I can tell the difference between people with reservations and those without just by the way they walk into the lobby. Someone that has a reservation will walk directly to the desk; people without reservations kind of wander around the lobby... look at the cieling... meander up to the desk... "I need a room for tonight."
People who make reservations at least have grasped the concept of "call ahead" so they have some idea of what it takes to travel. Walk-in customers however are a completely different creature. Some of them assume that if they see a grocery store, it will have milk, and on the same token if they see a hotel, it will have rooms... exactly what they want.
I feel bad for some people when they realize that by not making a reservation on a busy weekend, they can't get what they need and are SOL. But, then there are people like this lady who dig their own graves because they either refuse to listen or refuse to be wrong.
Lady: (after wandering around the lobby) Uh yeah, i need a place for tonight.
Me: Ok, we're pretty full for tonight, the only thing i have left are rooms with single king beds nonsmoking.
Lady: How much are they?
Me: I only have a few of them so i'll sell it to you for the lowest rate, $102 plus tax.
Lady: That's a bit more then i want to spend, and that's for a single?
Me: Yeah.
Lady: We have four adults and a one year old, don't you have any rooms with two beds?
Me: ...no. All i have left are single kings and our stock of rollaways are all gone as well.
Lady: And you have a pool?
Me: ...uh yeah, right past the elevator.
Lady: Does it have a wading area for kids?
Me: The shallowest it goes is three feet.
Lady: No shallow place for them to splash around in? Hmmm.... Do you have any suites? We have alot of people.
Me: No, just the single kings. I do know the Best Western up the street has some rooms open, perhaps they have a double, would you like to try there?
Lady: No. (Takes out credit card) I'll take a room.
Me: Ok, you do realize this room has a single king bed in it and that we have no available rollaways... right?
Lady: Just give me the room, i'm not stupid.
So, from her perspective; It's too expensive, people will have to sleep on the floor, the kid can't use the pool, the hotel has a condescending desk clerk... sounds perfect!!
People who make reservations at least have grasped the concept of "call ahead" so they have some idea of what it takes to travel. Walk-in customers however are a completely different creature. Some of them assume that if they see a grocery store, it will have milk, and on the same token if they see a hotel, it will have rooms... exactly what they want.
I feel bad for some people when they realize that by not making a reservation on a busy weekend, they can't get what they need and are SOL. But, then there are people like this lady who dig their own graves because they either refuse to listen or refuse to be wrong.
Lady: (after wandering around the lobby) Uh yeah, i need a place for tonight.
Me: Ok, we're pretty full for tonight, the only thing i have left are rooms with single king beds nonsmoking.
Lady: How much are they?
Me: I only have a few of them so i'll sell it to you for the lowest rate, $102 plus tax.
Lady: That's a bit more then i want to spend, and that's for a single?
Me: Yeah.
Lady: We have four adults and a one year old, don't you have any rooms with two beds?
Me: ...no. All i have left are single kings and our stock of rollaways are all gone as well.
Lady: And you have a pool?
Me: ...uh yeah, right past the elevator.
Lady: Does it have a wading area for kids?
Me: The shallowest it goes is three feet.
Lady: No shallow place for them to splash around in? Hmmm.... Do you have any suites? We have alot of people.
Me: No, just the single kings. I do know the Best Western up the street has some rooms open, perhaps they have a double, would you like to try there?
Lady: No. (Takes out credit card) I'll take a room.
Me: Ok, you do realize this room has a single king bed in it and that we have no available rollaways... right?
Lady: Just give me the room, i'm not stupid.
So, from her perspective; It's too expensive, people will have to sleep on the floor, the kid can't use the pool, the hotel has a condescending desk clerk... sounds perfect!!
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