By now, many of you who read my blog about Paddington, London are aware of my affinity for this special place because of the unique qualities it offers tourists visiting London, but in this article I’d like to address a special situation that in this day and age doesn’t happen very often.

It starts with The Stylotel Hotel, which over the past three or so years has become my home away from home (see my review of this hotel here). One of the things I’ve observed over time is how special the staff are and, equally special, the staff’s relationship with its owner Paul Charalambous. They are fiercely loyal to him, and he to them, by being a true humanitarian when it comes to their personal needs by going above and beyond where your average employer goes in making sure his employees are taken care of both at work and in their personal lives. I believe that this is what makes them a truly exceptional hotel staff which is a major factor as to why this hotel is a such great place to stay.

With all of this in mind, I’d like to share a personal experience which occurred during a recent stay there. I was standing in the lobby having a conversation with hotel manager Andreas Iona, when one of the cleaning staff approached him, offering what appeared to be a folded piece of paper. She opened it up, and tucked inside was an American $100 bill which she said she found on the floor of the last room she cleaned: room 205. My room. Indeed, I had placed some $100 bills into the safe earlier in the day, and this one apparently fell to the floor and under the bed without my seeing it. I was astonished. Admittedly, as of late, I have become very cynical of today’s society, but this was truly a ‘maybe there’s hope for humanity after all’ moment. I thanked her profusely for her honesty and immediately offered her a few British pounds which she politely refused, but I insisted she take it.

Let’s face it, most of us are wary of people coming into our hotel rooms while we’re out during the day, and many of us (myself included) go to great lengths to make sure we leave nothing to chance, but as of now, I leave my room comfortable in the knowledge that I’m leaving my belongings in good hands. Thanks to the wonderful staff that work for this hotel.