In honor of Women’s History Month, we wanted to highlight one of our female Guest Services Agents, Anna-Marie Rieber. As a Guest Services Agent, Anna-Marie works with many of our guests at The Towers on a daily basis, ensuring they have the best possible stay at The New York Palace.
What sets Anna-Marie apart from other employees is that she comes from a family that is committed to hospitality. Her mother Anna-Marie Santo worked in New York hotels for over 30 years, with 20 of those years spent as the Director of Housekeeping at The New York Palace.
The New York Palace: What attracted you to The New Palace for employment?
Anna-Marie Rieber: I needed a job, and seeing my mom working at The Palace, I thought this was a great place to work. I come from a hotel family. Aside from my mom, my father owned a limousine company, my sister worked in housekeeping and as a bartender, my brother started his culinary career as a hotel chef and my husband worked as a bellman for two years.
The New York Palace: What is it like working at the same place your mother did?
Anna-Marie Rieber: I can understand why she loved her job so much. Although I am not in the housekeeping department, I am still able to feel the appreciation that she had for The Palace. To this day, guests and team members still ask about her.
The New York Palace: What do you enjoy most about being a Guest Services Agent?
Anna-Marie Rieber: I say it all the time, and I can’t say it enough, but I love my job. It’s very rewarding meeting and ensuring that guests have the best stay possible. I want them to be happy, leave with a smile and come back and visit us again.
I meet a lot of people in my line of work, but there are always guests whom you never forget. For example, I remember when I was checking out a guest going to Germany. At the time, my brother was doing an internship at a hotel in Düsseldorf working in the kitchen and as a bellman, and I mentioned this to the guest while we were making small talk. As it turned out, the guest was going to be staying at my brother’s hotel and he ended up taking the guest’s luggage to the room upon arrival at the hotel. It was great that I was able to pass the guest along during the journey to my brother.
The New York Palace: What part of the renovations are you most excited about?
Anna-Marie Rieber: I can’t wait to see all of the new designs that will be incorporated into the hotel. The Tower Lobby is a feature I’m very excited for because it will be modern but still have that classic look to the hotel. In the Tower Lobby, guests will be able to sit down and have a conversation in a welcoming environment. It will be great to have a space were guests can be more comfortable while checking-in and departing.