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Ok so despite spending my entire working life in forward-facing roles, I've never ruined a Christmas. I think last night came closest though.
Our hotel is being renovated. The atrium is where the work is being done, and they've finished the noisy stuff. This fact is, as far as I know, clearly stated in every confirmation email sent, and it's also on all the third party sites (well except for Shatner, but that one doesn't apply here).
So yesterday a couple came in with a prepaid reservation and started spluttering about how "nobody told them" the hotel was being renovated. They said they booked through the call center, and it is possible that the agent there didn't mention it, but like I said, it's on the confirmation email (as far as I know). Even if it isn't, what they did next was still sucky.
The female half of the couple looked around the lobby (we have a six foot tree up but nothing else due to decorations being moved around during reno) and started complaining about how we "can't just throw a tree in the corner and call it Christmas, I wanted a fully decorated lobby" and "we just don't get it." She was LIVID about this, not yelling, but using the strained tone a mother would have if someone had smacked her child.
Then the man chimed in with "we don't want to spend Christmas in a construction zone!"
Ok, I get it, it isn't as fun to be in a hotel undergoing renovation as it is to be in some place more aesthetically pleasing, but it isn't the end of the world. Your room is fine. Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room at the inn. Just by having a hotel room, you're already doing better than the One whose birth we're celebrating. (please no fratching about stolen traditions from Pagan Yule and how He was probably born some other time of year, I'm a Christian myself, know all of that, and still love Christmas and still put up a Nativity). Also, know what lady? That tree in the corner is twice the size as the one in the corner of my tiny apartment, the ornaments on it are cheap plastic, and the gifts under my tiny tree are hand-made because I can't afford to buy anyone anything. I'd LOVE to have a tree the size of the one in the lobby.
The male half of the couple also threw in a few "I'm a Silver Member I deserve more respect!" First, it takes 4 stays to get to Silver, and second, his folio showed he was Blue (bottom tier). I have a Gold level membership. I SO wanted to say "I'm gold and I don't snip at hotel staff like this." Best part about this, though? They stormed off in a huff to go to another hotel. Their reservation was prepaid and non-refundable.
. They are going to have trouble getting their money back.
Our hotel is being renovated. The atrium is where the work is being done, and they've finished the noisy stuff. This fact is, as far as I know, clearly stated in every confirmation email sent, and it's also on all the third party sites (well except for Shatner, but that one doesn't apply here).
So yesterday a couple came in with a prepaid reservation and started spluttering about how "nobody told them" the hotel was being renovated. They said they booked through the call center, and it is possible that the agent there didn't mention it, but like I said, it's on the confirmation email (as far as I know). Even if it isn't, what they did next was still sucky.
The female half of the couple looked around the lobby (we have a six foot tree up but nothing else due to decorations being moved around during reno) and started complaining about how we "can't just throw a tree in the corner and call it Christmas, I wanted a fully decorated lobby" and "we just don't get it." She was LIVID about this, not yelling, but using the strained tone a mother would have if someone had smacked her child.
Then the man chimed in with "we don't want to spend Christmas in a construction zone!"
Ok, I get it, it isn't as fun to be in a hotel undergoing renovation as it is to be in some place more aesthetically pleasing, but it isn't the end of the world. Your room is fine. Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room at the inn. Just by having a hotel room, you're already doing better than the One whose birth we're celebrating. (please no fratching about stolen traditions from Pagan Yule and how He was probably born some other time of year, I'm a Christian myself, know all of that, and still love Christmas and still put up a Nativity). Also, know what lady? That tree in the corner is twice the size as the one in the corner of my tiny apartment, the ornaments on it are cheap plastic, and the gifts under my tiny tree are hand-made because I can't afford to buy anyone anything. I'd LOVE to have a tree the size of the one in the lobby.
The male half of the couple also threw in a few "I'm a Silver Member I deserve more respect!" First, it takes 4 stays to get to Silver, and second, his folio showed he was Blue (bottom tier). I have a Gold level membership. I SO wanted to say "I'm gold and I don't snip at hotel staff like this." Best part about this, though? They stormed off in a huff to go to another hotel. Their reservation was prepaid and non-refundable.
. They are going to have trouble getting their money back.
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