Adventures in Hospitality

Needy Asian

2010-08-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

We just checked in a guest 2 days ago that is really starting to get on our nerves. She's a young Japanese girl that always wears Hello Kitty pajamas and has really big Asian bangs. She barely speaks any English. I've said this before and I'll say it again: I'm not racist, I just have had many negative experiences with Asians, and this one really takes the cake. At first she wanted to be in a room with 1 bed. So, we checked her in. No problem. The next day, she decided she wanted a room with 2 beds even though she's traveling alone. So, we told her we could put her in room 204, but she quickly responded, "no 4... 4 bad number!" So, we found another room for her. This time it was 208. She then called me once she was all settled in her room to tell me she was missing a coffee maker. I asked her if she would like me to find one and she said, "no, I not use it anyway." Moments later, she called again, this time telling me that the microwave had a dent in the top. Wonderful. About an hour later, she called to inform me that there was no garbage can in the bathroom. I told her there is one in her room just on the other side of the wall. So, today, she came downstairs (wearing the exact same pajamas she has been wearing for the past 2 days) and asked if she could switch rooms so her head wouldn't be facing south. She said she gets headaches unless she sleeps with her head to the north. I wanted to tell that idiot to sleep with her head at the foot of the bed, but that would be unkind. So, I told her we would get one ready. I can't wait to see what she'll come up with next. If all goes well, I won't freak out on her by the end of her WEEK LONG STAY.

Turning Japa... I Mean, Korean

2010-08-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Barbara Chung

I've tried on so many occasions to find reasons to not let Asians get on my nerves, but I feel like I'm simply making a futile attempt. They're good, kind people, but sometimes I feel like they just don't know what's going on. Today, some Asians checked out of the hotel, and the father politely asked me if they could eat their lunch in the lobby before departing. I thought they would pull out sandwiches and chips, but I sure was wrong! They went right to work pulling out what looked like french fried guppies, spoiled caviar, and seaweed. They then asked if they could use our kitchen to wash some fruit, and I obliged. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware that they would be washing like 100 apples and a crate of cherries. In no time at all, our kitchen was full of Koreans in their assembly line fashion, churning out clean apples faster than you can say Hyundai. It looked like we had opened a make shift temporary sweat shop. They quickly cleared out, finished their lunch, and went on their way. But, before they left, they asked me if I wanted any of the leftovers. Kind, yes, but NO THANK YOU! I'll gladly eat my greasy heart attack inducing American food!

The Most Annoying Questions

2010-08-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

On a daily basis, I get the same questions asked over and over. Here are a few of the ones that make my skin crawl (partly because they are asked so often, and partly because the answer is so obvious):

Where is the milk for the cereal? (Duh... milk is stored in the FRIDGE right in front of you)
Do you guys have a garbage in the lobby? (Right over there underneath the big sign that says "GARBAGE")
Can you make sure the housekeepers don't disturb me today? (That's why we have DO NOT DISTURB signs in every room)
Can I have an extra pillow? (Each room has a king size bed and FIVE pillows... are they making a freaking pillow fort?!)
Did I forget my phone in my room? (How am I supposed to know?! If the housekeepers don't find it, you didn't lose it here; end of story!)
Why is the waffle iron beeping? Does that mean it's cooking? (No, that means you're a complete idiot that can't follow directions. Flip the dang thing like it says, then the timer will start.)
Is the pool cold? (That depends on how you define cold... why don't you jump in and tell me?!)
Can I have a room on the ground level? (Our parking garage is on the ground level, not the rooms, but if you REALLY want to sleep in our garage I would gladly accommodate you.)
When does so and so restaurant close? (Do you think that simply because I work here I have become a living, breathing Google?)

I'm sure there are more, but that's all I can think of right now. I'll be sure to update this list as the crazy questions are sure to keep on rolling.

