It’s the Little Things That Make Up Guest Experience

I recently stayed at a four-star hotel – here are five things they got wrong.

Sitting on my four-star hotel room toilet, I reached for the toilet paper – it practically disintegrated in my hands.

I would’ve been able to live with that if I was at the old motel off the highway in my rinky-dink hometown. However, this was a four-star hotel in the middle of Washington D.C. The lobby was probably the fanciest thing I’ve ever walked into and the VIP lounge kept me fed for free most of the week.

But there were a few small things that really made me question the value of the place. Before anyone thinks I’m a spoiled socialite: I’m only a lowly writer who was lucky to go to a convention that my job paid for. And I’m thankful for that.

I just can’t imagine paying those kinds of prices for mediocre benefits. Just put me in that crappy motel!

It wasn’t like the place was falling apart. It was the small things that piled up and made me think, “There’s no way this place is worth it.”

1. The bathroom…

Feel free to scoff, but it’s true, don’t underestimate how bad toilet paper can tarnish my opinion of a place.

I think it’s fair to ask to wipe without worry when my room is worth more than $1,000. Consider at least two-ply, I’m begging.

Another small thing: soap. There was one bar of soap that was ultimately switched back and forth between the shower and the sink. It would be nice to step in the shower without needing to step out, dripping wet, for the soap I used to wash my hands earlier.

2. Early check-in fee

My peers and I had an early flight so we arrived at the hotel an hour before our check-in time. The solution seemed simple: Ask to check in early.

We went to the concierge to see if this is possible. They let us know that yes, our rooms were totally ready. But if we wanted to access them, we had to pay $30 a room.

An extra fee to check into a completely ready room only an hour early? Come on.

3. No breakfast

Frankly, I only got access to the VIP lounge because of my boss’s keycard. What if I hadn’t?

I’d either have to go hungry or walk a few blocks before the convention started to find a pricey cafe.

While I had access to a nice breakfast every morning – nobody else did. Thousands of people, paying thousands of dollars, but no free breakfast?

At least those disintegrating motels will give me pancakes.

4. Staying hydrated

I’ve seen a lot of complaints about hotels charging a ridiculous amount for water bottles in the mini-fridge.

I’m not sure if that’s better or worse than just not providing any water at all. This ritzy hotel didn’t have water in the rooms or the lobby.

5. Comfortable bedding

I probably got three to four hours of sleep the first night.

There are a couple of reasons. For once, the bed was hard as a rock. I won’t harp on this too much since it can be subjective. I did, however, wake up with back pain. Time to pay $7 at the gift shop for a couple of Tylenol pills.

The pillows were deceiving. They looked fluffy but the second I laid my head down, it sunk to the bottom. I could feel the mattress directly underneath me. Eventually, I just tossed the pillows aside since they were useless. A neckache followed.

Finally

I’m just a broke, recent graduate trying to enjoy the finer things in life. Maybe I don’t have the right to complain. But my brokenness is why it was so surprising to see that most of the things this fancy hotel lacked were basic amenities I’d get for $60 a night.

So despite the lavish exterior, I wouldn’t really recommend that hotel to anyone who asks. I’d rather spend my money at a hotel that’ll give me reliable toilet paper and pancakes.

d at a four-star hotel – here are five things they got wrong.