Hotel Front Desk Agent

What is a "rack rate" and how can I give myself the best shot at getting it? :)

Asked by Selma Meyer over 12 years ago

The official definition from the Business Dictionary: "Terms used in the hotel industry to describe the cost to a customers that request accommodations for the same day without prior booking arrangements . The rack rate price tends to be more expensive than the rate that the customer could have received if he/she used a travel agency or third-party service. Rack rates can vary based on the day that the room is requested. For instance, the rack rate may be more expensive on weekends, which are usually high travel days." This holds true to my experience. It is always higher than third party reservation made through say an Orbitz or Expedia. If you ask a smaller hotel reservationist who isn't beholden to corporate rules if he or she can match an Orbitz or Expedia rate you found online, you'd get the best of both worlds because you're booking direct so you can cancel sometimes without penalty, but you are also getting a lower price.

If your hotel discovered that an online porn video was filmed in one of your rooms (without permission), would your hotel seek legal recourse? Or at least demand that it be taken down?

Asked by Jimcognito over 12 years ago

I can definitely say that all kinds of films, photo shoots, music videos, and commercials have been shot on my property without obtaining clearance first. I and my co-workers at the front desk know what signs to look for that would indicate someone is up to something shady: film equipment, and of course, the "talent." Film crews and talent are a certain "type" that walk with a certain purpose. I have helped bust several unauthorized productions and shoots, because at the end of the day, my Director of Sales or Marketing is going to blame it on me first if something happened on their watch. So it's in my best interest to stop those productions from happening. As far as legal recourse, I don't think the hotel could necessarily do anything once the work is published, unless there were something posted at the entrances prohibiting unauthorized filming, the crew were caught in the act, or there were some items in the shot(s) which were proprietary to the hotel itself, which could warrant all kinds of charges from trespassing to trademark and copyright infringement.

If a guest wanted to stay at your hotel for a prolonged period of time (a week, a month, etc), can he get a discounted rate? How much?

Asked by Da Bronc about 12 years ago

Weekly rates and monthly rates can usually be negotiated with the sales department, and there's definitely an interest from the hotel's point of view to have that prolonged stay, how much of a discount is involved in that will depend on the hotel's overall occupancy and availability and any requirements placed on the hotel by a parent company, if any. The benefits from a hotel's view of a longer stay is it guarantees revenue for a longer period of time and it's building a relationship with someone who, unless displaced by an unfortunate incident and being reimbursed by an insurance company, likely has reason to refer the hotel to their equally wealthy friends and clients if the stay goes well. In most localities, any occupancy tax or "bed tax" charged on a normal night's stay can be completely waived if the stay goes beyond 30 days and becomes a month. Other savings can reach into the ten to fifteen percent off per night, maybe more depending on the specifics.

How do hotels wash their towels and sheets to keep them so white? I feel like my sheets at home start to get stains I can’t get out within weeks.

Asked by orkcity over 12 years ago

I know we outsource our cleaning of linens to a company that specializes in doing it for hotels and restaurants. They probably have their formula down pat as far as how much bleach and what kind of detergent they use. I was told by our housekeeping supervisor who manages the linen inventory that the water used by the industrial cleaning services is so hot it actually sanitizes the fabric, which is a good thing. Funny enough linen and how much of it is available can literally make a hotel fail to function or flourish. It has happened when we're super sold out that we've had to borrow from neighboring hotels!

What's the MOST trashed you've ever found a room? Are we talking like televisions getting thrown out of windows?

Asked by 100_strong over 12 years ago

Wow. Where to start. In no particular order of awesomeness, and not necessarily in the same room, but sometimes: 1. Nail scratch marks on the custom leather headboard (gross) 2. Marijuana nuggets, cocaine dust, bloody cotton swabs (what?!), it was like Keith Richards' trail mix 3. Cigarettes...in EVERYTHING! On (our) robes, in glasses, on tables, in beds, in showers, in toaster ovens, in chairs, etc... 4. We did have some kids of vaguely Middle-Eastern origin who thought it was funny to throw remote controls out of the 7th story window onto the public sidewalk...until it hit our security officer in the head. Then it wasn't so funny to them. 5. Broken whisky glasses on the floor over a puddle of blood... 6. Food in all manners of decomposition and heat exhaustion. Use your imagination. 7. Condoms, lots of condoms. 8. Alcohol bottles, broken, maybe intact. But really? You're going to fill up the minibar bottles with water and I'm not going to notice? 9. Firearms left randomly unattended until they're later awkwardly claimed? As far as trashing, it's usually the bloody rooms that contain all of the above. But the fact that the guest somehow walked away unscathed always boggles my mind!

Frank here! I'll fall on the knife and ask: why do hotel room toilets clog so easily? Not that I would know from experience, of course.

Asked by Jobstr Frank over 12 years ago

As Indiana Jones once said, "It's not so much the years, it's the mileage." Same goes for those poor toilets. They're just getting used constantly and by people with varying levels of plumbing common sense. People really don't have the same respect often for the hotel's appliances as they would their own while at home, so they're prone to flush non-flushable items. What you also find in a hotel that is older or has more than a few floors is that pipes may be interconnected in ways that they would never be if installed to today's standards. Older outfall pipes to septic tanks can be made of clay which lets tree roots grow into it and back up the tank, and you have non-copper piping too which is less reliable.

Can you set the record straight on this: are we supposed to tip the maids?

Asked by brenda310 over 12 years ago

My honest answer would be yes. Maids and housekeeping staff don't receive tips as often as bellhops and food and beverage staff, or even front desk staff, so giving them a pat on the back is nice, especially if you called for service more than is regularly provided. Typically $2 per day is the standard, but I throw down a $5 bill when checking out if they did a good job on each cleaning or did a special task for me. I leave it on the nightstand or give it to the front desk in a clearly marked envelope at checkout. At an honest hotel, 99% of the time that envelope will get to the housekeepers.

Why are hotels so difficult about giving early check-ins?

Asked by redeye guy over 12 years ago

Another good question! Early check-ins are just like late check-outs, everybody seems to want them! The problem is, having too many of one will make it impossible to grant the other. Again, all I want is to give the guest what he or she wants, but when a hotel is sold to the gills, it's near to impossible to grant a late checkout, without making someone checking in wait longer for their room. Consider that many guests don't tell the front desk when they leave, since they can just leave their keys in the room. It may take until 11, 12, 1 o'clock to even know whether that guest's room is vacant (extra thanks to those that leave the "do not disturb" sign idly hanging on the door even though they've already checked out). Only then can the housekeeping staff begin to work on cleaning the room(s) and this can take anywhere from 25 minutes on a fast day to 3 or 4 hours depending on the condition the room was left in. If the room is really trashed it may have to be taken out of order entirely for deep cleaning. The general rule is, smaller the hotel's size and room count, and the closer to sold out (ie: holiday weekend) a hotel is, the harder or more impossible it's going to be to grant any special requests, ESPECIALLY late checkouts or early check-ins. I once had someone SO angry that he couldn't check in early that the staff had to skip many of the steps in cleaning his room just so I could get him out of the lobby.

Am I really getting a better room rate when I book on Priceline / Travelocity / Hotels.com? Their rates are almost ALWAYS lower than what the hotel offers directly.

