Midland Daily News Readers Choice, Midlands Best for 2012

Thank you Midland for making this morning extraordinary!

The Midland Daily News Readers Choice 2012 awards were published this past weekend.  Eagerly we thumbed through the publication to find the spot where hotels were listed to see our name. We heard some time ago that we had placed third in this line up, but it was not until we seen it in print, until it was truly official, that we allowed ourselves to celebrate this monumental victory for our company.

Now, I realize that what we are calling a monumental victory is something that could be taken for granted by others, but to us it was confirmation. In this voted placement we, as a company and as a team, have tangible evidence that our feet are firmly planted on the road to success.

This award confirms that our team efforts to express gratitude to our patrons through our daily service practices are indeed paying off.

Many of you may not be aware of the struggles that our hotel has seen in the past 4 years. There have been many challenges and obstacles for our company. I suppose our company really is no different than any other independently owned business in our state really. So much of our beautiful state is currently in the process of rebuild and structural reorganization. Though it can be extremely challenging to be a company which has had its share of struggle, we are proud today to know that we are on the right track!

We are growing. We are starting to feel the rumblings of change and progress. Soon these changes will be visible to others and when these changes are, they too will be monumental. And we will celebrate. We will celebrate our new facility and our new shiny things, but we will mostly celebrate you and our community, and our staff, and our commitment, our dedication, and our faith in believing.

Thank you Midland for your loyalty and for your patronage. We value you; we care about you and your business. Thank you to our committed staff members who weather the storms of our industry and our economy day in and day out. Thank you to our managers who have the courage to strive for success and who are able to confront challenges with innovative and swift decisions. Thank you for being bold enough to seek success no matter how large the obstacles may seem.

Monumental indeed. 

Murder Mystery Company is coming to Midland Resort!

So it’s getting ready to be Autumn again, children are getting ready to go back to school, the trees are starting to change color ever so slightly and each evening is cooler than the one before it. Soon we will start wearing our comfy sweaters, enjoying hot teas and cocoa and our levels of busyness will slow down.

Most of us are looking forward to the fall with all of its color and wonder, and the mystery that surrounds this season of pumpkins, hay rides and tails of spooks. The staff of Midland Resort is no different, with the exception that many of our staff members are Halloween enthusiasts. We love a good mystery regardless if it is an unexplainable voice from a would be wayward spirit or a great game of who done it. We are celebrating this fall season with a great Murder Mystery Game, a dinner theater put on by the famous Murder Mystery Company.  http://www.grimprov.com/murder-mystery-dinners-in-michigan/midland-resort/  This event will be centered around the 1920’s Crime and Punishment theme and an era where gangsters and starlets mingled.

Our staff is preparing to roll out the red carpet where food and decore are concerned. Our chefs have created the most amazing three course meal for you and our ball room will be a vision of red roses, touches of fall and feathers set with the perfect glow of votive candles.

Don’t miss this event; it will be one to remember. We are excited to have you as our guest this fall and for each event we create. Contact our front desk agent to reserve your space today at 989-631-4220. Due to the level of excitement about the Murder Mystery Company coming to our hotel we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible, seating is limited. 

Wedding Celebration at the Midland Resort

Recent at Midland Resort

Here are a few photos from a wedding that we hosted a few weeks ago. I thought this would be fun to share with you guys because it really is proof that a wedding does not have to break the bank to be beautiful!

This look is rich and it is special and it was so easy to create! It never ceases to amaze me how quickly a few twinkly lights and some fabric can transform a room! If you are interested in having a special event with us we can actually create this same look for you! The table that you see that is all light up with white lights is the head table where the bride and groom sit for their reception meal. When this room is being used for other events or ceremonies this is where the podium or presentation typically is positioned.  For this specific event and most weddings the dance floor is positioned directly in front of the head table.

The mother of the bride grew all of the flowers. The pots and vases on the table were all borrowed and recycled. The bride gave the creative and thoughtful gift of an evergreen sapling to each of the guests which you may be able to see there on the table.



This photo was taken to show how the grouping of tables looked together. Our convention center holds 350 comfortably for a plated dinner. This large room can be divided 8 different ways to accommodate small groups as well.  If you are interested in learning more about our banquet or catering options for your next event will fit comfortably in this space give our sales team a call at 989-698-0680.

Customer Service Training Comes To Midland Resort

Earlier this week our entire staff went through customer service training. We were exposed to a wide range of questions and scenarios which motivated us to realize the importance and value of our individual positions.

For the line level staff the most reported “ah ha” moments were centered on the importance of taking pride in the specific job they were doing. Another “ah ha” moment came when they were brought to the realization that every customer they encounter is a little piece of their lives. I can not express how impactful it has been for each of our employees to come to understand how each guest who comes to our facility, through their patronage, is making each employees life standard possible. Each guest by choosing our hotel is helping each employee have the income on which to build dreams, mold futures and shape the lives of their families. I am so proud that each employee at our hotel grasps how valuable each person who comes to our facility truly is.

 Our management team also went through a training session to learn how to better communicate with staff members, guests and with one another. Since the training we have brainstormed how we could enrich the skills of our management team by tapping into the strength of each member and sharing knowledge. We have decided that each month one member of our team will share a skill they have that the other managers can most benefit from. All members of management will participate regardless of experience, time in the company or industry.  Some of the topics that we will share with one another are time management, optimism in the work place, fact finding, team building and project management.

More import was the confirmation that we must make investments in our staff. We must empower them, we must cultivate talent and we must give each member of the company room to grow. When we invest in our staff and in our selves we are able to build a company where people choose to work, where they are proud to work and where they truly enjoy what they are doing. It is so simple and so clear. Happy, cared for people will offer great service experiences because they want to, not because they have to.

This training was a “ah ha” moment for each member of our team in some way. It is empowering to collectively be aware of how our attitudes, attentiveness and actions are truly what define our hotel from every other. I want to recommend customer service training to all of you who are leaders of service driven businesses. It was truly an enriching experience for our management and our staff.  

Quote form Millisa Getgood, General Manager “It has been really exciting to feel this renewed sense of team spirit. It feels good to see everyone so excited to move towards excellence. Our future is truly bright.”

Day Tripping

Day Tripping is making a come back!

For most of us taking a vacation to a faraway, exotic destination is this economy is just as foreign as learning a new language. It is simply just not something that the majority of us have a budget for. Fortunately for us we live in Michigan and have access to some incredibly amazing and affordable places within a few hours drive. We are so fortunate to live in Michigan we have well known landmarks like Pictured Rocks, Mackinac Bridge, Tahquamenon Falls State Park, and let’s not forget The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park available to us all right here in the state.

As a member of the hospitality industry, I interact with travelers on a daily basis. I have been noticing an increase in couples visiting our hotel for overnight get-a-ways with the majority of them being residents of our great state. Even more surprising, many of those who are purchasing get-a-way packages are residents of the tri-cities. When discussing their stay it has become typical to hear that though they did not have money for a large flashy vacation, a small over night trip was just what was needed.

If you rather stay even closer to home you may be amazed at the many awesome things to do right here in our beautiful town. In Midland we have all the luxury and excitement needed to rest and recover with out the drive not to mention the cost of plane tickets. We can go to a baseball game, have a romantic walk in the gardens and enjoy some of the best ice cream in the world. We have historic tours and landmarks, we have miles and miles of paved paths, rivers to canoe and kayak on and forests to rest in which are all available for little or no money. So rest easy and play hard and have a fantastic time discovering our state and spending time with your loved ones this summer!