Pretty much any bar will have rail liquor. These are the most budget-friendly, house-brand spirits that are kept in the “speed rail,” which is a designated rack directly below the counter for easy access. These spirits are automatically used for mixed drinks (e.g., “vodka and Coke”) unless a specific brand is requested by the customer.

Customer: “I want a Long Island! Top shelf!”

Me: “To be clear, by top shelf, you mean top shelf for the tequila, vodka, light rum, gin, and triple sec?”

Customer: “Yes! Top shelf! Best ingredients!”

Me: “I can do that, but it usually tastes better with the house liquor when mixing—”

Customer: “—top shelf! Top!”

I make it for her, and she takes one sip.

Customer: “Eww! This tastes like nothing but Tanqueray.”

I remake it for her, this time using our rail liquor gin.

Customer: “Eww! Now all I can taste is the Belvedere!”

Not wanting to waste any more time on this, I finally made one with all rail liquor.

Customer: “You finally made it right! Finally! Top-shelf!”

I slide the two earlier attempts closer to her.

Me: “I’ll leave these other two here for you, too.”

Customer: “Why? I’m not going to drink them!”

Me: “Yes, but you are going to pay for them.”

We had a guest check in last night with me at the tail end of my shift. They booked the nicest, largest, and most expensive suite type we offer at our boutique hotel in a mid-sized tourist city. There are very few who complain about the suite type just based on what it offers; it’s one h*** of a nice room.

This lady comes down not ten minutes later, while I’m switching with the night auditor, screaming.

Guest: “There’s a strange and dangerous man wandering the halls of my floor!”

The night auditor and I immediately look at the cameras and get ready to call security. But then we see who it is.

Security himself.

The “strange and dangerous man” is our security guard, who is even wearing a polo, cardigan, and khakis. He’s a big dude, yes, but obviously a professional, and obviously not just some random dude, given the walkie he has as well. Ex-marine, walks with the precise military walk, all of it. We explain this.

Guest: “I want a full refund! I don’t feel safe!”

Me: “Ma’am, you booked through an online travel agency, so you’d need to request a refund through them.”

Guest: *Having a hissy fit.* “You hire dangerous people!” *Storms out.*

The night auditor informed me the next day that she didn’t return at all that night. She’s not getting a refund either, obviously.

People are wild. Imagine trying to explain to someone at the online travel agency you didn’t feel secure… because security patrolled the floors.

I work at a rooftop bar in a tall hotel. A guest walks up to me after having a few cocktails.

Guest: “So, how do I get back down to my room?”

She’s staying in room 3307 and has been charging her drinks to that room.

Me: “Take the elevator down to the 33rd floor.”

Guest: “But the elevators only go up. How do I get back down?”

Me: “Our elevators go both ways, ma’am.”

Guest: “Oh, they do? Well, that’s a relief. I didn’t want to take the stairs.”

She walks up to the elevator and successfully navigates it down (I hope), leaving me standing there double-checking I wasn’t making her drinks extra strong without realizing it.

I’m the HR Manager for a large hotel in the south of Spain. Every year, in early March, we have to recruit for the summer season. Every year, it gets harder because there are more businesses competing for the same or even fewer people who are looking for work.

Within my company, my job is to screen CVs, the heads of departments conduct interviews, and make the hiring decision. I then pick the process up, go to offer, check references, and complete onboarding. It can be intense, as once a hiring decision is made, I have to work really quickly to get people on board.

This is a conversation I had multiple times, with multiple managers in March:

Me: “Hey, how are you getting on with the interviews?”

Hiring Manager: “I’ve been too busy; I didn’t meet with anyone.”

Me: “What help do you need?”

Hiring Manager: “I just need people. Until I get someone else on the team, I can’t do interviews because I’m too busy.”

Then with my general manager:

General Manager: “Why are they not getting anyone for that job?”

Me: “Boss, they’ve had the CVs, they haven’t read them, and wonder why no one is starting.” 

General Manager: “Maybe you could help them out?”

Then back to the hiring manager:

Me: “[Hiring Manager], what help do you need with those CVs?”

Hiring Manager: “I need people. Why is no one starting this week in my department? I can’t look at those CVs until I get someone!”

My hotel recently hired someone for their first job, helping housekeeping strip rooms, clean public areas, and just help wherever needed. He’s a teenager, really nice kid.

He was stripping rooms and called me at the front desk from a room.

New Kid: “Hey, this room left money on the table. Should we call them?”

I was wondering if it was like an envelope of cash or something.

Me: “How much money did they leave?”

New Kid: “Seven dollars.”

Me: “Oh! That’s a tip! Leave it in there for the housekeeper.”

New Kid: “Wait, people tip here?”

Me: “Sometimes, yeah.”

New Kid: “Oh.”

I don’t know why, but that interaction made my day.