Hotel Etiquette <slightly long>

[Crawley]

Not exactly an SC story, just some pet peeves from folks calling in to the hotel.

1. Know what dates you're coming. If you need a room for the night of the 1st, don't book the room for the night of the 2nd and then get mad at me because you f'ed up the reservation (specifically if you book online)

2. Know your confirmation number. No matter how badly your name gets typo'ed, your reservation can be found (almost always) with your confirmation. This does not apply if you're at the wrong location, but the confirmation number can at least narrow it down. (First few numbers are usually the hotel site number)

3. Do not call and ask how old you have to be to rent a room. If you have to ask, you're not old enough.

4. Do not try and get me to discount your room during a special event weekend (preferably ever, but definitely special event). I don't care why you're in town, a room night during football/NASCAR/Big Convention weekend is $XXX. Next time, plan ahead.

4b. Do not claim that "that girl" at the front desk promised you a room for $20. Without something in writing from our hotel, (No, your "That girl, Hotel, $20" note doesn't count) you're paying what your reservation says.

5. Do not call a week before said special event weekend expecting to get a room. You knew months ago when the big game was, you should have called then.

6. Don't bitch at me be cause I can't check you in at 10am. Our check in time is 3pm. It was explained to you on the phone and was attached to your confirmation email. An early check in request is just that. A request. Not all requests can be honored.

7. Finally, if someone goes out of their way to help you, first off, say "Thanks". Second, if the chance arrises, let the front desk or a manager know. All we usually hear is people bitching about every single little thing that they don't like (usually about the weather, which believe it or not, I don't control <Pudge does>). It's nice to hear the good stuff.


Well, thanks for listening to my rant. If you have anything to add, please do.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

8. Please do not come and bitch at the front desk people because you lectured the housekeeper for 10 minutes about how your sheets were turned down 'incorrectly' last night before you finally realized she does not speak English.

9. Please do not accuse the housekeeping of stealing your grandmother's pearls, or anything else you have temporarily misplaced. And if you must accuse them of stealing your things, when you finally find them at the bottom of your suitcase, please call and LET US KNOW so we don't have to keep wondering all day what happened.

10. I will not get into an argumnent with the taxi driver because you feel like he charged you too much to bring your drunk asses back to the hotel. Deal with it yourself.

[One-Fang]

3. Do not call and ask how old you have to be to rent a room. If you have to ask, you're not old enough.

I'm over 30, and I don't know. Does that mean I'm not old enough?

Seriously, I don't know if it's 18, 20, 21. Any of those sound reasonable. If I was 19/20 I would call and ask.

Besides which, I don't think asking pretty much any question is sucky, provided the answer isn't either right in front of you right now, or has already been advised to you six times in five different ways.

[lordlundar]

I'm over 30, and I don't know. Does that mean I'm not old enough?

I think it's basically if you don't know how or can't pay it (or both) you're not mature enough to try.

[Coconut]

9. Please do not accuse the housekeeping of stealing your grandmother's pearls, or anything else you have temporarily misplaced. And if you must accuse them of stealing your things, when you finally find them at the bottom of your suitcase, please call and LET US KNOW so we don't have to keep wondering all day what happened.

Last time I went on vacation, the maid accidently threw away my bag of Arby's Roast Beefs.

[Crawley]

Typically, the age requirement is 18. But I've found the ones calling to ask don't have the maturity to stay away from home on their own. Credit card's bad, partying in the room after the homecoming dance/prom/etc. Not really worth the effort.

[Kiwi]

11. When you are checking in or checking out, spare the other tired cranky travellers and the front desk clark your life story, your complaints about the traffic, the weather, the reason your lifes so crap. As a customer, I want to slap you so I cant imagine what the clark wants to do to you!

[South Texan]

12. If you order room service, kindly put on something besides your underwear when your order is delivered. Unless you have the body of a Victoria's Secret or GQ model, no one wants to see your body in skimpy things or the bulges, sags, hair and flab your graying underwear reveals.

I cannot tell you how many gross looking people answered their hotel door wearing almost nothing. It sometimes was very difficult to find a place on which to focus my eyes when addressing them.

[Jester]

It sometimes was very difficult to find a place on which to focus my eyes when addressing them.

Just a thought here....what about focusing your eyes on their eyes? That is just common courtesy anyway, no matter what they are or aren't wearing.

[ThinMick]

I'm over 30, and I don't know. Does that mean I'm not old enough?

Seriously, I don't know if it's 18, 20, 21. Any of those sound reasonable. If I was 19/20 I would call and ask.

Yeah, I found out the hard way that there were no hotels in Alamogordo that would rent to people under 25. My friend and I were 18 & 21 at the time, and we wound up sleeping in an empty lot, in the rain when our reservation was refunded and we were refused service after the clerk saw our ID. We tried every other hotel and motel we could find, and were told the same thing at all of them. It ws really a case of just not knowing that being old enough to drink beer didn't make you old enough to rent a room in some places.

[Imogene]

(usually about the weather, which believe it or not, I don't control <Pudge does>)

"Pudge is a fish?"
Awesome! Great reference!

[South Texan]

Just a thought here....what about focusing your eyes on their eyes? That is just common courtesy anyway, no matter what they are or aren't wearing.

I know that, Jester. I meant when they turned and walked into the room expecting me to follow them. Their eyes and their faces were turned away from me (meaning something else was facing me) and I had to look forward lest I not look where I was walking with the tray.

[alphaboi]

...I cannot tell you how many gross looking people answered their hotel door wearing almost nothing. It sometimes was very difficult to find a place on which to focus my eyes when addressing them.

Any stories about guests wandering around the hotel naked?

[Jester]

I know that, Jester. I meant when they turned and walked into the room expecting me to follow them. Their eyes and their faces were turned away from me (meaning something else was facing me) and I had to look forward lest I not look where I was walking with the tray.

Having hung out at many a clothing optional spot, such a thing would not phase me. (So far, in my limited room service work, no one has answered au naturel.) However, I have walked into a haze of marijuana smoke and seen a bunch of people in their pajamas/underwear (no big deal). But the ultimate one was the following conversation. (If you are at all easily offended, do not read the following!) After I had dropped off the order and the guest had signed their check...

JESTER: "Enjoy your meal, and just give us a call if you need anything else."
GUEST: "The only thing I can think of would be someone who would let me suck their dick." [looking at me hopefully]
JESTER: [unphased] "Right island, wrong guy. Sorry. But good luck with that!"

I would much rather walk in on fat old ugly naked people than deal with another fun-filled situation like that again!

[Antisocial_Worker]

12. If you order room service, kindly put on something besides your underwear when your order is delivered. Unless you have the body of a Victoria's Secret or GQ model, no one wants to see your body in skimpy things or the bulges, sags, hair and flab your graying underwear reveals.

I delivered pillows to a guy the other night who answered the door in a towel. He did have the body of a GQ model though. Thankfully, I've mastered the art of gawking without it looking like I'm gawking.