Am I asking too much?

[Guest]

I'm at a hotel by the airport again, and the clock is off by 12 minutes. Not such a big deal, except these clocks are apparently very difficult to set correctly, and housekeeping had to bring in another clock because "the engineers have gone home" (WTF that a clock needs a GDF engineer to set it??). It seems that almost every time I check into a hotel, the clock is off, or light bulbs are out, etc. Is it really too much to ask the housekeeping staff to glance around the room when they're making the beds, and let the staff know if the clock needs fixing or light bulbs changed? Why do I always have to be the one to call?

[+ DERRIK]

It's reasonable that housekeeping check clocks eve at and reset them

 

Guests frequently need to plug in devices and think nothing about. Unplugging the clock to plug in their tablet

[sincitymix]

Housekeeping has more to worry about then checking a clock. You have X time to clean that room and X time to clean your entire allotment or be fired type of worries.

[OneFinger]

Who uses the clock in a hotel any more??? I always rely on my cell phone.

 

And, if I'm in a playful mood just before I check out, I'll set the clock alarm to go off at 3:00 a.m. just to mess with the next guest.

[+ poolboy48220]

The clock on the stereo in my last car was just about impossible to set, and it always quickly jumped to two minutes off after I got out the manual and reset it.

[MikeBiDude]

Housekeeping has more to worry about then checking a clock. You have X time to clean that room and X time to clean your entire allotment or be fired type of worries.

I'd like to see a room clock I couldn't set myself?

[+ azdr0710]

Some hotel clocks are pretty tech-y, I've noticed. Can be complicated.

[+ purplekow]

I'm at a hotel by the airport again, and the clock is off by 12 minutes. Not such a big deal, except these clocks are apparently very difficult to set correctly, and housekeeping had to bring in another clock because "the engineers have gone home" (WTF that a clock needs a GDF engineer to set it??). It seems that almost every time I check into a hotel, the clock is off, or light bulbs are out, etc. Is it really too much to ask the housekeeping staff to glance around the room when they're making the beds, and let the staff know if the clock needs fixing or light bulbs changed? Why do I always have to be the one to call?

 

Snark alert. Choose which of the following is the right amount of snarky:

 

Hmmm lets see. Clock is off by 12 minutes. You know this. So is the math the problem?

 

You were disturbed enough by this to have someone bring in a new clock? Check your Adderall dose.

 

I had a problem where the clock was off by 12 hours. Wow, the manipulations I had to go through to figure that one out.

 

What is wrong with people that work in hotels anyways? To think what passes for hospital corners these days, what an abomination.

[AdamSmith]

The only attention I pay to the hotel room clock is to check to be SURE the alarm is not set to go off and give me a coronary at 4am.

[+ Truereview]

I think it is a fair point to consider whether hotel staff - whether it is housekeeping, minibar service, etc- should check guest rooms to ensure everything is working properly (including clocks being on accurate local time). Details do count for frequent guests.

 

With that said, I really haven't seen this happen and so I've taken the issue by the balls myself. When I arrive at a hotel room, I'm one of those who disconnects the hotel alarm clock. Since I stay at hotels about 80% of my week, I carry a little projector clock. It connects to my iPhone and subtly shines the current time and the phone # for incoming calls onto the wall or ceiling position of my choice. I can adjust the brightness, size, and position of the image. I got mine as holiday gift, but I believe they run about $30 and are super light.

And, if I'm in a playful mood just before I check out, I'll set the clock alarm to go off at 3:00 a.m. just to mess with the next guest.

So you are that little shit! I'm gonna get you back!

[mike carey]

So you are that little shit! I'm gonna get you back!

But you said that you disconnect the hotel clock, so OneFinger's prank wouldn't have affected you.

[+ Truereview]

But you said that you disconnect the hotel clock, so OneFinger's prank wouldn't have affected you.

I had to learn the hard way, bubba! I'm not that smart!

[mike carey]

I'm not that smart!

Now that I don't believe for a moment.

[Guest]

Who uses the clock in a hotel any more??? I always rely on my cell phone.

