things a hotel cannot control?

[Toujin]

Background noise doesn't really bother me. In fact, I actually find total silence very unnerving (it makes me feel like something horrible is about to happen).

As for hotel noise experiences, There's only one that really sticks out in my mind, and that was during one of our family trips to Reno. That year, we weren't able to get a room in one of the nice hotel/casinos, so we wound up staying at a Motel 6, which we've come to call the 'Motel From Hell'. One of the reasons being that the address number was actually 666!

But the main reason was the noise! Not only were people banging on the walls, people were also arguing outside the rooms. I can't remember if it was me or my younger who heard it, but a man and a woman were arguing oustide one night, and the guy yelled something like "And you're ugly too!"

At home in Mechanicsville, I don't really have much in the way of noise problems. The only things that bother me are when a neighbor does yardwork early in the morning, somebody has to drive their super-loud car down the street, or when someone honks their horn to get the attention of whoever they're picking up.

[Broomjockey]

Right:

Customer: "Is that a cool room?"

Employee: (wtfing, but accomodating) "Um, all our rooms have AC, but let me have someone double check that the cooling system is working in that room and it's not unusually hot at this time of day."


Sometimes really oddball requests are really important.

You're right, but keep in mind something: hotels are just as limited staff-wise as other places, if not more. To ask a place if the AC is working properly in that specific room is a heck of a request as it takes a LOT of time for AC to kick in under good circumstances. It can take a half hour or more. The front desk can't spare someone to run to the room twice usually, let alone sit there and fiddle with the AC. Then the time of day plays a factor, plus weather. What if it just rained? This is a situation where the onus is on the customer to impart the serious nature of their request. If a customer simply asked me "Is that a cool room?" I'm supposed to read their mind and know they have a condition? And that's just going off your one example. Now, if they said "I need a room that can be in (X) temperature range" that would be different (since "cool" is so subjective). Even if they didn't have a condition, I'd do my best, as it's a specific request. However, in my hotel's case, I'd tell them they had to go elsewhere. We don't have AC, and it's basically a big concrete box. Not fun in summer.

[worddork]

The worst place I ever stayed at was in Cancun, Mexico. It had one real bed and two guest beds. The guest beds, which also doubled as the couches were waist high slabs of concrete with a 3 inch foam matress, complete with bed bugs. It was quiet, and had a lovely view, but the sleeping arrangements sucked.

[thehippie777]

I have a very effective way of dealing with noises in hotel rooms, including my wife's snoring. Earplugs. I never travel without them. They also come in handy at home when I want to sleep in, and neighbors are mowing their yards, or the birds nesting in the eaves are chipping, chirpping, chirpping...arrRRGH!!!.

I do as well. Course, I sleep during the day. Funny, usually apartments have quiet hours at night, but if a person sleeps during the day, tough luck. At first earplugs were weird, now I can't even notice they are there.

We did have a lady for awhile who insisted on a room farthest way from everything possible, including the stairs. She wore earplugs & the works, but she could still hear things. Super-light sleeper!

[froglet]

Background noise doesn't really bother me. In fact, I actually find total silence very unnerving (it makes me feel like something horrible is about to happen).

I know what you mean. The furnace in my house has the option of 'fan on all the time' or 'on only when heating/cooling'. Its OK during the day as we aren't paying direct attention to it, but if I leave tit on auto at night, it gets way too quiet and my first impulse is that its a power outage

[Getoutofmylobby]

I loved being a desk jockey when i first started, especially when dealing with regular guests as i grew to consider them more as friends as customers. I suppose the rotten people just get to me more than they should, especially now that i only work weekends as weekend travelers seem to be more demanding/clueless. When i worked 3-11 full time i knew how to keep the people happy. And I could sense they genuinely appreciated it too and that alone made the job worthwhile.

But i've worked in hotels for 8 years and it may be that my attitude towards/patience with the general public is deteriorating. I don't work with regulars anymore, and the "parent company" has been doing a number of wierd and stupid things that just annoy the s--- out of me.

Thanks for reminding me that I too liked this job once.

[calulu]

Hey Getoutofmylobby there are people that appreciate the regulars at those places. I drive to my home town about five or six times a year and break the trip at the same hotel each and every time. I'm a member of that chain's bonus club and that particular hotel in the chair always gives me the exact same ADA room farthest from the road cooled to exactly the right temp and only cleaned with milder cleanser. They treat me right and I always tip them lavishly. They are awesome!

That kinda of service from regulars is always noticed!

[Pagan]

The worst place I ever stayed at was in Cancun, Mexico. It had one real bed and two guest beds. The guest beds, which also doubled as the couches were waist high slabs of concrete with a 3 inch foam matress, complete with bed bugs. It was quiet, and had a lovely view, but the sleeping arrangements sucked.

We didn't have that problem when we went down for spring break lo these many moons ago....we camped out on the beach!

This was after having having some bird that looked like a cross between and chicken and an ostrich on the train and spending the night in a motel in Merida with the biggest damn cockroach that I've ever seen in the shower.