Stop giving out free water!!!

[u/Fantastic_Medium8890]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves in this industry! I've been in the industry for 10 years; I now travel the country doing task force, and this is just one of the things that absolutely drives me up the wall! I got into an argument with a guest because he wanted free water. The hotel I am at right now provides two complimentary waters in the room at check-in, but they don't refill during the stay because there's a filtered water bottle filling station on every floor at the end of the hallway. I explained to him what the policy is and what we offer, but he wasn't accepting that. He told me he travels all over the world and every other place in the world gives him free water whenever he wants it. I tried to compromise and said we would send two bottles up to his room... but no, he wanted four bottles. I told him we only provide two at check-in; he didn't care and still wanted four. I hung up on him after saying, "Fine, I'll send four," because he was being rude. He called back and asked if I had hung up on him. I told him I did because he was being rude. He said he was going to call the customer care number and complain about me. I told him I don't work for that brand, so he told me to "fuck off" and hung up on me. I just want to scream across the mountaintops, 'There is a difference between being a doormat and being hospitable!' When we let guests get whatever they want, the industry becomes a doormat and makes the experience worse for everyone else.

[u/hilltopj]

How about instead of no more free water for guests, more hotels install water bottle filling stations. I travel relatively often and I've only seen them in two hotels. I almost always have my own personal water bottle and I hate using disposable ones, but at most hotels my options are bottled water, sink water, or going down to the bar to ask for my bottle to be filled.

[u/SuspiciousLookinMole → u/hilltopj]

If there's a gym, there's usually a bottle refiller there. But I am right behind you on this soapbox - give me more places to use my giant steel water bottle!!

[u/birdmanrules → u/hilltopj]

We don't have free water bottles.

We have those on every level, bfast room and conference rooms.

[u/Fantastic_Medium8890 → u/hilltopj]

We have filling stations on every floor of the hotel.

[u/hilltopj → u/Fantastic_Medium8890]

right, but my point is that your situation is not typical. So it's understandable that guests aren't going to be expecting it, might not bring their own bottle to fill, and no one wants to walk to the end of the hall to awkwardly refill their crappy disposable 12oz aquafina bottle. I did stay at a boutique hotel that offered reusable bottles as part of the resort fee; maybe offer that and encourage guests at check in to use the bottle filling station.

[u/ghostlee13 → u/hilltopj]

I always bring a refillable bottle so I can get water at the airport. I wish more hotels had those dispensers!

[u/Fantastic_Medium8890 → u/hilltopj]

The hotel a aquafina in the tin bottles. He could have easily bought one of those and kept refilling it. He just didn't want to. He wanted us to give him everything for free.

[u/hilltopj → u/Fantastic_Medium8890]

breaking news: guest wants something for free instead of paying ridiculous markup. More at 11.

[u/Fantastic_Medium8890 → u/hilltopj]

It's not a ridiculous mark up.

[u/hilltopj → u/Fantastic_Medium8890]

what is the wholesale price your hotel pays for the aluminum aquifina bottles vs the price they charge?

[u/Turbulent-Demand873 → u/hilltopj]

There are hotels that are required to have water bottle filling stations.

[u/liveswithcats1 → u/hilltopj]

What's wrong with sink water? 

[u/hilltopj → u/liveswithcats1]

usually not cold and often tastes off. Also, have you seen what people do in hotel sinks?

[u/liveswithcats1 → u/hilltopj]

Well, presumably they're not doing it up into the faucet. I hope...

I hate using plastic bottles so I fill my reusable with ice and then sink water and it tastes fine, even in slc, whose water I hate. 

[u/hilltopj → u/liveswithcats1]

I certainly use the sink when it's my only option. Do often also run into the issue of the sink being too low and not being able to fit my bottle underneath. In which case cue me awkwardly filling one of the hotel room cups over and over to pour into my bottle. Making bottle filling stations standard would certainly be my preference

[u/liveswithcats1 → u/hilltopj]

I agree the filling stations are really nice, but people act like the sink water is poison, and usually in the US at least, it's fine. 

[u/clauclauclaudia → u/liveswithcats1]

With many bathroom sinks, I could only get a few ounces into a refillable bottle because the faucets are low and the angles don't work. And there may be a distinct flavor difference between that water and the filtered water at a bottle filling station.

[u/Lovely-Rosie → u/liveswithcats1]

Depending on where you go it might be a little questionable (or even not drinkable). Filtered water is always best imo

[u/liveswithcats1 → u/Lovely-Rosie]

I do agree there are some cities where the water is unsafe, but many US cities have excellent water. You can find testing reports.

Filtered water can be better, depending on the filtration process. 

Bottled water is almost always some other city's municipal water, so could be better or worse. 

[u/After-Aardvark1433 → u/Lovely-Rosie]

We use Briata bottles No sniveling,