Wedding bells are ringing (extremely loud) at the McConnell Marketing office! And for once we’re not talking about wedding samples or hotel collateral. Are you ready for this? Our Director of Business Development Steve just got married a few weeks ago, our Graphic Designer Allie is getting married in two months and our other Graphic Designer Alexa is engaged. Here’s a peek at the marriage mayhem that’s been happening in the office.
5-star wedding venue or Kinsey’s family barn? We couldn’t tell the difference! And live music provided by the Cleveland Keys Dueling Pianos made this intimate event even better. 
It’s not a marketing wedding without #hashtags right? The #kandraykrew thought of everything – including the most beautiful backdrop for photos!
Congratulations to Steve and Kinsey!
Now on deck: Allie and Andy! Keep an eye on our Instagram @mcconnellmktg for some more fun pics of the team at their wedding in November.
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As travelers, we like to visit lots of cities. And as hotel marketers, we love to visit popular properties! On our recent trip to Chicago, we met with several esteemed hoteliers and took plenty of pictures along the way. Can you identify the hotels featured in our photos? There’s only one way to find out…
1. This property was known as the “Hotel St. Clair” when it first opened in 1928
2. This hotel’s DOSM began his hospitality career when he was just 17!
3. This hotel’s pool is actually the oldest in the city
4. While furry friends can feast on these free treats, human guests can eat at this hotel’s restaurant, Fisk & Co.
Answers: (1) Inn of Chicago, (2) Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront, (3) InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, (4) Hotel Monaco
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Though travel is one of our favorite pastimes here at McConnell Marketing, even the best planned trips don’t always go well. Here are our favorite… and craziest travel stories.
This week, our Director of Business Development, Steve Kandray, returns from his trip to Ireland! During his stay, Steve explored the best of Ireland’s culture, including its hotels. Learn more about his experience, and the Irish hospitality scene, below.
Can you name some of the hotels that you visited?
Well, I stayed at B&Bs during my stay, to try and get a very authentic Irish experience, but being the hotel enthusiast that I am I did get a chance to check out the lobbies of the 7 Cross Street boutique hotel in Galway, the Radisson Blu in Dublin and the Arlington Hotel in Dublin.
How do Irish hotels compare to those in the United States?
I noticed quite a few more independent and small boutique hotels and less brand, compared to the US. The smaller towns I was in like Killarney and Galway seemed to almost exclusively feature B&Bs . The Holiday Inn I saw in Killarney even looked like a boutique hotel at first glance! Another practical difference is that light switches are on the outside of rooms and most sinks have 2 faucets, one for cold water and one for hot, which made shaving a little tricky.
Was there anything about Irish hospitality that surprised you?
How friendly and personable everyone was! A lot of people, including those outside the hospitality industry, asked me where I was from and seemed genuinely interested in if I was having a good time in their country. Our B&B host would talk to me for a solid 15 minutes over breakfast each morning asking about my plans and offering suggestions.
For more photos from Steve’s trip, check out our Instagram and Twitter (@mcconnellmktg). Who knows, maybe our next client will be from Ireland!
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