I've stayed in some remarkable hotels and visited excellent restaurants around the world, so I tend to judge premium services by their consistency rather than their advertising.

An impressive first impression is important, but what happens after the initial excitement matters considerably more.

This particular experience gave me plenty to think about.

The woman I met was exceptionally beautiful, with an appearance that would not have looked out of place in a luxury fashion campaign. Her styling was tasteful, her manners were excellent, and she immediately made a strong impression.

However, I actually found her character more interesting than her appearance.

She was curious about my work, but not in the superficial way people sometimes ask questions simply to fill the silence. She listened carefully, made thoughtful observations, and shared her own perspective when something interested her.

At one point, we found ourselves discussing why people spend considerable amounts of money

Guest