Hotel secrets waiters won¡¯t ever tell you

Melbourne: From urine in the whiskey bottles to filthy TV remotes and what not to do with your towel, hotel employees have revealed all the dirty secrets of their establishment in a discussion on the net.

¡°Check the seals on the things in the minibar. I once had a guest who had drunk the whiskey and then peed in the bottle, closed it, and put it back, the Daily Telegraph quoted a waiter as saying. ¡°I¡¯ve also seen candy three months past the expiry date. Do not use the ice bucket without a liner. It may have been used as a puke receptacle,¡± the waiter said.

They also said that people should always use the disposable cups in the rooms.

¡°The glasses/mugs are usually just rinsed in hot water in your bathroom sink. The remotes for the TV are rarely cleaned. Use a towel or sheet on the chairs or sofa, a LOT of people sit on them naked. It¡¯s nasty but there is often a brown streak on the desk chair that no one think about,¡± the waiter said.

They also said that if people booked a jacuzzi, be warned, the jet system of the hotel is often completely clogged up with really nasty gunk.

¡°Duvets (doonas) are NOT meant to be slept on. I know many people are grossed out that they aren¡¯t always changed but again they are not meant to be used as a blanket... The right thing to do is to fold it and place it on the floor or chair.

Some maids do not change the sheets (mostly because they don¡¯t have enough time in each room and can be fired for taking too long per room). When you check in, check the sheets for creases from being folded and unused. If you have any doubt call housekeeping and ask for fresh sheets on the bed."

"Mattresses WILL be stained, with a lot of stuff. There¡¯s no way we could buy a new mattress every time someone bleeds on it, or spills coffee on it, or urinates on it. It wouldn¡¯t be practical. So we sponge them down and dry them with hair dryers, or flip them over when it¡¯s really bad,¡± they said.

Another revelation was that breakfast food was likely to be always have been handled in an unsanitary manner during set up (typically desk clerks in lower end hotels.)

¡°Bed bugs are more common than you may think. Maybe everyone knows this, but if you want fresh towels you should put the towels on the floor. If you hang them they will not be changed and you¡¯ll have to ask for new ones."

"I¡¯m a bellman and valet at a resort. i can give you free water bottles, tampons, valet parking, tours, shuttle rides, reservations, dry cleaning, hell even an upgrade to a better room if you just ASK ME. But no one ever does cos they think I¡¯m just a doorman."

Another secret that they said was that the front desk will not call people at an ungodly late hour, if hotel¡¯s ¡°computer crashes¡± and ask for people¡¯ credit card information.

¡°We will not give you a 50 per cent discount for your cooperation, and no, I would not be calling you if ¡®there is a line at the front desk, so giving me the information over the phone will be quicker.¡¯

If you suspect a phone call from the front desk is not the front desk, please make a trip down. People can simply dial random extensions, get direct room lines, and make victims of you.¡±

¡°Any haggling or outright complaining you do will likely get you a discount. I¡¯ve realised people are more likely to complain at older properties because frankly they¡¯re more likely to get it unquestioned. Most won¡¯t even bother to go look if it¡¯s minor,¡± the waiters said.

They also said that hotels loved to charge smokers and that it was really not worth even trying and a towel didn¡¯t help.

¡°Hotels, even nice ones, attract the worst kind of people. Don¡¯t let your kids run around at night, make sure your door is closed properly.

¡°Always use the deadbolt and/or door chain when in your room,¡± the waiters added.

ANI