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Jeanh
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1. The 1-800 reservations number will probably send you to a central office with set rates. If you call the hotel directly instead, you can negotiate.
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2. Hotels can pay a commission of up to 30 percent to online booking sites. So offer me 20 percent less than the online price, and we both come out ahead.
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3. Independently owned hotels are far more likely to give you a discount. Some chains balk at dropping the rate.
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4. If you show up at 11 a.m. and check-in time is 2 p.m., please donāt be upset if your room isnāt ready. I canāt make the housekeepers go any faster. And you donāt want them to rush.
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5. Donāt ask me for an upgrade when other guests are within earshot. Want a more spacious room without paying more? Request a corner room or a handicapped one.
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6. Some concierges get kickbacks for sending you to pricey tourist traps. If you want an unbiased recommendation, ask me.
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7. Sometimes my boss makes me lie, like when the elevatorās not working and I tell you someone is coming to fix it soon. I know it wonāt be fixed until Monday, because the manager doesnāt want to pay the repairmanās weekend rate.
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8. Donāt call between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. with a special request. Chances are Iāll have a long line of guests waiting to check out or in and will just want to get you off the phone.
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9. My official job description: errand runner, toilet plunger, bow-tie tier, towel deliverer, and chef (that free continental breakfast doesnāt appear from above). Iāve also sprinkled rooms with rose petals and dealt with dead bodies. All for about $10 an hour.
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10. We love it when you sā ƩƔl the soap, shampoo, and lotion. Thatās why we put our logo on them. But pillows, bedspreads, and irons? Weāre billing your credit card.
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11. Keep it down. Even the best hotels arenāt totally soundproof, and Iām the one who has to send the security guard up to knock on your door when someone complains.
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12. Itās a lot easier for me to remove Wi-Fi charges from your bill at checkout than to agree to waive them in advance.
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13. No, we donāt have an hourly rate. You donāt want to be at a hotel like that anyway.

14. Most of us are happy to help. If you ask us to, weāll tell callers youāre not registered at the hotel, or tell you where to park so you canāt see your car from the interstate. But weāre also talking behind your back about what you might be hiding.

15. Always request clean linens when you check in. We wash the sheets every day, but blankets often only get washed once a week. And the bedspreads? If thereās no visible stain, itās maybe once a month.

16. In this economy, everything is negotiable. If your hotel offers a hot breakfast buffet as well as a free continental breakfast, ask if you can get the hot breakfast with your room. Very rarely will we tell you no.

17. If you travel frequently, use the same hotel each time. Get to know the staff. Regulars are recognized and treated as VIPs. You could get free upgrades, discounts, and more.

18. Never use the long distance. Unless you want to pay $10 for a 5-minute call, itās best to specifically ask for it to be turned off. Weāve had situations in which housekeepers have made calls from a guestās phone.

19. If you request a king bed, thereās no guarantee. No matter how confident the reservations agent sounds, call the hotel directly and make the request again a few days before you travel. Then do it again on the day of. If we still donāt have one when you get there and youāre nice about it, we may comp your breakfast or upgrade you to a suite.

20. Donāt act like you own the place. Our policy is to automatically upgrade people if weāve got the space ā but Iām not going to do it if youāre snarky.
21. It seems to have gone out of fashion to tip your housekeeper. Most are ĻĆ”Ćd minimum wage with the expectation of tips. Take care of them and theyāll take care of you
1. The 1-800 reservations number will probably send you to a central office with set rates. If you call the hotel directly instead, you can negotiate.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
2. Hotels can pay a commission of up to 30 percent to online booking sites. So offer me 20 percent less than the online price, and we both come out ahead.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
3. Independently owned hotels are far more likely to give you a discount. Some chains balk at dropping the rate.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
4. If you show up at 11 a.m. and check-in time is 2 p.m., please donāt be upset if your room isnāt ready. I canāt make the housekeepers go any faster. And you donāt want them to rush.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
5. Donāt ask me for an upgrade when other guests are within earshot. Want a more spacious room without paying more? Request a corner room or a handicapped one.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
6. Some concierges get kickbacks for sending you to pricey tourist traps. If you want an unbiased recommendation, ask me.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
7. Sometimes my boss makes me lie, like when the elevatorās not working and I tell you someone is coming to fix it soon. I know it wonāt be fixed until Monday, because the manager doesnāt want to pay the repairmanās weekend rate.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
8. Donāt call between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. with a special request. Chances are Iāll have a long line of guests waiting to check out or in and will just want to get you off the phone.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
9. My official job description: errand runner, toilet plunger, bow-tie tier, towel deliverer, and chef (that free continental breakfast doesnāt appear from above). Iāve also sprinkled rooms with rose petals and dealt with dead bodies. All for about $10 an hour.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
10. We love it when you sā ƩƔl the soap, shampoo, and lotion. Thatās why we put our logo on them. But pillows, bedspreads, and irons? Weāre billing your credit card.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
11. Keep it down. Even the best hotels arenāt totally soundproof, and Iām the one who has to send the security guard up to knock on your door when someone complains.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
12. Itās a lot easier for me to remove Wi-Fi charges from your bill at checkout than to agree to waive them in advance.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
13. No, we donāt have an hourly rate. You donāt want to be at a hotel like that anyway.

14. Most of us are happy to help. If you ask us to, weāll tell callers youāre not registered at the hotel, or tell you where to park so you canāt see your car from the interstate. But weāre also talking behind your back about what you might be hiding.

15. Always request clean linens when you check in. We wash the sheets every day, but blankets often only get washed once a week. And the bedspreads? If thereās no visible stain, itās maybe once a month.

16. In this economy, everything is negotiable. If your hotel offers a hot breakfast buffet as well as a free continental breakfast, ask if you can get the hot breakfast with your room. Very rarely will we tell you no.

17. If you travel frequently, use the same hotel each time. Get to know the staff. Regulars are recognized and treated as VIPs. You could get free upgrades, discounts, and more.

18. Never use the long distance. Unless you want to pay $10 for a 5-minute call, itās best to specifically ask for it to be turned off. Weāve had situations in which housekeepers have made calls from a guestās phone.

19. If you request a king bed, thereās no guarantee. No matter how confident the reservations agent sounds, call the hotel directly and make the request again a few days before you travel. Then do it again on the day of. If we still donāt have one when you get there and youāre nice about it, we may comp your breakfast or upgrade you to a suite.

20. Donāt act like you own the place. Our policy is to automatically upgrade people if weāve got the space ā but Iām not going to do it if youāre snarky.
21. It seems to have gone out of fashion to tip your housekeeper. Most are ĻĆ”Ćd minimum wage with the expectation of tips. Take care of them and theyāll take care of you

