Frankenstein Rooms

When Mary Shelley first wrote Frankenstein, I doubt she realized the magnitude of her work and the affect it would have for so many people. Now, whenever we piece something together haphazardly, we call it a Frankenstein(ed) whatever. I am no different in calling my thrown together object that.

I know that along the way through life, we have all called to make a request for something (hotel rooms, dinner reservations, specific seat numbers on flights) and been told that no it is not available at all or sold out. We always ask, "Are you sure? Not just one?" As if we ask one more time the person can magically make something appear. Hotel rooms are one of those things where when we say Sold Out, everyone always asks, "are you sure? you don't have one hidden somewhere?" All my friends, and anyone who worked in a hotel setting, knows that we can't just build a room on the side of the building simply because you asked me to. I would love to. I would also charge $300 for that room because let's face it, building permits are hard to acquire at 11pm on a Saturday night for same-day construction.

This past weekend we were sold out! Great for us, bad for us when you have a group show up on a bus are you are one room short. We have contracts, signed contracts, for a reason. But, she had the documented emails saying she was adding a room, and that the Sales person said no problem. What do we do in a situation like this? We Frankenstein a room!! That's just what I did.

We had a room not sellable because it was being painted. So check the paint to see if it's dry. Check. Get housekeeping (after bribing with the promise of cake) to clean that room. Check. Locate desk chair, lamp, phone from 3 other rooms that don't need it. Check. Room complete. In terms of the hotel industry, I just performed a miracle! Well, me and the housekeeper and the maintenance guy performed a miracle! The easiest part was getting the lamp, chair and phone. Hardest part was convincing the Housekeeper to clean the room. She wanted to go home.

People always expect that they can get whatever they want, mostly because we are accustomed to getting things when we ask for them. Even more so if we are polite about it. Sometimes it's hard to realize that we can't get everything because it is just beyond our control. When the hotel is busy, we make sure that we get EVERY possible room ready to sell. We Frankenstein them. You always need those few rooms in your back pocket because when the bus shows up, you need that last 2 beds non-smoking room with the fantastic (yeah right) view on the same floor as the rest of the people even though it's technically not possible. And at 2am when the bars let out, those rooms are perfect for people who can't drive home.

Call the Police!

So upon returning to work this lovely Sunday morning (Mother's Day no less. Sorry mom), I was informed that for once, we had an excellent weekend with only one noise complaint. When you have 6 basketball teams in and your hotel is in the "entertainment" district right downtown, that is a feat in its self.

Apparently late last night, sometime after midnight, one of the moms called down and asked the night person to call the police and have them tell everyone to quiet down. If only life worked that way. We would never have another noise complaint ever!

So I guess because she was up late with the noise, a bunch of the parents from the same team as the lady asking us to call the police decided to go back into their rooms after they checked out, and hang around. If you checked out at the desk, then went right back upstairs, no prob. But when you check out, and then the housekeeper cleans the room, then 2 hours later you go back in and use the room so the housekeeper has to clean the room all over again, that's a different story. Come on people. Some common sense is required in today's world.


So Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Th Ever-Present Fitness Challnge

So nowadays, everyone is out there saying that they need to be eating healthier, exercising more, getting in better shape for the summer months, losing weight. I am truly no exception, but I have a totally different reason. In 3 months, my friend Sarah and I will be running in a 3.1 mile race/obstacle course called Warrior Dash. The run is designed to test you mentally and physically, but mostly physically. While I am not in horrendous shape, I am not in the best shape either. I know that I need to get moving, get training, because some of these people who will be there are in peak shape. We are not competing for overall time, but would like to finish in a halfway decent time. This will be our first year doing this, and we are both looking forward to it.

So, now I need to find my motivation. As if not dieing while running this race is not enough motivation. Every day I have scheduled either a run, or a workout. I end up doing the required work, maybe twice a week. So I am now making myself accountable because I will have to finish this race. We have bought our entrance tickets, hotel room, and new tires for my car (the old ones wouldn't last to Indiana). It is time to go!


So if you have some spare time in August, and want to join us, we are running on August 11, 2012 in Indiana. The website is www.warriordash.com. SO EXCITED!!

Sundays

There is nothing in a work week quite like Sundays. Everyone is checking out, people want to complain, damages need to be assessed and charged. It's a busy day. So imagine my surprise that after a night where we were very busy (over 85% sold) that I come in on Sunday and there were no complaints, no parents need to yell at me, no damages (so far anyways). I'm flabbergasted!! Don't get me wrong, it is nice. But just so odd.

