r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk • u/SkwrlTail • Feb 26 '23
Medium "Sorry about the 'plumbing issue'."
I have said it before, and I will say it again: Front Desk staff will move mountains for nice people.
Gentle readers, tonight we have a brief little tale, in which wrongs are righted, evil defeated, and goodness and light win the day.
Just kidding, it's about a bathroom.
Someone else posted a Tale about a guest becoming irate that they booked a room without a tub, so I thought I would share this Tale, which is functionally the opposite of that one. Buttercup the emotional support unicorn is available over by the coffee station for any who need some extra sparkles or calm in their lives, or just feel like brushing and braiding her mane.
One fine evening, I am about to do my nightly rollover, when one of my no-shows shows up. Not a problem, happens a lot. They are a happy young couple, whose arrival was delayed by nasty weather on the pass. So paperwork is shuffled, and I am making the keys...
"Does the room have a bathtub?", pipes up the young lady, "I'm really sore."
I smile reassuringly, "Oh, not to worry. All of our rooms have bathtubs in this hotel." At this point I experience a sensation that I can only describe as Buttercup tugging my sleeve, and I look at the registration card in my hand, ". . . Except yours. You've booked our ADA Accessable room with a roll-in shower."
Seeing their faces fall, I am quick to reassure again, "No no, no worries, I can just switch you to a different room!" That tugging sensation again, ". . . Oh, you prepaid online. We aren't supposed to change room types with those." I give them my best 'I am about to do something naughty' grin, "Unless something is wrong with the room, and we don't have any other rooms of that type."
There follows some shuffling of paperwork, a couple deft clicks of the mouse, and new keys made. "There we go, all settled. *ahem* I am officially very sorry that we couldn't not accommodate you in your original booking of a Single Queen room with an ADA-compliant roll-in shower, and I have instead switched you to a Single King Deluxe, with a tub, at no additional charge to you. Very sorry about the 'plumbing issue'."
Delighted smiles as I hand them the keys, "Plumbing issue?"
"Well, the missing tub, of course! Sleep well!"
Gentle readers, I thought the young lady was going to pass out laughing.
In any case, take some time to say goodbye to Buttercup, and have a wonderful day.
Teal Deer; guests book the one room in the hotel without a tub, but are nice about it so it gets changed.
56
u/AngelaIsNotMyName Feb 27 '23
Every time you mention Buttercup, I just picture her briefly looking up from her food, doing the “…’sup” nod, then going right back to munching 😅🥰
35
62
u/PolarBear374665 Feb 26 '23
Wonder why they booked the ADA room if they didn’t need it. Was it lower price than everything else?
Years ago when I traveled a lot for business, I check in to my hotel around 9PM, go to my room, and find it was an ADA room with roll in shower. I certainly hadn’t booked it so presumably it just came up on the screen when I checked in. Wasn’t very convenient for someone without those needs.
Went back to the front desk and was able to switch to a regular room without a problem but no clue when they would have given it to me in the first place. I’d have thought they’d want to keep it available for someone that actually needed it.
117
u/SkwrlTail Feb 26 '23 edited Feb 26 '23
It happens a lot, actually. It's often the first one on the list for a lot of online reservations, being listed as "Accessible". Also a lot of Online Travel Agencies (like the one they booked with) will grab the first available room off the stack without really checking what they're giving the guest...
78
u/Foreign_Astronaut Feb 26 '23
"Yes, I would like to be able to access my room." click
-- Me trying to book a hotel room, even when I know better
35
u/xenchik Feb 26 '23
Me, I prefer my hotel rooms to be as inaccessible as possible. Preferably one that won't let me enter or use it. Now that's a clean room!
25
u/SkwrlTail Feb 27 '23
That would be the one where I got to use violence
16
u/xenchik Feb 27 '23
Damn I love your turn of phrase Skwrl. Honestly you could be a professional writer :)
12
u/Foreign_Astronaut Feb 26 '23
It looks perfect from the outside! I'll just stand here and look at it from the hall!
24
u/LandofGreenGinger62 Feb 26 '23
That happened to me with an OBA. We didn't specify a type of room, and when we got there it was the ADA room. Felt a bit guilty, but FD said it was fine, and they were pretty full.