Asked by Bee over 12 years ago

The easy answer is yes, my property may even be contractually obligated to give the website and in turn you up to 30% lower than my hotel's asking price for the room. That is a great deal, however think of yourself more as a guest of Travelocity, Orbitz, etc than a guest of the hotel once you've gone through one of these. Admitted or not, hotels will treat guests paying the full room rate directly to the hotel with more care than someone who bought their room online. One most important lesson regarding these bulk travel sites is that while you save money in the short run, making changes to or canceling your reservation is an absolute hassle! As a front desk agent I only want to help each guest, but when they decide that the deceptively alluring pictures and description of the property don't match what's actually there once they arrive, I have to nicely but firmly explain that I and my management have zero control over the third party website's content or frequency of communication to my hotel. I and management have made call after call and sent dozens of emails with updated photos and descriptions, but the regional rep from that site neglected to respond or update THEIR site, in turn giving the guest a flawed perception of what's really going on. In short, if you're not too particular, go ahead and book through a third party, but if it's your honeymoon or for your very picky boss, book direct and you'll be able to deal directly with the hotel, which is bound to give you updated, real-time information and preferred service. As cheesy as it may sound, being a rewards program member means something to me. Even though my property doesn't have one, I've been a member of several and it really does give you some extra weight when negotiating an upgrade or any other perk.

Has anyone ever committed suicide in one of your hotel's rooms?

Asked by Sullyduzit over 12 years ago

I've come up with a theory: people generally fall into three categories of guests. 1. Getting room due to happy reason 2. Getting room because of bad reason 3. Getting room because job requires them to. Guest category # 2 is the scary one because for some reason people think it's okay to take out their frustrations on a place that isn't theirs. While I am thankful to say that no suicides or deaths have happened on my watch, there have been people who have passed away, including one suicide by gun, since the hotel was built. I have had close calls like a drug overdose, and I have found rooms so trashed and littered with blood stains (one time we had to throw out the sheets because they were so soaked in blood) that I could swear they WERE suicide attempts that just failed, and the guest was too embarrassed to admit what they did. We did charge all these people for the damages, by the way, and none of them called to complain about the charges, which leads me to believe they didn't want to draw attention to their situation. It's very sad, but from my perspective I just don't want it happening on my watch or affecting other guests who are category # 1 or # 3!

At this point, why don't hotels just make Internet access available to all and just bake the cost into the room pricing? Instead of this "pay an additional $9.95/day" nonsense...

Asked by Kermudge over 12 years ago

This I am in 100% agreement on with you. Wi-fi is such a necessity to function in this world that it is very frustrating to pay for a hotel room and then have to pay for wi-fi on top of that. However, I see where some of the larger hotels are coming from on this. They often depend on corporate or business travelers for such a large percentage of their income that they know the likelihood of that corporate traveler paying for these fees directly is low, so they can get away with it. At a boutique hotel, I just don't see how it makes sense. It is just another fee that will end up getting waived when the guest is upset about something. My property happens to have free wi-fi, but I would hate to have to disclose to guests they're getting charged for it.

Do you like your job?

Asked by samantha_paul over 12 years ago

Absolutely. If you like helping people, and you like taking ownership of a problem from start to finish, this is the job for you. Sure, it has its challenges, like strange working hours, confrontations with guests and others that are difficult to resolve, and sometimes having to magically make something out of nothing, but it can be very rewarding when I am able to be a good host and make people feel at home.

Have you ever had to tell a couple that their sex was too loud and to keep it down?

Asked by rosieperez over 12 years ago

I have had to call security (or in the instance of working the PM shift on a short staff go up there with an earpiece and pretend to BE security) so many times I can't remember. Usually if one guest couldn't sleep because of the noise of their neighbor(s), it's due to partying, but I have received a call or two where the complainant says, "I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, but the people next door that are doing it are being really LOUD!" Sure, that does happen.

When a guy and girl arrive at your hotel to check in and it's CLEARLY a dude with a prostitute, do your report this to anyone? Or do you have to just keep a straight face and accommodate them as you would anyone?

Asked by Mike Cee over 12 years ago

Hey, so long as they don't fight and cause a ruckus, what happens in their room hopefully stays in their room and they both get a fair deal. In the end the hotel's bottom line and reputation shouldn't be affected. However, I've met the vice cops in our district who bust gambling, illegal alcohol and prostitution only once, and they were super-nice and I've never seen nor noticed them at our hotel again. I do know I'd see them again if a room continued to be used over and over again, and obviously, for any of the three vices to the point where it caused a disruption.

When I order room service, they usually add a "service charge" to the check. Is that supposed to be the delivery person's tip, or do you tip ON TOP of that?

Asked by salvo888 over 12 years ago

At our property there is an automatic 18% room service gratuity charge on all orders. You certainly don't have to tip beyond that, as it's meant to serve as the delivery person's tip, but I think typically anyone showing up to my door with any service will get at least a $2 cash tip minimum, just for the effort. Like all tips in hotels, I like to say that they're not expected, but always appreciated. Of course if room service bungles it completely, you may just want to leave the 18% on there and call it a day, or if it was absolutely awful, just talk to me at the front desk at checkout and I may be able to waive the entire room service order from your bill. Don't get in the habit of faking it, because I have a built-in bullshit detector.

Does it get boring behind the desk all day?

Asked by soma over 12 years ago

There are definitely moments with "down time" but more often than not I've got a steady, constant stream of tasks. Down time is usually when you catch up on what you couldn't before, and get to know your co-workers. At larger corporate hotels, there seems to always be someone manning each station. In my experience at a smaller boutique hotel, there's usually fewer employees per department. That means if the reservationist calls in sick, I may have to check you in while simultaneously booking a room over the phone for someone calling from France with a thick accent that's hard to understand. There have been days like that where the bellman has called in sick too, so as soon as I'm done with the other two tasks, I'll be taking you and your bags up to the room, maybe after taking your keys to your car which I'll park in valet later ('cause he could have called in sick, too). The overall goal is not to let you notice how close to chaos it's become.

What's the point of a "do not disturb" sign if hotel maids are going to come pounding on our doors anyway?

Asked by leah over 12 years ago

I am very sorry that the maids knocked on your door, and probably they are more sorry they did, too, because they have to greet you and explain why they were doing a poor job of looking for the sign! Typically the only reason the maids would knock is if they haven't been trained properly or they misunderstood the room number and thought the room with the "DND" left on the door was actually already vacant. I have become very close to our housekeepers and I can't say that many times they've accidentally knocked were their fault. Minimum wage, overloaded with rooms to clean, sometimes imperfect management, no health benefits and often a language barrier will lead them to sometimes overlook things. I would definitely bring earplugs for trips where you plan to spend mornings sleeping in. A lifesaver! If you don't have any, just ask me and if we don't have any (though we do carry them) I would literally step out on my lunch break and get you some, on the house.

Why do room key cards NOT work so frequently? I can't remember the last time I stayed at a hotel where I didn't have to get mine replaced at least once.

Asked by Ollie over 12 years ago

I've seen a major transition from magnetic keycards to RFID or Radio Frequency Identification keycards. RFID are awesome because it's literally going to take me 5 seconds to "re-key" your card or make you a duplicate of your existing key. The only problem with this new technology? It's fickle. If you bend the key, take it in the water, let it get too hot or cold or misplace it (ours are all blank with no room numbers, but I can "interrogate" the key and try to find out which room it's from...sometimes), I can make you a new one. Whether the fresh key I grab has been used before and is reliable, only testing it will tell, because they all look the same to maintain your anonymity as a guest. But if there's no one available to take you up to your room and try out the key, you may be calling the front desk to get a new one shortly after you walk up there. In an ideal world, I would escort every guest up to the room and give them a perfect intro to the features, but on a sold out day, you might get the infrequent bad key and we'd have to try twice. Why don't I make all the keys for today's arrivals in advance and go test them? Good question but there's like three people on hold and another five waiting to check in and another angry person standing to the side of the desk so as soon as I deal with them I'll get back to you.

