Hotel Hell interview

[Ice]

OK, here's an example I think should be obvious to anyone. This is at a very nice, expensive hotel. They must have professionals on staff to handle stuff like this. Can anybody see any problem with their placement of wall paintings in these photos?

.

Wait! Arks, do you have a real headboard or a faux headboard?

(NO I didn't mention this on my other diatribe, I took a few photos of the room while I was there for blogging purposes, the US vs THEM thing)

.

Wait! Arks, do you have a real headboard or a faux headboard?

The one here at Embassy Suites is faux just like in your photo. I HATE that! So motel of them.
.

Wait! Arks, do you have a real headboard or a faux headboard?

The one here at Embassy Suites is faux just like in your photo. I HATE that! So motel of them.

I blogged it, you forced my hand. LOL!
.

Wait! Arks, do you have a real headboard or a faux headboard?

The one here at Embassy Suites is faux just like in your photo. I HATE that! So motel of them.

I blogged it, you forced my hand. LOL!

We're guilty of the headboard on the wall ploy. However, the headboard is actually an old pantry door and guests love it. We joke that this room is our "honeymoon suite" because the headboard is fastened to the wall.
.

All of our headboards are fasten to the wall except the log bed and that is so heavy it's not going anywhere!

 

[JBloggs]

Fastened to the wall, and a fake headboard on the wall are two different things.

 

[Arks]

OK, here's an example I think should be obvious to anyone. This is at a very nice, expensive hotel. They must have professionals on staff to handle stuff like this. Can anybody see any problem with their placement of wall paintings in these photos?

.

Wait! Arks, do you have a real headboard or a faux headboard?

(NO I didn't mention this on my other diatribe, I took a few photos of the room while I was there for blogging purposes, the US vs THEM thing)

.

Wait! Arks, do you have a real headboard or a faux headboard?

OK, I'm back in Little Rock, attending a conference and I'm staying right across the street from the meeting, in the #1 TA-rated hotel in Little Rock. This place opened in 1873 and President US Grant stayed here shortly thereafter. Wonderful 14 foot ceilings in all rooms. I'm just staying in a basic room, not a fancy suite, but the concierge escorted me to my room and gave me a room tour of the heat and air, TV controls, etc. just like at a B&B. Impressive!
But the headboard? FAUX! It's very nice but still just a board screwed to the wall.

 

[Arks]

A nice little thing I noticed at this hotel, something I haven't seen before: a cheap hotel logo tote bag in the closet. Costs the hotel less than a dollar, could come in really handy for a guest who's bought a lot of stuff to carry home, and a walking advertisement for the hotel.

 

[Arks]

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!

 

[JBloggs]

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!.

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!

Worthy of a nice tip. Attention to detail, my kind of place!
I enjoyed that at a hotel where there was a Dr Seuss quote on my pillow with a chocolate. It was a super quote, which escapes me at the moment. And oh so clever. That is why I put SWEET DREAMS LOVE BIRDS on a note for our guests (certain guests - anniv / honeymoon). I liked it so much!

 

[JBloggs]

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!.

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!

PS and of course telling mgmt would be the greatest gift, along with a TA review.

 

[Generic]

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!.

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!

Worthy of a nice tip. Attention to detail, my kind of place!
I enjoyed that at a hotel where there was a Dr Seuss quote on my pillow with a chocolate. It was a super quote, which escapes me at the moment. And oh so clever. That is why I put SWEET DREAMS LOVE BIRDS on a note for our guests (certain guests - anniv / honeymoon). I liked it so much!
.

If you have guests with a sense of humour... you could try this book instead..
http://www.amazon.ca/Go-F-Sleep-Adam-Mansbach/dp/1617750255
It's also available as an audiobook, read by Samuel S. Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIBqd1kxoQk

 

[Arks]

Well here's another new one on me. Never seen this at a hotel before. It's 9 a.m. now and every room door in the hotel has what appears to be a picnic basket in the hall, on the floor against the wall by the door. I peeped under the cover cloth of mine and it's all the clean towels, soaps, etc. for the maids. So, rather than having a big cart blocking the hall all morning as they move from room to room, each room has its own little basket the maids will use, then I guess when the rooms are done they make one run of the hall to pick up all the baskets and they're out of here.

