Hotel Observations From Someone Who Should Know (833 hits)
Category: Business & FinancialRating: -0.6 on 48 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by TheLegendaryMrLegend (View user info) at 2007-12-18 20:48:36 EST
Now in my opinion, which happens to be correct, working in a hotel is a pretty sweet job. Sure I'm never gonna make the Fortune 500 on the money I make there, but there are plenty of perks. Allow me to elaborate.
As some of you know, I was working for a small Inn in Tilton for a couple of months. The job sucked and the pay was an insult. I worked my ass off for 40 hours a week and I was still always broke. I have nothing to show for the entire time I worked there. So when I got the job at the hotel I'm at now, I quit that night, the same night the only cook was finishing his own two week notice.
As a matter of fact, nearly everyone was quitting at the time. The owner was a complete idiot and hadn't made any money in four years, so there was no option of a raise for anyone. Ever.
So I Started my new job two days later. Now as it so happens, I worked for this hotel six years ago as a housekeeper, but now I was on front desk. That's hotel lingo for "Easy Street." Only about three hours of real work; fold two bins of laundry, print out the night audit, and set up breakfast. The only downside? It was only for two nights a week.
The upside? My boss is both pretty cool, and pretty cheap. We were short a housekeeper, so he offered me the housekeeping position in addition to my two night shifts.
Those of you who ever worked in housekeeping will back me up when I say that there are plenty of pros and cons about the job. Pro: tips. Since taking up housekeeping I always have extra cash to play around with or gas up the car.
Con: the fucking customers. There are some damn inconsiderate people out there, and when they go on vacation (or holiday if you're a limey Brit) they leave their brains at home to make room for more snacks in the car.
Think I'm just bitching? Well I am. I work hard, I do a good job, and I deserve to vent the old spleen once in a while.
Introducing the "Fucking customers that suck because..." list.
1. Cheapskates. If you don't want to leave a tip, that's fine. It's a little frustrating to have to clean up someone else's mess without receiving a small gratuity, but some people don't have a lot of extra cash to give away. However. To go out of your way to throw the tip envelope in the trash is just plain rude.
2. Hairy people. It's just fucking gross to try to clean a bath tub that a hairy person left half his body weight in.
3. The chain smokers. As a smoker, I'm not going to judge or persecute anyone else for smoking, but it's kind of pathetic when some people can't even put down their smokes when they're leaving a grunt. I often find a pile of towels covering a large amount of smeared ashes on the tile in the bathroom. Guess who get's to mop that up?
But that's just the housekeeping side of it. After four months of that, I finally got full time on the desk. I said front desk is easy street, but it comes at the cost of dealing with a lot more stupidity.
Introducing the "Fucking customers that suck because..." part 2.
1. "I'll check with my husband/wife and call you back." This dipshit doesn't have enough wit to tell me straight out that he/she doesn't want to pay the rate they've been quoted, so they dredge out this lame-ass excuse to get off the phone and then never call again.
2. That ol' wrong number. Every day, and I mean every fucking day, the phone rings, I pick up the receiver and trot out my greeting: "Thank you for calling **** *******, this is Frank speaking, how can I help you?" To which I hear...nothing. Every day someone calls, waits for the full greeting, then hangs up. (mumble mumble Hulk smash mumble mumble...)
3. The Problem Guest. Every one of you who work in hotels knows Mr. Problem. He's a lot like Mr. Asshole, only much more irritating. I had this guy come in two weeks ago. Apparently he had booked his room over the website, the reservation was lost, re-entered manually, and finally sorted out. Except for one detail: he wanted a smoking room, and there were no smoking rooms available when he came to check in.
So he was already in a lousy mood when he arrived. He went up to his room, then came back down five minutes later saying the room he had been given was a non-smoking. I brought up the availability list, found another room that, according to the computer, was a smoking room, gave him his new key card, and fervently hoped to never see him again.