Why do hotels ask how many guests will be staying in the room? What difference does it make to the hotel whether it's 1, 2, or 5? It's still just one room.

Asked by biggz over 12 years ago

As far as I know we have to for a variety of reasons: 1. Fire code in each locality specifies how many people can occupy a room in a building, this is specified when the building is inspected and brought up to code. 2. Hotel policy - A. To make sure that each occupant is paying their fair share to stay which protects the hotel's bottom line. B. To make sure that the likelihood of a party or other potential disturbance or unsafe event is decreased. Do people get around this policy by just putting "1" on the number of occupants and then bringing in six friends through the back door? Of course! But if they create a disturbance, I have that reservation stating it's only for 1, and our security officer can reference that when he knocks on the door to investigate.

If a celebrity shows up and the hotel is full, will you bump someone out of their room even if they’re already checked in?

Asked by Katie over 12 years ago

Depending on pressure from ownership or management, if the celebrity arrived and I were told that they absolutely must have a room by my boss, I may have to "walk" or relocate an incoming guest to a neighboring and comparable hotel. The rule is, if I have to walk you, my hotel is paying your first night at the other hotel and any following nights until your room does become available. Hotels usually work with their neighbors to negotiate "walk rates" which are lower than usual so that we don't gouge each other when we need help. Likely the celebrity would have been told they were getting a specific room, that was already assigned another arriving guest who had probably been guaranteed said room and who knows, maybe already "pre-registered" for it, so they'll have already come to the desk and think their room is just a short wait away. Imagine how pissed off someone is when I have to tell them not only is their room not ready, but they're not getting it and have to stay at another hotel! I've had to deliver that news and deal with the fallout way too many times and it feels terrible. But if I want to keep my job, I have to do it. The reason you'd probably get from the front desk will vary but of course I'm not going to tell you that it's because of a VIP and who the VIP is...Probably my least favorite responsibility of the job. If you're already checked in, though, it's my knowledge that it's against the law for me to make you leave unless you are breaking a law/creating a disturbance or haven't paid your bill.

What's the policy when guests leave money in the room after they check out? Do the maids get to keep it if it goes unclaimed?

Asked by babinaux80 about 12 years ago

Like leaving an envelope at the front desk that's labeled for a specific person, there's a large likelihood that honesty will prevail and it will get to the right person. There's an unspoken code of honor, but that's just where I work. I couldn't tell you what it's like at every hotel. In most cases if the amount exceeds anything that would normally be considered a housekeeping gratuity, like it's $50 or $100, then it would probably be brought down to the security department and the former guest would be contacted to verify if they actually wanted to leave it as gratuity or they left it behind on accident. Unclaimed items after a period of I believe 6-8 months for which all the former guests of the room it had been found in were contacted, but none were willing to claim it, these items would typically be donated to charity or given to another guest in need (think: power outlet adapter, not anything of great value). Cash though if unclaimed would go as gratuity to housekeeping staff as an even split. If it's hundreds upon hundreds ("racks on racks"), then there's usually a bigger story behind it so security would likely do a whole investigation.

Not that I'm complaining, but why are hotels so lenient with cancellation policies (like allowing cancellations the day-of with no penalty)? Don't they lose money with late cancellations?

Asked by Geoff over 12 years ago

Good question Geoff! I work for a hotel because I want to make people happy, so the last thing I want to do is charge someone a fee if I can avoid it. However, those fees exist because oftentimes when a hotel is close to sold out with few rooms left, let's say it's due to a conference being in town and all hotel rooms are scarce, there are people who will "hold" a room simply to hold it just in case they need it. By the end of the typical hours of check-in, often that person will either cancel at the last minute or not cancel at all (the most frustrating), preventing the hotel from selling that room to someone that really needed it. I've had nice families and others that were stranded due to delayed flights who haven't been able to get a room because someone was just holding a room, expecting they could cancel without a one night's room and tax penalty, and sometimes just forgot to cancel because they were lazy. It's that person who the fee was created for. If a hotel isn't close to sold out, isn't bound to a corporate rule book (ie: small, privately owned property), or the person canceling is part of a regular corporate account, a repeat guest, or just plain nice, then usually a reservationist will exercise some leeway and grant that person a pass.

Have you ever hooked up with a guest?

Asked by lmonparty over 12 years ago

Hey dude, I'm married, so no. BUT, it does happen, just not on property that I know of. Female agents seem to get hit on quite a lot more than the guys, at least from what I see.

I’ve been bitten twice by what I’m positive were bedbugs, but the hotel wrote me letters saying they’d inspected the room and found nothing. Is it just standard practice to say that, even when they DO find an infestation?

Asked by lormon3 over 12 years ago

I wouldn't think it's standard practice to lie to you. Bed bugs as you know can seriously impact the reputation, rating, profitability, and overall health of a hotel, so good management takes them very seriously. They aren't difficult to treat, however they are persistent and take time. What likely happened when you received the letter is you had some persistent bed bugs and you also had a manager inspecting who wasn't properly trained in how to look for the signs of bed bugs. Most good hotel chains will require professional training for all of their management in how to do this and already have the exterminator on call for if bed bugs be detected. At the end of the day, the hotel should take your word for it and offer to seal your bags, move you to another room, while they spray your current room.

Is it legal for the front desk to give out my room number,my check in time and check out time to any one?

Asked by Mar over 11 years ago

No.  It should and would be against most hotel's policies, but the fact is that any job you can imagine can be filled by the most dim-witted of people, who may make mistakes. If such actions were done in the commission of a crime, then it is most definitely illegal, beyond simple invasion of privacy.  

How much of a hotel’s revenue comes from the $9 chocolate bars and other overpriced in-room snacks & minibar?

Asked by lolwut over 12 years ago

Depending on the financial structure of the hotel and whether or not the food and beverage operation is wholly owned by hotel or a separate entity (say, for instance, just renting the space within the hotel), it could range from $0 income to a decent profit. At my property it's a separate entity from the hotel but a profit-sharing agreement is in place. One problem you will see with "honor bars" or minibars without any direct tracking of items is that guests seem to have very little "honor" when it comes to what was taken and what wasn't. Parents, if you brought your kids on your business trip, PLEASE explain to them why they should NEVER think everything in the room is free. And if they do go nuts on the minibar snacks, don't lie to me and say that the items weren't there in the first place, especially when I've come up to your room prior to checkout and seen the kids eating it or the wrappers are all over the room. For larger corporate hotels, the minibar must retain a profit because business travelers who aren't always footing the entire bill are okay with expensing the costs, and the costs are inflated but necessary considering how many items go missing and unaccounted for. To be honest, if a guest checking out says they didn't eat the item or drink the item, 9 times out of 10 I am going to waive the charge, so that's why they have to be so expensive, to account for all those charge adjustments.

Have you seen any of those special news reports where they thoroughly examine hotels rooms and find all kinds of traces of bodily fluids, fecal matter, etc? Do you buy these stories, or is it BS?

Asked by In the crosshairs... over 12 years ago

I buy them, only because there is generally a new person or persons staying in each room on average every three to five days, if not every day, and I don't have any idea what they decide to do in there or what their personal hygiene standards are. I've found a used condom under a bed of a room thought to be ready to sell, which was pointed out to me by the concerned father of two that checked in with his family. On the flip-side, the massive amount of fluids, etc are probably being found on areas that housekeeping isn't trained nor told they have a need to clean, but that a guest thought would be a good place to deposit said fluid(s). By and large, the surfaces that a sensible person comes in contact with are probably cleaner than the ones in that person's own home, because they're cleaned so frequently and professionally. If I find something gross, I will be the first to point it out to housekeeping if not clean it up myself.