The Hang-Out

2010-08-06T10:08:00.001-07:00

Photo Courtesy of MichaelBmxking

I don't know why, but we seem to attract the scum of the earth. Literally. It seems like the scariest, dirtiest, shadiest people stay here. Sometimes I wonder, "what is it that draws them here?" Maybe it's the porn shop next door. I never really see people go over there from our hotel though, so that might not be it. There's heavy meth usage in this area, and I'm guessing about 1/2 of our guests fit into that demographic. Today a man checked out of the hotel and I noticed his drivers license said he was 32. He looked like he was in his 60s! He said he just got done living in Hawaii and Alaska. I asked him if he travelled for work and he said, "something like that." I always feel a little guilty when innocent looking young mothers or old people check out our hotel either by phone or actually dropping by and asking if I would consider our hotel to be in a nice area. I kind of beat around the bush and make our hotel sound great while avoided the actual vicinity. Truth be told, not a lot of action happens ON property, just about 3 feet OFF property!

This is Absolutely Absurd

2010-08-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

God Bless the Old People!

2010-08-03T10:13:00.001-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Ivan Mlinaric

We are all familiar with stereotypical senior citizen behavior. They're either extremely cute and friendly, or they're crusty and cranky. We often categorize them without letting them say a word. However, I had a humbling opportunity to have a conversation with the gentler side of our archaic friends. He was a World War II Veteran and was staying at the hotel to see family in the area. He told me about his 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren with a look of contentment and pride about his face. In his 84 years, he had seen several wars, the development of new technologies, the deterioration of his body, and 64 years with his sweetheart wife. These are the same people that we tail on the road when they go too slow. These are the same people we roll our eyes at when they take too long at the check stand in the supermarket. But yet, in my conversation with this gentleman, I was reminded that he was once young as I am now. Without getting all preachy, it really struck me that the elderly truly are a fountain of knowledge and we too often take them for granted. Their stories need to be listened to, and their legacies remembered.

Where Did You Go on Your Honeymoon?

2010-07-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

Great views, once-in-lifetime opportunities, and completely memorable are all attributes of a great vacation and/or honeymoon. So how about: space? It's too bad that only like 4 people on this planet can enjoy such an extreme vacation given the outrageous prices. We can all rest easy, however, knowing that it's in the price range of Lady GaGa, because that only means one thing: she will be outside of our atmosphere, even if for a brief moment. So even if it's something that may be out of our price range, it just might be a great answer to get rid of our planet's most annoying personalities for a couple of hours.

Housekeeping... You Want Mint for Pillow?

2010-07-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy of cogdogblog

I respect housekeepers, I really do. They clean up the most disgusting rooms without even a grimace of displeasure. However, sometimes they're just lazy. Lately our guests have been complaining that rooms built for 4 people have only 1 towel, hairdryers are AWOL, hairs in the bathtub (what could those be from?), lack of coffee packets (what are we, Starbucks?), and the most frustrating... problems with the television and/or the remote control isn't anywhere to be found. Shouldn't those be concerns that are corrected while housekeepers are doing their job? We have plenty to do at the front desk (most of the time), and it boggles my mind how they can clean a room without a remote or hairdryer and consider it to be ready to sell. Surprise, surprise... guests like having their own towel to dry off after they shower! We're not in Sudan! So please, please, PLEASE housekeepers, give me a break!

Zip Lines

2010-07-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

We did this while honeymooning in Puerto Vallarta and it was by one of the greatest highlights of our trip (among other things haha). I recommend it to anyone that is looking for something that is completely out of the ordinary. It's thrilling and exhilarating, yet safe and low impact.

The Moon of Honey

2010-07-26T10:55:00.001-07:00

Rarely do I add in a truly personal touch here on Adventures in Hospitality, but when the occasion permits, I suppose I can make an exception. As you may have noticed my page hasn't been updated for a week, and that's because of a silly little thing called marriage. Yes, that's right, I'm now a married man. My sweetheart and I spent a wild week in Puerto Vallarta, taking in the sights, sounds, and yes, smells of Mexico. It was a beautiful time and I really have no complaints. Now that I'm back, I'll continue updating the site as promised. Keep reading!