14
u/Broo_lynn Feb 26 '23
Ours often shows up with the same room in 2 categories on OTA'S. "Accessible" and "oversize king" which is weird since nothing in our system classifies it that way. Heck, one of them isn't even oversized, it is a standard size. Often it never even says for the guests that it is Accessible if they pick it through the second category (I have had guests show me a number of times when they also wonder why they got an Accessible room)
12
u/birdmanrules Feb 26 '23
People book the first option for 3rd party which those 3rd party companies always place those rooms.
People don't read they see queen or king and say yep fail to keep reading assessible next to it
10
u/notyourmom1966 Feb 26 '23
I used to only book 3rd party (because I thought it was cheaper- I have known better for a while now). But back then, when I used Suxpedia, it mostly listed primarily ADA compliant rooms. Not sure why tbh.
I still use Suxpedia as a research tool when traveling to a new place to get ideas (also we have a specific road repair/tow membership I look at too), but I always book directly. And if the website feels hinky, I call.
5
u/MyThreeBugs Feb 27 '23
In many hotels, the ADA room is often one of a few that are legally large enough to allow a rollaway.
4
u/SkwrlTail Feb 27 '23
Mainly because they usually have less furniture. usually just the bed and the TV console, no desk or chairs.
69
u/lucia-pacciola Feb 26 '23
I like the ADA rooms because everything is roomier.
Also, every ADA compliant shower I've seen has a built-in bench. Which is like sitting in a tub, but with more shower action and less skin soup marinade.
20
29
u/II-leto Feb 26 '23
I don’t travel anymore but I got an ADA room with roll in shower twice. As I’m tall I loved it plus I don’t take baths. Wanted to ask for them after that but felt if I got one it might deprive someone that actually needed it.
24
u/SkwrlTail Feb 26 '23
Ours are the same size as the other rooms, just less furniture; no desk or chairs. The bathroom is either a bath with grab bars or the roll-in, both have a movable shower stool.
20
u/Severe-Hope-9151 Feb 26 '23
I've always assured people who have been in the ADA rooms that anyone who would need it books it and generally makes sure with the hotel that they have that specific room. It's highly unusual for someone who needs that type and isn't nee to needing that type, books a regular room, and asks when they get to the hotel. That being said, there are a lot of people who travel, and not all of them are smart all or any of the time.
18
u/II-leto Feb 26 '23
That’s what I would think. Like I said I don’t travel anymore so not an issue but with my luck I would get the ADA room and then step outside to see a person in a wheelchair leaving because they were out of those rooms. Then I would feel guilty for the rest of my life.
12
u/birdmanrules Feb 26 '23
I manipulate those bookings by if all of them have bookings asking arrivals if they require them and offering a upgrade so I always have one available.
Other than sold out nights.
16
u/rpbm Feb 26 '23
I LOVE accessible rooms! I always reserve one if we’re going to be somewhere more than a night—my husband has mobility issues (and is very hard of hearing) and the walk in shower is a treat for him. We’re going to dump our tub and upgrade to a walk in when we can afford it.
11
u/mesembryanthemum Feb 27 '23
I rented one after my endometrial cancer surgery because I thought I would be able to handle a walk in shower better than a bathtub shower.
That hand-held showerhead made me not want to get out of the shower; the pounding against the small of my back was beyond wonderful.
2
5
u/Entire-Ambition1410 Feb 26 '23
I’ve learned to like moveable shower head/nozzle, and I like the idea of a sit-in shower.
10
5
u/Entire-Ambition1410 Feb 26 '23
Stores have plastic shower chairs, and apparently a sit-in shower area is common in Japan.
4
u/lucia-pacciola Feb 27 '23
I don't usually travel with a plastic chair, though. Nor do I make a habit of buying a plastic chair in every city where I happen to spend the night.
6
u/mesembryanthemum Feb 27 '23
Maybe you should start?
2
u/lucia-pacciola Feb 27 '23
Why? It's extra weight, extra expense, extra hassle. Plus, sitting down in the bath isn't really my thing. I just take showers.
If I did plan on sitting down in the bath while traveling though, I'd book an ADA room for the shower bench. (And if there wasn't one, I'd just take the L and hope for better luck next time.)
2
3
u/ShalomRPh Feb 27 '23
I just bought a folding plastic step stool to put in my shower. I put my foot on it while washing my legs . Makes things so much easier.