What shows up on the room service bill when “my friend” buys in-room adult movies? Have you ever had to explain to a woman that the movie charges on her bill was porn that her husband bought?

Asked by alalal over 12 years ago

Thankfully never! The way that most hotels differentiate the adult in-room movies from the family-friendly fare is by price. So if you see one movie on a guest bill or "folio" for $12.95 and a second movie for $13.95, that second movie was likely porn. It's common for a businessman checking out to say, "Can I pay for the movie with my own card instead of the corporate card?" 99% of the time that movie is one of the adult ones, but I get what he means without having to ask why. If his company is paying for the porn, then that's a company with a wide range of benefits!

I know that as a hotel desk agent, you're supposed to give service with a smile, but have you ever just "lost it" on a guest?

Asked by more pie plz over 12 years ago

I have definitely held my ground, never lost my cool though. Thank goodness, because I would have hurt someone if I did! I find that how I look and deliver my words will severely impact how far someone thinks they can take something. One New Year's Eve when we had an all-night party I had to work until 2 am and I happened to have the opportunity to grow a full beard while on vacation beforehand. I kept it for that night and made sure to keep my security-style earpiece in and also shaved my head. That night I was more cop than front desk. Telling people "no," which almost never happens, was okay on that night because it prevented, rather than caused chaos. I do recall one guest saying to me "Are you crazy?!" before storming out of the lobby when I told him he couldn't extend his stay because we were MORE than sold out, but I have to think, what good would it have done myself or the hotel if I had told him otherwise? There was nothing I could do for him so I had to be brutally honest. If I see that guy on the street ever I might have to kick his ass though.

Is it true that hotels rarely wash the duvet covers on the beds?

Asked by Smitty over 12 years ago

At my property thankfully we have duvets that are completely washable and that means we DO wash them. That being said, at cheaper hotels and especially motels, ownership or management are going to cut corners, including not washing the duvet covers. In most cases, it's in the best interest of a hotel-owner to do so but one place that gets almost ZERO attention are the couches and chairs! Those in most cases don't need cleaning unless something is visibly wrong, so you can imagine how much unseen filth is on those! Not a place to do anything naked...

Hotel desk folks are, more often than not, super polite, impeccably dressed, and very well-spoken. Is that stuff part of the training? Or are those kinds of people the ones drawn to these kinds of jobs?

Asked by Shana about 12 years ago

The simple answer is, most of those who succeed in hospitality careers do fit your description, and naturally gravitate to these jobs. If the hiring manager at the hotel wants to keep up at all with the increasingly competitive market, the demand for the best service, and wants to differentiate their brand and property from another, then I would give the credit first to the person who is actually as you described above, because it can take a lot of resolve, cunning, and resourcefulness to remain that way given what a front of house job requires daily. Second, I would give credit to the brand itself (Hyatt comes to mind, as does some other brands which take a lot of time ensuring their employees are properly selected, outfitted, trained, and managed), and lastly I would credit the hiring manager who made the ultimate decision to bring those qualified and moldable candidates aboard.

Will slipping the check-in clerk $20 get you upgraded? There’s a whole website dedicated to it -- http://thetwentydollartrick.com/ but it’s never worked for me.

Asked by kevin.emerson over 12 years ago

According to the site: "Hotel Managers have given no official answer to this question. They have provided front desk clerks the ability to upgrade rooms at their discretion and as long as that continues the Twenty Dollar Trick will continue to work. We have heard that the Flamingo has forced banned all the front desk clerks from upgrading patrons to the Go room." -http://thetwentydollartrick.com/ Where I work, management would frown on this, and all upgrades fall into the same process as to how to give them to a guest. Like most perks, the closer to sold out the hotel is, the harder it is to offer anything extra to a guest that hasn't arranged it in advance. When a hotel has many rooms to sell, often it's easier to sell the lower-priced rooms, so placing the person who has a special occasion, OR, who happened to have slipped you a $20 ostensibly to be nice, in an upgraded room, benefits you the guest, but also leaves the hotel with lower-priced rooms open which sell faster and help fill up the hotel.

Do people treat you as a subordinate because they're paying a lot of money to stay in a hotel and you're a staff member just checking them in? Does it bother you?

Asked by ericmaynard1 over 12 years ago

People definitely do carry an air of entitlement with them if they have accomplished a certain feat in life. But I have seen both extremes, and one fact holds true: the people who have REALLY made something of themselves, and are actually worthy of praise and great treatment, KNOW it, and don't have to speak it out loud. The guests who are barely there and are desperate, or worse, might have once been to a certain level and are now a has-been, are the worst people to deal with because they are bickering over every little detail, yet have very little to offer to their professional peers, much less society. These are the hardest guests to deal with, but after about 6 months on the job they can be spotted a mile away and my emotional and mental guard are already up before they hit the desk. Real accomplishment, ethics, and honor are worn on someone's shoulder, and don't need to be mentioned out loud. I have had firefighters, cops, soldiers, working class and other honest people stay with us and I have gone over and above to help them with anything they need, because they almost always NEVER ask for anything out of line. It doesn't bother me, however, if I do get one of the people who is obnoxious and entitled, because I have always felt that if I let it get to me, I wouldn't be any better than that person.

Have you or any of your fellow employees ever slipped away to "make use of a vacant room?"

Asked by ding.ding. about 12 years ago

Using a vacant room for anything other than prepping it for the next guest could land someone in a lot of trouble, however if it is a slow time of year and there is a bank of rooms that haven't been occupied in a while, then some hotel managers are okay with their employees eating their lunch in such a room. That policy would vary and likely would not fly at a larger, more corporate and branded hotel. As far as using a vacant room for napping, drug use, or other unprofessional activity, it's just a path to trouble for anyone doing it. You will see some hotels have live-in managers, or a rotating shift of managers that stay the night, especially on weekends, so that there is someone close by for emergencies, but all of that is pre-determined and sanctioned by upper management. I personally don't want to stay in the hotel any longer than I'm paid to, so I would prefer NOT to spend the night there, that's my personal feeling on it.

I too am a night audit. I guess my question is, is it okay to keep home life separate from work. I often feel 'out of the loop' and because of this I have been deemed unapproachable by coworkers and guests. Where is it safe to draw the line?

Asked by Crystal over 11 years ago

Hotels are usually populated by very social employees, because one has to be social to be good at interacting with guests, but don't feel bad if you like to leave when your shift is over and go back to your home life once your work day is done.  There are some employees for whom the hotel is their life, and that's fine, but don't worry if you are not always going out with co-workers after work or very involved in their personal chatter during down time.  Just make it clear to co-workers that you are very into your home life and they'll probably understand why you may not be as into what's happening in social circles within the employee ranks.

What's the craziest request you've gotten from a guest?

Asked by Morgan almost 12 years ago

I think hands down the most ridiculous thing to ask the front desk to do is wipe a bill clean, ESPECIALLY after the guest actually stayed the night and used the hotel's facilities, food and beverage outlets, and services. I've had people demand that they pay nothing, but they've been staying for one, maybe two or more nights, and haven't complained until they check out. If I was never given the opportunity to fix a problem, then how is it my fault that it didn't get fixed? I understand the small complaint at checkout which warrants me adjusting off the wifi charge if that didn't work, or the valet parking service was terrible, room service arrived late *or never*, but to ask not to pay ANYTHING? C'mon, now! Second to the above would be people who broke a personal item due to their own clumsiness, say like dropping their iPad, then saying I should have the hotel pay for the damage because they couldn't see the stairs leading into the bar. Really?

