Privileged People

 This is one of my most common complaints: people who think their stories, their situations, their requests, are special.  People who believe that they are privileged in some way and should get whatever they want.  This is so apparent in the hospitality industry and it makes us, the workers, feel very inhospitable.  Case in point:  I am here today in Calistoga at my two-day-a-week job where we have four rooms checking out today.  One room left at dawn. The other three have all requested a late check-out.  Late like 1:00 pm when the check-out time is 11:00 am, clearly stated on their confirmation, reinforced upon their check-in.  And the reasons for their needing a late check-out are so important!  One wants to take a walk through town.  Why she can't simply check out first and then walk, I don't know.  Another worked until 4:00 this morning and wants to sleep.  Too bad. The third has a massage at 11:00 and wants to take a shower after the massage (which is 90 minutes) and therefore won't be out of the room until 1:00 at the earliest. 

"Special circumstances" should be something important, like someone came into your hotel room last night and stole all your clothes and you are waiting for a delivery of something to wear instead of walking around naked.  Honestly, other than convenience, what other excuse is valid?  You're sick?  Then we really want you out of that room ASAP so we can totally disinfect it.  You're tired?  Go home and sleep or take a nap in your car or simply pay for another day and sleep as long as you want. 

It's different (a bit) in a hotel with many rooms. The housecleaners there can juggle their room assignments a little easier than they can when there are only 12 rooms.  With late check-outs in a small place, if several rooms stay until 1:00, it leaves a two hour window to get those rooms all cleaned before the 3:00 check-ins begin.  And sometimes people were promised a 2:00 check-in, which makes it even more difficult.

Sigh.  Thanks for listening, I feel much better having gotten that out of my system.  Now if I can just get these people out of their rooms, it will be a fine day.

.