Years ago my wife and I arrived in the early evening at the InterContinental Paris - Le Grand Hotel, A beautiful hotel, that was built in an elegant time, but with thinner walls compared to today's standards. We had spend the day out, and we were looking forward to a good night's sleep
.Unfortunately our room was next to a room occupied by fellow Americans, a couple who were very loud. We had gone to bed around 10:00 PM, and around 11:30pm we were awakened to the sound of the couple returning to their room, arguing loudly about something that had taken place during the day. We tried to ignore them, and did not complain to the management, as we heard a litany about everything that was wrong with France. Unfortunately throughout the night we were continually awakened by the wife, shouting about a variety of things, including that the husbad was grabbing the blanket and not giving her her fair share. We were then awakened early in the morning by the woman screaming at her husband that they were going to miss their tour bus, and ordering him to go down to the bus and hold it, while she went for her mandatory grapefruit juice. When he asked her how he was supposed to stop the bus from leaving, she said he should stand at the door of the bus with one foot on the bus and one foot on the ground, and refuse to move until she got there with her grapefruit juice.
As we were leaving the hotel I slipped a note under their door saying that as fellow (unnamed) guests, we hoped they didn't miss their bus, and that she got her grapefruit juice. I suggested that they should be mindful of the guests in the other rooms who could hear every word they said at all times. Finally, I suggested that they ask the management for an additional blanket if they couldn't share the one they had.
Needless to say, we heard nothing from them the next night, though we know that they were in their room, having seen them walking down the hall a distance ahead of us when we returned to our room.
I am not a "user" - I only use what I absolutely need in my hotel room and make it obvious what has been used. AND always leave tip (have educated a few friends on the tip the housekeeper rule). Although I love bed & breakfasts (I own one), when I DO get to travel I am a "hit & split" which is not B & B travel, so I stay at motels as I have to BE at my destination by day/time (and if I forgot to block reservations, have my own guests to serve breakfast to before I can leave).
One should not treat a hotel room with the idea of using everything that is there. (and the lush towels, robes, etc. that are provided for your comfort and enjoyment of your stay are to still be there when you leave.) Save your arguments until in the car or at home - no one else needs/wants to know your business.
IF I see housekeeping as I leave my room to check out, I tell them the room is vacant and thank them for what they do. Also if I see cleaning staff at a rest area/airport/wherever there is a Public Restroom (especially a Rest Area) and the bathroom is clean, I make a point to tell them how much they are appreciated for what they do. More people need to do that - it may make things cleaner everywhere.
In "How to Win Friends and Influence People", Dale Carneige said it really is appreciated by service industry people when customers thank those hard workers who make life more pleasant for those who work in the service industry. I always try to do as you do.
Yes the worst and most embarrassing hotel guest was my late husband. We used to travel by car back and forth to NY every 2 weeks for 5 years from Florida for business back in the early 90's. That meant one stop in a hotel along I95. He ALWAYS raised his voice when he spoke, particularly on the phone. (to be fair I didn't figure out till years later he was hard of hearing, but still). Those days cell phones were not invented so he would call the office in NY every morning prior to leaving the room from the room phone and ALWAYS stayed past check out time. He would spend 2 to 4 hours on the phone yelling at his employees while others were either trying to sleep or housekeeping needed to make up the room. It was a constant fight between us and his rudeness was most embarrassing. I spent years apologizing to others. He was so demanding on a cruise because there was a very slight coffee stain on the carpet in our room that they were so frightened of him, they literally changed the carpet. I could write a book on the episodes, but those 2 infringements come to mind immediately. Literally he had to be the worst hotel and cruise guest in the world.
The Mr one-day spender at hotels. The single men or cheaters ones that splurge one night to impress a local.
You *ALWAYS* know who they are!
They start by getting drunk at the pool-side bar at 9pm before they scream and yell in the kiddy pool for hours.
Then drag their loud conversation along every wall and door as they drunkenly get to their room and pass out. Followed a few hours by loud vomiting and choking.
They end their stay at the buffet by taking every last steak and piece of bacon and fish and piling up their plates. Go back for more before they finished and leave $50 of food on their plates as they leave.
Victoria BC - the couple who came to the lavish hotel breakfast buffet in their bathrobes, loosely tied so we knew robes were their only clothing. The man sood at the buffet, scratching his chest, then grabbing food without tongs.
