Time For Some Retraining Of The Tea Training

I’m staying at [Hotel] in [Small Town] for the first time, and there isn’t much information about their restaurant on their site. I do know that I don’t have breakfast included in my booking.

Late in the evening, I go to check the restaurant’s opening hours.

Night Man: “Oh, the kitchen’s closed, I think, but you can get tea right now. Here’s the hot water and everything. Help yourself.”

At that point, I don’t want tea. In the morning, I learn the kitchen’s exact opening hours at the reception, and:

Me: “So… should I pay for the tea over there?”

Receptionist #1: “Oh, no, it’s free.”

Okay, I believe that, especially since it was free at [Guest House] where I stayed the last time I visited [Small Town]. I drink that tea with my breakfast — the food I’ve bought elsewhere.

The next morning, I get to the restaurant when breakfast is already drawing to a close and [Receptionist #2] is obviously clearing everything up.

Me: “Can I still have the tea now?”

Receptionist #2: “What’s your room number?”

I tell her.

Receptionist #2: “But you don’t have breakfast included. Only the water’s free; the tea costs 50 rubles.”

Me: “Oh, I’m awfully sorry, but I was told by your colleague yesterday that it was free…”

Later that day, I come to the reception and hand over a 100. I explain everything and say it’s for the past two days’ tea.

There are two receptionists on duty, and with my terrible facial memory, I can’t be sure if I talked to either about the tea, but I’m almost certain one of them is [Receptionist #2]. Both receptionists assure me:

Receptionists: “Oh, please, [My Name], it’s all right! Keep that!”

100 rubles is just a bit over $1 in current rates, so I know it was no big loss for them to make this tea on the house, but I really appreciate their friendliness about the whole miscommunication — especially since I’m incredibly nervous around strangers and often go to pieces after making mistakes.

To avoid trouble in the future, I simply bought a box of tea bags from a supermarket. With the amount of tea I drink, it’s the most economic solution.