Fear and Loathing in St Louis

[Getoutofmylobby]

I like that one!

I'm surprised nobody used the old "If the President of the United States came to town and needed a room.......".

The "Beeargh!" i experienced sounded more like an old lady in desparation than a dude on the campaign trail.

Weeeeeere gonna go to Holiday Inn, we're gonna go to Hampton, we're gonna go to to the Doubletree, we're gonna go to Comfort Inn and Clarion, and if they're all sold out we're going straight to the Motel 6!!!! Beeeargh!!!

Oh, and the persistent old lady got a room after waiting about 30 minutes or so. She was so happy she shared a pepperoni pizza with me. Probably the best tip i have ever got.

[Gurndigarn]

"I KNOW you have rooms set aside for emergencies."

"We did. The people before you had an emergency, so they got it."

[walking with scissors]

I'm also from the St. Louis area, Madison Co., and am SO lucky we didn't get hit this time. We caught it both other times last year. In July (storm hit on my birthday, naturally) I was able to get a motel room, but I realize how lucky I was. The staff was awesome. When the motel's power went out a couple of days later, they reimbursed me for my unused nights no problem. They even let me bring my two cats.

[HYHYBT]

Huh, major ice storm...
The EXACT reason I left Kansas City and moved to Florida...

Sure, because hurricanes are so much fun... personally, I'd rather have the power and water off now and then. Though we get neither here

anyway, to the topic, and I know y'all will correct me if I'm wrong on this: I suspect most hotels *do* have, often enough, a few rooms that they won't rent out. Rooms with something wrong with them, like a broken shower or something. And I suspect that in an emergency, they might rent those anyway with appropriate warnings and apologies... but even at that, obviously a huge storm affects more than just you. So even if there is such a room, and your situation warrants renting it, someone else willl have already gotten it for the exact same reason.

[NightAngel]

Sure, because hurricanes are so much fun... personally, I'd rather have the power and water off now and then. Though we get neither here

Yes, well there are problems everywhere you go.
When I lived in the Midwest there were ice storms and tornados. At least if the power goes out here I won't freeze to death.

[Getoutofmylobby]

anyway, to the topic, and I know y'all will correct me if I'm wrong on this: I suspect most hotels *do* have, often enough, a few rooms that they won't rent out. Rooms with something wrong with them, like a broken shower or something. And I suspect that in an emergency, they might rent those anyway with appropriate warnings and apologies... but even at that, obviously a huge storm affects more than just you. So even if there is such a room, and your situation warrants renting it, someone else willl have already gotten it for the exact same reason.

Only really lazy managers will keep a room down for a long time, and by that i mean more than a day or two. At our place, maintenence things are fixed right away, the same day 90% of the time. You can't sell a broken room.

I did work at one hotel... I won't name it, but i did start with an "R" and ended with a "Da" that had like half the hotel down on maintenance for months. Not because the owner couldn't afford to fix anything, he was just a cheap bastard that would only spend money if he was required to by law.