One of our Gentlemen at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman noticed that a guest was checking out on her birthday. To make the guest’s day truly memorable, our Gentleman enlisted the help of one his more artistically-inclined colleagues. Despite only having one day to pull off the surprise, the pair was able to not only create a special birthday cake, but also a hand-painted portrait that captured the guest enjoying a beautiful view of the Caribbean. The guest described it as “one of the best vacations of her life."

A young family was visiting The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore. Chatting with the concierge, the mother mentioned it was her son’s first visit to her childhood home and she couldn’t wait to share experiences she remembered growing up. In particular, she recalled flying kites during festivals. The next day, after an authentic Indian breakfast, the family was invited up to the roof terrace where they were surprised and delighted to be given colorful kites. They spent the rest of the morning sharing a wonderful memory from Mom’s past.

Sitting alone each day at the beachside cafe, an elderly Russian gentleman caught the eye of the Assistant Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya, Yalong Bay. The guest eventually revealed to the Manager that he had spent his career as a Russian cosmonaut. Both retired and recently widowed, he was having a difficult time, so the staff embarked on a group effort to lift this guest's spirits. A sandcastle artist created a rocket sculpture on the beach, and staff members reimagined a bottle of the guest's favorite vodka with news accounts of his space journeys. When he received all of these surprises, the guest was delighted, and showed his gratitude by regaling the team with stories of his adventures in the cosmos.

A young woman is greeted by a host of surprises when she enters The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. Unbeknownst to her, the staff members were executing a highly coordinated plan for a unique wedding proposal conceived by her boyfriend. The couple was escorted to their room where flowers, champagne and an array of treats awaited them. The surprise of a lifetime was still to come when the guest peered through a telescope in the room, which pointed directly at one of our Gentleman in Central Park holding a handmade sign that read, “Marry me?” She turned around to find her boyfriend on one knee holding a beautiful ring. Truly a dream, perfected.