a free night

[vacation_rentals_suck]

Guest: Dave, we will be driving all night and arriving about 6 AM and wanted to see how we get keys

Me: I can set up a lockbox for you but since the office wont be open at 6 AM, I would have to charge you for an extra night

Guest: but I am not staying an extra night

Me: right but I cant put keys in a lock box tonight unless you are paying for tonight

Guest: so, you think I am lying.....you think I am gonna get the stuff out of the lockbox after you close and head on down there and try to scam a day for free

Me: well I mean, if we put the keys in the lockbox tonight, nothing would stop you from going in the unit tonight

Guest: except the fact that I am 12 hours away

Me: you could check in after we open at 9

Guest: and what the hell am I supposed to do for 3 hours?

Me: well sir, I cant make keys available to you tonight without charging you for tonight?

Guest: are you deaf, I said I wasnt coming in until 6 AM

Me: right but you could come right after we close, get the keys and stay tonight...I cant just take your word for it that you wont be here until 6 AM. Unless you have paid for tonight, I cant put keys in that lockbox

Guest: well that is illegal to charge me when I am not staying tonight

Me: well sir, like I said, if you dont want to pay for tonight, plan your drive so you will arrive after 9 and we can check you in then

Guest: I am not leaving 3 hours later to suit you

Me: well if you want keys by 6 AM, you have to pay for an extra night

Guest: fine, I will pay for the extra fuckin night but I want it noted I am doing so against my will

Me: ok I will get your lockbox set up

I give him lockbox and combo

Guest: Dave, I am deeply offended that you would imply I might get the keys and take the unit early without paying for it. I want that noted as well. I have been coming there five years, five years and this is not how you reward a loyal customer.....(and on and on and on and on)

He finally let me go after wasting 16 minutes of my life

[LillFilly]

And in 5-years he hasn't figured-out your rental process? Slow learner...

[cinema guy]

Guest: and what the hell am I supposed to do for 3 hours?

Get breakfast?

Watch the sunrise?

Go to the beach, where there will be no-wone else there to bother your whiny ass?

[Hyndis]

You're on the east coast, right?

It would be perfect to grab an early pancake breakfast, then head to the beach where it can be quiet and empty, then read the paper and relax in the sunrise.

That'd be awesome to do.

I'm on the west coast though, so no sunrises over the ocean for me. Only sunsets.

[AccountingDrone]

mmmm pancakes

maybe bacon?

bacon bacon bacon

[Jester]

Bacon makes everything better!

As for the early check-in, well, that's your policy, the guy needs to understand that.

A while back when I went to north Florida, I checked in to a Motel 6 at 6:30 am, fully expecting to pay for that night, plus the next night. They gave me that first night free, which they didn't have to do, and I was very grateful for it. I have no doubt, though, that if I had been a raging douchebag I would have been charged for the first night. One of the many reasons I try not to be raging douchebag.

Hell, by not being a raging douchebag at my current hotel when I told them the AC in my room wasn't working (it was broiling in there), they upgraded me to a SUITE for my entire stay.

[taxguykarl]

grab an early pancake breakfast, then head to the beach where it can be quiet and empty, then read the paper and relax in the sunrise.

That'd be awesome to do.

Agreed!! Who doesn't know that checking in before the posted time is a crap-shot...Oh yeah, SC's

[DGoddessChardonnay]

mmmm pancakes

maybe bacon?

bacon bacon bacon

I want some hash browns with my blueberry pancakes - AND bacon.

Unless I heard wrong, I think somebody said "fried liver pudding" . . .just bring me the whole plate.

Unfortunately, we don't have anyone to serve breakfast on the beach at Oak Island. . .so the next best thing I settle for is breakfast by the Intercoastal Waterway.

[EvilEmpryss]

Hell, I'm cheap. If I didn't want to have to pay for a breakfast somewhere, and I sure as heck didn't want to pay for the extra night, I'd just get to the rental office whenever my driving gets me there and then take a nap in my car until the office opened.

[Green_Fairy]

my boyfriend's mom sent us like, 10 pounds of frozen fresh huckleberries so i've been making huckleberry pancakes, huckleberry frenchtoast, huckleberry muffins...huckleberries are awesome for breakfast stuff.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

my boyfriend's mom sent us like, 10 pounds of frozen fresh huckleberries so i've been making huckleberry pancakes, huckleberry frenchtoast, huckleberry muffins...huckleberries are awesome for breakfast stuff.

You has huckleberries?

You have no idea how insanely jealous I am right now. I went out west to Yellowstone for vacation this summer. While in Montana I was introduced to the berry goodness that is the huckleberry.

Maybe I'll go have a cup of huckleberry tea.

[Polenicus]

You're on the east coast, right?

It would be perfect to grab an early pancake breakfast, then head to the beach where it can be quiet and empty, then read the paper and relax in the sunrise.

Relax?!

Perhaps you didn't understand. This gentleman is on vacation.

There's no time to relax on vacation! Every precious second wasted is another dollar of investment gone. Every moment must be wrung for every ounce of perfection and bliss possible! Relaxation and recreation must be strictly scheduled, and must be an absolutely perfect experience, or the entire trip is wasted!

No early check in? Ruined vacation!
Bikes not delivered instantly? Ruined vacation!
Beach not pristine and free of blemishes or the rabble of the lower class? Ruined Vacation!
Lack of a towel warmer? ALL VACATIONS RUINED FOREVER!!

Why can't you people understand how STRESSFUL taking a vacation is!?

[Arm]

Hell, on my last trip to visit my wife (long story, and doesn't matter) one of the hotels I stopped over in on the way...

Now, I had a friend with me- male, and we aren't the sort to share beds. So we needed a room with two beds.

When I checked in, I was told in a fairly off-hand manner, 'wow, you guys got the last room with two beds'.

Toilet didn't work. Wouldn't refill the tank after flushing.

So, we just lifted the lid off the toilet tank and refilled it with the ice bucket. What did we care? It's not like we were planning on living there forever.

When I checked out, I mentioned the toilet to the clerk, who asked, "Why didn't you say anything EARLIER?"

All I could say was, "We just wanted to sleep, and didn't feel like going to a different hotel."

I think it's the first time I've had someone act offended that I *didn't* complain, yanno?

Clearly I'm doing this vacation thing WRONG. I should be more like the SC from the OP. Then I could live up to the clerk's expectations. And all would be right with the world, and I could have high blood pressure and everything!