Guest demands to change rooms just because he wants to, even though he had already been in the room for several hours and even used the towels: 'He still doesn’t understand why I won’t “just switch” him into a double queen for free.'

Advertisement
  • People who don't understand how hotels operate really get under my skin. The guest checks into one of our king rooms. A couple of hours later, he calls the front desk. Guest: "I want to switch my room to a double queen room?" So I ask: "Why? Is something wrong with your room?"
  • Model image of a hotel room.
  • He responds: “No, but I just need double queen room. I originally wanted to book double queen" I explain that, unfortunately, it's already after housekeeping hours. We're a small boutique hotel, and housekeeping only works during the day. Once a room has been occupied, I can't simply move a guest into another room unless they're paying for the additional room.
  • He immediately gets upset. Guest: "But why? I didn't even use the room! I only used the towels!" I explain that it doesn't matter. Once a room has been occupied, we can't assign it to another guest without it being cleaned and inspected first. Since housekeeping has already gone home, putting someone else into that room would violate health and sanitation standards.
  • He still doesn't understand why I won't "just switch" him into a double queen for free. I honestly don't know what he expected. If I move him, I now have two occupied rooms that both have to be cleaned, and one of them can't be resold that night. Eventually, after a lot of back and forth, he seemed to finally understand why it's not that simple and agreed to pay a fee to switch him to the double queen room.
  • Visual representation of a male worker of a hotel front desk.
  • Key_Wish_7990 This is kind of like ordering a dish at a restaurant, taking one bite and saying "I want to switch to a different dish." That shouldn't cost any extra right?
  • kittyhm I would have just told him that I just checked and that room type was unavailable anyway.
  • DaneAlaskaCruz A reasonable person would understand about housekeeping not working anymore and the room not able to be cleaned. At this point, if the guest was still being insistent and not understanding, I'd be tempted to lie and say that I just checked and there are no longer any double queens available.
  • If they check online and see openings for double queens, you can always explain that sometimes the inventory online doesn't always match what is actually on site. This guest should have asked for the double queen when checking in earlier instead of hours later. Like another commenter said, they probably had s on the bed and now
  • don't want to sleep in it. And it might be TMI, but this is the reason why I usually book double queens as a guest. One bed for fun, the other for sleeping.
  • dlc741 I asked to switch rooms one time, but it was because it was right next to the elevator (loud) and we had just checked in. Hadn't even sat down yet - and I ASKED politely. Suddenly we were in a quieter room with a better view. Weird how that works sometimes.
  • WhammyShimmyShammy "If I told you the only double queen room I had available was one where another guest had stayed in for a couple, but don't worry he didn't use the room, he only used a couple of towels, would you take that room? No? Then you see why I can't give your room to someone else"
  • Head_Razzmatazz7174 He used the towels, so he used part of the amenities of the room he paid for. So, yes, in the strictest sense, he did 'use' the room.
  • stopsallover I always pull back the covers and check the bedding when I first arrive. I don't doubt that some hotels just do a quick visual inspection and reassign the room.
  • littlebitfunny21 I just used the towels! Sir- would you want to rent a room and use towels someone else had used? Don't be gross.
  • cwcharlton Explain: I can move you to another room that someone else checked into earlier but then changed. They said they didn't use anything but the towels. Is that okay? No? Why not?

Tags

Scroll Down For The Next Article