What are the odds that 2 hotel clerks at 2 different hotels on consecutive nights made and error on my husbands receipt/folio by indicating their were 2 guests in the room instead on 1 guest (as my husband claims)

Asked by Da Nile almost 12 years ago

I would think it's not necessarily your husband's fault, and nothing suspicious may be going on.  What probably happened is that when each hotel's property management system (the program the clerks are using to check him in and out) loads the room type he is staying in (I'm presuming he's on business), their system likely reflects double-occupancy (2), which is probably the smallest guest count that most hotel systems allow in a room, think:  most hotel rooms allow at least 2 guests at minimum. This default may just be a matter of course for most systems and properties, and the clerks aren't intending to get people in hot water when they are checking them in and out.  Now, if for some reason there's an area on the bill that states an additional guest was added, say a second different name, or an extra charge for an amenity (food for two/beverage/movie charge) that doesn't make sense, then your husband should have some explaining to do!

Did you see this story about the pillow fort: http://bit.ly/RrwrDf ? My girlfriend thinks it was all staged as a PR marketing stunt.

Asked by 25wing over 12 years ago

I agree it could be a real special request gone answered. I love that kind of humor coming from a prospective guest, and if the room is booked out enough in advance it becomes a personal challenge and team-building activity among the front desk to out-do one another in how close we come to meeting that guest's request. Of course if it's a ridiculous or snobby request, that is just asserting a guest's power prior to check-in, that person will get a stiff official-sounding answer as to why we can't fulfill it. Whimsical and creative and honest wins, in this case.

I just checked in and got a complimentary upgrade to a suite for no reason at all but always get rejected when I just ask nicely. What criteria do hotels use to hand out these random room upgrades?

Asked by jim almost 12 years ago

There are times when the hotel has many of its lowest-priced rooms to sell, and suites that often are more likely to stay vacant at the end of the night due to price. In order to allow more of the suites to be filled, so there are more lower-priced rooms available, which are easier to sell, a revenue or general manager may instruct the front desk to push "up selling," which is offering a suite for an additional small cost per night. At some hotels (rental car companies are always offering this), the agents receive a commission on every up sell, so beware if the agent pushes too hard, because if they are, it's not because the room is right for you, it's because they get a commission on it. All complimentary upgrades fall into the same process as to how to give them to a guest. Like most perks, the closer to sold out the hotel is, the harder it is to offer anything extra to a guest that hasn't arranged it in advance. When a hotel has many rooms to sell, often it's easier to sell the lower-priced rooms, so placing the person who has a special occasion, OR, who happened to have slipped you a $20 ostensibly to be nice (or was the solitary nice person that day - I've stuck my neck out to give someone an awesome room because they were super nice and we were super slow), in an upgraded room, benefits you the guest, but also leaves the hotel with lower-priced rooms open which sell faster and help fill up the hotel.

If you had to guess, what % of pay-per-view movies ordered at your hotel are porn?

Asked by brikhaus almost 12 years ago

Only a guess, but I'd have to say at most 40%, and it's even harder to ascertain because so few people order movies, it seems. The percent of couples that order porn? Got to be less than 10%.

If I found a room key in my spouse's pocket can that room key tell me specifically which hotel it is? Like if there is 5 in the city can it tell me which one of the 5 it is?

Asked by Spouse over 11 years ago

You could be a super-sleuth and actually ask each nearby hotel what type of key system they use, but you could also be stone-walled because these post 9/11 days most hotels are not going to give that information out to a stranger without a valid reason.  However, you could also hang in the lobby acting like you're going to check in and see what the keys look like that are given to guests.  Creepy, but it would probably tell you which hotel the key came from.

Do hotel maids get annoyed when people grab extra toilet paper or towels from the housekeeping cart?

Asked by brian O almost 12 years ago

You would think that would automatically annoy a staff member, right? But when it boils down to it, you pulling the toilet paper or whichever supply off the cart yourself, and not calling the front desk or housekeeping asking them to pull someone away from their other duties to bring up just 1 item, is actually HELPING the hotel run faster and more efficiently. I say if you're a guest, and you actually NEED the item, not just taking it as a souvenir for the hell of it, go for it! If you're NOT a guest, and just passing through, then that's not a very nice thing to do, since ultimately lost items mean the paying guests will have to pay for that. If a housekeeper ever approached you as you were taking something from their cart, you could kindly explain that you needed the item and no one was around to give one to you. He or she should understand.

"Anyone showing up to my door with any service will get at least a $2 cash tip minimum, just for the effort." That's their job is it not? To bring orders to rooms? I wouldn't consider it extra effort. Tips used to be optional, it's become an issue.

Asked by Kat almost 12 years ago

Sure, it's their job, but what they are paid as a base wage is typically factoring in that they are going to offset that wage by receiving gratuity.  Room service attendants, door and bellmen (and women) can make a decent amount in gratuity if their hotel is busy and/or consistently frequented by affluent guests.  However, just as many people on average do NOT tip as do, it's very hard to predict.  My thought process is, if you tip, you will often see a return the NEXT time you call.  Remember, if you are super-cheap AND a jerk, the staff will talk amongst themselves and you likely will not get speedy service the next time you ask for it.  If you just so happen to not have cash on you, no problem, it's just $2-ish, we understand, just offset THAT by being nice and thanking for good service instead.

Why do all hotel rooms have bibles? Is that required by law?

Asked by Melanie almost 12 years ago

This is the cheap internet searchable answer: "They are placed there by a group called a non-profit Christian organization called the Gideons. The Gideons are not preachers, but businessmen who feel called to help with this ministry. They raise money from churches and individuals and use this money to print and distribute Bibles to many places--wherever they are allowed to put them--such as hospitals, prisons, and motel rooms. Through feedback and letters they receive, they have learned of many people who picked up one of their Bibles in a desperate moment and found the faith to turn their lives around. All Marriott hotels have Book of Mormon, too, because Mr. Marriott is/was (don't know if he is still living or not) a Mormon." We don't have them at our property, so it must be an aging habit among hotel owners. Wouldn't it be cool to start a different trend, like placing a box of legos or something cooler in there? I guess whatever floats your boat...

What is the most annoying thing you had to deal with from a hotel guest while working at the front desk?

Asked by BJLubert@gmail.com over 12 years ago

It's so hard to point out one specific incident, but I would say the phone call from someone that makes me jump through dozens of hoops to get them a specific type of reservation (for some callers, this process takes weeks of back and forth), who then cancels for no apparent reason. I mean this is someone who's had me also book them a car service, massages, dinner reservations, made me go to my Director of Sales to see if I can get them a rock-bottom rate, and I work so hard for so long out of the goodness of my heart, and then...sorry! Cancelled. Second place to that would be guests of guests being the hardest ones to deal with, asking for things that the hotel would and should never actually provide as a service, when they're not even the ones paying for the room! That to me is crazy.

I work at a Hampton Inn. A guest asked me to come to his room because of a serious problem. The man is disabled. Can I go to the room by myself or not? What is the correct procedure being here by myself?

Asked by JERILYN ROSS almost 12 years ago

I wish i could have answered your question earlier Jerilyn, because it sounds like you may have needed the answer in the moment, but in any event, you should be fine to visit a hotel room and knock on the door if ever you feel there is a legitimate reason. Even with a Do Not Disturb Sign on the door, you still have the right to ask a question of a guest if you feel that his or her safety, or the safety of others, is in jeopardy. It's often a good idea to bring another staff member with you so that if the situation into which you're entering is sensitive, you have a witness that can later prove that you did the right thing, if it comes to that. I would just follow procedure, and do what you know is legally and morally right, and you'll be fine.