Five minutes later, he's back again. He now is accusing me and every one in the hotel of not knowing how to do our jobs. Now I should mention here that I had told him several times that it would be okay for him to just go ahead and smoke in the room, because my first imperative is to make the guest happy. He shot down this offer because it would have settled the situation.
So now Mr. Problem, after standing at the desk for a full ten minutes as if I was going to whip out a wand and conjure up a smoking room for him. I printed out the vacant rooms list and showed him that every vacant room was non-smoking. He then went upstairs and walked up and down the hallways writing down the number of every room that didn't have a no-smoking sign.
Finally I moved him into a room that was listed non-smoking but didn't have a no-smoking sign on the door. Thankfully I didn't see him again.
Now, are you thinking to yourself "What an irrational bastard?" Well he was. But he was also an irrational bastard with an agenda. About two years ago, a newspaper put out an article about a hotel that had vowed to give away a free night to anyone who had a valid complaint. After this article came out, the number of complaints my hotel received tripled.
Mr. Problem was making the biggest fuss he could over a small matter in the hopes of making me lose my temper and give him a reason to file a complaint. Sorry Charley, but this is one tough nut to crack. I was all polite and smiles and the image of patience. But if he came back to the desk one more time, I was gonna kick his ass to the curb.
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So yeah, in the 14 months I've been an Uberuser, I've gone through three jobs, but I'm still doing pretty much the same thing: not a whole lot.
Peace out bitches!
User Reviews
Submitted by kuroneko_sama (user info) at 2007-12-22 01:52:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
wasnt it you who flat out told me that you dont tip waitresses at resturants as a matter of principal?
check out my post frank, youd like the asshole i dealt with tonight
Submitted by sir_cowman (user info) at 2007-12-20 12:07:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-20 11:01:09 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by sir_cowman (user info) at 2007-12-20 15:48:30 GMT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-20 06:35:05 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
What the fuck is wrong with the hopeless faggots who are +2ing this sorry pile of wank?
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Whats with all the hate, sun?
Just cause this dudes ugly and calls him self something incredibly gay doesn't mean that we should hate him.
===============
This post is garbage, I've nothing against him personally other than he's a moron with a shit job who likes LARPing and is probably a virgin.
__________________
LARPing... ha ha ha. i used to date a girl that was into that shit. they are a category of nerd all to themselves.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-12-20 11:18:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-20 11:01:09 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by sir_cowman (user info) at 2007-12-20 15:48:30 GMT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-20 06:35:05 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
What the fuck is wrong with the hopeless faggots who are +2ing this sorry pile of wank?
____________
Whats with all the hate, sun?
Just cause this dudes ugly and calls him self something incredibly gay doesn't mean that we should hate him.
===============
This post is garbage, I've nothing against him personally other than he's a moron with a shit job who likes LARPing and is probably a virgin.
Submitted by Method (user info) at 2007-12-20 11:00:56 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Working for the Geek Squad, I do house calls all the time, and no one tips me, but you don't hear ME complaining.
Submitted by sir_cowman (user info) at 2007-12-20 10:48:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-20 06:35:05 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
What the fuck is wrong with the hopeless faggots who are +2ing this sorry pile of wank?
____________
Whats with all the hate, sun?
Just cause this dudes ugly and calls him self something incredibly gay doesn't mean that we should hate him.
Submitted by DrogoRoch (user info) at 2007-12-20 06:36:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
You're a housekeeper? Damn Frank your life seems to get better and better, from an outsider looking in thinking that things may not be all that sweet with their own life until they read about yours, type of way.
What is it with you wanting tips for doing your fucking job? You are paid to do your job, why should people feel obliged to give you more? You will get a tip when you get in and warm the fat hairy bastards bed for him before he gets in.
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-20 06:35:05 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
What the fuck is wrong with the hopeless faggots who are +2ing this sorry pile of wank?
Submitted by sir_cowman (user info) at 2007-12-20 06:11:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I can relate. I work for Pizza Shithole and have to deal with crappy customers every day.
ps
im totally jealous that you work in a hotel. i've honestly always wanted to work in one.