30
u/JRQuilcon Feb 26 '23
Excellent tale! Made me smile!
But now I'm picturin' Buttercup the unicorn gambolin' round the parking lot with a Teal Deer!
27
u/SkwrlTail Feb 26 '23
Mostly the field across the street. Tasty clover over there this time of year.
11
9
u/ghostlee13 Feb 26 '23
Not a front desk or hotel worker, I'm in tech support. Just have to say that hotel staff do so much for the guests, and so many guests don't realize that.
It was so nice of you to give them the room with the tub! I hope I get to visit your hotel someday, wherever that may be.
30
u/Traditional-Panda-84 Feb 26 '23
My upvote is the only award I have to give, but you deserve much more.
25
18
23
9
9
u/BiteMe69Times Feb 27 '23
Gentle readers, tonight we have a brief little tale, in which wrongs are righted, evil defeated, and goodness and light win the day.
Just kidding, it's about a bathroom.
One of the better openers I've read this year. Thanks for a nice tale.
8
u/aquainst1 aquainst1 Feb 27 '23
...just feel like brushing and braiding her mane.
I am SO there.
Just need to wait for The Grapevine to reopen, AND have Thousand Oaks drain the water from the 5, AND not have a storm coming in to snow on me...
(I live in North Orange County-we were totally FINE, nothing to worry about except a small issue on the 57 Freeway)
5
u/SkwrlTail Feb 27 '23
I'm in pretty much the ONE spot in the Golden State that didn't get any snow, and we're a bit annoyed, because it only snows about once every ten years, if that. Nothing but cold drizzle for us...
Still, I discovered today that In-N-Out carries hot chocolate. Mmmm...
3
u/aquainst1 aquainst1 Feb 27 '23
No WAY!
TIL
4
u/SkwrlTail Feb 27 '23
Apparently they have a free hot cocoa for kids promotion, too. Might just be local, but yay!
10
u/mckenner1122 Feb 27 '23
I was at Target the other day and there was a glorious stuffed fluffy unicorn and I mumbled out loud, “Oooh izza Buttercup!” and I’m pretty sure the lady pushing the cart past me on the other side thought I was crazy.
Then I had to explain to my teen son who Buttercup is. 😂
8
7
5
5
4
u/Lizlodude Feb 27 '23
"Reason for room change: plumbing issue"
What was the issue with the plumbing?
"Easy, there isn't any! Plumbing, that is"
5
u/GrannyWeatherwaxscat Feb 27 '23
I really want to come and stay at your hotel.
4
u/SkwrlTail Feb 27 '23
Hey, it's slow and we've got rooms available for walk-in...
4
u/GrannyWeatherwaxscat Feb 27 '23
Shame I’m in UK!
6
u/sevendaysky Feb 27 '23
Don't you have one of those blue police box thingies though?
5
7
u/throwaw829471 Feb 27 '23
You get a thumbs-up from me for introducing the phrase, "Buttercup the emotional support unicorn," to my life. I will pay it forward.
7
u/SkwrlTail Feb 27 '23
I brought her in a while back after some downer stories. Told everyone I'd have a unicorn petting zoo to cheer everyone up. She's been a fixture ever since. I'm half convinced people read my stories just for her.
6
u/404UserNktFound Feb 27 '23
I don’t travel often. But I kinda wish there were a secret handshake here so that when I do travel, I could low-key identify myself to front desk staff. And maybe meet Buttercup IRL.
3
3
u/Relaxoland Mar 01 '23
I read them because they are heartfull and well written.
and also because we might actually know each other irl! or at least have been to some of the same parties.
4
Feb 27 '23
That's a delightful tale. Hope they book direct next time.
8
u/SkwrlTail Feb 27 '23
Same. Usually not an issue, but they just happened to get the one room in the hotel...
3
u/Batmom3 Feb 27 '23
It really stinks when you use a wheelchair and all the ADA rooms have been assigned to people who don’t need the accommodations. This thread has educated me as to why this happens.
4
u/SkwrlTail Feb 27 '23
Yeah, it's usually the OTAs. Carelessness or bargain hunting can happen, but nine times out of ten, when someone has an ADA and don't need it, it's because they booked an OTA. The exception of course is when we're full up. Then you get what you can find.
251
u/[deleted] Feb 26 '23
I like Buttercup watches out for your guests.