Cornell Hotel Society and Harney & Sons

Present

An Unreasonable Tea Time

Tea has an enduring ability to warm up your day and your spirit. Enjoyed alone or with others, it is a simple ritual unbound by borders and shared by generations. The blending of time, temperature, water, and carefully-sourced teas from around the world can bring focus, harmony, and joy… transforming everyday moments into memorable occasions.

CHS and Harney are teaming up and inviting you to take one of these casual moments… and make it Unreasonable. Inspired by best-selling Hotelie-authored Unreasonable Hospitality, we wish to celebrate thoughtful and intentional acts of service to others, with tea. Life is Service, after all.

We encourage you to do something fun and special for someone else… a colleague, a friend, a significant other, a family member, or a stranger. Surprise and delight them, the way Hotelies do it best. And let us share it with the world. It doesn’t have to cost much, but it could mean a lot.

The “most unreasonable” submission will win one (1) spot at this year’s best ever Hotel Ezra Cornell, HEC 99, including overnight accommodations at The Statler Hotel [Thursday, April 18 – Sunday, April 21]. Winners will be selected by March 11.

Helpful details:

About the video you submit:

It must be posted by an alumni member of the CHS, students are not eligible to win
It must be posted on Instagram between now and 5pm EST on March 8^th
It must not to exceed 120 seconds
It must be tagged with #AnUnreasonableTeaTime, #HarneyTea, #CornellHotelSociety, #LifeIsService
It should visibly include Harney & Sons tea being made, poured, served, or enjoyed
It should be thoughtful
By submitting the video you agree to allow CHS and Harney to repost it, fully or partially, crediting you
It can be in any language (with English subtitles), and/or it doesn’t have to include any words at all

If you win:

Travel to and from sunny Ithaca for HEC is on you
If you wish to bring a guest to HEC, you are responsible for a) choosing said guest and b) paying for the HEC guest fee
You get to enjoy delicious Harney & Sons tea at HEC, along with all the other guests

Lastly:

If you are inspired to participate but cannot travel to Ithaca during HEC weekend even if you were to win… we nevertheless welcome you to join in on the fun by posting a video (just let us know in the caption below your video)
CHS thanks Harney & Sons for their ongoing and unwavering support of the Hotelie community, and for making this campaign possible

About the Cornell Hotel Society and Harney & Sons:

Since 1928, the Cornell Hotel Society remains the principal means through which Hotelies engage with each other. With over fifty chapters on six continents, we are committed to the shared ethos that Life Is Service.

Harney & Sons was founded in 1983 by John Harney, Hotelie ’56. From its humble beginnings to today’s international reputation, Harney & Sons has stayed true to its simple promise to deliver customers the finest quality tea possible. Based in Millerton, New York, the family-owned company brings in loose teas from remote regions and creates their masterful blends that are enjoyed at home and in fine hotels and restaurants around the world.

In 2023, John was posthumously inducted into the Cornell Hotel Society Hall of Fame.

APAC Region Meets in Hong Kong

Share a cup of Harney and Sons tea… and win an HEC 99 registration (including 3 nights at The Statler)

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