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2007-12-19 15:31:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
3. The Problem Guest. Every one of you who work in hotels knows Mr. Problem. He's a lot like Mr. Asshole, only much more irritating. I had this guy come in two weeks ago. Apparently he had booked his room over the website, the reservation was lost, re-entered manually, and finally sorted out. Except for one detail: he wanted a smoking room, and there were no smoking rooms available when he came to check in.
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Maybe it was due to the quality and location of the hotel, but my problem guests were always crackheads who only wanted a room long enough to smoke a 20 rock with their ho's before getting their groove on.
I'd usually go up and clean up the room briefly an hour after they had checked in, picking up the crack baggies, and cleaning up the cigarette butts. Luckily, they never got under the covers, and if they ever jizzed on the sheets or pillows I never saw it.
Then I'd rent it again to an unsuspecting customer for cash which I'd then pocket.
Just an idea to help you out financially,
Merry Christmas.
Submitted by Flak (user info) at 2007-12-19 13:40:19 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
You said there were plenty of perks. Like what? Unless you think cleaning up peener tracks for slave wages is a perk, I'd say there are none. You sure as hell didn't list any.
Submitted by nitty34 (user info) at 2007-12-19 12:21:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
You can NOT be real.
Hotel Housekeeper?
Holy fuck.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2007-12-19 11:11:44 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
I really wanted to read this as funny, or entertaining, or not the ramblings of a helet wearing moron but unfortunately no matter how many times (one) i read it it still had the same feeling. i will now mourn the loss of two minutes of my life to this post. HEAR ME MOURN
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL
oh woe is me.
Submitted by BeforeEmily (user info) at 2007-12-19 11:10:47 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by MudWhistle (user info) at 2007-12-19 04:43:00 PST (#)
Ranking: -2
you work in a hotel because you are dumb, it's evident.
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you are consistent suck
ps you are also ugly
Submitted by BranDo (user info) at 2007-12-19 09:08:47 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
An opinion is always correct. It might not be true but still, you're entitled to your own opinion.
Downside for you is that this website's offering the only place for you to vent your opinions.
You have to smile and take shit, don't you?
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2007-12-19 09:01:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 20:04:09 CST (#)
Ranking: -2
Rather than bitch about people who don't tip, low-wage workers should organise and fight against one of the most flawed economies to ever exist.
Submitted by MudWhistle (user info) at 2007-12-19 07:43:00 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
you work in a hotel because you are dumb, it's evident.
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2007-12-19 07:29:00 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
http://stuff.ubersite.com/116948008140705915/1/Virgin%20Faggot%20With%20Cock%20Problems.jpg
Submitted by woolfe (user info) at 2007-12-19 05:07:16 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
wow, you're the first genuine poor person i sort of know.
loser
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2007-12-19 03:57:37 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
It depends how much more I annoy her I think
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2007-12-19 03:53:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Don't dump her until you got your Xmas present.
You will be the dumper, right, not the dumpee?
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2007-12-19 03:51:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I think my girlfriend I shall split up today, Uber you heard it first.
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2007-12-19 03:47:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Are you talking about Berty? You are not misreable, Em. You are always jolly. Except when you are havin' a tantrum.
Oh, and these work posts never work unless something really strange or funny actually happens.
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2007-12-19 03:43:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
keep it to yourself, some of us enjoy being miserable sods.
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2007-12-19 03:41:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Not as bad as some have said.
And I am in a fatastic mood...
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2007-12-19 03:12:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by (user info) at 2007-12-18 22:52:57 GMT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2007-12-19 03:04:53 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
You're really bad at this. If you're dead set on living some sort of existentialist nightmare then you should really have a better idea about why you're doing this. On the other hand if you're living this way by accident then you should seriously consider becoming a security guard.
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2007-12-18 22:48:13 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
this was shit, franky boy
Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2007-12-18 22:23:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I think I've seen your picture before...
in the metro section under the "Prostitution Sting" headline.
