Sam’s Bar at the Hilton Garden Inn overlooks the splash pad. Nachos, wings and small plates are offered there.
“It is quite an honor to achieve this award,” said General Manager Marci Hurlbert, who oversees five hotels, with two in Flagstaff, two in Show Low and the Hilton Garden Inn.
She says the recognition came because of the team, including Assistant General Manager Jenniffer Mangus, Maintenance Supervisor Josh Hargan, Housekeeping Manager Margaret Strutz, Culinary Manager Rachel Agan, Banquet Manager Hillary Hofstetter and Front Desk Manager Alex Torget.
The award measures guest satisfaction and the overall guest experience. It is based on guest evaluations and inspections by a Hilton inspector once or twice a year. Hurlbert said these are random so that the hotels cannot prepare or in any way impact the scores. The ratings include many areas such as cleanliness, upkeep of the facility and friendliness of the staff.
“We’re still replacing things on an ongoing basis,” Hurlbert said about Hilton Garden Inn, which opened in 2020.
Hilton Garden Inn receives weekly score updates, which identify where they can improve. “We want to see how we can make it better for our guests,” Hurlbert said. “They might want better lighting or different types of pillows.”
Hilton hotels became pet-friendly this year. That means not only allowing pets in the hotel, but letting pet owners know where the nearest vet is located, where they can get supplies and where there’s a pet-friendly park. “We want to make their stay amazing,” she said, adding that one customer described the customer service as “perfection” and that is what they strive to do for each customer.
Hurlbert said people love to come to Prescott because of its small-town charm and pioneering history. On the hotel campus is The Event Center at Sam Hill Warehouse, a historic 4,800-square-foot building, popular for wedding receptions, corporate gatherings and banquets.
Triple Creek Kitchen and Spirit is the main restaurant, which offers American fare, comfort food and regional favorites like burritos. Fresh fruit and salads are also available. “It’s an independent concept restaurant,” she said. “It’s not like any other Hilton restaurant.”
Sam’s Bar at the Hilton Garden Inn overlooks the splash pad. Nachos, wings and small plates are offered there.
Hurlbert was hired to open the property in 2020 as she inspected the 101 rooms and overlooked the hiring, training and marketing aspects of the new hotel. She said all of the staff members live in Prescott, as the company focused on hiring locally.
Hurlbert has worked for Hilton for about 20 years. Her family moved here in the 1970s and she is a graduate of Prescott High School. “Prescott is a great place to be.” QCBN
By Ray Newton and Stan Bindell, QCBN
Photo by Kay Lyons: Hilton Garden Inn General Manager Marci Hurlbert says she and her team are focused on the guest experience.
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