As 2026 kicks off, we decided to share a true story with you passed on by one of our guests. One that highlights these “sliding door” moments, and how the power of saying yes can have a major impact.
Rewinding back a few years, the Fröhlich family made a spontaneous decision to take part in a prize draw evening at Pentahotel Leipzig. Friends had encouraged them to participate, and as luck would have it, they won. The prize? An overnight stay at Pentahotel Rostock.
Fast forward a year, during the following summer they redeemed their prize and ventured to Rostock. After enjoying the beautiful city and the hotel so much, they decided to stick around a little longer than initially planned. Whilst the extension was possible, they did have a few hours to kill before they could return to their room. On a whim, they decided to visit Hanse Sail, which happened to be occurring at that time.
While wandering around the event, they discovered a particularly interesting looking ship. On board was a poster advertising an Atlantic crossing for young people. Their then 14-year-old daughter was immediately fascinated. After a conversation with the crew, she would head home with a moment that would stick in her mind.
In October of the following year, the daughter would cross the Atlantic twice on that very same ship. A once-in-a-lifetime adventure that would have been unfathomable a couple of years before. All set in motion from a chain of events triggered just by saying yes to the initial prize draw evening.
We think this is such a lovely and heartwarming example of how openness, spontaneity, and a little courage can lead to extraordinary experiences.
A massive thanks to the Fröhlich family, who reached out to share this story with us. It was amazing to hear how we were able to play a small but meaningful part of this wonderful chain of coincidences.
Here’s to a new year full of small decisions and great possibilities.
If you have any Penta experiences you’d like to share with us, you can always drop us an email at marketing@pentahotels.com – we’re always happy to hear from you!
