Cranky Customer

I stayed at the New Yorker in NYC for a week and left a note on the bed JUST MAKE IT DO NOT CHANGE SHEETS and they did anyway, I even made the bed and the housekeeping tore it apart and CHANGED the sheets.

Why bother asking or complaining to the hotel? I wrote a very nice letter to a major chain, praising 2 of their hotels we stayed in and making suggestions to improve the 3rd (like, having desk personnel KNOW something). I also copied and sent the letter to the manager of each of the hotels mentioned (noted in the letter to the chain's managerment, so they were all aware of it) -- not a single reply, note, phone call, nothing from any of the hotels or the chain's management. Don't waste your time, they don't care.

I spend about 200 nights a year in hotels. And I'd guess that only 10 of those nights have my hung up towels been left for me the next day.

So I spoke to my maid at one of the offending hotels, asking her why she replaced my once used towel with a clean one. She said that she gets much, much better tips when she replaces the towels every day.

I have confirmed this with other maids. So now I leave a note or speak to my maid to assure them that I really do want to do my part and they leave the towels.

I have also noticed this practice (or lack thereof) at land-based hotels. So, when I saw the same message on recent Princess Cruises, I anticipated the towels would always be changed, no matter where we put them, especially since the stewards make a living off of over-performing guests' expectations. Lo and behold, the 'guidelines' were followed (except the floor mat was always replaced, fair enough, it was on the floor, after all).

Y'know, I've been to many motels and hotels that have similar cards, and very few of them do what they say. If you ask at the front desk, it's always because the maids aren't properly trained. If you ask the maids, it's because they're instructed to wash all the towels and bedding regardless, so as to avoid guests complaining later. Apparently, far more people fail to read the cards and flip out when they don't get laundry service than read the cards and flip out because they got service when they didn't want it.

Just a quick anecdote: When my brother needed to see some doctors in Denver recently, we stayed at a Super 8 in one of the northern suburb towns. We later found out the front desk had us down for the wrong room. For four days, our room received no service, while the empty room next door had towels and bedding laundered daily--even though, clearly, the towels must have been hanging up and the card notifying you to leave the card on the bed if you don't need fresh bedding had to still have been resting on the pillows. The maids must have thought they had the cleanest guests ever.

I fully agree with your rant about the clean towels but I was amused by the card declaring the fact that the hotel chain was so "green". The picture of the cactus certainly looks like someone was giving the third finger salute! Perhaps they were!

I few years ago I had a similar experience: I had to help. Millions of gallons were at stake.

After I showered the first morning, I dried off, and then went to hang my towel. Intrigued by the obvious lack of a towel rod, I carefully searched the bathroom to determine where to hang my towel. Did I miss it, distracted by the attractively arrayed display of toiletries? No. Time to re-consider...

Obviously, the placard wasn't interested in working with people who gave up easily, but rather with those who could operate in a towel rod-hostile enivironment. The secret had to be one of camouflage. There was a towel rod, but not an obvious one.

Once I realized that, the solution was easy. I put my towel over the shower curtain rod, and confident in success, I exited the area.

I returned several hours later, only to find that my towel had disappeared. What had gone wrong? I retraced my steps, and realized my error. In my haste, I had ignored the regulations, and had neglected to arrange the towel to maximize the evaporation coefficient. I went to sleep, confident that the next day would bring success.

When the time came to try again, I carefully draped my towel over the rod, arranging it in the proper manner. Before leaving I performed a standard towel check, and everything was fine.

I returned that afternoon only to find the towel gone again. Knowing that my procedures were correct, the only alternative was that I had misunderstood the directions. As I re-read them, there it was, staring me in the face. That morning I had draped my towel over the curtain when I was supposed to have hung it instead. That had to be it.

That night, my mind was in turmoil. Would I be given a third chance? If not, would I be responsible for the wastage of millions? Could I live with myself if that happened?

Sleep came with difficulty.

I was jittery that third morning. I left the towel placement for the end, so I wouldn't mess it up accidentally. I don't know how it happened, but I left the room, leaving my towel lying on the floor. My lack of attention to detail sealed the fate of many gallons.

I now must live with my failure.

When my husband and I went to Nice last year we had the same tag about the towels. I hung them up and they would get replaced. So, I decided to wait for the maid and voila!. I tried to explain that we didn't need towels, but alas her french was worse than mine. So I asked and she responded with "I speak Portuguese". After a little conversation in half Portuguese and half Spanish she finally understood. Her reason was, as stated above, the management had told them to always change the towels and bedding. Afterwards she was more than happy not to change our bedding and towels.

While traveling Stateside I have spoken with a number of the maids and most of them speak Spanish. So next time leave your maid a little note in English/Spanish and see if that prevents the towels and bedding from getting changed.

PS Here is the little note

Please do not change the bedding or towels. Thank you
Por favor no cambie la ropa de cama ni las toallas. Gracias

PSS You need to use double negatives in Spanish :)

My take: you shouldn't have to do this when you're following the hotel's stated policy. That's what I mean by hypocrisy: if that's their policy, they need to ensure it's followed, rather than force the guests to jump through hoops in their efforts to cooperate. Kudos to you for going the extra mile, though! -rc

The hypocrisy about conservation in the service sector has certainly appeared no sooner than public awareness developed, but the problem of communicating your desire for thrift and economy to a service system is much older.

I recall a funny story that has been circulated around the internet for at least a decade. It took the form of an exchange of notes between a hotel guest and the personnel. It was actually written by Comedian Shelly Berman in 1972. Just google for "saga of the hotel soap".

Since it's so related, and to ensure access, I've added it to Jumbo Joke: The Saga of the Hotel Soaps. -rc

I always leave my "do not disturb" sign on the door when I leave my room. I know you shouldn't have to if the hotel has a stated green policy, but it has the nice effect of making any hotel greener.

Also, I couldn't help but notice the reference to your wife's site. I was just wondering why you didn't note the connection for full disclosure. I'm really not trying to be a jackass, but I'm curious.

Your solution is much the same as mine: Do Not Disturb.

As for my wife's site, this is a blog: I do a lot of linking from it, and don't feel a need to say when a site is mine, my wife's, or someone else's, as long as the reference is relevant. Besides: I'm quite open about my wife's sites, and figure that to the few people who care, they already know. For those who don't: my wife is a hospitality consultant. Her college degree is environmental conservation, and she writes quite a bit on the subject as it pertains to the hospitality industry. -rc