If you’ve stayed at Carlisle Inn Walnut Creek over the past two decades, you’ve undoubtedly met the sibling maintenance team duo of Chris Argabrite and Tammy Battista.
General Manager Marcie Solovyov couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of the limelight than these two dynamic ladies, often referred to as the heart of the inn.
“I have not ever known any two people so dedicated and so willing to treat everybody like part of their family. Every guest that walks in the door, they take an actual interest in them not just as a guest but in their actual lives. They take the time to get to know them. They’ve gone to guests’ birthday parties. They’ve gone to guests’ funerals. They just really have the heart for service”
Lovingly known by the rest of the staff as “the twisted sisters,” Chris and Tammy are so committed to their roles that they’ve stayed at the inn overnight to provide support during severe weather.
“They’re very willing to give of their time even to the restaurant, to the gift store. If, say, something happens on a Sunday and nobody is there but they’re here, they’ll take care of it.”
They enjoy what they do so much that they don’t consider it work.
“We all care about each other. If somebody is sick, we go together and take up a collection for them. It’s not like a job. It’s our second home, really,” Tammy said.
“Our staff and our guests are amazing. We’ve made a lot of friends over the years,” Chris added. “It’s probably one of the better jobs I’ve ever had. That’s why we’ve been here as long as we.”
The two sisters recently earned industry-wide honors. Chris was the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association’s Jack of All Trades Award recipient for 2023, and Tammy was the association’s 2023 Engineer of the Year.