Hubby calls it "The Luggage Thing"

[bhskittykatt]

This is something that I see fairly often. Today, the guest just had impeccable timing, because I was on the phone with Hubby.

Hubby calls me up to see how my night is doing. We're booked solid, since it's one of our busiest weekends of the year (graduations + exodus from the dorms nearby). He asks if someone has done the "Luggage Thing" yet.

It's important at this point to note that we're a motel, which is all outside entrances (vs. a hotel with indoor entrances). The "Luggage Thing" is when a guest brings in ALL their luggage when they check-in, even though it's very possible that (1) their room is on the opposite side of the motel from the office (and we don't have nifty luggage carts here) and they have to pack it ALL the way to the other side or (2) if they don't have a reservation, that we're sold out, which means they have to pack ALL that luggage back to their car.

Hubby: "Had any guests to the 'Luggage Thing' yet?"
Me: "No, but I may have one. He just pulled in and is unloading his car. He's got a pretty big suitcase, and some bags. I don't think I've checked him in yet."
Hubby: "Do you think he has a reservation?"
Me: "Let's see...I only have three reservations, and one of the rooms is on the other end. And since I doubt his name's Betty, he's only got a 50% chance of having the room on this side."

Guest checks in, and guess what? He's on the other side! He opted to leave his car parked where it was and haul his bags over there (they looked heavy).

I just don't get it. My parents always did the "Luggage Thing" too. Personally, I think it makes sense to wait and see where your room is going to be, and THEN unload your luggage...that way you can park closer to your room to unpack instead of hauling heavy bags all over the place. To each his own, I suppose.

[Plaidman]

Wow.

Just... Wow.


I never once done that in my life growing up, and nether did my parents when we'd go to the beach.


I don't know why, but this brought up a memory when I was a kid and went to the beach with Mom, Steve, and Sister (which was a rarity for sister to come). We went to several motels and they all were booked out. It was during the summer, but Oregon isn't exactly a tourist attraction, so it was getting very annoying. At one motel we went at, Steve went in to get a room and we stayed in the car. Mom was looking at the rooms and saw one had a big hole in the window, like someone thrown a rock through it.

"I hope we don't get the one with the window broken" she muttered. Even at my age (I was...... Less then 7 years old, but old enough to walk/talk etc) I knew that there would be no possible way for them to give us that room. They couldn't.

Dad came back and told us we had two options. Go to another hotel and hope they have a room, or we can stay in the room with a broken window for free as that was the only room left.


We opt to go to the next one, which was the first time I got to go into a Spa. I didn't want to leave.

[HYHYBT]

Personally, I think it makes sense to wait and see where your room is going to be, and THEN unload your luggage...that way you can park closer to your room to unpack instead of hauling heavy bags all over the place.

Waiting makes sense even at most hotels, and even if you have a reservation: once you have a room key, there's often a side or back door that's a shorter trip from car to room than the main entrance would have been.

[AccountingDrone]

Mindboggling, isnt it?

I have a skycrane pack and it is worth every penny, it holds about 3/4 of a standard seabag when packed properly.

That is normally what Rob and I use as luggage together when traveling pretty much anywhere except my moms [we just keep pretty much extra everything except medications there, saves lugging it back and forth once a month =)] It can be worn as a backpack or slung on a wheelchair as a chair bag.

I have a pacsafe mesh thingy for over the pack for traveling, along with a bag for medications and another around the neck one to hide cash and papers.

Since I travel with narcotics, and some of my regular meds are fairly toxic or dangerous if you don't need to be taking them, I opt to lock them up whenever possible.

[Pagan]

The "Luggage Thing" is when a guest brings in ALL their luggage when they check-in, even though it's very possible that (1) their room is on the opposite side of the motel from the office (and we don't have nifty luggage carts here) and they have to pack it ALL the way to the other side or (2) if they don't have a reservation, that we're sold out, which means they have to pack ALL that luggage back to their car.

Ok, that's just stupid. We've never done that. Not even when we stay at the La Fonda in Santa Fe. They only have the one parking garage. But we go check in, go up and see the room first, then haul our crap up!

Hell, we don't even do that when my parents come up here or I go down there! Get in and go sit down for a little bit first.

[firecat88]

Waiting makes sense even at most hotels, and even if you have a reservation: once you have a room key, there's often a side or back door that's a shorter trip from car to room than the main entrance would have been.

Exactly. Any time my parents and I have to stay at a hotel, the routine we follow is to first wait to see where our room is, then drive around to the back door if there is one. Only *then*, after we've located the door nearest to our room or the elevator, do we park the car, unload everything, and bring it up to the room. Saves a lot of trouble when one knows where the heck they're going first.

[EvilEmpryss]

The only things that come out of the car with me when I go to check in is my purse and my service dog, because I want to make absolutely certain that they know she's a service dog so I don't get complaints later. Even the kids have to stay in the car until we get the room key.

Work smarter, not harder, people!