Just Cruisin'

2010-07-16T07:49:00.001-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Ardyiii

Upon arriving in the morning, the night worker shared a story with me that was too good to pass up. She got a phone call early in the morning from our neighboring hotel regarding one of our luggage carts. The person working at the other hotel explained that someone rode our luggage cart across the street and was now riding it over there. AT 3 AM! He then returned to our property and began looking at cars in the parking lot and yelling at inanimate objects. He also yelled at a Goodwill truck. He then proceeded to throw water on our Coke machine. After calling the cops, the man made his way to nearby Denny's to steal items, tried to rob the Chevron, twice, hassled the worker at the the 7-11, and finally was arrested across the street. The funny thing is, this was the first night of the girl working at our front desk. What a great introduction!

And This Year's Family Vacation Is... Antarctica?

2010-07-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Christian Revival Network

I was searching around the Internet for exotic travel locations, and I'll have to say this one takes the cake. I know people that have seen the Great Pyramids of Egypt, traveled the canals of Venice, fished in the Amazon, seen the Great Wall of China, and yet I have never heard of anyone that has traveled to Antarctica. Maybe it's just me but for some reason the Caribbean or Hawaii sound like a better way to actually take a vacation, but to each their own!

Antarctica Travel

Panhandlers

2010-07-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy of meddygarnet

Today as I was driving around town with my family, I noticed a young, able couple panhandling with a cliche cardboard sign that read "Out of gas need money". As we turned the corner and drove about a block, we came across another young and able couple holding the same sign, "Out of gas and need money". I thought to myself, "Do all young couples run out gas on a regular basis in this general vicinity?!" I jokingly told my family that those are the type of people that generally stay at our hotel.

When I started work today, 2 couples pulled up in a minivan and needed 2 rooms. It was our panhandling friends from 1 hour earlier! Apparently they fixed the gas situation, AND payed for their rooms in 1's and 5's. I really had to bite my tongue to stop myself from telling them that I just witnessed their lazily fraudulent activities. Me as a person would say that, but me as an employee cannot.

Horrifying!

2010-07-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

I was reading up on my urban legends on Snopes and I came across an article that fit very well with the site. It's about a someone that slept several days atop a dead body, a fact that was unknown for several days. Imagine the realization! Anyways, here's the article- Body Under the Bed. Somehow I don't find it to be too far fetched for something such as this to happen at our hotel.

The Don Part 3: The Don is Gone

2010-07-12T03:34:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy of xlibber

Our hotel's biggest celebrity, The Don, has left us. It all started with him supposedly going to Louisiana to solve the oil spill problem with a solution that he invented. Well, it turned out he went to Reno to escape the heat. At the hotel, we quickly found many articles written on him, exposing his exploits and misdeads. Apparently he somehow convinced about 400 local tribal members to give their social security numbers, promising employment in the Gulf. In an economy like this, a promise such as that is like dangling a raw steak in front of a dog. Naturally, few questions were asked and some even headed over to Lousiana without any further instruction, fully expecting a job upon arrival. However, no job was to be found. So now, many natives are stranded in Lousiana with only the money they brought with them. Meanwhile, The Don is hiding in some corner of his make believe world, probably prepping his next big scam. Honestly, I expected nothing less than something of this magnitude from him.

Freaky... But Funny

2010-07-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

Whoopsa Daisy!!!

2010-07-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

They could easily make a movie out of this story... a couple thinks they're flying to Sydney, Australia, but upon exiting the aircraft, they realize they are in Sydney, Canada. Forget Koala bears and the Great Barrier Reef, Canada's got maple syrup and Justin Bieber!

Italian Couple Lands on Wrong Continent

Pool Party!

2010-07-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Andrew

I recently checked some very filthy homeless people into our hotel. Their odor, their appearance, and even their fingernails were all well below maintained standards. As I was putting some stuff in the dumpster, I noticed a lot of noise coming from the pool area. So, I checked it out, and the sight I beheld was horrid. Not only were those homeless people swimming, but they somehow invited every other homeless person on the block. I've never seen so many make-shift swimsuits in my life. Since when do granny panties and sports bras make a bikini? On top of that, they for some reason brought all of their bicycles INSIDE of the pool area, making it more crowded than I've ever seen it. The water was visibly cloudy and the pool quickly went from "inviting" to "avoid at all costs". I heard a father in the lobby talking about taking his children swimming, so I manned up, and confronted the transient population. They obliged and quickly left without complaint. To my surprise, I even came across a familiar face in the mix, Adventures in Hospitality's very own crazy lady, Kristin Wiig. I truly love my job... most of the time.

