What to give someone who helped me?

[ed1066]

I'm hoping the cool kids here can help me out. I travel for business quite a bit and stay in hotels 3-4 nights a week. Currently, I'm working a long-term project which is keeping me in the same city (San Francisco) for about a year. I have been staying in the same hotel most weeks, but with both convention season and tourist season approaching, getting reservations here is becoming a challenge. The hotel is in a desireable location and it's sold out most spring and summer weeks.

At any rate, I was unable to secure reservations for six different weeks over the next few months. I wrote a letter to the hotel manager asking for assistance, and she was kind enough to book the reservations for all the weeks at a rate even lower than the corporate one I typically receive.

I would like to give a gratuity of some kind, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Is cash too tacky? If it isn't, what amount is appropriate? If cash isn't cool, what would be a nice token to show appreciation? I don't want to come off as creepy, inappropriate or patronizing, as I'm a male and this lady is a bit younger than I am (probably early or mid-thirties). Thanks for the help!

 

[acidboy]

gratuity is fine

 

[Canadian]

To be honest, I would rather receive a nice letter, printed on company stationery saying to the manager roughly the following:

1. Thanks for accommodating me on short notice.

2. I appreciate the excellent service shown by all members of your hotel staff.

3. I look forward to doing business with your firm in the future.

I know when I get a note like that at work, it goes on the company fridge and everybody (smaller factory with ~20 employees) from the guy who sweeps the floors to the CEO gets a warm fuzzy feeling.

Thomas

 

[ChicagoRon]

The letter is a given. An Amex gift card as a gratuity with it would not be tacky, and I'm sure it would be appreciated. A business type gift like a nice pen doesn't seem out of line, but probably more money than this is worth... you are a good customer and you EARNED the service you were given by being loyal.

 

[acidboy]

also, perhaps a letter to her superiors saying good things about the hotel manager would also be nice.

 

[Mandres]

It seems like a nice letter and a food or drink based gift would be appropriate here. Something she can share with the other employees in the office.

 

[dragon8]

Definitly a letter as others have stated and maybe something from edible arrangements.

www.ediblearrangements.com