Forget the resume.
Tell us three stories.

The great one

Describe a stay that was genuinely excellent. What made it so good? What did the property or the people do that you still remember? What would you copy, in the nicest possible sense, and bring to Waggle Dance Ranch?

The average one

Describe a stay that was perfectly fine but completely forgettable. Why was it merely average? What was missing? What could someone have done differently to turn “It was fine” into “You have to stay there”?

The bad one

Describe a stay that went badly. What happened, and more importantly, why did it happen? Was the real problem the property, communication, service, expectations, maintenance, management, or the response when something went wrong? If you had been running the property, what would you have done to fix it?

Ask the payer about all three trips

1. What were they happy to pay for? Which parts felt worth the money? What felt generous, convenient, memorable or genuinely valuable?
2. What irked them? What annoyed them before, during or after the stay, even if everybody else on the trip had a great time?
3. Where did they feel nickel-and-dimed? Ask specifically about cleaning fees, resort fees, parking, booking fees, deposits, service charges, food markups, activity charges, equipment rentals, transportation, late fees, checkout requirements or other add-ons. Which charges felt fair, and which felt like death by a thousand cuts?
4. What surprised them on the final bill? Was the true cost clear when the trip was booked? Were there charges they did not expect? Did anything make the advertised price feel misleading?
5. What would they gladly have paid MORE for? Was there something that would have made the trip easier, more memorable or more relaxing: transportation, stocked groceries, a chef, childcare, golf coordination, equipment, recovery, entertainment or another service?
6. Would they pay to take the same trip again? Why or why not? What single change would most improve the value proposition?

The payer’s view

Compare what you remembered about the three trips with what the payer remembered. Where did you agree? Where were you completely different?

The nickel-and-dime test

From the payer’s point of view, list the charges or policies that made any of these trips feel less hospitable. Then tell us how you would handle those same things at Waggle Dance Ranch.

What would you keep?

What did any of these properties charge for that the payer considered completely fair, or even a bargain? Why did it feel worth paying for?

A few final thoughts

What do these three trips and the payer interview say about you? What kind of guest experience do you naturally notice? What would you want to help invent at Waggle Dance Ranch?