Getting Owned By The Owner(’s Spouse)

My husband was the general manager of a homestyle resort in Las Vegas: rooms with living rooms and full kitchens. As such, he frequently had people who would have extended stays of a week or more. It was not your typical extended-stay hotel; it was very upscale. At one point, his night auditor had a minor health scare, and my husband asked me if I didn’t mind filling in two nights a week to give the auditor some time to take care of himself. Well, his minor health scare turned into a major health scare, and I ended up working seven nights a week for nearly three months while he recovered. That was a nightmare in itself, but I adored the auditor, and by me filling in, it ensured he would have a job to come back to.

We had one guest who had booked for five nights, and then she extended her stay an additional two nights. She came to check out early in the morning, when I was still the only one at the desk. She was irate about the amount she was being charged for her room.

Guest: “I was given a special rate, and my special rate is all that I should be charged!”

I don’t remember the actual total, but to keep it simple it was something like this. She was paying $500 for a five-night stay. She extended her stay two extra nights, and instead of charging her the current rate, we extended her at the lower rate. Her seven-night stay meant she owed $700.00.

She was adamant that her special rate was $500 and that was all she should pay, no matter how many nights she actually stayed. She simply could not grasp the math that if you stay extra nights you do, in fact, owe for those nights.

I was trying to explain it to her as best I could, despite my internal monolog of “This woman is a twit,” when she stuck her finger in my face.

Guest: “You don’t understand! I know your general manager, and I am going to tell him how you are treating me and trying to scam me of money! I’m going to have your job for this! You don’t know who you are talking to!”

I smiled as sweetly as I could at her.

Me: “Well, ma’am, when I go home and crawl into bed next to him, I will be sure to relay that message to him. Have a fantastic day.”

She sputtered and left — without signing the credit card receipt. When I told my husband, he laughed and knew exactly who the woman was. Apparently, she had been harassing the day staff all week long with stupid requests.

Related:
Getting Owned By The Owner, Part 19
Getting Owned By The Owner, Part 18
Getting Owned By The Owner, Part 17
Getting Owned By The Owner, Part 16
Getting Owned By The Owner, Part 15