We're in the hospitality business and nothing gives us more pleasure than welcoming our guests for life's most memorable moments, an important business negotiation, or simply a good night's sleep.

Sometimes, situations outside our control create inhospitable conditions, like the tragic events that recently unfolded in Bangkok. That's when our focus shifts to protecting our guests' personal well-being and doing our very best to ensure that they have a hotel to come back to.

Many of us watched with dismay as political unrest overwhelmed Bangkok's streets in early May.  By then, we had closed our three hotels in the immediate vicinity—the Renaissance Bangkok; the Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok and The Mayfair, Marriott Executive Apartments.  We moved our guests to safety to our other hotels in Bangkok and asked the majority of our associates in the affected hotels to stay home for their own safety. We later had to close another of our properties, the Marriott Executive Apartments, Sathorn Vista and relocated guests from there as well.

Left behind in each hotel, however, was a small cadre of associates whose role was to protect their property from the potential damage caused by the protestors. They boarded up the windows, secured the entrances, moved furniture and provisions from the lobby, worked to limit access to the upper floors. And then they waited for as long as 30 days in their empty hotels for the crowd outside to be dispersed -- with limited communication with their friends and families and very great uncertainty about the outcome.

Heroism and dedication to duty takes many forms and none of us know when and how we'll be called to face the challenge. Heroism is not always recognized, but I'm very proud and want to salute the men and women of these hotels, led by their respective General Managers: Supap Sirins, Doris Marchardt, Stefan Gruber and Carsten Siebert, as well as nearby JW Marriott Bangkok General Manager Peter Caprez.  Peter provided encouragement and timely situation assessments.  Everyone did what they had to do to protect their hotels. I am very proud of all of them.

Today, the streets surrounding these hotels are virtually cleaned up. Bangkok is slowly returning to normal. By the end of May the doors of all these hotels had reopened. Next time you visit one of these wonderful hotels, I know you will be welcomed warmly. 

But you will know that somewhere among the smiling faces greeting you, there are a few who quietly faced the challenge at hand—and prevailed.

I'm Bill Marriott and thanks for helping me keep Marriott on the move.

www.blogs.marriott.com/marriott-on-the-move