Being in New York for GT‘s 5th anniversary celebration was a great time. The party at the Renaissance Times Square was incredible. The view of Times Square, the food, the guests and everything else was just wonderful. None of this was a surprise though.

The surprises of my trip occurred on the flight and at the hotel. Louie Atsaves and I took jetBlue out of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. I had never flown jetBlue before, but I figured it would be your standard flight. I was wrong.

I immediately noticed a little extra legroom. It is amazing what just a couple inches can do. The flight to New York is fairly short, but, on a longer flight, this feature would be especially welcome. The plane was equipped with individual screens and a wide variety of viewing choices. This service was free (or $1 if you needed headphones). The last treat was unlimited refreshments, featuring Coke products and Terra Chips. A bag (or 2) of Terra Blues (my favorite) and an icy Coke (or 2) really hit the spot while I watched episodes of Cash Cab.

These little extras really made the flight enjoyable. Obviously, these amenities cost jetBlue some extra cash, but, as a result, I will look at jetBlue first for my next flight needs.

My next pleasant surprise was at the Casablanca Hotel in Times Square. The Casablanca had a very nice continental breakfast in the morning and a wine and cheese offering in the evening. Both of these amenities are free. The breakfast could even be delivered to your room for a small delivery fee. Free Internet service, free in-room bottled water and other such unexpected services make the Casablanca a standout hotel. It was so nice not to be charged for every extra thing beyond the bed and shower.

None of the offerings from jetBlue or Casablanca were earth-shattering, but each help make the experience a pleasant one. A little extra service goes a long way. Especially in these tough economic times, jetBlue and the Casablanca should be applauded.

-John Wroblewski, distribution specialist