Brisbane AU - the family who came into the Executive Lounge one evening, took an entire tray of oysters and seafood and left the lounge.
I always hope for the naughty kid to come running and pull the cord. I have no interest in what’s underneath but I always wonder the thoughts behind such actions.
Are you hoping to show off (exhibitionist) or begging for unearned attention (expressionist)
Years ago my wife and I arrived in the early evening at the InterContinental Paris - Le Grand Hotel, A beautiful hotel, that was built in an elegant time, but with thinner walls compared to today's standards. We had spend the day out, and we were looking forward to a good night's sleep
.Unfortunately our room was next to a room occupied by fellow Americans, a couple who were very loud. We had gone to bed around 10:00 PM, and around 11:30pm we were awakened to the sound of the couple returning to their room, arguing loudly about something that had taken place during the day. We tried to ignore them, and did not complain to the management, as we heard a litany about everything that was wrong with France. Unfortunately throughout the night we were continually awakened by the wife, shouting about a variety of things, including that the husbad was grabbing the blanket and not giving her her fair share. We were then awakened early in the morning by the woman screaming at her husband that they were going to miss their tour bus, and ordering him to go down to the bus and hold it, while she went for her mandatory grapefruit juice. When he asked her how he was supposed to stop the bus from leaving, she said he should stand at the door of the bus with one foot on the bus and one foot on the ground, and refuse to move until she got there with her grapefruit juice.
As we were leaving the hotel I slipped a note under their door saying that as fellow (unnamed) guests, we hoped they didn't miss their bus, and that she got her grapefruit juice. I suggested that they should be mindful of the guests in the other rooms who could hear every word they said at all times. Finally, I suggested that they ask the management for an additional blanket if they couldn't share the one they had.
Needless to say, we heard nothing from them the next night, though we know that they were in their room, having seen them walking down the hall a distance ahead of us when we returned to our room.
Years ago my wife and I arrived in the early evening at the InterContinental Paris - Le Grand Hotel, A beautiful hotel, that was built in an elegant time, but with thinner walls compared to today's standards. We had spend the day out, and we were looking forward to a good night's sleep
.Unfortunately our room was next to a room occupied by fellow Americans, a couple who were very loud. We had gone to bed around 10:00 PM, and around 11:30pm we were awakened to the sound of the couple returning to their room, arguing loudly about something that had taken place during the day. We tried to ignore them, and did not complain to the management, as we heard a litany about everything that was wrong with France. Unfortunately throughout the night we were continually awakened by the wife, shouting about a variety of things, including that the husbad was grabbing the blanket and not giving her her fair share. We were then awakened early in the morning by the woman screaming at her husband that they were going to miss their tour bus, and ordering him to go down to the bus and hold it, while she went for her mandatory grapefruit juice. When he asked her how he was supposed to stop the bus from leaving, she said he should stand at the door of the bus with one foot on the bus and one foot on the ground, and refuse to move until she got there with her grapefruit juice.
As we were leaving the hotel I slipped a note under their door saying that as fellow (unnamed) guests, we hoped they didn't miss their bus, and that she got her grapefruit juice. I suggested that they should be mindful of the guests in the other rooms who could hear every word they said at all times. Finally, I suggested that they ask the management for an additional blanket if they couldn't share the one they had.
Needless to say, we heard nothing from them the next night, though we know that they were in their room, having seen them walking down the hall a distance ahead of us when we returned to our room.
That's a great story. I wish I could have included it in this column.
I am not a "user" - I only use what I absolutely need in my hotel room and make it obvious what has been used. AND always leave tip (have educated a few friends on the tip the housekeeper rule). Although I love bed & breakfasts (I own one), when I DO get to travel I am a "hit & split" which is not B & B travel, so I stay at motels as I have to BE at my destination by day/time (and if I forgot to block reservations, have my own guests to serve breakfast to before I can leave).
One should not treat a hotel room with the idea of using everything that is there. (and the lush towels, robes, etc. that are provided for your comfort and enjoyment of your stay are to still be there when you leave.) Save your arguments until in the car or at home - no one else needs/wants to know your business.
