How to Get Great Hotel Service (& Save Money, Too!)
Hotel Angeleno, part of the Joie du Vive group, Los Angeles, Ca
Hotel Angeleno, part of the Joie de Vivre Hotels group, Los Angeles, California, USA
We had booked a hotel stay at the Hotel Angeleno for 4 nights. After two nights we realized we needed to extend our stay and booked an additional 3 nights. The additional 3 nights were over a weekend and the rates were lower than the first four mid-week nights. So, our final bill would be the combination of two rates: 4 nights at the the mid-week rate, and 3 nights at the weekend rate (tip: in addition to planning for off-season deals and discounts, if possible, try to plan for weekend rates which are often lower than weekdays).
At check out we shared some light conversation with the front desk staff, as we had often done during the stay, (tip: never hurts to be a nice real person and cultivate a relationship) but this time our conversation turned to the topic of the hospitality business. We inquired about who actually owned and operated the coffee shop and restaurant, (tip: never hurts to be friendly and interested in them and their business) and we did make a suggestion about what they might consider doing should the coffee shop fail to open again as it had the previous morning, and also mentioned how pleased we were that the ragged frayed towels we encountered during our prior visit were no longer being used. (tip: whining is often not effective and never appreciated, but a gentle suggestion that they have not been perfect is more likely to get management’s willing attention) We mentioned that we’ve been repeat guests, and that we would be returning in the future. (tip: remind them that you are a future source of revenue and [social media] publicity) It was a delightful conversation actually. One of the staff members even asked if we would please make an entry at Trip Advisor, which we eventually did.
So when we pleasantly asked if there might be anything they could do to help bring some balance to the difference in rates we were being charged, they pleasantly tried to accommodate our request. And…we pleasantly ended up receiving a $50 credit for each of the 4 nights that were billed with a higher rate.
So often we encounter hotel staff who clearly don’t have the power to generate a remedy, which is an obvious indicator that upper management has provided little or no direction, training, or protocol for staff to follow so that they may graciously care for a guest’s needs (tip: encountering this is usually is a sign that management doesn’t care about providing quality hospitality service to their guests – which is a point to keep in mind when considering choices for your next hotel reservation, because pour customer care is no bargain).
It was immediately clear that the Hotel Angeleno’s staff was empowered to take action. We were really impressed by their desire to please, and we let them know it (tip: always let them know you are appreciative).
And, we absolutely will stay with them again in the future.
Jamie, sltv
Know before you go – videos:
Arthur Frommer Shares His Top 10 Bargain Travel Tips
A rare appearance from the travel master himself
Best Sites for Flights
Tips from travel vloggers, Trip on a Deal
Travel Insider Tips: Eating and Sleeping
Rick Steves, travel editor, PBS travel program host, author, owner Edmonds Travel
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