 

And, if I'm feeling especially asshole-ish, just before I check out, I'll set the clock alarm to go off at 3:00 a.m. just to mess with the next guest.

Snark alert. Choose which of the following is the right amount of snarky:

 

Hmmm lets see. Clock is off by 12 minutes. You know this. So is the math the problem?

 

You were disturbed enough by this to have someone bring in a new clock? Check your Adderall dose.

 

I had a problem where the clock was off by 12 hours. Wow, the manipulations I had to go through to figure that one out.

 

What is wrong with people that work in hotels anyways? To think what passes for hospital corners these days, what an abomination.

 

If/when I wake up during the night, I like to be able to glance at the clock with my head on the pillow to see the time (I have a clock next to my pillow at home as well). Turning on the cell phone is not as convenient. And to answer PK, I didn't ask someone to bring another clock. I called the guest services line and asked if they could explain how to set the clock. They said they would have to send an engineer. I had to call back half an hour later because no one came. A few minutes after the 2nd call, housekeeping came in with a new clock, explaining that the engineers had all gone home. The clock had to be reset at some point. Doing it when I arrived helped not just me, but future guests as well.

And yes, I've learned to check that the alarm hasn't been set by some asshole previous guest. Maybe OF should see a counselor to find out why he gets pleasure out of upsetting strangers. Maybe he would get a laugh if someone woke him up at 3 AM?

[OneFinger]

And yes, I've learned to check that the alarm hasn't been set by some asshole previous guest. Maybe OF should see a counselor to find out why he gets pleasure out of upsetting strangers. Maybe he would get a laugh if someone woke him up at 3 AM?

I started checking the clock AFTER woke me up early in the morning. Don't think I need a councilor.

[+ ArVaGuy]

I use my cell phone and iPad alarms rather than trust the hotel clocks. I always check the clocks to make sure the alarms are turned off so there are no 03:00 surprises.

[rvwnsd]

I use my cell phone and iPad alarms rather than trust the hotel clocks. I always check the clocks to make sure the alarms are turned off so there are no 03:00 surprises.

I do the same thing. I also reset the clock, just in case. They are not that difficult to figure out.

[Guest]

I do the same thing. I also reset the clock, just in case. They are not that difficult to figure out.

Sorry, but at some Hiltons, the clocks cannot simply be set or changed by guests. I'm now at a Westin, and it's a standard clock, easy to set (and set to the correct time).

[MikeBiDude]

Sorry, but at some Hiltons, the clocks cannot simply be set or changed by guests. I'm now at a Westin, and it's a standard clock, easy to set (and set to the correct time).

If they put in clocks like that, then the Hilton properties deserve to be called at any hour of the day or night to fix (set) it!

[rvwnsd]

Sorry, but at some Hiltons, the clocks cannot simply be set or changed by guests. I'm now at a Westin, and it's a standard clock, easy to set (and set to the correct time).

I stay at Hilton hotels on a regular basis and not once have I been unable to set the clock.

[Rudynate]

I depends on the hotel. If its a 3-4 star hotel, I expect perfection or nearly so. Anything less, and I figure I get what I pay for.

[+ purplekow]

I am very time inattentive so 12 minutes seems like a ridiculously small amount of time variation to be concerned about on a clock. Am I out of touch here? Would a 12 minute variation in the clock spur you to any kind of action? It would not bother me, especially if I knew it was off by 12 minutes.

[Guest]

Yes, the Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront is a 4-star hotel. And yes, 12 minutes makes a difference when you have a plane to catch and you're trying to catch the hotel shuttle.

[Rudynate]

Yes, the Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront is a 4-star hotel. And yes, 12 minutes makes a difference when you have a plane to catch and you're trying to catch the hotel shuttle.

 

 

I was at the Hilton in Santa Clara a few weeks ago. Really enjoyed it. Decent restaurant/Room service, spacious comfortable room, very pleasant staff. I think I would enjoy staying there for its own sake.

[LADoug1]

If people knew how horribly housekeepers are treated and compensated we wouldn't worry so much about an inaccurate clock.

 

Plus, with all the problems of the world I'm surprised at the tremendous interest in this post.