'So I can come in at 3 AM?': Entitled hotel guest insists on checking in before he's allowed, requests to sleep in the parking lot

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    Cheezburger Image 10413479168
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    No You May Not Check In Early We're Full Long It's been a while since my last post, thought I'd better post before I start seeing my name on milk cartons or something...
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    Tonight, gentle readers, we shall speak of the pigheaded post- midnight guest. Buttercup the unicorn is out having a frolic, she'll be back in about ten minutes or so if folks need sparkles. But first an update.
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    For those who don't read my posts regularly, we've been sheltering a bunch of the local homeless during this whole Covid crisis. This has had some very mixed results. Over the past. three months we've gotten rid of the riff-raff and troublemakers, leaving the 'nice' homeless folks, so it has been quite pleasant.
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    It is worth noting that the county agency that placed them here is working very hard on getting folks housed. Mainly because as nice as we are, it's still kinda expensive. So the folks who are in compliance are getting some transitional housing options depending on their needs, while the folks who are not following the rules... well, they tried.
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    In any event, we're down to about twenty rooms with the homeless folks, another twenty rooms of 'real' guests (mostly a construction crew at the moment), and the rest of the rooms needing service. 101 is still not rentable. We had to tear out the carpet.
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    'Mike' hasn't been seen in a few weeks. Current theory is that he's in jail. Don't know, don't care. He's not here, and that's what matters. The other problem folks have stopped coming by, partly because we've been locking the doors at night. In the thirteen years I've been here, we haven't had to lock rhem before, but it works. Which brings us to the other night.
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    So things were pretty decent, no problems, full house, everyone checked in. Things are looking to be relaxing and mellow. A good night to work on crossword puzzles and aw that's an ambulance pulling into the portico.
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    Protip for those who work with EMTs (looking at you WeeWoo) ask where a room is located, not just where the elevator is. They assumed room 112 was on the second floor. Fortunately, the elderly gentleman wasn't coding or anything, just a health scare as one gets when one is pushing 80.
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    So after he goes off in the noisy bus to get checked out, I settle back in at the desk. It is about 12:05am when the phone rings. Some of you are groaning, knowing what comes next. Gold star, now go pet Buttercup so you don't spoil it for the others.
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    "Good evening, Lacking Tea in City, this Skwrl speaking, how may I help you tonight?" "Yeah, I just made a reservation, last name Smith, can I check in now?"
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    Cue internal groaning. I check to make sure he hasn't somehow managed to squeeze a reservation in for the night (we're sold out, remember). Nope, his reservation is for the next night. Of course it is... Prepaid throug a third-party site, too. Joy.
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    "I'm sorry sir, but you made your reservation for tomorrow night, not-" "Well can't you just change it to tonight, then?"
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    I really hate being interrupted. "No, I cannot. We don't have any rooms available right now." "So you're telling me that even though I have a reservation with your hotel, you're not willing to accommodate me?" Lovely, one of those sorts.
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    "Sir, it's not a matter of wanting to or not. We're full. We don't have any rooms to give you." "But I have a reservation." "Yes. For Tuesday night. This is-" "It's Tuesday now."
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    I can tell by his tone of voice that he's not actually confused or anything, he's just trying to push his way into getting a room we don't have. "... This is still Monday night. Your reservation is for three pm Tuesday."
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    "So I can come in at three am?" "NO. Three pm. Like it says on your reservation. We do not have anything available right now." "Well, when will a room be available?"
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    (through gritted teeth at this point) "Three. P. M. Your reservation is for three. p. m." "I need a room right now, go ahead and change my reservation."
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    Gentle readers, I would like you all to take a moment to appreciate the restraint I showed in not throwing the phone across the lobby at that moment. "Sir. I cannot do that. You booked through HotMess, and I am unable to change anything with a third-party prepaid reservation." An idea forms, "... If If you would like for them to make changes to your reservation, you need to call their customer care."
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    "I'll do that, and tell them you're not being very helpful at all." *click* Ugh. Yes please, let them deal with this goober. Still, I know that the OTA is going to have to try and ... ah, yep, there's the phone.
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    "Hello yes this is Tammy with HotMess on a recorded line. I'm calling about our mutual guest Mister Smith?" "Yes, he called wanting an immediate check-in. His reservation is for Tuesday night, and we are completely sold out tonight. We are willing to let him cancel without penalty."
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    I've dealt with these phone calls before, and it takes Tammy a moment to realize I've answered all of her scripted questions. "Ah, okay Skwrl, I will let Mister Smith know you cannot accommodate him at this time. Thank you!" I relax and get started on the audit. It's no longer my problem, I don't have to deal with it.
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    Hah. As I'm finishing the paperwork and emailing the reports to the owners, the phone rings. It's Mr Smith again. "Hey, I was wondering if I could just sleep in your parking lot until I check in at noon?"
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    *groan* "I'm sorry, but for liability reasons, we have to ask that you not do that... And check-in is at three pm." "Wow, you're not being very accommodating at all!" I managed to bite back a scathing response and ended the call in some fascimile of a polite manner. A couple of minutes later, his reservation dropped off the system. Whew.
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    Anyways, you'll be pleased to know the fellow taking the ambulance turned out fine. He walked back in at about five in the morning. Just a health scare, as happens when one is elderly. Take a minute to say goodbye to Buttercup. Teal Deer; post-midnight reservation decides to not take 'we're full' for an answer, in addition to being fourteen hours early.
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    rpjs Good job Mr Smith wasn't in the parking lot when the ambulance was there: "You do have a room free!"
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    eltf177 And here's another perfect reason to not do business with Third-Party sites. I'm glad you take a firm hand with these sites and those that use them, it makes no sense to argue in a circle. Just tell 'customer' to deal with the site THEY used to deal with the problem THEY created. And tell site you will NOT be
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    making any concessions to fix the problem they and their client caused, it's NOT your problem and you have better things to do! I swear SkwrTail, you get some of the oddest problems. Bad for you, fun for us!
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