Unusual and Unique Hotels!

2010-07-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

Vacations, in my opinion, should be a break from the ordinary. What better way to explore the extraordinary than by immersing yourself in something that is completely new, exciting, and brag-worthy? Unusual Hotels of the World is a great resource for not only locating these out-of-ordinary spots, but booking them as well. They've put a lot of time into keeping the site updated regularly and nicely organized. I wish I had checked this site out before I had booked my honeymoon! I mean, who doesn't want to sleep inside of a giant elephant? Haven't we all wondered what it's like to sleep inside that ice hotel we've seen on TV? Rather than think of reasons not to, it's time to treat yourself! Check out this website for not only a fun read, but for some good ideas too.

Bookit.com

2010-07-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

I recently booked my honeymoon through www.bookit.com and then I started finding all this negative press about it on the internet. This of course alarmed me! All I was reading was "beware of bookit.com", "do not use bookit.com", etc. Well, the transaction had already been made, so I decided to make the most of it and hope for the best. Well, let me tell ya, not only did they give me an amazing deal (prices were far below other sites), but I personally called the resort and the airlines to verify that I had indeed been given a legitimite vacation package, and lo and behold, everything was spot on! Granted I haven't yet taken the trip, but it looks like everything is 100% real. That's more than Pamela Anderson can say.

The Life Aquatic

2010-07-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

Image Copyright National Geographic

My boss was quite excited to tell we had a mouse running around in one of our back rooms as I came into work the other day. With all of the remodeling we've been doing, there have been a lot of misplaced items and messes all over, so it was the perfect environment for a mouse to thrive. Well, the other day, our head housekeeper was preparing her mop for the day and she found our little friend dead in the bucket. Signs point to suicide. Then, the other day, I was cleaning the pool. The skimmer was clogged, so I reached in and my hand was completely black when I pulled it out. It was weird at first, then I realized why my hand was black. Another dead mouse was in there, and this one had been almost disintegrated because of the chemicals. I looked at my black hand in horror. It was covered in dead mouse! I quickly cleaned the mess and vowed to never put my hand in dark holes again.

Poseidon Resort

2010-06-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.poseidonresorts.com/poseidon_main.html

Now this is what I call a vacation! Imagine spending the night underwater as the sea passes by your windows. Too bad it costs an arm and a leg to enjoy! However, we can dream, can't we? I think I can file this vacation under the "when I'm a millionaire" folder.

Amazing Deal Alert!

2010-06-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I love Disney parks. Of course, for anyone that is familiar with them, you know how spendy the food alone can be. Trying to feed a family would pretty bankrupt you. So, the folks at Disney have a plan for you: Free Disney dining! I'd love to take advantage of it... but I have to do things like... work and stuff. Boring! Anyways, check out this offer before it goes away!

Fat Fans

2010-06-27T21:44:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! Article

I've personally never read any of the Harry Potter books or seen all of the movies. I've officially seen 1 1/2 of the Harry Potter movies to be exact. Why? Well for one, they never really interested me. But then I started thinking, these movies are making billions worldwide... so I should check them out! I'm a little bit behind on my viewing, but I'll have to admit, they are entertaining so far. I'm also a huge theme park fan, and the above article just made me laugh. Enjoy!

New Blog Features!

2010-06-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking of ways to make my blog more interesting, engaging, and unique. While I believe my stories can easily stand on their own, from now on I'll be supplimenting the site with:

Daily updates (M-F)
Interesting travel stories from around the world
Unique travel destinations
Beautiful/funny/interesting pictures
Occasional contests
Travel deals
And of course, your favorite part of the blog, MY STORIES!

Thanks for reading and come back soon for exciting updates!