Todays funny travel story

[JoeyBryant]

So I happen to forget my damn toothpaste, and so called down to the front desk to see if they had any. Sure enough they do, and she says housekeeping will bring some up. Kewl....

 

So then few minutes later someone knocks, and Im like okay its them. I open the door and low and behold its the f-ing security guard, complete with badge and headphones handing me a toothpaste and toothbrush. What the fuck? Im like, okay thanks and quickly closed the door :o

[Mark Gordon]

Cruising with Escorts

 

Jeez, I bet your heart skipped a beat when he showed up, Joey!

 

I was once on the QE II on a cruise to Norway, accompanying a British client, a fine old gentleman in his 80s, with whom I'd travelled several times. Our cover story for our fellow passengers at the dinner table was that I was his Canadian nephew who was a university student in London. Well, one evening we were having dinner and chatting with this nice hetero couple when they asked where I studied. I said I was at University College London (I actually went to University of Toronto). It turned out that that was the alma mater of the guy I was talking to and he started asking some site-specific questions which I had no answer to. Well, to his credit, my elderly client covered deftly by immediately launching into a half-hour long story about his days as a POW in Nazi Germany; a story which broached no interruptions and thankfully lasted for the duration of our meal!

[+ purplekow]

Jeez, I bet your heart skipped a beat when he showed up, Joey!

 

I was once on the QE II on a cruise to Norway, accompanying a British client, a fine old gentleman in his 80s, with whom I'd travelled several times. Our cover story for our fellow passengers at the dinner table was that I was his Canadian nephew who was a university student in London. Well, one evening we were having dinner and chatting with this nice hetero couple when they asked where I studied. I said I was at University College London (I actually went to University of Toronto). It turned out that that was the alma mater of the guy I was talking to and he started asking some site-specific questions which I had no answer to. Well, to his credit, my elderly client covered deftly by immediately launching into a half-hour long story about his days as a POW in Nazi Germany; a story which broached no interruptions and thankfully lasted for the duration of our meal!

 

 

This is why the best lies are closest to the truth. Why did you claim to be from a University in London when it would have been just as easy to say you were at a University in Toronto. I took time off to spend it with Dear Uncle Moneybags. After all he is paying for my schooling.

[Mark Gordon]

This is why the best lies are closest to the truth. Why did you claim to be from a University in London when it would have been just as easy to say you were at a University in Toronto. I took time off to spend it with Dear Uncle Moneybags. After all he is paying for my schooling.

 

You're right PK, that might've worked out better. However, I'd been a long-time resident in London by that point and it simply never occurred to me to pretend I still lived in Canada.

[Romann]

This is actually quite common when it comes to ordering additional items to your room. I'm known to request additional coffee every morning because I like to have a couple cups of coffee when I first get up before I start to shower and clean up for the day. 9 out of 10 times when the coffee, creamer and additional Sweet and Low packets are delivered, it's from hotel security complete with their ear piece, hotel security badge and muscle man at the door which I tend to look forward to. Depending on the time of day and if housekeeping is busy sparkling up rooms and changing sheets, hotel security will complete the guest request for addtional items. Nothing to be scared of...

[Romann]

You're right PK, that might've worked out better. However, I'd been a long-time resident in London by that point and it simply never occurred to me to pretend I still lived in Canada.

 

That auto signature sure looks familiar.

[JoeyBryant]

This is actually quite common when it comes to ordering additional items to your room. from hotel security complete with their ear piece, hotel security badge and muscle man at the door. Nothing to be scared of...

 

LOL, is that so? I never knew of that until today. Probably cause most times I go down there but until this morning I was very tired and didnt feel like it. They didnt send me any muscle man though...haha. But I wasn't scared though, which is why I say funny.

 

Mind you all I had virtually just stepped foot into the place and havent had anyone come up yet, much less unpacked only my toiletries. So they couldn't have been secretly watching me walking through the door and then sending security up to check if I had a client in the room

[KMEM]

I usually try to make contact with housekeeping when they are in the halls going from room to room cleaning to acquire any thing I might need more of, like popcorn or soap, etc. If I have forgotten something, like toothpaste, I usually go to the front desk and ask for it. I have found that making personal, eye to eye contact, usually gets more of what you want and sometimes more generally as compared to calling on the (impersonal) phone.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[JoeyBryant]

If I have forgotten something, like toothpaste, I usually go to the front desk and ask for it.

 

Believe me, I might of too...but before this morning I was up for 48 hours, traveled through 2 time zones, went to 2 cities...one in which I drove for 5 hours and ARRGHHH the last thing I wanted to do is tour the hotel for a toothpaste which should have been in the bag. I was actually quite relieved when she said someone will bring something up. And I got a nice lil bottle of Colgate

 

Of course Im feeling all well and rested now and just enjoying it, and then tomorrow its hotel #2 which is actually near signs of life

[+ ArVaGuy]

I have a hotel nightmare story to share and it just happened to me last week. I'm in the industry and brought a conference to a hotel worth a nice six figures. They upgrade me to a suite as a favor since I'm going to be putting some long hours.

 

After working a 17 hour day managing the conference I open the door to my room and am confronted by the overwhelming odor of sewage. Yes...sewage. I go to the front desk, tell the MOD that I'm either the best guy for this to happen or the worst. Best in that it did not happen to one of my board members or the worst since it happened to the one guy who's going to pay the final invoice.

 

They reassign me to another room and the bellman helps me move. This little Nigerian guy was very helpful and I asked him point blank if this has been a problem in the past. He jokingly replies "even in my home country we don't have plumbing this bad" and informs me this has been a chronic problem for months.

 

Next morning I realize I've left my shoes in the old room. Back down to the front desk for a key. Return to the old room and ....remember that chemical antiseptic stuff they used when kids got sick in grade school? Well now the room reeked of that nasty smell plus the odor of sewage. Retrieve shoes and get out quick.

 

Subsequently five of my attendees inform me of toilets that don't properly flush. Oh it goes on from there but I'll spare you the details. Apologies from the General Manager with an explanation that was so absurd I won't go into them here.

 

Today, the Global Sales Manager and the Sr. Vice President of the chain took me to lunch. This is a well known brand, one of the top three in the industry. My group is a pretty decent account. The franchise has been a bit of a problem for the brand and it’s been made clear the flag is about to get pulled. To "pull the flag" means the brand is about to terminate its agreement with the ownership and management company. The hotel will have to "re-flag" with another brand or go independent. All I can say is good luck to the brand that picks them up.