Submitted by Ltap (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:29:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:29:21 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
IS THIS JGREENING?
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:14:56 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Proof: http://www.ubersite.com/m/113537#2596705
Submitted by ConorJS (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:14:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
"Now in my opinion, which happens to be correct"
I preface statements with this all the time. It is the absolute best way to come into an intoxicated argument.
"Hey Conor, what do you think about Afghanistan?"
"Well in my opinion, which happens to be the truth, we're fighting a people that have never been fully subdued by anyone, ranging from Alexander the Great to the British Empire, and never will be. (Sluuuuurp. Belch.)"
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:14:13 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2007-12-19 02:13:41 GMT (#)
Ranking: -2
still a virgin b y the way?
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Apparently he got some recently.
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:13:41 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
still a virgin b y the way?
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:12:32 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by Leonore (user info) at 2007-12-19 02:09:25 GMT (#)
Ranking: 2
Another good point. For all I know, franky here has held down much better positions than I ever have. Like the comment about the tuppance, too.
Hurty: friend of the proletariat.
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Sad, but true.
Just so you know though, there's no way that this goon has EVER held down a better job than the shit he is doing now. I mean, LOOK AT HIM!
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:12:30 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
aaaaaaahahahahahhhahahahahaha
you put the 'cunt' in loser.
loser doesn't have a cunt?
this one does.
Submitted by Leonore (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:09:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Another good point. For all I know, franky here has held down much better positions than I ever have. Like the comment about the tuppance, too.
Hurty: friend of the proletariat.
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:05:47 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by Leonore (user info) at 2007-12-19 02:02:47 GMT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 20:58:31 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Sorry for all the whitespace in my review, I fell asleep on my keyboard before I could type properly.
Leonore, you should maybe actually get a job before you tell people how to organise theirs.
===
Fair point, although I do have a job, in that technically speaking I have a place where I go, do work, and receive small amounts of legal tender for my labour.
I work at a bookstore and I'm a graduate student.
I'll keep my mouth shut from now on.
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You don't have to, but telling someone to not get stuck somewhere for 10 years when you've had probably one full time job ever? No.
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:04:09 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by i_can_get_you_a_toe (user info) at 2007-12-19 02:00:10 GMT (#)
Ranking: 0
I can't stand this notion of tipping people to do thier job.
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Read a book called 'Nickel & Dimed', it will tell you exactly why people who work shit jobs that pay under $10 an hour rely on the kindness of people they shouldn't have to.
Rather than bitch about people who don't tip, low-wage workers should organise and fight against one of the most flawed economies to ever exist.
Submitted by Leonore (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:02:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 20:58:31 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Sorry for all the whitespace in my review, I fell asleep on my keyboard before I could type properly.
Leonore, you should maybe actually get a job before you tell people how to organise theirs.
===
Fair point, although I do have a job, in that technically speaking I have a place where I go, do work, and receive small amounts of legal tender for my labour.
I work at a bookstore and I'm a graduate student.
I'll keep my mouth shut from now on.
Submitted by i_can_get_you_a_toe (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:00:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I can't stand this notion of tipping people to do thier job.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-12-18 21:00:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
And I haven't left a review without a fucking typo in it in a year. Except for this one, I guess.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-12-18 20:59:22 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
There are approximately 867 hotel-job-related posts on uber, and they were all more entertaining than this one.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-12-18 20:58:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I haven't taken a shit without a smoking a cigarette in 20 years.
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 20:58:31 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Sorry for all the whitespace in my review, I fell asleep on my keyboard before I could type properly.
Leonore, you should maybe actually get a job before you tell people how to organise theirs.
Submitted by Leonore (user info) at 2007-12-18 20:55:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Sucky jobs suck. That sounds trite, but it's the truth. Best advice I can give you, knowing full well I have yet to take it, myself? Keep lookin'. Don't wind up there for ten years. Just don't switch too many more times; overachieving HR people'll slam you for that.
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-12-18 20:52:58 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
This was really fucking boring.