IF I see housekeeping as I leave my room to check out, I tell them the room is vacant and thank them for what they do. Also if I see cleaning staff at a rest area/airport/wherever there is a Public Restroom (especially a Rest Area) and the bathroom is clean, I make a point to tell them how much they are appreciated for what they do. More people need to do that - it may make things cleaner everywhere.
KP, you're one of the good ones.
In "How to Win Friends and Influence People", Dale Carneige said it really is appreciated by service industry people when customers thank those hard workers who make life more pleasant for those who work in the service industry. I always try to do as you do.
Yes the worst and most embarrassing hotel guest was my late husband. We used to travel by car back and forth to NY every 2 weeks for 5 years from Florida for business back in the early 90's. That meant one stop in a hotel along I95. He ALWAYS raised his voice when he spoke, particularly on the phone. (to be fair I didn't figure out till years later he was hard of hearing, but still). Those days cell phones were not invented so he would call the office in NY every morning prior to leaving the room from the room phone and ALWAYS stayed past check out time. He would spend 2 to 4 hours on the phone yelling at his employees while others were either trying to sleep or housekeeping needed to make up the room. It was a constant fight between us and his rudeness was most embarrassing. I spent years apologizing to others. He was so demanding on a cruise because there was a very slight coffee stain on the carpet in our room that they were so frightened of him, they literally changed the carpet. I could write a book on the episodes, but those 2 infringements come to mind immediately. Literally he had to be the worst hotel and cruise guest in the world.
Oh wow! That's quite a story.
Ai yi yi... That must have been so uncomfortable for you. I hope you've had wonderful travels in the ensuing years!
Unfortunately, your husband never learned to play fair in the sandbox when he was younger and it carried through his life.
Correct. His way or the highway.
The Mr one-day spender at hotels. The single men or cheaters ones that splurge one night to impress a local.
You *ALWAYS* know who they are!
They start by getting drunk at the pool-side bar at 9pm before they scream and yell in the kiddy pool for hours.
Then drag their loud conversation along every wall and door as they drunkenly get to their room and pass out. Followed a few hours by loud vomiting and choking.
They end their stay at the buffet by taking every last steak and piece of bacon and fish and piling up their plates. Go back for more before they finished and leave $50 of food on their plates as they leave.
Grow up.
I've seen them, too. Should have included them in the story.
Victoria BC - the couple who came to the lavish hotel breakfast buffet in their bathrobes, loosely tied so we knew robes were their only clothing. The man sood at the buffet, scratching his chest, then grabbing food without tongs.
Brisbane AU - the family who came into the Executive Lounge one evening, took an entire tray of oysters and seafood and left the lounge.
I always hope for the naughty kid to come running and pull the cord. I have no interest in what’s underneath but I always wonder the thoughts behind such actions.
Are you hoping to show off (exhibitionist) or begging for unearned attention (expressionist)
Good one!
David Kingsley
1h
Edited
Years ago my wife and I arrived in the early evening at the InterContinental Paris - Le Grand Hotel, A beautiful hotel, that was built in an elegant time, but with thinner walls compared to today's standards. We had spend the day out, and we were looking forward to a good night's sleep
.Unfortunately our room was next to a room occupied by fellow Americans, a couple who were very loud. We had gone to bed around 10:00 PM, and around 11:30pm we were awakened to the sound of the couple returning to their room, arguing loudly about something that had taken place during the day. We tried to ignore them, and did not complain to the management, as we heard a litany about everything that was wrong with France. Unfortunately throughout the night we were continually awakened by the wife, shouting about a variety of things, including that the husbad was grabbing the blanket and not giving her her fair share. We were then awakened early in the morning by the woman screaming at her husband that they were going to miss their tour bus, and ordering him to go down to the bus and hold it, while she went for her mandatory grapefruit juice. When he asked her how he was supposed to stop the bus from leaving, she said he should stand at the door of the bus with one foot on the bus and one foot on the ground, and refuse to move until she got there with her grapefruit juice.
As we were leaving the hotel I slipped a note under their door saying that as fellow (unnamed) guests, we hoped they didn't miss their bus, and that she got her grapefruit juice. I suggested that they should be mindful of the guests in the other rooms who could hear every word they said at all times. Finally, I suggested that they ask the management for an additional blanket if they couldn't share the one they had.
Needless to say, we heard nothing from them the next night, though we know that they were in their room, having seen them walking down the hall a distance ahead of us when we returned to our room.