Sometimes It Pays To Stay Full Service

A hotel sales person always looks for the 'edge' when it comes to selling against your competitors.  If you represent a select service hotel you  outline the things that set you apart from the other guys.  And those of us in full service do the same thing - talk about what advantages we offer.  The following story is a grand example of why
"sometimes it pays to stay full service".

Let me start by saying I don't want to offend those that work (and hard I might add) in limited, select or focus service hotels.  I actually love your properties and truth be told when traveling on my own dime, I always stay with you.  Moving on.....

My friend Bob (all names have been changed to protect the guilty) recently took a 'weekend get-away' to meet old Navy buddies.  Allow me to set the story for you, these guys go way back.  And I’ll be gentle, but it’s been a few years (ok maybe 40+).  Their bond is strong, they don't get together often but when they do they laugh, have a drink (or 20) and reminiscing about the old days.

They agreed on a city, equal distance for each, that would provide more than a few bars for hopping.  They chose a 'full service' hotel for no particular reason other than location.  They arrive on a Friday evening and check-in to this nice establishment.

The evening begins at a Mexican Restaurant, 4 guys and 2 wives.  And boy, oh boy have those wives heard these stories over and over and over.  A few drinks, some Mexican food and this evening is up and running.  Off to the next bar....a few more drinks (wives a little bored by now - yet hanging in).

Then a Bar-B-Q joint with a kickin' blues band (now if that doesn't call for a few more drinks, I don't know what does).  Wives feel like going AWOL, but still along for the ride.

What next, why of course a bar called "Old Car Heaven" (don't ask....yes, booze and old cars - what more can you ask for) and music too.  Wives collapsed by now.  Ok you get the picture...the evening went late and involved a multitude of adult beverages.

Now here is where the story gets interesting.  After all the fun, drinks and story tellin' they can stand, they return to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

Smack dab in the middle of the night Bob gets the urge to eliminate some of the previously consumed liquids.  He arises, opens the door, goes through the door, hears the door close and then realizes.....he's not in the bathroom but rather in the hallway of the hotel!  The soft click of the door behind him brings him to reality that he is in his usual sleeping attire....'au natural'.  Yep, he's buck naked in the hall of a hotel at 3am in the morning. 

"Holy %@&* Batman, I think I feel a breeze."

In his fully now awake state of panic he thinks....what does one do in these circumstances?  Naturally go knock on Jack's door (Navy buddy just a few rooms down).  But Jack, the other single guy in the group, takes a bucket load of meds and is out for the night. Bob not wanting to wake everyone around (but not including Jack) foregoes pounding on his door.

Plan B:  Look for a hall phone! Yes, of course a house phone by the elevator, every floor has one...right???  Nope, no house phone.  Yikes....."What now Batman?"

Plan C:  Ride the elevator down (sans clothes) to alert the desk of his desperate situation.  Well Plan C it is and he slinks toward the the elevator.  Then low and behold what does he see???  (Here's where full service becomes important.)  A room service tray with a NAPKIN, a glorious large, cloth napkin on top.  He almost shouts ~"Hallelujah"~.

With his new loin cloth, in place Bob heads to the the elevator.  Much to his relief and gratitude he rides alone all the way to the lobby.  He hides behind the corner and shouts to the Night Auditor "locked out of room 912".  The Night Auditor being a pro at 'all things unusual' answers, "no problem, I'll send someone right up".

Miraculously Bob again rides alone and scurries toward to his room. He backs his 'un-napkined' side against the wall and waits for rescue.  Soon the engineer makes his way down the hall as both men avoid eye contact.  Being a good hotel employee (and also used to 'all things unusual') the he asks Bob to state his full name.  I guess this is ID enough when you are 'buck naked' in the hallway at 3am.  Bob blurts out his full name and voilà - the door is opened.

The next morning Bob joins his buddies for breakfast in the hotel restaurant and brings them up to date on his 'nite-time adventure'.  They howl with laughter as he illustrates the events and all agree this will surely top of the list of their escapades.

So what's the bottom (no pun intended) line of this story?

• Cost of gas for trip to see old Navy buddies - $100.00

• Food and lots of drinks to celebrate old times - $300.00

• Staying in a full service hotel that offers room service  - - -

PRICELESS!