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Christmas in November 2013: Part 4 Service is Second to None

November 13, 2013 by Valerie Lugonja 2 Comments

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Staff provide seamless synchronistic service

Christmas in November 2013After 25 years, the hospitality offered at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge during Christmas in November exceeds expectations at every turn. Accommodating five to six hundred guests for each of three to four sessions requires a committed hard working team with an action plan that is well thought out. There is not one detail overlooked. Rooms are assigned upon boarding the bus, and most do take the buses from Calgary and Edmonton to the event.

Christmas in November 2013

Santa greets every bus at the Jasper Park Lodge Gate… elves await inside with treats….

Maybe it’s dance classes? The synchronicity of service provided by all staffing teams offered an unexpected aesthetic and was gratifying to watch.

 Christmas in November 20134 Plus 1 Reasons to attend Christmas in November 2013Christmas in November 2013

Luggage is loaded, unloaded, and delivered to your room before you event get there. It is also picked up from your room and loaded back on the bus for the trip home. You arrive, key in hand, with only your carrying bags to worry about, and can take time to enjoy the welcome steeped in the true Spirit of Christmas that awaits. That is something one cannot fake. One foot on the ground, and the Spirit of the Season is electric.

Christmas in November 2013Christmas in November 2013: Part 2 Much Food, Friendship and Frivolity

Of course, there was a lot of behind the scenes preparation that took place long before we arrived.

Christmas in November 2013

The registration desk offers ongoing assistance and offers the class program and recipe booklet with a bag full of more treats

Elves in costume. Santa’s hats on bellmen. Smiles, eye contact, the aromas of chestnuts roasting, hot chocolate brewing and spiced cake harmoniously ignite the senses. There is an instantaneous transformation. Joy is in the air. It is everywhere. Weight is lifted off one’s shoulders and I walked lighter there.

Christmas in November 2013

From gifts in the room each day, to be called by name regularly by faces now becoming familiar, it is impossible to not feel at home. And, as Michael Moore would appreciate: safe and secure. This is a crowd that I felt comfortable leaving my lap top computer or purse out around. Probably not a good idea to do that anywhere, but everyone does. Coats and purses are left on chairs to hold seats in rooms. I mean, he sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so we’re good – for goodness sake!

Christmas in November 2013

This is definitely a very elegant and harmless crowd!

Every person working at the lodge contributed to the success of this event, but some really stood out during my stay.

Christmas in November 2013

You can see it was hard to have a good time. Catching a crowd not laughing was the challenge, but I didn’t bother.

 The first was Stefanie Hamilton. She greeted me at the door, introduced me to Sage, and was like a personal guide for the entire time I was there. Obviously, her fairy godmother sprinkled her with an extra dose of fairy dust. There is no human that could do all she undertakes as effectively as she does without a little magic.

Christmas in November 2013Christmas in November 2013

Sage Livingstone was a sparkle. Very much like a little Tinkerbell. Unexpectedly, there she was. Here. There. Just when you needed her or even when you didn’t.

Christmas in November 2013Christmas in November 2013

Uwe. Uwe Walters glows. The Northern Lights have blessed him with his own personal aura borealis. Positive energy exudes from every fiber of his being and it is contagious. I couldn’t be near him enough as every time our paths crossed, I was invigorated. But, he does wear a soft shoe. You don’t hear him coming, he stays only a couple of meaningful seconds, then soft shoes off. Robin Linden was the overseer of the entire event. Standing ovation, please! He is a bit of an enigma. No photo of him on google and no page on Linked-in. All of the impromtu images I took had someone’s head in front of his, or he was as blurry as the one above. He is the man on the left and the maestro of this skilled and clever orchestration.

Christmas in November 2013Christmas in November 2013

Sue Dunn and  Marna Praill were our table-mates: our Celebrity diners as part of the Silver Package. Neither of them felt comfortable in that role and Sue repeatedly said it that Celebrity was a misnomer for her. I disagree. Both have contributed to the vibrancy of this resort for years, though Sue is no longer here, and both were such authentic and gracious dining guests. We dined with these local celebrities whose impact upon the local community is powerful. I could feel it.

 Christmas in November 2013Great Christmas Tree in Grand Hall at JPL CIN 2013Christmas in November 2013

There wasn’t a driver, a coat check person, a server, a room service person, a check in person or a member of the staff just passing by who didn’t make a consistent extra effort to accommodate any need. And by that, I mean, mind reading. They are very good at that. There must be a special course.

“Can I help you, Valerie?” “Are you looking for…., Valerie?”  “Did you know about…”  “Here’s a little tip….” “Oh, Valerie, you might be interested to know….”

The impact of the entire service staff outside waving as the buses depart was extremely emotional for me. Everyone worked so very hard and stood in the cold smiling and waving and truly looked sorry to see us go: all uniforms in unison, waving and cheering us home. Where else in the world does that happen?

Christmas in November 2010

I confess, I sat in the middle of the bus and missed getting a photo of this year’s wave good bye. I really tried!

 Christmas in November 2010

Only in Canada, I say.

What a team. What a time. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you – each and every one.

Christmas in November 2013

As it is at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge every November for the past 25 years.

 

5 Reasons to attend Christmas in November 2013: Part 1 eXtra Value

5 Reasons to attend Christmas in November 2013

XMAS+YOU!

(Above is Julie’s squirrel just before it dove into the chocolate fountain!)

Part 1:  eXtra Value
Part 2: Much food, friendship and frivolity
Part 3: Atmosphere and Ambiance
Part 4: Service second to none
Tomorrow, the last in this 5 part series:
Part 5: You deserve it

Highlights of three sessions:

  • Michael and Anna Olsen’s,
  • Julie Van Rosendaal and Pierre Lemieux, and
  • Keoma Franceschi with Teresa Spinelli

The Founder of Christmas in November: Judy Schultz
Congratulations Elizabeth Baird: A Canadian Food Hero

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Full Disclosure: Mom and I paid for our Christmas in November Package as explained above; however, I was upgraded to the Silver Anniversary Package in exchange for writing a couple of articles about the event. I just cannot do a couple of articles. There is simply too much to share. But, I didn’t pay for the Silver Anniversary Package and certainly enjoyed it in exchange for my writing, here, and more to come.

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Filed Under: Alberta Culinary Tourism, Promotions, Reviews (Products, Books, and Events) Tagged With: Christmas in November, CIN, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

About Valerie Lugonja

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Educator, Writer, Gardener and Traveler who believes in buying and eating locally, and most importantly cooking at home! As a brand new Gramsy, so be prepared to hear a lot about this new role in her life!
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« Christmas in November 2013: Part 3 Atmosphere and Ambiance
Christmas in November 2013: Part 5 You Deserve It »

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Comments

  1. Judy Swainson says

    November 13, 2013 at 5:09 pm

    What a magical weekend Val! Wonderful people and a wonderful memories. Such great pictures and a great write up about the event! I feel like I was there with you. oxox

    Reply
  2. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    November 13, 2013 at 9:06 pm

    I look at people wearing those heavy jackets and seeing the Christmas decorations and then I look outside and it’s hot and everyone’s in shorts and the days are long – it’s just not right. 🙂

    What a fabulous weekend and one I would love to attend.

    Reply

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