You Won’t Hear This Story Anywhere Else
During our consultancy on "staff well-being" for a prestigious hotel, we delved into human stories. It was through this collaboration with the HR that we met Francesca, one of the housekeeping staff members.
Francesca had recently endured a journey that would break even the strongest among us: a terminal illness. Every day had been a struggle, but Francesca had never stopped fighting, holding onto the love for her husband and her two daughters. And against all odds, she won. But the scars of the battle remained visible in her eyes.
After her recovery, Francesca found the strength to return to work. But we knew that coming back to life wasn’t easy. Francesca needed time and space to heal her soul.
We shared her story with the hotel’s management and together decided to do something special for her. For Francesca and her family, we organized a surprise vacation in Sardinia, at one of the most beautiful 5*L Hotels of the same chain. It was our way of telling her that her courage and strength had not gone unnoticed.
When we handed the invitation to Francesca, her face lit up with surprise. At first, she couldn’t believe it was for her. With tears welling up, she repeated several times: “But I didn’t do anything…” And yet, we all knew that her journey had been extraordinary.
There were days Francesca could barely hold her daughters in her arms due to the pain and exhaustion. Every night, she would quietly cry in the bathroom, away from her husband’s and daughters’ eyes, so they wouldn’t see her pain. But Francesca never gave up. She found strength in the love for her family and in the thought of watching her daughters grow up.
The vacation became a moment of rebirth. Far from the worries and daily routine, Francesca found joy in simple things, as if time had paused to give them back the happiness that someone had tried to take away.
When Francesca returned from her vacation, she stood there, trying to find the right words. “For a housekeeping worker, this would never be possible. You gave me a chance to breathe again, to see my girls smile without feeling the weight of everything we’ve been through. For the first time in a long time, I felt like myself. I felt alive. My husband and I stayed up late on the beach, just watching the stars. We talked about the future, and for the first time, I didn’t feel like I was just surviving. I felt like I was living.”
For us at DolceVita, this story was a reminder of why staff well-being is not just a phrase but a commitment. Creating “Moments You Will Never Forget” for our guests is at the heart of our work, but creating unforgettable experiences for the people who make those moments possible every day, is our greatest mission.
That trip to Sardinia was a deep breath after months of holding it in, a return to life for a woman who showed all of us what it means to never give up. And for us, that is the true meaning of creating “Moments You Will Never Forget.”