Housekeeping and the Con
Aug. 17th, 2011 12:17 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
The recent post about etiquette at restaurants reminded me of something that I wanted to mention. People may get all cranky with me about it, but I thought I'd take a moment to point it out anyway.
Here's the thing: I know that many of you cram lots of folks into a hotel room that's meant for 4 people (or less). I understand this and have no issue with it. However, last year there were huge issues with getting new towels and bedding in the hotel. When the hotel isn't just 'at capacity' but is actually quite a bit over due to people cramming more than expected bodies in a room, it puts a pretty heavy strain on the hotel. Yes, some of it is the hotel's fault, but not all of it.
If you are taking a 'floor space' in a room with 10 people when it's meant for 4, please consider bringing your own towels and definitely your own bedding. There are only 3 of us in our room, two adults and a child, and I bring towels from home because I hate fighting to get more. (We do ask them not to take them, but they don't listen.) I actually witnessed a few folks taking sheets from the rack of bedding when housekeeping wasn't watching. I can't help but assume this happens more often than that one time.
Last year, my daughter woke up sick at 3:00 in the morning, and made a complete mess of the bed. The blankets, the sheets, it all had to go. We called down to housekeeping and the manager apologized, said it could be a while, because they had a shortage on bedding. Good thing I'd brought extra towels, because that's what she slept on/under for 4+ hours. This year, I'll be bringing a back-up set of sheets as well, just in case.
As I said before, I don't blame this completely on overcapacity rooms, I also blame the hotel. Still, if your room is going to help create that laundry strain, please consider asking the 'extras' in your room to come with their own towels and bedding. I'll be bringing my own, just to be safe!
ETA: Don't forget to tip! (Especially if you let your room get all grungy and not touched for the entire weekend. Think of the poor housekeeper having to clean up that mess!)
Here's the thing: I know that many of you cram lots of folks into a hotel room that's meant for 4 people (or less). I understand this and have no issue with it. However, last year there were huge issues with getting new towels and bedding in the hotel. When the hotel isn't just 'at capacity' but is actually quite a bit over due to people cramming more than expected bodies in a room, it puts a pretty heavy strain on the hotel. Yes, some of it is the hotel's fault, but not all of it.
If you are taking a 'floor space' in a room with 10 people when it's meant for 4, please consider bringing your own towels and definitely your own bedding. There are only 3 of us in our room, two adults and a child, and I bring towels from home because I hate fighting to get more. (We do ask them not to take them, but they don't listen.) I actually witnessed a few folks taking sheets from the rack of bedding when housekeeping wasn't watching. I can't help but assume this happens more often than that one time.
Last year, my daughter woke up sick at 3:00 in the morning, and made a complete mess of the bed. The blankets, the sheets, it all had to go. We called down to housekeeping and the manager apologized, said it could be a while, because they had a shortage on bedding. Good thing I'd brought extra towels, because that's what she slept on/under for 4+ hours. This year, I'll be bringing a back-up set of sheets as well, just in case.
As I said before, I don't blame this completely on overcapacity rooms, I also blame the hotel. Still, if your room is going to help create that laundry strain, please consider asking the 'extras' in your room to come with their own towels and bedding. I'll be bringing my own, just to be safe!
ETA: Don't forget to tip! (Especially if you let your room get all grungy and not touched for the entire weekend. Think of the poor housekeeper having to clean up that mess!)
no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 06:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-18 12:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:12 pm (UTC)Even when they aren't booked at or above capacity, hotels go through massive amounts of water every single day to wash sheets and towels that don't really need to be washed yet. Bring your own if you have more than a couple of people, and try to be realistic about when hotel towels/sheets actually need to be washed.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:38 pm (UTC)i usually have maid service in just once (if at all) during my stay (i'm there for five nights) but i didn't know about the linen shortage issue...
no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 09:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 11:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:36 pm (UTC)http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/49952?pi=862554&qs=3012739_g_shopping&subrnd=0
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/36971?pi=573421&qs=3012739_g_shopping&subrnd=0
no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:17 pm (UTC)I discovered I like my own sheets when we travel and that helps a lot!
Also, just a heads up about last year. We were told by staff at 2 of the main hotels (you know which two!)that both hotels had actually cuts hours and even staff right before the Con. I knew that the housekeeping staff was smaller but was informed they also cut security and the number of the runners who bring stuff to the rooms. That was a part of the towel/sheet issue as they seem to be processing the laundry less often. I discovered, by accident, that one hotel had not paid the cable bill. Bad stuff happens when I have insomnia and the film I am watching suddenly ends before I know who is the real killer. Which is how I found out about the cable bill. The front desk person was sweet as can be and called me back at 4:30 am to tell me who the killer was! He used his break to look it on for me. Yes, he was tipped! I also left a comment about him with the hotel.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:28 pm (UTC)And good god yes on the tipping. I've never worked that end of conventions or trade shows, any I can only imagine the hectic ridiculous chaos it is.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 07:57 pm (UTC)Also, I agree on the tipping
no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 08:24 pm (UTC)And yes, tip!!!
no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 09:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-19 10:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 09:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 10:37 pm (UTC)We bring our own everything and never let a maid into our room. But we make sure that at the end of our stay it is a easy clean up for whoever is scheduled to clean the room after we checkout.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-17 11:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-18 10:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-18 12:43 am (UTC)I also make sure my towels cant be mistaken as the hotels. >_> Ones got kittys on it, ones got drgsruntled burnt bread on it.. and my swimming towel is bright red and says "canada" all over it (hee bought this passing through Canada to World Steam Expo, used all my canadian change I saved the last 10 yrs) XD
I also bring huge bottels of shampoo and cream rinse.
We normally leave a note asking the trash just be taken and a tip.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-18 08:37 am (UTC)When we check out, the trash has all been conveniently bagged together, the towels we do use are all either on the floor or in the tub, and the room looks almost like it did when we checked in.
I've seen enough rooms with open doors during Con while housekeeping was in there to never, NEVER do that to them myself. Some people have no class.
Oh, a tip for those who bring big bottles of shampoo/conditioner from home: If you're staying at the Marriott (and you're not flying in), you might want to consider bringing your own over-the-show rack. Since they did the renovations a couple of years ago, there's virtually no room to store the teensy bottles, much less the big ones.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-18 01:52 pm (UTC)When towels were hardest to come by, the hotel hairdryer comes in handy to dry off the worst of the dampness, and make them fit to reuse.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-18 04:38 pm (UTC)(I can't believe I'm the first person to make a HHGTTG joke about this.)