Life at a Hotel

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The experience of having worked in three of Auckland’s major Hotels has provided me with an insight to what goes on behind the scene. The guests don’t get to see the ins and outs of what actually makes the Hotel operate.

They may be there for a night or even a week, and I have seen some that are called long stay. They may be attending a function in one of the numerous venues that vary in size from a room that caters for about six up to a full on event for several hundred.

The Housekeeping staff are one of the main backbones of the Hotel. It is their job to attend to the rooms when the guest checks out and have it looking like new before the next guest arrives.

Some guests have special needs, like an extra bed or flowers or a cot or a fruit bowl with particular types of fruit.

Some others don’t like cotton sheets, while others want a hard mattress. All this has to be obtained and in the room well before the guest arrives, and then inspected by the supervisors. There are also times when some maintenance is required and the fix it team will go into action, sometimes having to do painting, plumbing or electrical repairs. Once again, all this has to be done well in advance of the guest arrival. When the Hotel is 100% (that’s when it is full) there is no option but to do the very best to satisfy the people that make the payments, that keep the Hotel operating.

As if the stress isn’t enough on a day to day level, there are times when a dignitary would arrive, such as a politician, movie star or famous singer. They all have those unfortunate extra demands and I can’t recall when those extras were not met.

There was one very famous singer that required humidifiers in his room, so the Hotel went out and purchased them. All done at no extra expense to the celebrity. The Hotel considered that as part of satisfying the guest.

Another requested that the bedroom be totally blacked out. There was to be no sign of daylight anywhere. That guest was so wealthy that he could have bought the Hotel and still have had change.

Where possible the extra special people were taken to there rooms via the goods lift or a stairwell that was away from the general public, to satisfy their privacy.

One lady singer wanted the gym for her exclusive use, so that was granted. Another requested all meals be served in their room and they had to be of a special type.

A highlight of my working days at one Hotel was when a famous actress had some issues with her room and requested that only I attend to the problem. Each time she had a request, she said that I was to attend. Quite an honour.

There were also NZ and overseas sporting teams who required special meals and training facilities, plus privacy.

We were never to mention to the public that we had special guests in house and in most cases they checked in under an alias.

The staff saw some disasters now and again. One guest thought it would be a bit of fun to break the fire sprinkler head, resulting in him receiving a very large account and all the soft furnishings having to be disposed of, including the carpet. This was because the stagnant water that lies in the fire pipes goes black and you can imagine the result.

The amount of guests that get drunk and can’t hold their food, seem to think it is alright to let go of it wherever they want. That is from both ends. Yes they get charged a cleaning fee and in the light of day, can’t believe that it was them. Once again the Housekeeping staff just get stuck in and do the job.

I’ve seen TV’s smashed, furniture thrown out of high windows and results of parties where we would fill two clean sacks with the empty bottles. Some guests also do a runner, but not many get away, such is the security system that is used.

It might surprise you the amount of theft that goes on and the items that are missing after a guest checks out.

Towels and bathrobes are the most common items stolen, but I have seen TV’s and bedside lamps go missing.

Where there may be suspicion in relation to a guests honesty, the security team will do a spot check before their departure, and the guest is confronted while still on the premises. Not many get away.

Then there are the one’s that always complain, even over the smallest things. That then gets them upgraded to a better class of room or a free meal and on some occasions a free night.

The staff alone are a league of nations with all nationality’s being in employment at some time or other. The guests also represent all countries, which is what made working in a Hotel so interesting.

I’m retired now, but I have kept in touch with a lot of the people that I worked with and also some of the guests.

One family in particular, stayed at the Hotel for three years while building a $30 million yacht for the owner of a
Las Vegas casino. They now travel the world and we keep in constant contact via email.

A big problem now is when I stay in Hotels; I have a tendency to check the things that the ordinary Joe public wouldn’t think of. To me, you should get what you are paying for and the service should be the best possible.

Remember, that if you are not satisfied, then let the Hotel know. Believe it or not, they do want to know, and you could be better off for it. Don’t let the bad things ruin your holiday.

So what are you waiting for, pack your bags and be off. Enjoy.

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