Hospitality surprises

Tourism workers believe that our planet is not yet born a traveler, who then it would be impossible to cheat in the hotel or during the tour. We collected tourism professionals, who made 40 of terrible confessions about how they cheat travelers while on holiday.

Text: Nikolai Pavlov





01 Superior rooms can be obtained at no additional cost

Most senseless waste of money - an extra charge for superior rooms. Reasons for a free upgrade, there are many rooms: honeymoon, a regular customer, family anniversary - yes anything. Tourist industry workers themselves constantly use it. The main thing - to inform the hotel about the so-called pre-anniversary. I have a colleague five years in a row with his wife went to different hotels in honeymoon.
Alex, the front office manager

02 If you make a booking at the hotel directly, you can stay without a number
Hotels like direct orders: in this case it is not necessary to pay a commission. But if suddenly there are problems with the availability of (a sudden a group check-in or simply peak date), direct orders will be the first ones to suffer from it. HOTEL easier to sacrifice one tourist than to abandon the group or to spoil relations with a major supplier.
Prapa, manager of hotel reservation department

03 When the chain you overpay for advertising
It is believed that the chain hotels and major hotel brands guarantee the customer a certain level of quality, which is called "networking standard." In fact, a small private hotels and large hotel networks work the same people, no secrets there is no network service. Just hotel chains spend proportionally more money on advertising.
Andreas, Director of Sales at Network

04 Positive reviews written by the staff, and the negative - competitors
Everything is gone mad with these reviews. Management is confident that the positive responses increase profits at 15%, and the negative lead to the ruin, so customers of always trying to squeeze your positive feedback. Previously, most of the reviews we wrote ourselves, but now this option does not work: if they find out, the hotel will be in trouble. So now we are writing reviews about competing hotels - honestly write, listing all the shortcomings. The only reliable source of information about the hotel - it is the opinion of friends who had been there.
Alex, the front office manager

05 Do not believe the photos in catalogs and online at
Photos on the hotel website or in catalogs of tour operators may vary significantly from what the client sees in reality. However, there are some hotels, and among the very expensive, which generally do not put pictures of some categories of rooms in open access. Always check looks like exactly the room category that you booked the room description read, look for pictures on the Internet. And then it happens: people thought it would be to live in a luxury villa with swimming pool, and he booked a cottage in the backyard or a room in the main building. A villa he had seen in the photograph is worth a thousand dollars a day more.
Andrew, a sales manager at the 06 always discuss the possibility of discounts on room

When the hotel is loaded lodgers, say, seventy percent, we can safely count on a discount. The main thing - ask politely.
Janis, manager booking

07 Tourist rest not go wherever he wants and where to
Many managers are afraid of tourists, but I still fly wherever I want. Lit Turkey - Welcome to Turkey! Hotels in Thailand were given a discount on accommodation? You go to Thailand as pretty. We call it a reorientation. A good manager can refocus on the right direction about half turned to him tourists.
Sergei, a manager in the travel agency

08 clarifies the final price of the room
Most hotels indicate on its website the room price excluding VAT and breakfast to look accessible, then try to tie these allowances something else: brash 10-percent service charge, invented all sorts of "taxes on services and fees to support the infrastructure." If you start an uncompromising correspondence with the hotel, really wanting to sell their rooms, all these taxes and fees for service on the infrastructure can be canceled.
Alex, the manager of a tour operator
09 sidestep coupon sites

Several years ago, a popular tool of deception began kuponatory guests. Guest User is buying profitable for him coupon, and then later finds out that all is not as promised: a coupon does not act on all of the numbers or not at all dates, or anything else with this coupon is not so.
Michael, director of marketing at the

10 Design Hotel - scam
The last 15 years in the fashion hoteliers: Save on finishing rooms - and now progressive design hotel. In fact, designer hotels - a dump other people's ideas, tailored for the hospitality industry of the economy. Expensive paint the walls every year? Plastered and cover with wax, or simply leave the brickwork without decoration. The owners are happy, because it's cheap, and tourists think that have joined to something fashionable. In any design hotel devastation can be attributed to particular design decision.
Andreas, Director of Sales at Network 11 hotels do not hesitate to bribe the managers of travel agencies
Hotels has recently become a peculiar lot. Therefore they try to motivate managers of travel agencies as they can. Who offers money, who is trying to buy a free accommodation. Someone buys loyalty gifts: Bulgari Hotels here recently for four hours in order managers gift offered. In my opinion, the tourism industry - the most corrupt industries in the world.
Sergei, a manager in the travel agency

