They’ll Have A Lovely View Of The Dumpsters Out Back

A few days ago, I had a young couple checking into the hotel. As I was doing the check-in process, this was the exchange we had.

Guest: “Last time I stayed here, they upgraded us to a room with an ocean view. I told them it was our anniversary, so they just upgraded us. Do you think we can do that again?”

Me: “Yeah, of course! Just tell me the name of your last reservation and I’ll confirm we have it, and then I’ll put you in that ocean view room.”

Guest: “Oh, it was two years ago so I doubt you still have the reservation.”

Me: “No worries! Our system goes as far back as 2012.”

Guest: “Oh, back to 2012, huh? Uhh, okay, the name was [Name #1].”

Me: “Hmmm… I’m not seeing anything under that name.”

Guest: “Maybe I had it under [Name #2].”

Me: “Nope, nothing under that, either. Let me just bring up all the reservations I had on this day two years ago.”

Of course, I found nothing.

Me: “Sorry, sir, if it was here, I would definitely upgrade you back to the room you said you’d been upgraded to. But since it’s not here, I can’t. Do you maybe have the confirmation in your emails?”

Guest: “I do not. No worries.”

His demeanor after this exchange was very awkward; it was obvious he was embarrassed. His girlfriend also looked like she was going to make fun of him once they went to their room. In my head, I pictured them in the car on their way here with him betting her that he could easily get an upgrade.

The funny thing is, if he had just told me that it was his anniversary, I would have upgraded them. I just don’t like when people lie or say stories to imply what they want. If you want something, just ask. It’s even worse on his part because he wasn’t even paying for the reservation; it was his girlfriend. That’s fine, but if you’re going to lie for an upgrade, I’d expect you to be the one paying for the room. If he was the one paying and he lied, I probably would have called him out the way I did but still upgraded him just to be nice.