One of life's true astonishments is the fact of how many businesses continue to operate (and in some cases, grow bigger) when what they seem to offer is anything from bad to mediocre customer service.
Case in point, I recently handled a small town funeral far from home and stayed a large national hotel chains "express" location. I specifically picked it because it appeared to be the nicest in the little town I was staying in. (The other hotels/motels in this town were not the least bit inviting, based on the exterior appearance only). I didn't have a reservation, and only smoking rooms were available. As a former smoker, I don't mind a bit a smoke, but my room smelled as if Motley Crue, all of their roadies and a good portion of their audience spent a couple of days chain-smoking in it! Now this room had a perfectly operating window with a screen that could have been opened by housekeeping at any time for airing...I however could not open the window due a violent thunderstorm that was occurring.
So I find myself in same said thunderstorm driving to a local supermarket for air freshener and bathroom cleaner (the bathroom might have been cleaned at one time...a long time ago) to clean and freshen this room. Even the bath towels reeked of smoke. To do the next occupant a favor, I used every towel in the place because I'm fairly sure that the ones left for me had been in the room absorbing the smell for quite some time. At least the next guest will have fresher linens.
Am I nitpicking?
For what amounted to about $100 a night (after taxes, fees etc) can we no longer expect a clean, fresh smelling room, even if it's a smoking room?
I left a detailed survey card with this location and also on their website. I'll be interested to see what their response is. What do you think?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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