tradeshowgypsy

Pick a hotel...fortune says...

This gypsy definitely has an affinity for a great hotel
room! There is nothing like going through all the whoooharah! (gypsy term) of getting to the airport, checking/paying for bags, security, and the stress of
on-time vs delayed or missed connections, shuttle/rental car/taxi, parking,  bag drag, and finally that great big smile that says, you may just survive this day in your clean, quiet, hotel room.

I definitely have my favorites around the U.S., Europe, and one really outstanding hotel in Singapore that I will never forget! Having a great facility along with customer service, you cannot beat it for the hard-working gypsy that has tolerated everything from lost luggage, lost driver, lost enthusiasm and ultimately lost patience! Never a good sign, as the gypsy curses that take place at that point are very severe!

All can be forgotten in the voice of a customer service agent with a sincere welcome to the…hotel; if there is anything I can do to make your stay better, here is my card (and mean it!).

I once stayed in a hotel in San Francisco that was a name brand hotel, was beautiful, and pricey.  I went to bed about 10:00 pm facing a very busy schedule the following day. I could hear a couple next door arrive with extremely loud discussions and really bad language.  I called the front desk and asked them if they would call the room and ask them to please be a little quieter or something. They said they would, but the phone never rang and the couple finally left the room about midnight. At 2:00 am the yelling came down the hall, slamming the door to their room. Laughing ensued as did the expletives and conversation about the mini-bar that was still empty.  Slamming the adjoining door to my room sounding as though they would be in my room at any moment, I got up and placed a chair next to the door.

The next thing I heard was a huge crash, more bad language and a serious argument with someone being hit. I called the front desk and was put off with another we will call the room!  I sat quietly while the fight continued; with my heart racing, the magic words came from the guy; “I’m going to kill you … “. I called security immediately and was hoping they would come quickly after what I had conveyed. Nope, it took 4 calls as the fighting escalated and more crashes around the room. I could hear people out in the hall but they were fearful as to what was going on in the room and so no one got involved. This was a high-end expensive hotel!

Finally when security came to my room as I was the one that called; they said, they needed to listen from my room before they could demand their way into the other room. 4:00 am…security in my room listening as it got very quiet; I was sure someone was at least unconscious if not dead; nope just resting for round 2, same crash and here we go again, finally security radioed the police and went in and took the couple out through my room as they had blocked their door to their room with broken furniture.  I couldn’t believe this couple! They were dressed to the Nine’s and beat to heck! The police responded faster than security. The officers hauled the couple out in cuffs, bleeding, and still trying to get at each other! They looked like a couple you would have seen at a charity ball, with money based on the level of clothing, that is until they got caught in the shredder!

6:30 am! This gypsy was not in good humor!  8:00 am, when I met with my team for setup they were very shocked to see me in such a bad way but we had a lot of work to do and it was a long day! When I got back to the hotel and stopped by the front desk, they said, “well, there is nothing we can really do” and asked me if I
would like to move rooms? WHAT? No, I don’t want to pay for the night of no
sleep and several phone calls to get this issue taken care of over several
hours!  I changed hotels and wrote their corporate office. I was reimbursed after the documented incident but they lost a customer, one that is in the show/event industry.

The show floor can take the life out of a person; talking all day and being “on” often from very early in the morning into the evening. Having the sensory overload of booth presenters, entertainers, and general interaction is an exciting carnival, but when the gypsy has been dancing all day, it is time for some peace and QUIET! Having a hotel that is well-built and that has great customer service reassures the traveler that they will indeed be safe and have peace and quiet.  My job depends on my being able to be “ on” during the long hours of a show and having a hotel that understands the business traveler is a true jewel in the velvet bag!

Now I can reveal my favorite hotel in San Francisco – tambourine shake – drum beat…

The W Hotel – the best service and those glorious smiling faces that can really make everything right with the world! Great food, fresh flowers, with soft music and lest I forget the Heavenly Bed! With the training and the skills to take care of the traveler and the crisis that can occur on the road, the staff I have encountered at that hotel have been exceptional! The W Hotel is truly this gypsy’s dream after a long day on the show floor in San Francisco!