What's the funniest or craziest thing you ever saw go down at work?

Asked by Bllllarg over 11 years ago

Probably gunshot wound to the foot of a John in the lobby being attended to by his hooker at midnight.  Kind of tops it all, I think.

Why is hotel laundry service so expensive and does hotel do it or send it out? what kind of guest pays for it and how much volume/orders do guests generate per week for instance?

Asked by Jacky over 11 years ago

Hotel laundry services are mroe expensive because of how many levels of service they encompass.  Compare, say, taking your own laundry to the dry cleaners and picking it up.  You're on the time schedule, say 2-3 days on average, of the cleaner, you're doing the leg work of taking it there and picking it up, etc.  With a hotel you literally do nothing except drop the laundry in a bag and in many instances never even have to take it out of your room, so the extra costs are associated with the door-to-door services and all the steps in between that cost the cleaners, and in turn, the hotel extra money.  Most of the guests that pay for it are the business travelers that can expense the cost, or on occasion someone who has the extra money around but is too busy to take care of it their selves.  That type of guest is able to spend on laundry but also valet and all of the other usual extra services.  

Can hotels see what you look at on the internet?

Asked by adz almost 12 years ago

As with any internet network to which you do not completely own the access and privileges, use a hotel's wifi and plug-in ethernet at your own risk.  Sure, a hotel could look at different URLs visited by guests, but that would involve combing through thousands of logs not to mention would not be warranted unless a criminal investigatoin were underway.  Let's just say most hotels would not want to waste their time doing so.  However, with the prevalence of iPads provided by hotels in-room these days, especially with custom-built apps for each brand and property (that cost quite a lot of time and money to develop), there's a good chance that all activity on that app can and is being tracked to gain marketing information that will better predict guest needs, wants, and preferences to further hone in on what a hotel needs to do to increase profits.  

Under what circumstances can hotel personel enter your room if the DND sign is on the door and you are out of the room? We told housekeeping we did not need service. It was the hotel manager.

Asked by Loyal traveler almost 12 years ago

Staff can enter the room even if a DND sign is displayed if for some reason they believe that a person or the hotel is in grave danger or a law is in the act of being broken.  Think:  Fire, Flood, or Blood.  If a sink above your room is known to be flooding with the only access to a shutoff being in a ceiling panel above YOUR room's sink, we're going in.  However, standard practice would be to knock loudly prior to entry and with the door slightly ajar, loudly announce that hotel staff need to enter the room, and why.  After waiting a few moments, one would enter the room slowly and in stages, continuing to repeat a loud announcement of who is entering.  In all situations we would try to avoid entering, but a DND sign is unfortunately not a guarantee of airtight privacy, as there are exceptions to when it will be heeded.  Two staff members will always enter for emergencies unless the property is literally running on a skeleton crew.  The reason for this is to have a witness, hopefully one from the security department or from a different department, to prove that the intent was honest and to testify to what was done after entering, should contrary and contradicting stories develop from the guest(s) afterward. 

How do hotels open safes if the guest forgets his password? If there is a master password, isn't that a huge theft risk?

Asked by orkcity almost 12 years ago

The security department governs safes, and every single thing they do on a shift is logged. If a guest forgets his or her password, there is a master key that opens each safe. That master key is locked within its own safe, which is locked within a key box that has an exterior lock. Now understand that each safe is bolted into the wall from WITHIN the safe, and to get to the slot where you insert the master key, you have to even know where that slot is, which has a plastic cover on it anyway. Once the master key is inserted, the safe is opened, allowing one to reset the password. If the battery dies, the same process needs to be done to insert a new battery. Overall, you'd have to be someone in the security department to get into a safe for the wrong reasons. The only other way would be to cut out the drywall or flooring which would draw a lot of attention. I don't know the recipe, I'm just sayin'...

I used bookit.com to reserve a room for a week and I feel very decieved. The pictures of the room on the website are beautiful, but the room I have is the worst I have ever stayed in. Can I complain or change rooms?

Asked by Keri over 11 years ago

You can always complain or ask to change rooms, however booking through third-party sites without doing independent research first, including contacting the hotel directly to ask questions, can often leave you not getting what you expected.  If you call us directly to ask us what our hotel is like, we WANT to telly you and really appreciate the call.  That way we can get you into the type of room you want, and if you're staying for a week, who knows, maybe we'll get you a better rate than bookit.com!

What should I do as a front office manager of a hotel and a nearby street has been closed due to a emergency repair and my guest had to take a longer route into the hotel. What is the prodical

Asked by betty sanders over 11 years ago

If you can, try to delegate to one or more staff members, including yourself, a call-around to all of your incoming guests for the day (each day until the construction is to be done or roadway opened), warning of any route changes into the hotel.  Maybe place a staff member or valet attendant at the nearby route change if possible with signage or uniform to "direct" traffic into the correct route. Also sending a blind email to all the addresses of guests coming in daily and weekly to advise them in advance. Then you've covered yourself.

How do you handle a guest when telling them that they are getting charged for damages and than what do you say and how do you deal with them when they claim they did not do the damage.

Asked by needtoknow over 11 years ago

You do have the right to charge a guest for damage to the room.  Should the damage be excessive, you'd have security take photos and document the damage, and the authorization taken out on the guest's credit card at check-in could be used to charge for the damage.  If the card declines for any major costs, that's too bad for the hotel and is a loss they've built in (if they're smart) to take, but good luck to that guest every trying to book or check in there again!  People can scream and deny all they want, but if the entire housekeeping staff and management are all in agreement that a room was inspected and passed prior to that guest's check-in, and multiple staff witness the damage, you've got a pretty good case on your hands.

When YOU stay at a hotel, do you take any sanitary precautions that the average person wouldn't think of? Like removing the bed cover or sanitizing the remote?

Asked by gee whiz almost 12 years ago

Haha, I definitely do.  The one thing that really doesn't matter to me is the toilet seat.  It gets cleaned more frequently at a hotel than those at my own house, so I'm not really worried about it.  If you are paranoid about bed bugs, you can always lift up the mattress to reveal the box springs and see if there are small black stains on the edges where the box's polyester screens are stapled to the wood frame.  Bed bug excrement appears like dots of black liquid which leaves stains there and is a clear sign they have at least been in the room at one point.  If you find protective sacks that are also of a poly material but are complete seals with zippers running along the frame that means the hotel has taken the best precaution they can - starving the bugs of their long-term food source which is that wood box spring frame.  Other things I've learned about room cleanliness, definitely don't consider the coverlet over the sheets as frequently cleaned, the carpets (if the room has them) or the couch or other upholstered seating as anything you'd really want to be naked on or eat food from if you're easily grossed out by other people's germs.  Otherwise, hotel rooms are cleaned quite frequently so you really don't have that much to worry about.  

If someone was planning to spend about a week at a hotel with their significant other is there any way to ask about maybe being put in a room away from other guests (like down the hall with a few empty rooms between your room and other guests)?

