November 22nd, 2009

Heartbreak in Las Vegas

About a month or two ago, my Travel Tale about my the trip to Las Vegas referred to in my post about Caesar’s Palace was published on Traveling Mom. Check it out!

When I was 20 weeks pregnant, my fiancé and I, at my impatient mother’s urging, abandoned our plans to wed the following fall and headed for a whirlwind wedding in Las Vegas. Instead, we discovered an overwhelming ache and fear that we carry with us still.

My pregnancy was plagued with hyperemesis- severe nausea and vomiting that lasts the duration of the pregnancy and usually results in dehydration, malnutrition, and the loss of at least 5 percent (most time 10 percent) of pre-pregnancy weight and constant leaking. Nevertheless, I got the OK to travel, even though I did not want to go to Vegas. As much as I wanted to marry my best friend, I did not want this kind of wedding.

A Grueling Trip

We left Oneonta, New York, on a Friday in February and drove three hours to the New Windsor, New York, where my soon-to-be sister-in-law cut hair. She gave her brother a haircut, then we took her minivan to the Bronx where I got my hair done. It was a long night. It takes forever to do black hair and this time it took even longer because of my frequent trips to the bathroom. When Andrew finally picked me up, I was uncomfortable and extremely tired. We drove to my mother’s house on the other side of the Bronx, where I slept uncomfortably in a green recliner. Little did I know that things would get even more uncomfortable the next day. [Read the rest at Traveling Mom]

November 15th, 2009

Campassion in the City of Sin

When you experience a tragedy while on vacation, the way the hotel staff treats you can determine how you view that brand forever. For me, suffering a pregnancy loss during what would have been my wedding was enough to ruin my view of Las Vegas forever.  However, the compassionate and top-notch customer service of the hotel staff made me a lifelong fan of Caesars Palace.

Prior to agreeing to get married in Las Vegas I had a very short-sided opinion of The Strip. My view was limited to what I had seen in movies. And when my mother suggested that we stay at one of the hotels located on The Strip, I immediately demanded that we look at the best luxury hotels in Las Vegas because there was no way that I would be staying at economy hotel.  My mom, a long time fan of Caesars Palace, recommend that we stay there and offered to split the cost. I agreed, but I remember thinking that if it did not cost at least $300 a night then it would not be a good hotel.

But I was wrong. From the moment we walked in I was in awe of the way they treated us. When we disclosed that we would be getting married while in Vegas, the Guest Services Representative immediately upgraded us to a deluxe room at no additional cost. In fact, she even offered to provide us with a list of the best restaurants atwhich to dine after wedding. She also provided us with the names of a few chapels in the area. I was extremely grateful for that because while we had been planning for a month before, I was pregnant and very few plans were actually finalized.

Unfortunately, shortly after check in I went into early labor and needed to be rushed to the hospital.  The Concierge was the first to arrive at our room with security in tow. They made sure that we knew that an ambulance was on its way and assured us that they would get in touch with our families who were not currently in their rooms. They even contacted Andrew’s parents who stayed at a different hotel to ensure that they knew what was happening. And when the ambulance arrived, the EMT’s, hotel security, a police officer, and the Concierge rushed me through the casino and into the awaiting ambulance.

Their attentiveness did not stop there. They checked on my husband after he returned to the hotel the next day and sent him a complimentary lunch. When the staff learned what happened the manager offered to extend our stay until I was cleared to fly giving us one night for free and the additional night at a discounted rate. And while they still sent us our congratulatory gift in honor of the marriage that did not take place, they treated us with kindness and showed empathy despite the thousands of other guest that they had to service.

To me, Caesars Palace will always be my first choice in hotels when possible. While it is located in the middle of The Strip in Sin City, the staff there believes in the Golden Rule.

*This is a Traveling Mom Dedicated Post. Learn More.