Many hoteliers will say “you see it all” in hospitality – the good, bad and the ugly.
I worked in hospitality for nearly 15 years, and I lived in hotels most of my life. My older brother and I were drinking Shirley Temples poolside since we were 5, a routine ritual that many of our classmates with more traditional living situations envied. I even spent a summer in my very own hotel room, which I lavishly decked out with my Lisa Frank collection.
Why hotels? Well, my parents were hotel flippers. It’s like house flipping, just on a bigger scale. By the time I was in high school, I had lived in six different towns, two states and seven hotels. So I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my experiences and knowledge that came with having a unique perspective on hospitality.
The pools were fun, the guests could be exciting, but growing up and working at a hotel is no vacation. We helped pull weeds, picked up cigarette butts and completed room inspections on weekends. Spring break was a busy time, which meant working all week while others were jetting off to tropical destinations. During sleepovers, my friends were often confused and alarmed by the bell going off in the middle of the night, alerting my dad that there was an after-hours customer. Hotels are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They never close, and the work never stops. And, if anything is going to go wrong, it will be on a Sunday during a holiday weekend when your property is sold out.
These experiences shaped who I am today, and I am often reminded of lessons learned such as:
- Murphy’s Law is never more true than at a hotel with 100% occupancy. When you have 65 toilets and 70 TVs, something will break, and someone will blame you for it. Do your best to fix the problem and move on.
- In the words of my mom, “the customer is always right.”
- Multitasking is sometimes the only way to get the job done. I’ve learned to fix TVs and computers, switch toilets, replace wax rings, make a perfect bed and remove impossible stains – all while holding a baby.
In closing, here are a few hotel tips to consider while booking your next travel adventure:
- Always book direct. This way, the property is fully responsible for your reservation, charges and requests. Special requests are less likely to get passed along to the property when you reserve through a third party. Also, room and payment changes are much easier when you book direct.
- Know where you are making your reservation. This may sound easy but can be more complicated than you think. Many booking agents disguise themselves as the hotel direct, and even some companies will lie about being the property. When booking or searching online, check the URL address; this can confirm where you are making a reservation.
- Check reviews on budget hotels. Some budget hotels are cleaner than others. Brand names don’t mean much when shopping for a reasonable price. Once you think you have found your place, hop on Trip Advisor and read a few reviews before booking. Trust me, this could save you later.
- Finally, tip your maid and your breakfast attendant. Many of us pride ourselves in tipping our wait staff 20% or more for their hard work; why does this not apply to hotel staff? Housekeeping is not easy or glamorous work, and when your room is tidy and your sheets are clean, don’t forget about the service attendant who cleaned it for you. A $5 tip for a clean room is a great nightly minimum, if not more.
Brooke Henderson is Partners and Operations manager at Visit Durango.