Asked by VeredraS over 11 years ago

Of course!  You can definitely ask for a specific location, but due to the nature of the hotel business, and by law, if a guest continues to pay the asking rate on a room, they can extend indefinitely.  This law may vary from state to state and country to country, but in California, if you booked a specific suite, but the person staying there before you decides to extend, unfortunately the hotel will have to give you another room or suite that is comparable or greater, IF available.  If no other rooms are available at all?  We have to "walk" or relocate you at our expense to another comparable hotel, at least until we can provide you nights at our hotel that you have booked.  (A side note: if you are walked to a NICER hotel, we are not legally obligated to keep paying for your nights there if your original, comparable, or better room opens back up at our hotel).  Sold out weekend, and the person who is supposed to leave is trying to extend in the room that YOU booked?  We will make it as difficult as possible for them to stay, as in, the rate will be at a premium and we certainly will explain to them that there's a guest or guests booked for arrival into their room, but believe me, some people just don't care, and that's the risk we run when operating at full capacity.  As regards the ability to place you out of reach of noise or any other sometimes natural occurence at a hotel, we will try our best, but it's almost like your asking if you can stay only on days when the sun will be shining.  It's very hard to predict occupancy (what block of the hotel will be empty) or to predict whether there will be an all-night party that unexpectedly pops up in the room next to you.  The best rule for a quiet stay?  Bring earplugs or ask for them from the front desk, so you can control the noise yourself, do your research so that you know if the hotel is a known party or nightlife spot, and ask if you can be located away from pools, bars, elevators, ice machines, street-facing location, or other typically louder areas of the hotel.   With any of these special requests, at least at our property, they are always requests, never guaranteed.

What would happen if I cannot pay my hotel bill in Paris, until I get back to my own country.

Asked by Silver over 11 years ago

For non-payment of a bill the same structure would apply typically that would in a restaurant or other service situation.  In most states there is an innkeeper's lawbook that would reference what the recourses are for a hotel manager to collect payment from or pursue legal action against a non-paying guest.  The reason most hotels do not accept cash in the states is that by accepting and pre-authorizing a credit card for one night's room and tax (or duration of expected stay) plus usually an additional authorization (anywhere between $100-$500 or more per night), it guarantees the hotel can charge that card at will if necessary.  In Paris, it could be a different situation entirely.  If I were in another country, i would prefer not to get arrested or prosecuted, so i would reach out to friends or family to see if they could float the funds to pay the hotel through a credit card authorization form or other third-party payment just to make sure there were no issues getting home (or being stopped at the airport because there's a warrant out for you!).  

Does someone at your hotel respond to each negative Tripadvisor review? Do hotels get spiteful and write negative reviews of competing hotels?

Asked by Terrence almost 12 years ago

At larger, corporate, branded hotels, there may be one person dedicated completely to reputation management and even sometimes a PR agency as well. Then again, there are companies you can outsource to, like reputation.com whose entire purpose is online reputation management. However, what I've seen is that usually someone not involved in the front office operations, like a Director of Sales, Revenue Manager, Assistant General Manager, or even General Manager might be responding to the most negative (but also the most positive) reviews. Trash-talking another competing hotel by writing false negative reviews might get some short term advantage over the competition, however in the long run, as a hotelier you would want to differentiate your property by having a better (and different) product than your competitive "set" of hotels nearby. In the end you will more than likely need a favor from your neighboring hotel, so having a good relationship on the back end is to your advantage. Plus, you'd need some extra time on your hands to write those fake reviews!

bad habits at the front desk of a hotel

Asked by anna over 11 years ago

Oh my gosh, too many that I have seen and have really irked me.  As professionals, we should not be gossiping (especially in earshot of guests), drinking, eating, chewing gum, filing our nails, checking our cell phones (technically any good hotel bans their possession when on duty), checking our personal emails, flirting with non-guests when we should be paying attention to actual hotel guests, door attendants not opening the door because they are spacing out, using or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, sleeping, bringing non-staff members into hotel staff-only areas, saying room numbers out loud at check-in, giving the wrong recommendations for food and entertainment options (not asking the right questions to narrow it down) and bringing our pets to work and trying to hide them in a closet because we couldn't figure out a way to have them taken care of on our own time.  Those are just a choice few, but they happen way too often!

is it okay for a hotel manager to come to your room and accuse you of spreading rumors about him and a young staff member.he then proceeded to attempt to pressure me to move. Next he stopped the staff from talking w/me or they would be fired imediatl

Asked by rene over 11 years ago

That sounds like a terrible hotel, and I would say that is definitely not okay.  I would try to proceed past the on-site management if the management theirselves are not able to help you, and definitely reach out to regional or corporate management if it is a chain.  You could file a corporate or at worst, criminal complaint.

Ive worked in a few hotels in housekeeping. and im interested in becoming a front desk agent. I have an interview coming up later this week at a lower end hotel. What type of things will i be asked? and how could i appeal to them?

Asked by Shay about 11 years ago

Make sure you mention that by working in one department at a hotel it's allowed you to have a unique understanding of how all departments work together.  in this case, you'd be a valuable asset, because you will know more about housekeeping operations and standards than the average newbie candidate for a front desk agent position.

i work for an hotel and pick up a second job working for one of the guest can the hotel fire me for that with no sign contract

Asked by kimberly about 11 years ago

woulid read your employee handbook very carefully to see if there's a rule against this. If there isn't, then you're fine, if there is, then do that second job at your own risk.

is it legal for a male hotel guest to ask a female hotel maid/housekeeper for any type of "special" sexual service? and if not would the maid/housekeeper be forced to submit a report?

Asked by NIKE about 11 years ago

Let's put it this way, the laws of the public street also apply to hotels.  If someone is okay with something such as a sexual encounter, then yes, it's probably legal, but there are usually restrictions and rules in the employee handbook regarding fraternizing with guests. Generally, most of our co-workers do not like to mix work with personal life, such as this. 

Can the hotel you work for charge you if a guest does not pay?

Asked by Skip over 11 years ago

Technically by law in most states, an employee's wages cannot be garnished to offset a loss unless the error in question causes a loss over a certain amount, and that generally has to have been done with malicious intent by the employee.  It all will have to be listed in the employee handbook (if available) as to what type of error that would be and what the limits are.  Generally like in California, an employee can be terminated at any time, as can they quit at any time, because California is an "at will" state.  However, any major error could result in being terminated at most hotels.  If the guest maliciously avoided paying the bill, such as skipping out after racking up a huge restaurant or room service bill or even using fraudelent credit cards, counterfeit bills, etc, and the hotel does not receive payment, then it's the former guest, NOT the employee, who is really at fault. 

im a hm student , i have this projects about front desk .. my question is what are those things commonly be seen inside the front desk?

Asked by sheena over 11 years ago

Printer/fax machine, phones, computers/monitors/keyboards/mouse, two-way radios & charges, possibly blank room keys and key reader/coding device.  You will probably also see all of the things that guests ask for on a routine basis, such as basic toiletries, wine/bottle openers, playing cars, etc.  Lastly, depending on how the hotel is set up, you may have a safe, files of registration cards, and a small bank of cash for making change, especially if there is a restaurant, bar, and valet parking operation on site.

i have this project about front desk .. what are those things commonly seen in the front desk ?

Asked by sheena over 11 years ago

Printer/fax machine, phones, computers/monitors/keyboards/mouse, two-way radios & charges, possibly blank room keys and key reader/coding device. You will probably also see all of the things that guests ask for on a routine basis, such as basic toiletries, wine/bottle openers, playing cars, etc. Lastly, depending on how the hotel is set up, you may have a safe, files of registration cards, and a small bank of cash for making change, especially if there is a restaurant, bar, and valet parking operation on site.

