Happy Halloween

Team Meeting, October 29th

Wedding this Saturday, ceremony off site.
100 guests here for a birthday party this Sunday.
No events this Monday.
Wedding next Friday with on site ceremony.
Wedding next Saturday with on site ceremony.
Tango group next Sunday, 7.30pm
Brittany, the new Christina starts on November 10th, profile and pic to follow.
Room numbers are up 23 over last year.
3rd corridor renovation taking place right now, will be done early next week.
4 more rooms start being renovated next week.
Month end "stuff" to be all in by Monday, Nov 3rd.
Updated Cafe menus start tomorrow.
We are still looking to hire one more cook.
Jazz night numbers have been strong this past few weeks.
Need jazz line up for November and December.
We're signed up for January bridal show.
Cafe to open at 6.45 am this Monday.
Christmas tree going up in early December this year.

The Weight Loss Challenge

Anne Zok will be here tomorrow with her scales, so far there's 5 of us from Windermere that have stepped up to the challenge !

It's not too late to join in, see earlier blog post for details.............

Good Luck to all

Volleyball Tournament

Windermere is looking to put a team into this tournament, let me know by email if you'd like to be on the team, first come, first served.

Neil

Happy Birthday to Sarah today

A little Challenge, the Biggest Loser

All are welcome to sign up, I've signed up already, the winner collects the cash, that'll be me !
Anyone interested, let me know and I can email more details.
Neil

Reminder to pick up a pumpkin

Team Meeting October 22nd

Wedding this Saturday, on site ceremony.
VIP Lanxess group in Smallman room this Monday.
CVG being used as a polling station for the election this Monday, the Launch Pad will be closed that day.
Wedding next Saturday, off site ceremony.
Christmas Day Brunch looking like selling out.
Rooms are at 1066, last year 1062,
Tripadvisor, hotel at 14, Cafe at 12
Third floor corridor renovations start tomorrow.
Fanshawe students tour on November 10th.
Fanshawe career day on November 5th
Bridal show at Western Fair on Jan 9th and 10th.

Church Breakfast Tomorrow

Tomorrow's the third Saturday of the month, that means it's church breakfast day, Windermere cooks up a hot breakfast which we serve at a downtown church as part of the London's Community Breakfast program.
We always welcome volunteers to come out and help serve the breakfast buffet, 9am to 11am at All Saints church on Hamilton and Adelaide (next to the Tim Hortons)

Team Meeting October 16th

Wedding this Saturday with on-site ceremony.
Room 101 renovation is complete, check it out, we are looking to do another 5 rooms ASAP, stay tuned.
Brittany, Christine's replacement will be joining us, starting around November 10th, we'll ask Brittany to do a little bio for the blog when she starts.
The CVG will be used as a polling station on October 27th for the local election, the Launch Pad will be closed that day.
I'm pleased to share that we have been voted consumer's choice award for London's Best Wedding Venue - this is the second year in a row we have won this award.
We will be participating a a hospitality industry career day at Fanshawe College on November 5th.
Tyler continues to make good progress in his recovery at Parkwood hospital.
Blackfriar's Spa will be closed until November 1st for renovations, upgrades and staff training.
Wedding next Saturday, ceremony on site.
Breakfast will be served in Cafe all weekend.
Room numbers are at 975, last year on this date ended at 1019.
New Honey menu ready to go to print.
Andrea will be taking care of coffee and linen orders for next few weeks.
Hotel at #13 on Tripadvisor and Cafe at #11
New Cafe menus coming along, be implemented in next couple of weeks.
New phones are being purchased for guestrooms.

Blackfriars Spa

The Spa will be closed until November 1st for some upgrades and renovations, all guest appointments between now and November 1st have been moved to the Wharncliffe Spa location.

Pick Up A Pumpkin

There are pumpkin's behind Hannah's desk for staff that would like to take one home and decorate with their child. Come on over and pick one up!

By: Sarah

Timing is Everything

This fellow showed up just in front of the bee hives on Tuesday, October 14th, must have been hiding all Thanksgiving weekend !

Happy Thanksgiving

A Happy Thanksgiving to all at Windermere, it's been a busy weekend, my thanks to all who worked so hard to make it a great weekend for all 3 wedding parties.

We'll plan a turkey staff lunch one day soon.

Gavin Cay - Obituaries - London, ON - Your Life Moments

Gavin Cay - Obituaries - London, ON - Your Life Moments

Team Meeting October 8th

Three weddings this long weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Breakfast is in The Grand Hall on Monday.
Breakfast on Sunday is being served in the North Dining Room and seating in Dearview.
Stat holiday this Monday, Cafe is open for breakfast and dinner.
New uniforms have arrived for new banquet staff.
Fire drill went well today, thanks to all who participated.
Coke updating hotel pop machine next week.
Cafe and hotel at numbers 11 and 13 on Tripadvisor.
Serving Thanksgiving dinner menu in Cafe on Sunday and Monday night.
Hannah is the new Grand Hall microphone expert.
Janet is working on the Fall honey theme menu for Cafe dinner.
Room 101 is completed, check it out when you have a chance.
Health and safety meetings will be at 3pm on the last Monday of each month.
New kitchen uniforms have arrived.
Graphic Services has the new Cafe menus.
Latest food safety audit posted in staff room.
Holiday Christmas brochures are here, let's post everywhere !
We will be hosting a trade booth at Mega Biz after 5 on October 3rd.
Rooms at 808 month to date, last year was at 804.

Tyler Update

I was talking with Tyler's Dad today, Tyler moved into Parkwood hospital yesterday for further treatment. He is doing very well and making a good but slow recovery. Tyler's Dad is going to let me know when Tyler is ready for visitors.

