Inside Nimmo Bay’s Approach to Personalized Hospitality
At Nimmo Bay, the Guest Experience Coordinators (GEC) are your personal point of contact for the entirety of your vacation. They go above and beyond, anticipating your needs. Your GEC plans your days and adjusts the itinerary to suit your mood and feelings.
What Does a Guest Experience Coordinator Actually Do?
The Guest Experience Coordinator role was born from a desire to create a truly intentional connection between Nimmo Bay and our guests. It wasn’t enough to simply have a concierge where the guests go to book experiences. We wanted to build a trusting relationship between us and our guests. This allows for Nimmo Bay to go above and beyond what guests expect. We need to build a safe space to create surprises that really land well with guests.
The people we hire as Guest Experience Coordinators are intuitive; they have hospitality running through their bones. They care deeply about how the guests perceive Nimmo and about meeting the expectations they have. It’s a challenging job. You need to get true joy and gratification from seeing the impact Nimmo has on the individuals, groups, and families who choose to stay at our resort.
Guest Experience Coordinator vs. Traditional Concierge
These are the differences between a Guest Experience Coordinator at Nimmo Bay and a traditional hotel concierge.
| Category | Traditional Concierge | Guest Experience Coordinator |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Reactive and responds to requests | Proactive, anticipating needs, looking for ways to surprise |
| Relationship | Transactional, booking-focused | Relational, embedded across the whole stay |
| Timing | Engages once a request is made | Begins before arrival, continues throughout the stay |
| Continuity | Varies by shift or desk | Always the same GEC for the whole stay |
Why Nimmo Bay’s 2:1 Staff-to-Guest Ratio Matters
At Nimmo, we have a minimum 2:1 staff-to-guest ratio. It allows us to treat every group and individual staying with us as a unique person. There is no standard daily itinerary when you visit us, no set start or end times for your adventures. Our team can truly listen to your desires and lean into customizing the trip to fit your vacation dreams.
When we talk about building trust in the relationship, it’s to enable you to let go of control and understand that we have your best interests in mind. Let us surprise and delight you, because we do know you and we have the bandwidth, energy, and opportunities to do so.
A Day in the Life: How a Coordinator Shapes a Stay
Arrival Day
Your Guest Experience Coordinator greets you on the dock as soon as your plane lands at Nimmo Bay. They take you on a tour of the property and your cabin. Once you’re settled in and relaxing after your first meal in Little River, your GEC will chat with you about your goals, intentions, and adventures for the trip to help plan your first day.
Morning Check-In
Each morning your GEC will check in with you. They’ll most often meet you at breakfast to confirm plans for the upcoming day. The GECs will send you off on your morning paddle or coastal safari or let you know where to be on site for your massage later on.
Adjusting Plans Mid-Day
If the mood, energy, or weather changes, plans become fluid. Your GECs are experts at adjusting on the fly. They are constantly connecting with guides, the wellness team, and culinary and front of house by radio in order to pivot appropriately.
Because of the personal touch and availability of the GECs, they also take the opportunity to create surprises and unexpected moments for you. Each of these special moments is based on what they’ve learned about you over the course of your trip.
Evening Tailoring and Next-Day Planning
Behind the scenes, your GEC takes all the information they’ve gathered and co-create a plan later in the evening for the following day.
CAN YOU TRAIN to Anticipate Not Just Respond?
What’s important to note is that you can’t train intuition and compassion. There are some people who are just meant to be in hospitality and who thrive in the service environment. The Guest Experience Coordinator is a challenging position that requires a lot of socializing and adapting on the go. The interview process is comprehensive and important for getting a sense of if the GEC candidates have that special spark. Often, we end up hiring from within the Nimmo family, as former team members well and truly know the ins and outs of the resort and the standards. The logistics, timing, communication, and planning can all be trained and perfected early on.
Surprise and Delight, in Practice
The Nest in the Forest
One year, a woman came to Nimmo in search of a space to recharge. She had spent a year putting herself last, stepping up as a caregiver for a sick family member. When she landed at Nimmo and our GECs connected with her, her goal was to be cozy in her cabin and make it a safe and warm space. Our team got to work and thought, what’s better than setting up an insulating and comfortable space in a cabin? Creating a human sized nest in the forest. They wove fallen branches together to create a nest for her and filled it with pillows and blankets. The team surprised her with it and she had the most restful nap of her life, under the lush canopy of the rainforest.
The Star Trek Birthday Bonanza
The GECs are constantly anticipating our guests’ needs. But, they also create planned moments that go above and beyond.
A family was visiting with a little boy who was celebrating his 9th birthday. The brief for the team ahead of time was minimal: he loves Star Trek and adventures. With that information, they sourced Star Trek badges and uniforms to deck out the whole family and their guides. The gear was ready for them as they arrived for the full-day celebration. The team developed unique missions and a storyline that took the group off-site on intergalactic boating adventures. At the end of the day, they threw a big on-theme costume party for the family and team members who were available to join. There’s no doubt that if someone is celebrating a birthday or special life event at Nimmo, it will become a core memory.
What “Unreasonable Hospitality” Means at Nimmo Bay
“Nimmo is in the business of people.”
Becky Murray, Co-Owner of Nimmo Bay
To Nimmo Bay, unreasonable hospitality means putting people first. A lot of places focus solely on the business. However, when you put the team and the guests at the top of the pyramid, the health of the company follows.
Nimmo leaves many experiences out of our marketing on purpose. It’s the team’s intention to foster trust and connection with every guest. This enables us to create unexpected moments and adventures, based on what we learn. This is only possible because the guests know how much we care about them and the outcome of their trip. They can relax and step out of the driver’s seat and let us take care of all the decision making from the moment of arrival. The team takes note at every interaction. If someone is feeling under the weather, there will be a wellness elixir in their cabin, if someone mentions they run cold, extra blankets and jackets will be laid out for them.
It’s our hope that the time and attention put in by the Guest Experience Coordinators into everything they do means our guests see us as the experts that we are and gain their trust. Letting us in will open you up to the magic of the Nimmo experience. You’ll feel cared for every moment of the day and surprised in the best ways.
Guest Experience Coordinator FAQ
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What is a Guest Experience Coordinator?
The Guest Experience Coordinator is your personal point of contact for the entirety of your vacation. They go above and beyond anticipating your needs, planning your days, and adjusting the itinerary to suit your moods and feelings.
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How is Nimmo Bay’s staff ratio different from other luxury resorts?
At Nimmo, we have a strong 2:1 staff-to-guest ratio. It allows us to treat every group and individual staying with us as a unique person.
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Do I get the same Coordinator for my whole stay?
Yes, you will get the same Guest Experience Coordinator for the entire time you’re stating at Nimmo Bay.
Credit
Words by: Alexandra Janes
Alexandra Janes is a writer and marketer based in British Columbia, Canada and is the voice behind many Nimmo Bay stories. With a background in environmental communications, she specializes in bringing complex ideas to life in a way that resonates with a broad audience. Over the past seven years, including four at Nimmo, her writing has focused on sustainability, wellness, food and drink, and immersive experiences in wild places. The root of her work comes from a deep passion for the natural world and a desire to connect people with the outdoors.
Photos: Jeremy Koreski
Jeremy Koreski is an assignment photographer known for capturing world-class outdoor adventures and remarkable wildlife. He has over 20 years of experience in the field. His commercial and editorial work is featured internationally in publications such as The New York Times, The Surfer’s Journal, and with brands like Patagonia and YETI. Since his first visit to Nimmo Bay over a decade ago, Jeremy has felt like part of the family, developing a distinct ability to capture the true spirit and atmosphere of the resort.