 

[Arks]

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!.

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!

Worthy of a nice tip. Attention to detail, my kind of place!
I enjoyed that at a hotel where there was a Dr Seuss quote on my pillow with a chocolate. It was a super quote, which escapes me at the moment. And oh so clever. That is why I put SWEET DREAMS LOVE BIRDS on a note for our guests (certain guests - anniv / honeymoon). I liked it so much!
.

If you have guests with a sense of humour... you could try this book instead..
http://www.amazon.ca/Go-F-Sleep-Adam-Mansbach/dp/1617750255
It's also available as an audiobook, read by Samuel S. Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIBqd1kxoQk
.

If you have guests with a sense of humour... you could try this book instead..
http://www.amazon.ca/Go-F-Sleep-Adam-Mansbach/dp/1617750255

Take note that the address above is for Amazon Canada and if you order from there you'll pay a lot more both in base price and shipping. I have some friends who will LOVE this book so I ordered for them. From Amazon US it's about $9, with free shipping if you're a prime member.

 

[Madeleine]

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!.

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!

I just got back from a convention at a resort where they did a turn down. I wanted to make myself a hot cocoa when I got back from the schmooze & booze so I ran a cycle on the keurig to get the coffee out of it. I left the cup on the counter because I was going to reuse it when I got back. Nope. It was replaced. The room was tidied, chocolates on the nightstand, lights turned down, trash emptied.
I was SO embarrassed! I had changed clothes and left everything strewn on the bathroom floor!
And I was wondering when I left the room why it was that someone was still cleaning rooms at 6 PM! Now I know.

 

[Generic]

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!.

One more report from this 100 room hotel that in many ways is more like a B&B than a hotel. When I got back to the room from dinner this evening, they'd been in the room to freshen, replaced the towels I'd used, turned down the bed and left Arkansas-made English toffee on the pillow.
I know lots of hotels offer turndown service if you ask for it, but this is the first place I've stayed, other than a cruise ship or B&B, that does it for every room without being asked.
I've been telling people, this hotel is just like being on a cruise ship, but here the toilets work!
Edited to add: I just found an envelope left on the desk with a nice letter to me that includes the following quote:
"It is an art apart. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "All saints can do miracles, but few of them can keep a hotel." --Mark Twain
Also, I just noticed that they saw I'd sipped a little whisky before dinner, and they refilled my ice bucket!! I'm loving this place!! May leave a tip, and I never do that!!

Worthy of a nice tip. Attention to detail, my kind of place!
I enjoyed that at a hotel where there was a Dr Seuss quote on my pillow with a chocolate. It was a super quote, which escapes me at the moment. And oh so clever. That is why I put SWEET DREAMS LOVE BIRDS on a note for our guests (certain guests - anniv / honeymoon). I liked it so much!
.

If you have guests with a sense of humour... you could try this book instead..
http://www.amazon.ca/Go-F-Sleep-Adam-Mansbach/dp/1617750255
It's also available as an audiobook, read by Samuel S. Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIBqd1kxoQk
.

If you have guests with a sense of humour... you could try this book instead..
http://www.amazon.ca/Go-F-Sleep-Adam-Mansbach/dp/1617750255

Take note that the address above is for Amazon Canada and if you order from there you'll pay a lot more both in base price and shipping. I have some friends who will LOVE this book so I ordered for them. From Amazon US it's about $9, with free shipping if you're a prime member.
.

Just replace the .CA with .COM and you get the US. And of course .CO.UK gets you the UK version for Amazon.
I love this book, but I'm not sure how a guest with no sense of humour would take it. Some, would be just laughing their heads off.

 

[Arks]

I'm really enjoying the new season of Hotel Hell, except Gordon is STILL stripping down every episode, getting into the tub with his behind blurred out, or getting into a pool in a speedo. There's something mental about that. I have to cover the screen with a hand the way I do in a scary slasher movie.
I learn more from Hotel Impossible, because it's a real hotel person hosting the show, and Anthony Melchiorri really knows his stuff. But restaurateur Ramsay does have good sense, and he generally does a good job of cutting to the heart of the mistakes the failing hoteliers are making. Good entertainment. Good show.