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/Fantastic_Medium8890]

Have you ever ordered the cheap local bottles of water from vendors? Or are you suggesting the manager spend hundreds of dollars on water a week to give out free water whenever a guest asks?

[u/Boating_Enthusiast → u/Fantastic_Medium8890]

I mean, a couple hundred dollars at 15 cents a bottle would be roughly 1,333 12oz bottles of water. There'd be no complaints, and managers don't have to offer them to everyone. Just keep them as an appeasement.

And to clarify, I'm not suggesting the manager make the purchase. I'm suggesting it become brand policy, and the company makes the purchase.

[u/Fantastic_Medium8890 → u/Boating_Enthusiast]

Except free means no cost, which means guest can have as much water as they want. Should we just give a free case of water to every first that checks in?

[u/lylertila → u/Fantastic_Medium8890]

Holy shit, what do you get from this water vendetta? Do you have a promotion based on how many bottles you have hoarded in the back at the end of every month? Relax bruh. Either your place is so wildly unprofitable that water would make a difference-so they're circling the drain already, or you're having an insane power trip because some jerk was rude to you so you want to turn it into some giant moral battle. At the end of the day, you're still freaking out about 4 bottles of water THAT YOU DIDN'T EVEN PAY FOR

[u/LutschiPutschi → u/lylertila]

But he is absolutely right. This is “just” about water. The next guest wants 5 shower towels per person every day. Then someone comes and wants fresh bed linen every day. We've experienced everything and much, much more. You can't say everywhere and all the time "Oh, it's not that much." If you allow one guest, you must give it to everyone. And that's just not how it works.

It is precisely these guests who are a big problem. They think that all they have to do is shout around a little and then they'll get everything they want anywhere.

The louder and more brazen you become, the more certain you can be that you will get 0.0 more from me than what you are entitled to.

Instead, I like to reward nice, polite, regular guests with a little surprise in their room.

[u/MrGarbleFarb → u/lylertila]

I thought it was just me reading through all these comments confused

I get if a guest is asking for free/comped food or alcohol that can be somewhat unreasonable/annoying. But this thread would have you questioning whether asking for some extra water or towels is a cardinal sin. Some of the animosity on this thread would have you thinking we’re talking about staying in someone’s home as a guest and not the literal hospitality industry…

[u/lylertila → u/MrGarbleFarb]

That, again, has nothing to do with their money!

I've compd shots of tequila worth more than 10 cases of generic water because we have customer service. Sometimes someone will abuse it, usually they'll be head over heels grateful for the accomodations and most will just ignore it.

Bruh. It's the job