Relationships are at the center of it all.

Travel has always been something our family has loved. Over the years, we have stayed in hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and plenty of places in between, collecting experiences that have shaped the way we think about hospitality. Some became places we could not wait to return to. Others influenced where we chose to stay the next time. And often, it was not the biggest or most impressive detail we remembered. It was how a place made us feel. As our kids have gotten older, the way we travel has changed. We can explore a little farther, experience more together, and appreciate hospitality from a different perspective. But one thing has stayed the same: the places we remember most are the ones where the experience felt personal. That perspective took on an entirely new meaning when Stacey began working closely with guest feedback. After spending years reading guest experiences and crafting responses on behalf of hotels, one thing became increasingly clear: people want to feel like someone is actually listening. Whether a guest is deciding where to stay, standing at the front desk, or sharing their experience after returning home, genuine human connection matters.

GuestGem grew from the intersection of those two experiences: being guests ourselves and understanding what it takes to care for the relationship from the other side.