Smarmie Desk clerk

[Rahmota]

Hello, I had another clerk issue to tell you about. This time one that was involving a clerk at a Green signed Inn in Iowa City.

Me and my friend wound up getting in a bit late due to blizzard warnings coming up for the desmoines area so we pushed on for a few miles and finally stopped at a HI in Iowa City. The parking lot is almost empty so we figure we will get a room rather easy. We go int the front door. I will admit I'm wearing jeans, t shirt and camo jacket witha trucker's ball cap. My friend is similarly attired.

So the smarmie little preppie jerk clerk there takes one look at me and my friend gets this sneer on his face and asks "Can I help you?" SO I go "Yeah we'd like a room for the night, please." Without even looking at the computer or anythign he comes back with a "We don't have any" in a reall snotty tone. My friend agreed with me on that one that he probably didnt like the way we looked and didnt want to serve us.

I mena we were clean enough but 500 miles of driving will kinda wear ya down. What is really funny is the 4 star holiday inn in spokane that we went into the ladies at the front desk where polite, friendly, joking and got a room for us in nothing flat. This twerp acted like we where polluting the lobby just being there.

So we went on dowen the road to an econo lodge which was very nice and run by a real cool older guy who wound up talkign to my friend shop as he used to be navy as well.

[hawkchick11]

I lived (moving back there soon) in Iowa City... technically that hotel is in Coralville, but everyone not from here thinks Coralville = Iowa City. Anyway, I've been to the restaurant in that hotel and that sounds like the same attitude that everyone who works there has, so it wasn't just you.

Did you get to enjoy our snow in April?

[Jack7957]

Part of me would have just gone on like you did. The other part of me would have asked to use their Business Center computer, go to the HI webpage, booked a room at that hotel, get the confirmation number, then go back to the desk with the number and ask to be checked in.

[Rahmota]

Hawk: Well not being from the area and it being around 2100 I wasnt exactly paying attention to where we where just looking for a hotel sign. . Nice to know though that it wasnt just us.

As for the snow thanks I could have really done without that.. Though I guess if it had to be anywhere Iowa would be better than the middle of Wyoming or up in the mountains. Fortunately we only caught the edge of it. And made it out of Iowa before noon when I guess it got rather bad from what I read/heard on the CB.

Jack: If I'd been more awake at the time that would have been a good idea. I can imagine he would have been a bit surprised for that. That would hav ebeen hillarious.

[Auto]

Part of me would have just gone on like you did. The other part of me would have asked to use their Business Center computer, go to the HI webpage, booked a room at that hotel, get the confirmation number, then go back to the desk with the number and ask to be checked in.

brilliant.

or just called their central 1-800 reservations number.

[Giggle Goose]

So the smarmie little preppie jerk clerk there takes one look at me and my friend gets this sneer on his face and asks "Can I help you?"

Geez, did this guy think he was working at the Ritz-Carlton in NYC or something? You were on the road and you needed a room, I didn't realize you had to have certain attire to get one at a HI.

[RogueThinker]

I Love Nice Hotels

Having worked in hospitality, and with family who still do, I can honestly say that the really nice hotels I have been in do not care what you are wearing, because they know that anyone can be a really important guest, regardless of appearance. There are more eccentric rich people out there than you think who drive an old beater, or wear beat-up jeans, etc.

It is the chains, "family" brands, and three-stars who give attitude. Truly classy places and people know that being nice costs nothing, and demonstrates a great deal.

I have on occasion, made use of this in foreign cities so I can use the bathroom in said nice hotels. As long as you look confident and are polite, no one cares if you use the lobby bathroom and leave again.

[RentalRacer]

brilliant.

or just called their central 1-800 reservations number.

Yeah that would be being an SC. Sorry. I have people do it to me all the time. Customers ask me if I have cars available, or a specific size...say an economy, and if all I have is a full-size, I tell them no Economy, but I do have a Full Size, it will be $X.XX. Then the wise ass gets on the phone and makes a reservation for an economy. I then get the fun (and it is fun) of explaining to them that their Reservation is no good, because they booked something I just told them I did not have, and if they want a car, they are going to pay the price I just quoted them or no dice. Its even more fun when we are completely sold out of cars, but not shut off for reservations, and some SC pulls the same stunt. Like Airlines and Hotels, Car Rental companies overbook and try to predict a certain % of no-shows. So thats why even though I don't have the type of car they want, or no cars at all, the res center can still book the cars.

Not defending the desk clerk, he should not have been such a snobby a-hole, but if he was truely sold out of rooms, he probably knew it, and did not have to check in his computer. The fact that the parking lot was mostly empty is meaningless, they could have a large # of late reservations, or maybe some were out to dinner or Ice Skating at the Coralville mall (yup been there done that). You never know.