As a Front Desk Associate what would you do if there were no rooms available

Asked by Jenn over 11 years ago

That sounds like a sold out night which is great!  Just inform everyone that calls or tries to book online that you are sold out, and make sure that whomever keeps track of your online booking engines shuts off any access to rooms, so you don't get overbooked.  If for some reason someone shows with an accidental overbooked reservation, you'll have wanted to have already called all your neighboring hotels to find out if they have any rooms available in case you have to "walk" or relocate a guest to a neighboring and comparable hotel for the night until you have a room available for them again. 

i work for a hotel and pick up a second job working for one of the guest i have no sign contract can the hotel fire me

Asked by kimberly about 11 years ago

I woulid read your employee handbook very carefully to see if there's a rule against this.  If there isn't, then you're fine, if there is, then do that second job at your own risk.

The hotel I booked was supposed to open on Nov 15, 2013 (I made a reservation for Nov 22-24) but now the hotel is announcing its openning on January 2014. What am I entittled to?

Asked by Carlos about 11 years ago

All you would be entitled to if the hotel's opening is delayed, is that they refund you anything you may have prepaid.  The fact is, opening or re-opening a hotel is a complicated, frustrating process that has many moving parts, and more often than not, the projected opening date will be pushed back.  Often it's due to securing permits, weather, construction delays or loss of funding, most of which are unexpected and if the hotel could do anything about it, they would.  But unfortunately, you're not going to receive some type of monetary compensation beyond what you may have paid in advance.  

How do you know if your husband purchased porn in your room?

Asked by Wife over 11 years ago

Usually the price is going to be higher for the adult movies, why that is, I'm not 100% certain, but probably has to do with the adult film industry being smaller than the mainstream film industry, so they can't lower costs due to higher volume of production.  For instance we at the front desk know if an adult film is rented because of the price being about $2 higher than the regular movies on the bill.  You would have to call the hotel and ask what their movie prices are to be able to tell what movie was rented.  Most hotels aren't going to show what movie title was watched on the bill itself, and that's to keep the guest's behavior private, even on a printed receipt, as much as possible.

If you are a front desk officer would you give information to the person who ask you to give a necessary information about the guest?

Asked by seed about 11 years ago

You would be prohibited by law, and probably procedure, from disclosing anything about a guest, including their name and what room they are staying in, without the guest their self giving you express permission beforehand.

today is my check out day and i been in this hoel for one moth all ready i call yesterday to pay for other month and they tell me that i have to be out by morning today because they are sold out can they do that ?

Asked by carol about 11 years ago

Hotels can certainly tell you that no more rooms are available, but depending on the state, most hotels are going to have to let you stay IF you can pay the asking rate for that day or days following.  That might mean you were paying $100 per night for your first month, but due to demand, the next month is going to be $1,000 per night.  So long as you are willing to pay that, you can stay, and the hotel is going to have that difficult conversation with the incoming guest(s) about why the room(s) they booked aren't available. 

what are the procedures for equipment failure

Asked by mel over 11 years ago

You should always practice for equipment failure and know the procedures, being able to go "low-tech" and use paper and pen if necessary to keep track of what's going on.  Always have backups for EVERYTHING, and you'll never have an issue if one or more systems go down.  

What do i do when the people upstairs are having the loudest sex(ex. rattling the ceiling in my room, bed screaching very loudly, headboard banging, that sort of thing) at 6 a.m.? I dont want to be rude but i would like to sleep lol

Asked by cal25 almost 12 years ago

Simple, call and ask the front desk to handle it.  If they are not available, security, and if no one is available, then the police.  You needn't have to be directly involved.  It should and would be the responsibility of the hotel to quiet any after-hours noise according to their established rules and local ordinances.

What would happen if housekeeper found an illegal drugs on a costumers hotel room?

Asked by heart about 11 years ago

They would be required by most hotels to report it to security, and it would be up to that security department and hotel management to do anything further.  Sometimes in certain states, what may be a controlled substance is actually possessed legally for medicinal purposes, so discovery of drugs doesn't necessarily mean they're illegal and all employees should be very careful about making assumptions before knowing all the facts.  

What are the perks and benefits of being a hotel front desk agent?

Asked by pete about 11 years ago

So many to list, from working in a dynamic environment, to beautiful surroundings, having a great team structure, the ability to rely on and help other departments, helping meeting awesome people.  Not only that but depending on the hotel you can get great benefits such as discounted room rates for friends and family and if you are a concierge, getting to try out all of the things the guests pay for, but for free because people want you to recommend their goods and services. 

I have been charged for damages to a comforter and sheets. It stated that if i didn't pay this amount within 10days it would go to the authorities. What would happen in that case

Asked by 1234 about 11 years ago

I don't know that it can go to the 'authorities,' as that's not a serious crime, but it could possibly go to your credit card company.  If you damaged the sheets, pay up, and deal with it, otherwise the photos that the housekeeping supervisor probably took will be available as evidence to your credit card company, and if you try to dispute it, then they'll be used against you. 

How do you handle fighting in a hotel when you are working by yourself

Asked by Logan almost 11 years ago

would you consider it to be none of your business if i have a guest staying in my room?

Asked by Tini over 10 years ago

Is there some type legality for a person to ask if their husband/wife has a reservation there?

Asked by mizmaya over 10 years ago

can the front desk clerk let a guest know he/she is being too noisy

Asked by Nancy about 10 years ago

im a front desk clerk newbie....how would I ask a room tenant that check out time was 11am and they haven't gotten out of the room yet?

Asked by adam almost 11 years ago

what are the benefits of being a front desk hotel worker?

Asked by monea almost 9 years ago

If a celebrity has booked a room at your hotel, can the rest of us "mortal" still visit the hotel bar/resturant/fitness ect. Say it like Justin B. or Miley C. where pictures often show a mass of fans and security outside..

Asked by Woody W over 10 years ago

Why do hotels have certain days when they won't allow check-ins? Is it next to impossible volume they are anticipating?

Asked by A.C. over 10 years ago

I run a small guest lodge in RSA. A lot of travel agents I work with have our terms & conditions, policies etc. My problem is that some will take up to 4 months to pay, I would call & email repeatedly. what would next step be without alienating them?

Asked by Abi M over 10 years ago

If someone stole something from the room as a desk attendant how would you respond to this situation

Asked by matthew over 10 years ago

If you were to quit your job during third shift and leaving the desk unattended until 1st shift, would that be illegal?

Asked by Xyroh over 10 years ago

what kind of questions did they ask you at the interview

Asked by bamy over 10 years ago

I returned from extensive travel and currently applying for work. My interest (and qualifications) are working as a Hotel Desk Agent.
Although I know there cannot be age discrimination... is it unlikely I would be hired for this position at age 59?

Asked by Barbara about 11 years ago

If I'm a frequent business traveler and stay at the same hotel each month, and I ask to change rooms, the front desk says they are sold out, but the room guests haven't yet checked in, why can't I move?

Asked by Sonja almost 11 years ago

My daughter rented a Hotel room In Palm springs she had a softball tournament there. After the game the went to her room to party the heard a knock on the door and her guest were ask to leave. She was charged $250.00 on her debit card for the noise

Asked by Colleen about 11 years ago

Have you heard of housekeepers or staff going into rooms while the guest is out or even sleeping and using the toilet and not flushing? That happened multiple times to me this weekend and I don't know what to do.

Asked by thebrave1 almost 11 years ago

i got hired in at full time front desk at a hotel and now they are trying to demand to do a housekeeping job why im on front desk

Asked by sarah over 10 years ago

I shared a room with two other people. My plan was to divide the bill into 3 equal parts. The reservation was under MY VISA card. One of my "roommates" asked for a copy of the bill and the front desk gave it to her. Is that legal ?

Asked by Pam almost 11 years ago

What are the quality you must have to work as a front desk agent??

Asked by yetta over 10 years ago