The Summer Bei Bei the Panda Went Missing
When Bei Bei the Panda – the much-loved stuffed animal belonging to a Dutch family who had stayed at our hotel – was left behind in Sydney, our team did our upmost to ensure she was well looked after and returned home safely.
At Aiden Darling Harbour, we go the extra mile to ensure guests feel special, looked after and enjoy a sense of home away from home before, during and after their stay. And, as this story shows, that extends to even the most plush of guests…
When beloved Bei Bei the stuffed panda went missing, our team leapt into action and did everything in our power to not only reunite the lost toy with their owner, but also turn a very unfortunate situation into a positive one, through dedication and creative thinking.
Read on to find out how the story goes and see Bei Bei’s summer adventure unfold.
It was the sunny summer of 2024, when one of our recent-staying guests contacted the hotel team all the way from the Netherlands. They were in distress after realising they had accidentally left behind their family’s much-cherished stuffed animal, a panda adoringly named Bei Bei meaning ‘precious treasure’.
Our team was quick to spring into action, diligently searching the hotel for the lost toy!
Good news, Bei Bei was soon found! However, it was getting very close to Christmas, and the cut off for international shipping, and the team’s high hopes of returning Bei Bei home to spend the festive season with the family were waning a little.
Knowing the family would be missing Bei Bei, we made sure the precious panda received lots of love from our Aiden Darling Harbour family and truly enjoyed her time here, before it was time to embark on the journey back to the Netherlands.
Bei Bei was given a full tour of the hotel by our team and immediately got into the festive spirit.
The cute panda spent some time at the front desk, helping Audrey out at reception to welcome guests with a friendly smile, before brewing up a few cups of 100% Arabica coffee with Vincent at Wayfarer’s Bar & Café.
Bei Bei then assisted Nicole answering the phone and taking room service orders, and then joined breakfast chef Makao in the kitchen as sous chef.
After a busy morning, Bei Bei sat down to have lunch with Mackenzie, before having a fun ride on the luggage trolley helping Ozzie transport luggage up to guest rooms.
Putting on fetching festive reading glasses, Bei Bei sat beside Muy at the office assisting with reservations, before setting off around the hotel with our Operations Manager, Ngai, admiring the in-room artwork in each room.
Bei Bei then packed up and shipped off on 29 November with a photobook we created, capturing all the special moments Bei Bei had at the hotel while away from home. After a long journey and delay due to the Christmas cut-off causing the precious parcel to be held in customs, Bei Bei successfully made the journey home to the Netherlands in February!
The family were overjoyed to be reunited with their favourite stuffed animal after four long months of being apart, and were surprised and delighted to receive the photobook documenting Bei Bei’s holiday at Aiden Darling Harbour.