Sunday, January 24, 2010

Random Acts of Kindness...

Wow, looks like its been 20+ days since my last post, 21 days to make or break a habit..uh-oh! Never fear, I'm back.

This has been a tumultuous month, to say the least. December was painfully slow which led to financial and labor cuts here, which led to stress and anxiety! Then, rain, rain and more rain- which I decided to use to my advantage, people check in and they don't want to check out- so give them an amazing rate and well, they stay a few extra days! (and hey, there are a few rooms that I can now promote as "having a water feature...")

So...with the flexibility to do whatever it takes, I took an extreme approach to pricing. After all, good guests paying less, better than no guests at all, right? And it keeps the housekeeper busy enough that I don't have to worry about her runnning out to get another job:). That said, I, unfortunately, had to cut Newbie down to just being on call, what is most unfortunate about that is that I don't get a day off right now, but it will all work out in the end...right? I mean, YES, it will!

I have been working on creating relationships with a few nearby businesses and that is starting to pan out too. The inspiration for this post was a walk in last night. It was Saturday night around 9, we hadn't had any walk ins for the day, which is pretty painful on a weekend night, fortunately we have 4 rooms booked with people in town for the week. Anyhow, I greet the man at the desk, he inquires about room rates, I tell him I am giving the place away through February so tonight, $55+tax. He says ok, then pauses and asks if I can go any lower, I pause and say $50+tax...(these really are AMAZING rates! This is actually the friends and family price, but hey, we are all family in the grandest scheme of things....right?!) So we chat a bit and he tells me he is having a beer over at the nearby sports bar with his girlfriend. I ask if thats how he heard about us and he says yes, he was chatting with the bartender who suggested he come down and check us out. (this made me happy!) So, he says that he just really wants to have a relaxing night with his girl and they don't want to worry about drinking and driving (big thumbs up here!)- he says they have a babysitter for the first time since he can't remember when and he just left the bar under the ruse of getting gas in the car and popped in to see what we had to offer. This was all very cute, I told him I thought it was fantastic and his girl was going to be thrilled, you gotta cultivate that spark to keep the love alive, afterall. So, then I tell him I am going to upgrade him to one of our swanky and fun designer rooms, I show him the picture, get him all checked in (put the fear of God...or Suze Ormond in him if he has any inclination of smoking in the room- this smoking thing will be a whole 'nother post!) any who, he thanks me sincerely, and I tell him to have a really wonderful time, late check out is in place, and I encourage him to check out the room before he heads back to the tavern. We chat for a minute or so more, he refers to his girlfriend and says she should be his wife by now because they have been together for 9 years, I, jokingly, tell him he oughta make an honest woman out of her and OF COURSE mention that I just got engaged:) (Hey, come on now, this is the majority of my social interaction at this point in the motel game, I gotta tell anyone who will listen..hehehe) Then he stops, chuckles, gets serious, and says, "Ya Know, I just love her so much and its so good I don't want to risk messing it up, I was married before (and apparently traumatized) and I just wouldn't want us to end up like that..." I tell him that sounds perfectly logical, for the time being. And tell him to make the most of having a babysitter for the night;) I keep an eye on him on the surveillance to catch his reaction to his room, he stood in the doorway for a good minute and a half...I was hoping this was a good thing....

I saunter back to the living room to listen to hunny snore while I try to find something to watch (TV Guide channel has disappeared so its torturous) back to ghost hunters or something of the sort...interesting and spooky all at the same time!- I digress...

I glance over at the surveillance and see him walking toward the office, I dart back in (I don't really WANT people to have to ring that little bell, so I try to get in there before they get a chance.) I greet him and ask if he likes the room, this is where it gets sweet. He takes my card and asks if this is me, I confirm. He says that the room is so awesome, and he is so touched that I truly care about them having a night out and says that he is actually fighting back a tear because he is so emotionally touched and grateful. So, then I have to refrain from getting watery eyed and tell him that its my pleasure to be able to do something nice for someone nice. He says that I have no idea how hard things have been lately and this whole evening is giving him hope, the BT at the bar also hooked him up with free cover charge for the evening. He then gives me two movie tickets and reminds me that my fiancee and I might need a date night. We say goodnight and he heads back to enjoy the night with his gal at the tavern.

I gotta tell you, this interaction, it really made my week. I've actually had a few really fulfilling moments in this business in the past few weeks. I got a call from the guy who was our first guest, he was here through mid-December, he left a message a few days after New Years just saying thank you again and that he wanted to wish us a happy new year. That same day, I get a call from a guy who is new to the area and has stayed here a few times, he is just calling to thank us for our hospitality and to say how much he loves the place and he will be back soon. Then, remember the guy who got locked in his room? the homeless fella who I gave the bicycle to... well he hadn't been in since NYE, he had crossed my mind a few times during the month, and I hoped he was doing okay, he just had his 71st birthday in December...well he showed up on the 18th, (stayed for a week) with his bike, actually 2 bikes now, not sure about that...anyhow, he was much different...he stopped drinking on the first of the year! He looked great, is one heck of a funny guy, and checked in because we were soon to get rain (he likes to be sure there is more room at the shelter for those who need it when it rains!) He had a great stay, learned how to make cup o noodle soup in the microwave, Newbie taught him this! And he just kicked back and watched the History Channel all week. He stopped by the office a few times just to tell me how he really appreciated how nice we are and how he has been telling all of his friends about us...yes, this is true because a few of them have stopped in...oof...anyhow, in my own little way, I seem to be bringing a little sunshine to the people who walk in the door. That rocks. I mean, that's what it's all about right? If your random act of kindness inspires another to do the same, even better.