To shed some light on this weekend, let me explain:

We have girls under 13 basketball teams in. We also have a fraternity from the US hosting their annual formal with us. Usually, these weekends scare me. This weekend, we split everyone up, closed off the rest of the floors, and took a hit in the revenue because of it. We still ended up giving an entire team a free night because of the noise that 1 room caused at 3am. Her poor friend was VERY drunk and was banging on the door, wanting to be let in. No one was actually in the room. But she ended up waking up the entire floor! She apologized, but we still gave away free nights. Win some you lose some.

Paperwork

As a manager, I drown in paperwork. I'm looking around my office right now thinking of how many trees have been sacrificed in the name of daily check lists. I could ask my girls to stop doing them, but half the time they don't do all the work on them. If I were to ever have to do a disciplinary meeting with them, I can go back to use these as proof of lack of work if they checked off that they did it.

Every now and then (say every 5 months) I will take all the papers, and put them into the re-use pile. It's a great way to recycle, and since all the paperwork is interoffice, there are no concerns about shredding personal information. After it is used twice, then we put it into the shred pile.


Tonight I had some crazy questions for people checking in to the hotel. Our hotel has a policy where if you are younger (~25 or younger) you have to sign a waiver. This waiver says things such as "No running in the hallways" "clothes worn at all times" "no drinking in the hallways, elevators, pool, lobby". Well today, someone was reading it and they looked up at me and was like, "So, like, no pool party? Cause we were thinking of like, calling our friends who live in like, the city to come by. We just finished exams and like, wanted to party but it's still too cold out for pools." I asked her if she was joking or not. She was serious. I could only stand there and look at her. "No. Sign the bottom of the sheet."

One of my regular partyers asked "Can we keep this on file for next time we come in? It would save so much paper." Again, "No. Sign the bottom on the sheet. With today's date. Thanks"

I understand why he would want to save paper. Evey reservation has 3 or more pieces of paper, then after check out, sits in a box in storage until 7 years have passed, then gets shredded.

I hate killing trees. I hate paperwork, but it comes with life. The only way to get around it, is to go plant trees on weekends.

Chocolate Bark

Generally I am not a baker. Never have been. I can cook though.

Recently, I have wanted to try my hand at baking, and my last few things have turned out very good. I made rainbow cupcakes for work 2 weeks ago, and everyone was so amazed. I had also made homemade Snickers bars a few weeks prior to that. Those were delicious!! Just messy.

Today, I decided that for work tomorrow, I was going to make Pistachio Cherry White Chocolate bark. WOW!!! Easiest baking ever! And it was so good! I also decided to make Almond Cranberry White Chocolate bark using what I had at home. That was just as delicious. So now I have to make sure that I am staying in shape, and not eating all o this delicious chocolate because I am supposed to be training for a run with my friend. Maybe tomorrow!

Pistachio Cherry White Chocolate Bark:

24 White Chocolate squares
1/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
1/4 cup dried cherries

Using a double boiler, start melting 18 of the squares, stirring to prevent burning by using a rubber spatula.

Meanwhile, cut the dried cherries and pistachios into smaller pieces, but not too small.

Once the chocolate is completely melted, stir in cherries and pistachios.

Pour onto a baking sheet with aluminum foil on it. Place in fridge for 15 minutes. While that is cooling, melt the remaining chocolate.

Once melted, pour over chocolate, cherry, pistachio mixture and smooth with back of spatula. Cool completely.

Break or cut into smaller pieces and store in airtight container or cello wrap for gifts. Enjoy!

Days when you just shake your head

Recently, I've started to take over a bit more in the sales side of the hotel, just to help my coworkers out a bit. One has been so stressed out, trying to do everything by himself, and the other has been on mat leave, just getting back 3 weeks ago.

Last week we had received a rooming list for a group coming in this coming weekend. The names on this rooming list were all their frat names, nothing legal. My coworkers and I can not stop laughing at the names people come up with now a days. I mean, I'm younger. I get having fun ridiculous names. But come on. Wormz? Really?

I had to call the group organizer today and request legal names as they appear on drivers licenses as I can't make reservations with a name such as Wormz. She was shocked. She honestly believed that as long as there was a name on the reservation, it didn't matter what it was, it was good. She also thought that since there is only 2 days until her group comes in, she can cancel the last 25 rooms that no one ever booked with no charge what so ever. We have turned away a ton of business because we have been waiting on her group. Our policy is 2 weeks in advance so we can still sell those rooms.

Needless to say, I felt old when she said she didn't realize people couldn't book hotel rooms with their frat nick names. Am I the only one who thinks this? What would a credit card company say if they asked you your name and you said "Wormz with a Z. No last name. Thanks"