As told to me by co-worker. :)

[Peppergirl]

Background: I'm a travel agent in an emergency, after hours call center. Usually I'm griping about the things people deem an emergency, but this isn't one of those times.

My co-worker got the following call last night...

Woman and her co-worker, who work for a major US bank, are calling from the parking lot of a hotel outside Venice Beach.

CW - my co worker
BBC - big baby customer


BBC: "Yes, we are in the parking lot of this hotel - and it's a DIVE!! We're not going in!!! You need to find us something else!"

CW: (Pulls up the reservation and sees a somewhat no-name hotel booked, but at a rate that seems high enough that it really *shouldn't* be a dive.)

"Ok, what seems to be the problem?"

BBC: "It's a DIVE. There are vagrants all around and we aren't going in!! You need to find us something else!!"

CW: "No problem, there's a (insert major brand hotel) available for 52.00 more per night, and it appears to be nearby. I can book you there, but the current hotel has a 24 hour cancellation policy, so your company will end up paying one night room and tax, plus the new night at at (major hotel).

BBC: "You need to CALL them and tell them they're a DUMP and they can't charge us!!"

CW: "You're in the parking lot of this hotel, right?"

BBC: "Yes!"

CW: "Have you gone in and spoken with them about it? They'll probably waive the fee if you advise them you're not comfortable staying."

BBC: "No! I'm NOT going in!!!"

**
So at this point in the story, I ask my CW how old this woman is and who she is traveling with. I figured it was two younger women. This is where I'm pretty sure I'm gonna catch some grief from sone of you guys. Turns out, the woman is about 65 years old, so I could sorta understand her trepidation, but the co worker she was traveling with was a 35 year old male, and was sharing the same rental car with her - so he was sitting there listening to her rant and carry on.

Really, dude? Man up and go on in and tell them you're traveling with an older lady who is scared to stay there. Ask them to waive the fee. Jesus.

**

Finally, my co worker admitted defeat and advised her that he would book them at (major chain) up the street and would call the hotel and see what he could work out. This seemed to satisfy her, but she was still harping at him that he *had* to call and tell them it was a dump, and to waive the fees based on that statement.

I think he ended up calling the hotel and telling them their flight was cancelled. Hotel workers - I know...don't hate him. Personally, I would have just called the front desk and kept it light, advising I had a drama queen in the parking lot who was scared, and asked them to waive the fee. Then if they'd have said no, I would have shrugged it off and documented that I did my best.

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed hearing it.

[superhotelworker]

LMAO Oh my god. I work at a hotel and honestly if a company calls, I wouldn't mind that. :P

[bhskittykatt]

LMAO Oh my god. I work at a hotel and honestly if a company calls, I wouldn't mind that. :P

Same here, especially if we're busy and I can easily resell the room.

I've seen some hotels that looked like dives with fairly high rates ($80+), but in that location those are considered cheap. In my town, you won't find anything under $60 most of the time (and if you do, trust me, RUN!!!)...something equivalent in another town would be $30.

[smileyeagle1021]

I've seen some hotels that looked like dives with fairly high rates ($80+), but in that location those are considered cheap.

Yeah, America's Dirtiest Hotel charges more per night than the place I part time at, but then again, they are in downtown San Francisco where a lot of hotels charge more for parking than the hotel I work at charges for a room.

[MsCrankypants]

Yeah, America's Dirtiest Hotel charges more per night than the place I part time at, but then again, they are in downtown San Francisco where a lot of hotels charge more for parking than the hotel I work at charges for a room.

Pray tell, what hotel is this?

I live in the Bay Area, but far enough away from the City that staying overnight (if I've had a few too many) is sometimes a necessity. I'd like to be able to avoid this place.