Complaint on wrong terms

As many of you who read this site will probably know by now (let's face it, those of you who are reading this, are repeat customers), that I work at a fashionable hotel. So fashionable, in fact, that it's been awarded with 5 stars. Yes 5, you read that correctly. It's not that important, though. But what is important, at least for today's story, is the fact that the hotel is, according to the brochures casually spread out in the rooms, the very first designer hotel in the world. Or rather, designed hotel.

Love it or hate it? You make up your own damn mind!

It is conceived, drawn and constructed before and up until the year of Odin, 1960. By a local boy, no less. Yes, back in the good old fifties, the airline, SAS, thought it'd be cool to have a hotel dedicated in their honor. They had the money, other people had the know-how, and thus, the first designer hotel in the world was born. Back then, and today, people in the know, argue about whether or not it's cool or uncool. The design, that is. It's one of those love/hate things, apparently. I kind of like it. The guy designed the whole fucking thing, from the building itself, right down to the fabrics of the bedlinen, and the ashtrays, doorhandles, cutlery and crockery. Just for this hotel alone. If nothing else, that's a pretty impressive feat. Even to a layman such as myself.

With all this history, the hotel is sort of a landmark. Or rather, it IS a landmark, with people travelling from around the globe, to see it, and stay in it. And it's nice to work at a place, where people come forward, asking you questions about the building and the stuff in it. Makes me learn about it, and gives me pleasure through talking to curious people. I've gotten to know quite a bit about the building, through my time. And this is why it surprises me, when a guest is totally oblivious to what hotel he had just stayed in.

This guy came down this morning, to check out. In the process, he opens the conversation with

Him: I've gotta say... I'm disappointed with this hotel
Me: Oh? May I ask what aspect in particular?
Him: Well. The decor. It's just ugly. Old looking.
I'm startled, but carry on;
Me: Yes, but...
Him: I mean, come on. It looks like something from the 60s.
Me: Yes, but that's sort of.. It's a designer hotel. Designed in 1960.
Him: That may be, but it's just old fashioned. Why don't you renew the decor?

At this point, I am not sure if he's for real or taking the piss. I mean, seriously? He was using one of the major ideas behind the hotel, as a point of complaint? Amazing really. I tried, unsuccessfully, to convince him that there was a perfectly good reason for the decor style chosen for this hotel.

After a while, he mentioned that he also thought the rooms were too small. He could get a room 3 times that size, at a cheaper rate, at the neighboring hotel. I didn't know what to reply, so I just told him I understood his complaint, and that he was welcome to write a letter. What else can you really do? I don't want to argue about it, because really... that's neither here nor there. He managed to use the oldest phrase in the book, 'I use your hotels around the world' too. How can people not know that everybody in the world uses that sentence. Everybody in the world has stayed at every hotel in the world, used every amenity in every hotel, and knows every rule and bylaw in every country, that has to do with hotelling. I don't know how, but it's like a miracle or something.

Had another couple of swedes in the other day, and they worked for the airline system attached to the hotel, which usually means there's a rebate. But it's fashion week at the moment, and that results in most of the hotels around town being full to the brim. So the ratecode for the cheap rooms is closed. They come in and ask about rooms, and I tell them we have rooms. They present the airline card, and I tell them I can't give them the room at that price today. I explain, briefly, the reason. And then comes the stand off. The stand off, where they just don't say anything, but just look at me, incredulously, hoping (I guess) that I'll break down and admit I'm lying just because I don't really like them and want them to sleep on the street and get mugged. But oddly enough, I never break down. I just don't get that shut up and just look at me like a sheep thing. What the hell is that about? So I just tell them I am not making it up because I don't like them, but, because, we are, in fact, not allowed to sell rooms at that price. I mean, they might as well get it straight up. Then, of course, they are all apolegetic looking, like that had never ever crossed their minds. Tsh.

I make stuff up on the spot just to get the better of people I've never seen before in my life. That's how I am. What a thought, eh?