I work at a hotel! Some customers are a pain.

I work in an auto parts store...it always amazes me that people truly don't understand that if I WERE a Mechanic..and knew the name of every part that even the customer can't name properly.... (even the computer can only look at an application under it's PROPER name).....minimum wage wouldn'the be my first choice...lol!

I worked at a couple hotels at the front desk. One guy came in wanting a room. I greeted him as he walked in the door and asked him what kind of room he wanted. As soon as I looked down at the computer to start searching for a room he yelled at me because I wasn't looking at him.

a reply to: deadlyhope

Hi Deadlyhope,
I used to travel a lot from Hawaii; so I would bring the hotel staff a case of pineapples or Mac nuts, or something
and give it to em upon check in. Airline industry put a stop to my doing that, with their high baggage charges.
I just enjoyed giving em somthing.

Recommended viewing, the story of a hotel employee ...
The Night Manager

I have worked in hotels for many years, nice rant.

On June 28, 1992 there was a 7.3 earthquake around 5am felt across most of Southern California. I was working at a three story motel near the coast. The earthquake was big enough to wake up most of the area.

About a half an hour later, I had a line of around 20 people complaing that the hotel was too noisy and they all started to ask for refunds.

I actually spent an hour explaining to people that our hotel could not prevent noise from earthquakes.

My last experience renting a hotel was a freaking nightmare. I'm so used to not reading fine print when I do stuff over the web (order from Amazon etc. or get tickets etc.) I didn't think there would be any issue, also wasn't expecting the place to be such a crap show.

Booked it, showed up and there are people drinking and smoking pot in front of the doors, like 30 feet away. They were loud and obnoxious. They were also settled in. Lawn chairs, a pop up awning, coolers. Probably around ten already outside, and we passed a few more on the way in.

Go get checked in feeling sketched out already (I'm not a prude and was carrying), then realize the room I booked looked nothing like the pictures, was dirty, the bed sounded like it was going to fall apart when I put my bag on it and it smelled terrible.

Go back and tell the very creepy transgender (it's fine to be transgender but slutty/trashy meth transgender person at the front desk?) I wanted a refund. Told her it was clearly not the room on the site, the ceiling was exceedingly low, the room was the smallest I've seen outside of Europe and was disheveled and dirty and the safe didn't work. "Our rooms are standard size sir." Was also told they couldn't do anything about the people getting high in the parking lot and drinking because both are legal in WA. BS, you can tell guests they can't do drugs and have open containers in the parking lot, or at the very least tell them to keep the foul language and volume down (we could hear them inside the room). I almost lost it, I was fuming, but this gal I was with has had this very calming effect on me and even though she didn't want to be around for a confrontation I still somehow chilled out.

Walking back to the truck I noticed a couple that had checked in right before us leaving with all their bags too.

I wasn't letting my girlfriend sleep in this crap hole, grabbed a card, wrote down some info and drove across the street. Got an enormous room for the same rate that was exceptionally nice (for the price) and felt WAY better since access was actually controlled and there were no ne'er-do-wells in the parking lot.

Found out from the very sweet and apologetic hotel desk clerk at the new place that the place across the street let people live there (long term rent), the cops were usually there at least once a night and it was pretty dangerous.

When I got home I felt like I must have booked the wrong place, so I hopped back online and started reading the reviews (it had 4 out of 5 stars). It was BLATANTLY obvious that the owner/employees were writing positive reviews to counteract all the bad press. A few people had pictures of bad bed bug infestations. The person tasked with responding to complaints was incredibly aggressive and condescending to any negative review, and didn't say a word to any positive review. All positive reviews looked to be written by someone that would have trouble in 5th grade, same as the person responding on the hotels behalf.

So yeah, I get that hotels can't always be accommodating, but I sure expect a LOT better and will be a LOT smarter in the future. After this ordeal I remembered my parents always asking to see the room first. Thought that was pretentious when I was younger, now I get it. I'm really not that snobby, I've stayed in some very spartan places, especially in Costa Rica. The rooms were actually clean though and I felt safe and people weren't getting drunk and stoned 40 feet outside my window. I don't mind throwing my toilet paper in the trash, I mind trash being encouraged to take over the parking lot.

Agree, I at least knew the location of the place and read the first 5 reviews that were all positive (no surprise now). I wasn't really angry with the front desk chick, not her fault, but I was furious with the management.

I wouldn't have been pissed off if the power was out, or if the elevator was broken (unless I was handicapped and maybe not even then, stuff happens). It was the absolute disregard for "normal" customers, the level of filth and the blatant lies that irked me.

TL;DR sorry there are jerks that don't understand you can't control everything, but F seedy hotels that trick people into staying on a busy weekend with no other options (even though I got lucky). Not everyone can say screw it, I might not get a refund but won't let my girlfriend sleep in squalor. I have a feeling this is the business model of that place. "I can't guarantee you a refund since my manager is on vacation, you either have to take the room and therefore pay for it, or risk not getting a refund, AND finding another place at this hour". That wasn't very TL;DR, but I'm feeling ranty.

a reply to: olaru12

where the lot lizards ply their trade

You like 'em a little rough huh?

a reply to: deadlyhope

Been there, done that! When I did the hotel thing, people weren't booking online, so we didn't have that concern. Didn't eliminate problems, though! Some people, you just can't please. Others, well, if a complaint about wind is all you have had, consider yourself lucky!

We had a woman check on one night, who came back and said she had to change rooms. She claimed that "they" were sending some sort of energy beams into her room, and she needed a different one. Well, it was slow, so we check the room she'd had, found she'd done nothing to it, and moved her. She called again, same issue. Again, we moved her. Then she called a third time. At this point, the trend is clear; we'll be moving her all night long, or risk a complaint. So, I got creative. I told her I could put her in a certain room that was shielded, and she ought to be alright there. She moved again, and called to say thanks, that "they" couldn't locate her in that room! Fun evening!

Worst day was the one when a maid found a body in a room, and all the rest of the staff was gone, so I got to check! Suicide, in that case. Felt terrible for the maintenance guys; they had to replace walls and flooring.

Worst rant from a customer was legit, but poorly aimed. He had a meeting, and the young guys that were supposed to be serving weren't doing their job, so of course, the Front Desk caught the slack, because Banquet also was ignoring their phone. He started by cussing and yelling at the other clerk, who handed me the phone. Told him to shut up, first, and he actually paused. Then, I listened, told him he had every right to be angry, and I would personally fix the issue. The lazy boys got an earful, and all was well!

People, be nice to the service folks. Low pay, long hours, and most people really do try to do everything they can. If someone is at fault, yes, complain, but don't take out personal problems on a hotel employee. Most really do their best.

a reply to: deadlyhope

I used to work in car rental.

People are for the most part really, really nasty if they get half the chance and feel safe doing so.

My opinion of U.S. society, at least in the east coast, couldn't be any lower (with the exception of ATSr's, of course!)

I have since switched to IT and now work as a back -room techie, praise the Lord!

a reply to: olddognewtricks

Hi Olddognewtricks,

It's best to be nice to rent-a-car employees. I was first renter of a new Mustang in St. Louis; got rear-ended by a truck driver (who was driving without brakes). Drove partially wrecked Mustang back, and same clerk had me back on the road in another car, in less than 45 minutes.