Giving gift certificates is one of the most common ways for companies to reward their loyal customers. Not only is it convenient but also flexible because customers can use it anytime within its validity period.
Surprisingly, there’s a kindhearted company that unhesitatingly honored a 40-year-old gift certificate for a special occasion.
Loyalty always gets rewarded
This heartwarming story all started when a hotel in Missouri decided to bend its own rules and honor a 40-year-old gift certificate.
Just recently, Tim O’Brien made an unexpected discovery while cleaning a box filled with wedding mementos earlier this spring. Among the keepsakes, he stumbled upon a hotel voucher from decades ago, which bore the date of his wedding day to his beloved wife, Melinda O’Brien, on June 25, 1983, as reported by The Washington Post.
The coupon indicated that the couple had paid $38 for a night’s stay in Room No. 314 at the Radisson Muehlebach Hotel.
“I didn’t even remember receiving it,” remarked the now 64-year-old Tim. “However, I thought there was a slim chance that the current management of the hotel might allow us to use it for our 40th anniversary,” he shared with UPI.
The Muehlebach Hotel, which originally opened its doors in 1915, had become part of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown complex in 1996.
The hotel granted the unusual request to honor the milestone that the couple remarkably reached
Remarkably, the hotel graciously extended an invitation for the couple to stay on their premises. Although the exact room they had initially booked was unavailable, the hotel promised them a truly special anniversary experience.
“Forty years is a significant milestone,” expressed Derek McCann, the managing director of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. “Tim mentioned in his email that it was a long shot, but he wondered if there was any possibility we could honor the gift certificate.”
McCann further mentioned that the current rate for the room ranged between $200 and $250 per night, emphasizing, “This was definitely one of the more unusual requests we’ve ever had.”
“A 40th wedding anniversary is a significant milestone,” McCann added. “The fact that they discovered the certificate nearly 40 years after receiving it made it even more extraordinary.”
The gift certificate turned out to be an actual gift
After consulting with the hotel manager, Dustin Holcumbrink, the decision was made to honor the gift certificate, despite the couple not being able to stay in their original room.
“Although they won’t be able to stay in their original room, we felt this would be a wonderful opportunity for them to relive some cherished memories,” shared Holcumbrink.
The hotel staff also had grand plans to make the couple’s special day even more memorable.
“Since it’s their ruby anniversary, we are planning to decorate the room with red accents and surprises upon their arrival,” he revealed.
As for the jubilant couple, their love story began in 1978 when they both attended the University of Kansas. Melinda O’Brien, a retired IBM systems engineer, reminisced, “We were introduced by a mutual friend, and initially, we were part of the same group of friends, getting to know each other as good friends.”
Tim, a retired attorney, playfully added, “She pursued me for years before we finally got engaged.”
Moments of love surely last forever
Tim vividly remembered their honeymoon at the Muehlebach Hotel. They had booked the room for only one night, as he was preparing to take the Kansas State bar exam.
“I recall that our room was charming and quaint, with its high ceilings,” Melinda fondly recalled. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t spend much time in it because we had arranged to meet our families for a brunch to open our wedding gifts at 10 a.m.”
The O’Briens eagerly anticipated using the long-lost gift certificate on the 40th anniversary of their wedding night. Tim jokingly suggested, “Maybe we’ll check in at 3 a.m. again after we visit a local jazz club.”
In this heartwarming tale, a Missouri hotel went above and beyond to honor a 40-year-old gift certificate, allowing Tim and Melinda O’Brien to celebrate their ruby anniversary in style. The couple’s unexpected discovery and the hotel’s willingness to accommodate their special request added a beautiful chapter to their enduring love story.
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