Living Hospitality: Doing the Right Thing When No One Is Watching

“Living Hospitality” is a Newport Hospitality Group philosophy built on the belief that hospitality isn't simply something associates do; it’s something they live. I have seen this culture in practice firsthand at many of our hotels, but I often wondered whether our associates actually practice it when no one is watching.  

For La’Kesha Holland, a front desk associate at our Hampton Inn Jacksonville Beach Oceanfront in Florida, “when no one is watching” is the most important time to do what is right.

One day, La'Kesha overheard an elderly gentleman having a troubling phone conversation. He was scheduled for eye surgery at the Mayo Clinic, but he needed someone to drive him to the appointment, stay with him throughout the procedure, and safely return him to the hotel afterward.

He was alone, with no one available to help. La'Kesha heard the worry in his voice and realized he might miss an important medical procedure without help. So, she offered to assist. Although it was her scheduled day off, La'Kesha picked him up, drove him to the Mayo Clinic, waited while he underwent surgery, and brought him safely back to the hotel.

"I couldn't imagine how frightening it must have felt to think he might miss such an important procedure simply because he didn't have someone to sit beside him and make sure he got home," she told General Manager Michael Gale after learning from her peers about her generosity. "To me, giving up a few hours of my day was such a small thing compared to what it could mean for him."

What makes the story even more remarkable is what happened afterward. The gentleman still visits La'Kesha from time to time. His vision has improved tremendously; he no longer needs glasses, and their relationship has grown into a lasting friendship.

"I gave him a few hours out of one day of my life, but those hours helped him gain something that could last a lifetime: his confidence and the ability to see the world more clearly," she said.

For La'Kesha, the greatest reward wasn't knowing she had saved the day. It was knowing she had made a difference.

As a die-hard Jacksonville Jaguars fan and season ticket holder, La'Kesha knows what game day excitement feels like. So, when a couple arrived at the hotel dressed head to toe in Jaguars gear, she naturally struck up a conversation.

The couple had traveled to Jacksonville hoping to attend a game, but tickets were sold out, and resale prices were more than they could afford. They hoped prices might drop.

La'Kesha had another idea. She gave them her tickets.

"They were absolutely shocked,” she said. “They couldn't believe I would give up my tickets for people I had just met."

La’Kesha had already experienced the excitement of attending many Jaguars games and wanted them to have the same opportunity. The couple's gratitude made missing the game worthwhile. Even better, they are repeat guests during football season and make a point to stop by and say “hello” when La’Kesha is on duty.

"I may have missed one football game, but I gained a beautiful friendship and a memory that will last much longer than those four quarters," she said.

For La'Kesha and Newport, that's a win worth celebrating.

Two Houseplants and a Little Piece of Home

Perhaps the most touching example of La'Kesha's approach to “Living Hospitality” began with a woman crying over her morning coffee. An elderly guest was staying at the hotel after her home flooded. Just a month earlier, she had lost her husband. Displaced, grieving, and struggling with loneliness, she found herself in unfamiliar surroundings without the comforts of home.

La'Kesha noticed her tears, hugged her, and invited her to sit and talk.

During their conversation, the woman mentioned how much she loved her houseplants. After losing her husband, talking to her plants had become a source of comfort and companionship. Now, with her home damaged, even that small daily ritual was gone.

La'Kesha listened. And then she acted.

The next morning, she brought two of her own houseplants to work and quietly placed them in the woman's room as a surprise. When the guest returned to the lobby, she was crying again. This time, the tears were joyful.

The two exchanged phone numbers, and the woman still sends La'Kesha photographs showing how much the plants have grown.

"I couldn't bring her husband back. I couldn't undo the damage to her home. And I couldn't take away all the sadness she was carrying," La'Kesha said. "But I could give her something to nurture, something to look forward to, and a gentle reminder that she wasn't alone."

It wasn't an expensive gift or an elaborate gesture. It was something far more personal. La'Kesha had listened closely enough to recognize what this guest was truly missing.

Power, Permission, and Protection to Care

These stories illustrate why our “Living Hospitality” philosophy is more than a corporate culture statement. It's a commitment to empowering our associates to make thoughtful decisions that improve the guest experience.

All of us at Newport Hospitality Group admire her creativity and applaud her for realizing she has the freedom to lead with compassion. However, her instinct to care began long before she joined our company.

When the GM asked who taught her the importance of kindness, she replied: "My mother! I was raised by a beautiful, nurturing woman who taught me the importance of being kind, caring, loving, and compassionate toward others."

Those lessons, combined with our “Living Hospitality” principles, have become the foundation of La’Kesha’s approach to guest service and engagement. She doesn't see guests as reservations or room numbers. She sees people with individual stories, struggles, celebrations, and needs. And she believes the smallest interactions can have the greatest impact.

We could all learn from her perspective.

Living Hospitality Doesn't End at Checkout

What connects each of La'Kesha's stories is not the size of the gesture, but the relationships that followed. The gentleman whose vision was restored still visits. The Jaguars fans return during football season. The grieving widow continues sharing photographs of her growing plants.

These aren't simply examples of good customer service. They remind us that genuine hospitality can create connections that extend well beyond a guest's stay.

"To me, Living Hospitality isn't something I turn on when I clock in and turn off when I leave. It's a way of life," she said.

When asked to offer advice to her fellow associates on Living Hospitality, La’Kesha replied: “Don't underestimate the power of kindness. Pay attention. Listen. Take initiative. And never become so focused on the day's tasks that you overlook the person in front of you. Most importantly, remember that doing the right thing doesn't require an audience.”

My takeaway from these acts of “Living Hospitality” is that La’Kesha doesn’t see herself as extraordinary for doing them. She is just being the person her mother raised her to be.

That's what “Living Hospitality” looks like when no one is watching.

It's not about recognition, awards, or grand gestures. It's about recognizing an opportunity to make someone's life a little better and caring enough to act.

As La’Kesha put it: "Hospitality isn't always about what we can provide. Sometimes it's about what we're willing to give of ourselves."