the Casa Marina Resort in Key West, Fla. On the first night of their visit, the son lost one of his baby teeth. Concerned that he would not be able to fulfill the role of "Tooth Fairy" by placing a half-dollar coin under his sons pillow, the guest went to a front desk worker, Jorge Calvo, for help. After a thorough, yet unsuccessful search in the hotel's cash drawers, etc., Calvo went back to his own home and returned with a Sacagawea dollar coin for the boy.

Finders of lost lovesChristine, the bell captain at The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, quelled a mother's worst fears when she suddenly realized that her 14-year-old daughter was missing. The pair, visiting from Scotland, became separated on a shopping excursion. After calming the mother, Christine called the mall, spoke with the security office, and found that the daughter was there, waiting. The two were swiftly reunited.

Missing in the Big EasyAt Mardi Gras time in New Orleans, a guest of The Chimes Bed & Breakfast set off to join the festivities in the French Quarter almost immediately after checking in. His friends arrived and waited for him to meet up with them. Hours passed, and still no sign of the wayward guest. The innkeepers became worried and called the police to be on the lookout for him.

After 24 hours passed and he still hadn't returned, the innkeepers called the guest's mother to tell them the story of her missing son. In the wee hours of the morning, the guest had decided to retire to his guest room.

The problem was, he couldn't remember the name or location of the place he was staying. He spent a cold, hungry night sleeping on the street, and in the morning found a pay phone and telephoned his mother. She delightedly gave him the telephone number for The Chimes, and the innkeepers immediately hopped in the car and retrieved him. The experience prompted the guest to develop a shelter for homeless people in his home town.

Friends in needTwo days before Thanksgiving in Portage, Ind., a Michigan family with two very small children was left stranded on I-94 when a tractor-trailer truck struck their vehicle and sped off into the 15-degree night. With nowhere to go and the closest family and friends hours away, an Indiana State Police Trooper, JoEllen Priola, brought the family to the Days Inn, Portage.

Money was short, so the front desk clerk, Rose Lucas, called her supervisor and arranged to give the family a room for the night. Trooper Priola and Lucas cobbled together some coupons and pocket money to buy a pizza for the family's dinner.

Farewell on the beach While serving an in-room dinner to guests one night at the Seascape Resort in Aptos, Calif., waiter Jeremy Burke received a sobering request from the guest. She and her teen-age children had returned to the resort in order to scatter the ashes of their departed husband and father on the beach where the couple had spent their last anniversary together.

Wishing to accomplish this somber task while the beach was empty, the widow asked Burke if they could use the cart service to go down to the beach at 5 a.m., while it was still dark. Knowing that the service didn't officially begin until 6 a.m., Burke said that he would be waiting outside her suite prior to sunrise and would take the family down to the beach himself. He finished his room service shift at 1 a.m., and four hours later was waiting in a bell cart to bring the family to the beach, where they held their a private farewell.