Tuesday, July 1, 2008

The Country Inn, ABQ, NM

I'm sitting in the hotel's dining area while my children woof down some complimentary breakfast before we hit the bewitching hour of 9:30 when they frantically put away all the eats. It's good food so we can't complain about that. The thing you need to pick up on is the fact that I have to hook up in the lobby of the hotel because I'm not connected in my room. It was the first "sorry" I received from the hotel staff, but not the last. This staff needs the lecture that I give my children on what sorry actually means. It's not a word you say to pacify the receiver of the word, you need to back it up with some action.



Me: I'm not receiving internet in my room.

Staff: Sorry.

(wait, wait, wait for it)
Staff: You can hook up in the lobby if you want.

(clearly they really don't want me there...I'm considering parking there for about an hour while I let my kids go wild)



Me: The laundry room soap dispenser says out of order, do you have any?
Staff: Yes, there should be some in there.

(I check and see a large box at the end, assume it is full)

later that evening...it's not full

Me: You have no soap in the laundry room, do you have any?

Staff: There is a box in there.

Me: It's empty.

Staff: Sorry.



My mom goes down later to harass them about it and they say to ask housekeeping in the morning. Yes, I have my speculations that I will be able to get my point across, just because I've met many a hotel housekeeping staff.



Mom: Do you have any cookies?
Staff: No, sorry.

Mom: In the room it says you have cookies and coffee all day.

Staff: Sorry.

(wait, wait, wait for it)
Staff: We put them out at 4 and they are usually gone by 5pm. Sorry.



My key stops working, probably because I've kept it right next to my cell phone in my pocket. (not that anyone would have warned us about that)
Me: My key isn't working anymore.

Staff: Sorry.

(seriously, that was it)
Other staff: What room are you in?

Needless to say it is now the next morning, the morning that I am supposed to receive my laundry soap from the housekeeping staff. One looked at the other, they repeated soap and laundry to each other and me. Then I was walked up to the front desk... (I can't even muster the energy to pass on the wisdom that this staffer left for me)

Now I really better get some food while Tasha jumps back and forth over the wall and chair here. I'm not too concerned because if they had come through with what their hotel promised I would not be annoyed and my kids would be taken care of. The only thing that has helped keep me from strangling me some hotel staff this morning are the witty and "smat" comments from my sarcastic friend whom I know would be giving them the stink-eye with me. Hmm, if only I had some of her sons soiled diapers that I could leave behind.

1 comment:

H said...

Strangely, about 2 hours after I posted this management found me and apologized for the problems. He had just sent the front desk lady to buy some soap and promised to deliver it to me. This was after my mom had purchased some, but he did hunt me down and the pool to give it to me. There were cookies in the lobby several times during the day.

I just think it is odd because this man was the one that I thought was the rudest one of them all. Completely unhelpful and standoffish, now he is all apologetic. I guess he was sent here from CA for change the problems at the hotel. I don't know, I saw some changes but not until I complained A LOT!!!