Tuesday October 7, 2014

Today we have a large day meeting in the Grand Hall, North Meeting Room and Deerview Room for up to 70 people. We also have three dinner/ evening events tonight, one of them being a plated dinner in the Grand Hall for 60 people.

The hotel has 20 rooms left to sell today.

This Day In History:  In 1849 Poet-writer Edgar Allan Poe died at age 40.

A Thank-you note to Hannah and the team from the Finnegan/ Stewart Wedding on August 8th:

By: Sarah

Monday October 6, 2014

It was a busy weekend here at The Windermere and everything went well. There are 3 evening meetings in house today, one of them being a dinner in the Grand Hall for 30 people. 

There are 12 rooms left to sell in the Hotel today.

This Day in History: In 1927 "The Jazz Singer`, the first full-length talking picture, starring Al Jolson, debuted.

By: Sarah

Friday October 3, 2014

TODAY:

Today every meeting room on-site has a function in it, some of them have two. There are 3 day meetings (one of them using 5 of our function rooms), and one evening event in the Grand Hall for 100 people.

Tomorrow we have a day meeting in the North Meeting Room and a Wedding in the Grand Hall with 104 guests and an on-site ceremony.

The hotel has only 5 rooms left to sell today and tomorrow is sold out.

This Day in History: In 1955 Captain Kangaroo and The Mickey Mouse Club premiered on television.

By: Sarah

Thursday October 2, 2014

TODAY:

Today there are three on-site meetings, two day meetings, and one event in the Grand Hall for roughly 20 people.

The Hotel is busy today with only 5 rooms left to sell.

This Day in History: In 1950 the "Peanuts" comic strip, by Charles M. Schultz, first appeared in newspapers.



Team Meeting- Wednesday October 1, 2014

- This Saturday October 5 there is a wedding of 105 guests with an on-site ceremony at the tree, weather permitting.
- Weddings for the long weekend include: Friday October 10th with an on-site ceremony 100 people,  Saturday October 11th on-site ceremony 85 people, and Sunday October 12th on-site ceremony 35 people.
- Also on Sunday October 12th there is a Baby Shower in the Grand Hall with over 60 guests attending.
- On Sunday October 12th Café breakfast buffet will be set up in the NDR and guests will be seated in the NMR and Deerview room.
- Monday October 13th Café breakfast is in the Grand Hall
- Banquets department is looking into replacing TV's to have new flat screen TV's available for functions
- Hannah is looking into getting a new pop machine in the Hotel which would be managed by Coca- Cola
- We are welcoming two new banquet servers to our team this week, Braden & Paige.
- We are still looking to hire in the Café
- The Café will be open Sunday October 12th as per usual hours and offering their full menu as normal. On Monday October 13th the Café will be open from 8-10am for breakfast and 5-pm for dinner. The dinner menu's available will include our Casual menu, our 3 course feature and turkey.
- The Café is working on putting together the new Honey Harvest Feature Menu
- Gwen is ordering new deposit envelops
- Fanshawe College Concierge students will be on-site for a tour on Wednesday October 8.
- Sarah Williams will be planning the company Holiday Party and is eagerly looking for a couple individuals willing to help in the planning and execution of this event. Thank-you Blake for already offering.
- The Hotel one year ago today had sold 705 rooms for October, and this year to date has sold 787.
- October is shaping up to be a busy month for the Hotel.
- If you know of anyone that has stayed at the Hotel please encourage them to write a review on Tripadvisor.
- The Kitchen had an Auditor come in yesterday and to quote said we have the "cleanest kitchen on campus". Great job everyone!
- The oven in the kitchen is still broken but we are working on getting it fixed, it needs a new part ordered.
- Suite 101 at the Hotel is coming along very nicely with new paint, new counter tops ready to be installed, new blinds, new lighting and new photos.
- The curbing work and painting outside is done


By Sarah

This is your Captain speaking.....

Please join me in welcoming Braden and Paige to the Banquet team, I'll give you a little help in getting to know them both, one of them is a licenced pilot and the other one is under six foot tall !!

Windermere's Ryder cup Golf Team

Congratulations to George, Dell, Blake and Andrea, I hear they put on an outstanding display of golf at last week's tournament.

Wednesday October 1, 2014

TODAY:

There are five functions in banquets today, one day meeting, two lunch meetings- one of them being the Power of Networking group which meets bi-weekly and has grown over the years to be over 40 members, and two evening events- one of them being a plated dinner for 11 people and the other a Open House event in the Grand Hall for roughly 50 people.

The hotel is at 68% occupancy with 15 rooms left to sell.

Today, Christina Annett fly's over the Atlantic Ocean to experience a new adventure in Great Britain. I will sincerely miss my colleague & friend.

This Day in History: In 1971 Walt Disney World opened in Orlando, Florida.

By: Sarah 

Bye Bye Christina

Christina heads across the pond to Manchester, England today (stopping at a few countries in between).
Christina's going to be missed at Windermere as her job duties in the past couple of years have included:

Front Desk
Sales & Catering
Banquets Host
Sitting in at Hannah's desk
Church breakfast helper
Expedia & Bookings dot.com guru
and of course  - blog developer

I'd like to thank Christina and wish her all the best in her new venture.... and if Manchester isn't your cup of tea then head North to the good country!

A note from Christina.....


Hello Neil,
I wanted to write and say goodbye and thank everyone for making my time at Windermere such a wonderful experience. I have learned a lot and have enjoyed working with the entire team.

Christina

Also, we are seeking a new Christina.....