12 Minibar should be checked on arrival
When you check better to ask the maid again to check the mini-bar: often after check-out maids forget to fill it, and then write the missing gun drinks at the expense of the newly populated tourists. Prove that these drinks are not you drinking, is not easy. Actually, you should check that your number is recorded. We have had cases where clients are casual acquaintances restaurant orders "gave" that my mother dear.
Marianne, eldest maid

13 Discount cards for tourists - another way to make
Discount cards distributed by tour operators at the resorts are a pass in places overpriced. All you can buy much cheaper, if a discount card to hide away. The main thing - to bargain harder, you're on vacation!
Alain, concierge

14 to show respect for the administrator during registration
Do not, for example, talking on the phone during check-in. This call, certainly not particularly important, will end after five minutes, but for the fact that you ignore me and is perceived as a vending machine issuing room keys, I'll make you remember your stay for a long time. In a bad way.
Valentin, an administrator at the

15 deposit at the best cash
Before moving to the room of the tourist asked to make a deposit or provide a credit card number. It is better to say that no card, and pay the deposit in cash. Not only that, these cards can be stolen, so building Hotel accounting after the fact can be attributed to this card whatever he wants. We had a case: the tourist had already left, and the tour operator refused to pay for it, such as no money, we are bankrupt. So our accounting department, using data left, deducted from his card the entire stay.
Irina, manager reception guests a five-star hotel has 16 Two of the casket

When the hotels are in a couple of hours drive from the airport, there is a risk to suffer at the hands of "two of the casket." Arrived on vacation loaded into large buses and their luggage in the luggage compartment formed. There also goes hand luggage and not drag as her on the bus! In one corner stands an inconspicuous luggage box - well, there are tools and spare wheel, God knows. When the bus leaves from the box emerge two teenagers, who during the transfer open all bags and suitcases. Electronics, expensive sunglasses, swimwear - things are going in the box and bags and suitcases neatly closed. When a tourist discovers the loss, his laptop would stand in some inconspicuous Thai Turkish or pawn shop. You can prevent this from happening, luggage packing film, and the most valuable taking with him on the bus.
Egor, transfermen

17 Maids steal - it's no secret

Do not leave money or valuables in plain sight in the room: the maids steal, even in very expensive hotels. Keep everything in the safe! Some steal every trifle: lace underwear, cosmetics, but most specifically looking for money and jewelery. Take, as a rule, a pair of bundles of banknotes that was not noticeable. The most experienced do not take away the spoil with them, and hide somewhere in the room. If the client discovered the loss before departure, he offered to look in the room. Found - nothing to do with the staff, and even make excuses; not found - take myself quietly after check-out. If a work shift of the same maid there are several complaints about the loss, it is fired. After that, it is arranged in another hotel, and everything is repeated again.
Marianne, eldest maid



18 always closes the door of the hotel at least on the latch, especially if you are with children

Oh, you have no idea how many random and bad people can hang out around even the most reputable hotels! The doors must be closed, and the children playing in both eyes - to find the loss would be almost impossible.
Amalia, the administrator in city hotel in London

19 daily change of linen - Myth
In the five-star hotels, where I worked used when cleaning the sheets and spread their first perestilali the new, then turned over to the other side, and then interchanged those sheets, which are asleep, those that harbor. Resident at that time was driving. However, if our cunning noticed linen had to be changed to be honest.
Marianne, eldest maid

20 Again: do not be rude staff. Never

My colleague somehow offended great guest, so she washed the floor in the bathroom with a towel and hung it back on the hook. Even offended maids clean toothbrush guest toilet or sink (if there is suspicion, do this: soap left in the hotel toothbrush and soap if the bristles remain after cleaning rooms, it's all right). Maids necessarily need to leave a tip, and possibly do not need to turn your room into a pigsty.
Linda, the older maid 21 building Hotel room - a branch of hell on Earth
Never give up the expensive stuff in the hotel laundry! At best, you'll get back ironed jeans with arrows or shirt pocket scorched. But they can be just the thing to replace. We handed in person instead of cleaning a suit brought someone's old jacket. He began to resent: I said, the thing was branded, and then what the hell! So the maids went otporoli label of the same brand, sewn on the jacket and brought back.

