One of the few "chains" (very few) that I would buy stock in is Four Seasons. They are by far the most consistent in delivering a remarkable service experience. Here's an account of a recent visit by Tom Peters...
Anyway, Susan was desperate to see last night's West Wing, which of course was pre-empted by the dinner. On a lark, about 15 minutes before we went out, she called the Concierge and asked if by any odd chance they could tape the show for her/us."Naturally," they said, "No problem."
Upshot. Great dinner. Returned to the hotel at 10pm. Our VCR was set up with the show tape in it, and a little Post-it note saying, "Happy Birthday, push Start." (There was also a plate of treats next to the note.)
Ye gads ...
A nice example of improvisation and adaptability...something FS does well, day in and day out. If there were a BCS in the hotel rankings game, they would be in the hunt for the national title every year.