"I didn't know about the balcony until 15 minutes ago but now I NEED one": Two families check into a sold-out boutique hotel, discover only one room has a balcony demand an upgrade or discount

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  • "I didn't know about the balcony until 15 minutes ago but now I NEED one"

    man arguing with hotel receptionists holding and poiniting to a piece of paper
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  • After almost 5 years of working in hospitality people are still finding ways to baffle me.
  • I am the office manager at a small boutique hotel. We're in our summer season and are still sold out by the end of every night.
  • For context, we have 6 rooms with balconies. Three single kings, three king with sofa beds. Guests like them a lot but we don't advertise them much online.
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  • man arguing with hotel receptionist, looking frustrated
  • Because they're not included in the price (although now I'm thinking they should be). I'm covering the swing shift the other night when two families pull up to check in.
  • The men came to the desk to check in while the wives and children waited in the sitting area. Not the focal point of the story, but I had to note they were some of the loudest children I've ever heard.
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  • Screaming so loud I had to speak up when checking them in. The men were nice at first though and it was late and I was exhausted so I was just trying to get through it.
  • Everything is going well. Or so I thought. Fifteen minutes later the men come down with nasty looks on their faces.
  • man arguing with hotel receptionist, like he's shouting at her
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  • "We have a problem. We booked the same room." Both are in the king rooms with sofa beds. I ask what seems to be the issue.
  • "Why does he have a balcony and I don't?" Oh here we go. I explain that it's not an amenity that is for sale,
  • Balcony rooms can be requested but other than that it is first come first serve. It was almost 10pm and to be honest they hadnt even told us ahead of time that their reservations were together (different names)
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  • So they were very fortunate to even be on the same hallway. They look at me like just said the dumbest thing they've ever heard.
  • "So do i get a discount then?" I actually laughed. I work hotels 7 days a week, managing front desk and housekeeping on the weekends for 5 days a week and working night audit at another property.
  • My patience for bs is non existent at this point. They begged me to move them to a balcony room. At this hour absolutely not.
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  • Tomorrow? We're booked solid for days and I've learned unless it's an easy, one to one switch or upgrade, you don't mess with the assignments.
  • I've had too many mess ups from trying to be too nice. They were p ed. Glaring me down. Well ya know what I'm not new to this so I stared at him right back until he finally looked down.
  • I was being polite but when I tell you I can't magically pull a 4 night stay in a booked room out of my a at 10pm in the middle of summer I expect you to understand.
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  • They finally sulked off muttering about me. Where do people find the audacity?

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