22 In your bed can sleep. Just know this

If I was tired, and ahead of cleaning large rooms, which give more time than usual, I can take a nap on the bed guest. Girls colleagues also do that. And yet, it happens, go to the toilet in the room, but that's only if no time to get to the restrooms for the staff.
Nelly, the maid in a large Turkish hotel

23 Saying with a loud

Of course, it is unpleasant when you yell, but often for the tourist is the only way to succeed. If you're going to mumble: "Excuse me, could you give me a refund for the tour," about a couple of minutes you will forget.
Inga hotel guide

24 Always use disposable cups

We do not usually my glasses and cups, and just rinse them under running hot water directly into the sink rate. Visually, something no difference.
Nelly, the maid in a large Turkish hotel 25 Corporate car rental - Uniforms obdiralovka

Themselves and their tour we always reserve a car at Autobroker type Holiday Autos: it turns on average 20% cheaper. Machines can be ordered through a travel agency (if the agent will receive a commission) or online at Autobroker. If you book with Autobroker, you can even find an option without prepayment.
Tatiana, a senior manager in the tour operator

26 Hotels with no rats in the tropics there is no
If you have not seen a rat in your room, it does not mean that it is not there. Protect the hotel with a large tropical garden, a kitchen and a bunch of numbers from rats or snakes impossible. Some hotels to deal with rats allowed on its territory stray cats, but most are caught in the rat glue and then rent a carcass disposal.
Robert, hotel manager

27 Forgotten hotel maids things raffle
Most often guests forget all the small stuff: shorts, chargers, even a bottle of vodka. But sometimes in the room are their players, smartphones and tablets. Usually, tourists are turning to their travel agent, who sent a guide picks forgotten and transmits it with other tourists in Russia. But some things still remain unclaimed. Maids then play them in a win-win lottery.
Robert, hotel manager



28 Hotel minibar - present cemetery gazirovok and chocolates

Maids must see to it that in the mini bar was not the product expired, but many simply forget about it. Some chocolates are mini-bars for years.
Marianne, eldest maid

29 Can not pay-per-view movies
This is an extremely simple trick, but of him for some reason few people know. First you easily see any movie, and then call to reception and say that accidentally clicked on it in the menu. Or that he passed out in the middle. Or even never started. You will likely be asked if you want to resume watching the movie - answer that, well, no, you have to go to bed early or leave the room. Just give me back my money, please. That's all. Can the same way watching another film.
Plato, concierge hotel in Bali

30 Insurance is always on
Russian-Turkish tour operators to improve the efficiency of their guides have come up with such a horror story: that of the tourist insurance only works on those tours that the tourist has bought a travel agent. This is complete nonsense.
Sergei, a manager in the travel agency

31 Fictitious registration ticket - a way not to lose tourist
To directly tied to the tourist guide, there is a tale about the need to "assure the return flight." Before moving guides are collected from tourists tickets for "reaffirmation" because the return of the ticket - it is a reinforced concrete base for the new dates, that is another opportunity to sell tours or take a citizen to shopping. In fact, no return flight is not necessary to certify.
Inga hotel guide

32 Avoid beaten path
If you are looking for where to buy cheap meal or excursion, the sides well-known routes. Feel the difference immediately. The simplest example is the price of beer in public places tourists comes to $ 10, and left little to the side - and got the same three.
Sergei, the owner of the travel agency Guide 33 feeds shopping

The lion's share of earnings shopping guides brings their customers. Commission to pay all the restaurants, shops, jewelry stores. Guides will never recommend some place only because there really tasty food or cheap sell souvenirs.
Prapa, manager of hotel reservation department

34 Guides provocateurs
It happens that the guide on the first day offers some dubious services: grass fit or make passport UK. From these assistants best to stay away: it is possible that it is planned police provocation, in which the guide works bait. In Southeast Asia, such cases are not uncommon.
Alain, concierge

35 The main rule guide - do not let the tourists leave
If the traveler has not bought the tour on the first day, he already will likely never buy. Therefore, they invent all sorts of zamanuhi: if we do not buy, then places will not, we will write you a free trip to the city, we will tell all the secrets away. And something no secrets and no.
Inga hotel guide

36 Medical examinations before being hired at the hotel - clean profanity
Hotel workers, especially those who work in the kitchen or in the Department of Food & Beverage, in theory, should undergo regular medical examination. In fact, some even with a job can bring the results of analyzes of others. So with syphilis cook or waiter, unfortunately, is not a myth, but the reality is quite permissible.
Stephen, Director of Food & Beverage



37 The kitchen also steal!

On the kitchen of hotel steal all who can. Stolen products are written off against the morning buffet: This magic wand daily resets many doubtful accounts.