Good hospitality breeds success and just desserts

Those of us in hospitality hate to lose a customer. However, when we lose a customer because they decide to buy a second home in Cape May, we don’t just lose a guest; we gain a friend. When I first checked Scott into the hotel more than fifteen years ago, I had no idea who he was or what he did for a living. At this point, Scott and his family were just guests.

My personal mission statement is: “Hospitality is more than chocolates on a pillow. Like a warm handshake, when tourism meets hospitality, memories are made.” In many cases, those memories become friends.  In my first column, I mentioned immersing myself in everything Cape May. Well, that includes happy hour at the nearby pub.

Sitting in a local watering hole and people-watching can be fun. When the guest from the hotel walks in and occupies the next seat, you must have a conversation. You could ignore each other because, after all, you are done with the work for the day. In Cape May hospitality, you are never really off-duty.

The guest (Scott) has been a regular visitor to Cape May for a long time. “I first came in the late ’60s when I was 14ish. Friends of my parents brought their boat from Northeast Maryland to Cape May for July and would invite their friends there for long weekends. We would stay on the boat from Thursday to Sunday,” he shares.

A savvy businessman, Scott doesn’t just stay with me over the years. He also stays at the Avondale, Congress Hall, and when an email special arises, he takes advantage of the Virginia Hotel and the neighboring Carroll Villa Hotel. It will be years before he purchases his first property in Cape May.

“Many vacationers have been visiting our communities for generations,” local broker Todd deSatnick, tells me.  “However, we have worked with guests who have purchased homes after one visit to our area or after many years of planning to purchase properties eventually.”

Just desserts!!!

Scott owns a small business that specializes in desserts. The company has been in the family for years and employs many people. Over the years, Scott has gone out of his way to get to know the community he visits. He frequents his favorite places: Hemmingway’s at the Grand, Harry’s and the Montreal, Fins, and the Mad Batter. You start to get the picture. Scott and his family don’t check in and hibernate; they help boost commerce in Cape May.

“Going out for tea,” Scott calls it. It is common to find a crowd of residents and see Scott in the middle of them like good friends. Here, at the Mad Batter you will find him watching the traffic reports on television.

A few years ago, when a local bartender severely injured his leg and could not work, Scott helped him financially. It was a noble gesture.

“We have guests that check in every summer that have been renting the same properties for over 30 years.  Many of these repeat clients never become owners,” Todd said. But Scott tells me it has always been on his mind. They have family traditions. On New Year’s Eve, his wife dips her toe into the ocean. And although they know the schedule of year-round and seasonal properties, Scott will eventually need his own place.

Good hospitality

The hotel/motel business mirrors the house rentals. Thirty-year regulars rent the same room the same week and make Cape May their happy place. Guests will sometimes ask for realtor referrals when they decide to drop anchor.

The diversity of the economic spectrum is vast across the fabric of Cape May residents and second homeowners. Investment bankers, pharmaceutical executives, and television celebrities are sprinkled throughout the population. Add specialty dessert bakers to the mix.

Scott’s humble beginnings, watching his mom bake cakes in the kitchen, or his solid spiritual beliefs may have contributed to his success. Ultimately, purchasing a home in West Cape May became a reality for his family. Nothing else has changed except that now the grandchildren have a place to stay, and Cape May commerce is getting more support.

“It would not have happened if it weren’t for my wife. We make all of our decisions together,” Scott said. Please pass another slice of cake.

 

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1 Comment

  1. Francis Morrisey
    February 3, 2025 / 11:27 pm

    Great piece John. You are so right about, “renting the same room for the same week, year after year.”

    You are so in touch with the Spirit of Cape May.

    Frank M