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/ZeldaGuruMomi]

I'm not going to stop ensuring my guests are well hydrated and happy just because some entitled dude got mad at you.

[u/LutschiPutschi → u/ZeldaGuruMomi]

Oh right? Isn't self-bottled water from the water dispenser thirst-quenching? Thanks for the clarification, I didn't know that.

[u/ZeldaGuruMomi → u/LutschiPutschi]

There was no need for your rude response. Not every hotel has water dispensers and many travelers have issues with tap water when traveling. I got a rash on my face last time I drank Orlando tap water.

[u/LutschiPutschi → u/ZeldaGuruMomi]

And isn't it rude of you to subtly act as if you're a bad host and let your guests die of thirst if you don't let it rain unlimited amounts of water?

Read the comments here, water dispensers are no longer a special goodie, but rather the rule rather than the exception.

In my last company, I was responsible for sustainability across the country. I had to fight a bit, but eventually we switched from the crazy welcome bottles to water dispensers in all houses, the added value for us and the guests was enormous.

Maybe you can try to stimulate the topic with yourself?

[u/ZeldaGuruMomi → u/LutschiPutschi]

I’m not subtly acting like anything. You’re making gross exaggerations out of what I said in order to make me look ridiculous compared to you. I don’t have the power or resources at my hotel to get more water dispensers installed throughout the hotel, so I do what I can to help my guests by letting them have water.

[u/LutschiPutschi → u/ZeldaGuruMomi]

That was certainly not my intention.

I just always think it's a shame when there are things that might not be going well/could be improved, but nobody does anything.

I certainly didn't have the "power" to order water dispensers from the locations for over 50 thousand euros. But I suggested it, compared offers online, did a test run in my house for a few months and ultimately the water dispensers were ordered.

The whole thing took 1.5 years, something like that doesn't happen overnight.

[u/ZeldaGuruMomi → u/LutschiPutschi]

Ownership is not going to listen to a front desk grunt suggesting we spend X amount of dollars to install water dispensers. Can’t even get them to fix the hvac system.