Enjoy the day my friends...

Saturday, January 2, 2010

For "Crazy" Press "One"....

Actually, it was the other way around, answer with friendly greeting, response from raving lunatic, jealous wife...WOW...that's all I can say... I will get back to this!

So, I haven't blogged in a bit as it was pretty slow and uneventful for the last few weeks of December, we still have to be here in case someone drops in, so we had a wonderful and quiet Christmas here at home, and scheduled a desert Christmas with hunny's family and had my family up the next day. It was really fantastic...and right in between the two...a proposal...Yep...life is getting better and better, we are engaged!!!! I am so happy, excited and grateful that the path of destiny could not be thwarted:)...Nuff about me...I should do an alternate blog to chronicle us:).

So-I may have said it in a previous post...but Reality TV has NOTHING on Reality when running a motel...nothin'!

New Years Eve I kept the office open till Midnight with hopes of stragglers, we actually had seven rooms booked which was great considering at 2pm, there was only one person here! Some great friends have become our most frequent guests (room rates are so fantastic that even locals want to spend the night in town!) We planned accordingly and grilled up steaks and a broccoli au gratin, they introduced us to the yummiest little appetizer (which many guests enjoyed too!) grilled summer sausage, grilled ahaheim peppers and a slice of (Christmas Tree shaped) cheddar...YUM! We had some beers and a Red Bull and hoped we could make it till midnight (I had to...but they could have retired early- troopers- we all made it!) In the midst, our other guests came and went to OC Tavern and Molly Blooms and had a great time, we shared snacks with them. A passerby asked if he could join us for a beer, he sat in, had a beer with him. Turns out he had stopped by a few weeks earlier for prices and our rates were higher than he was hoping, he had been in a less than savory place down the street and was planning on moving to Oceanside the next day (works on contract at San Onofre Nuclear Plant). This is the slow season so I offered to match the price of the Oside place. He came back New Years Day and checked in for the week.

We made it to midnight, toasted, and went to bed! The night was chilly enough outside that I was most comfy in my big coat, haven't been able to wear it since Aspen last December! A mellow evening with good food and good friends and pretty decent occupancy. A nice close to a rocky year.

GOOD EVENING....SUNSHINE....
So, here's where nutter butter comes in. I pick up the office phone around 6:30 or 7pm on NY Day. I give my cheerful greeting when answering...and get the response "Who is this?" I repeat the biz name and get a gruff, WHO is this? I state my name and hear it back in my perky inflection...then I am asked my age, I pause and ask the woman her age, she mocks me and repeats the question, I tell her that is irrelevant and ask how I can help (keep in mind for the first minute + of this conversation, I wasn't certain this was a real caller, thoguht it was a friend playing a joke..) then, the woman flips out and says I spent NYE with her husband and I'm a tramp and she doesn't know what type of business I am running but she is sending the police. I invite her to send the police and tell her, "I am running a nice, cute, clean, respectable little Inn." This infuriates her, she tells me her husband is staying here and she knows I lured him in with beer and she is angry because he told her I was old and clearly I am not...I replied, that I personally didnt think I was OLD and it would be offensive, but maybe he did think I was old...she was even angrier...as you can imagine. She then called me, well if you think tramp with a W or S...those were tossed around. I was still speaking in my phone voice, and asked how I could be of assistance. She went on about my luring her husband in and I informed her that my fiancee (how exciting:), and two guests/ friends were sitting at an outdoor table and that was it. She hung up, called back, ranted, mocked my name and speaking tone, screamed that I could have him, that he was a loser and good luck etc., she then asked that I deliver the message that she would be shutting his phone off and his credit cards. I asked her to repeat that as I hadn't fully understood her (she was in high pitched, howler monkey tone) she screamed back "EXCUSE ME?" she repeated herself and I asked if she would like to be transferred as this wasn't a message that I would be delivering. I visualize that her head must have spun around at this moment...(Keep in mind...I am beyond shocked and feeling caught off guard and assaulted...yet at work so I am holding my tongue as I get called every explative in the book)....I tell her happy new year and hang up. She (in good stalker fashion) calls right back, I think this was actually the 5th call, she opens by asking if I have a record and says she is having me checked out, I let her know, that no, I do not have a record (don't we all listen to Ipods and CD's this day in age...? hehehe...Police record), she goes into what a loser and big drinker her husband is and how she hates him (shouldn't she be thrilled that he is out of town working? and I am thinking, well,,,,you sound like a bit of a shrieking drinker yourself....of course I did NOT say this, being professional and all...)Anyhow, I tell her that I am not interested, nor is anything about her husband, or her, any of my business, he is a paying guest like all others and as long as he follows the rules, and pays his fees, he is a guest....She starts in again on how she is calling the police, and was having our establishment checked out, I invited her, once again to do so and request that she stop harrassing me and calling. I tell her good night and hang up...Interestingly enough...she abided by my request...After calling me every tawdry name in the book...oof.

WOW...I was shaken up for about an hour...that was all just not fun....and to think...we have been having issues with the phones and calls have not been coming in....YET, I get this one...my oh my....

Happy Healthy New Year to you all!

Light evening tonight, but waiting for our fave (punk) rock star to check in;)

Please don't hold any typos against me, not proof reading this and typed quickly because I got the adrenaline rush from the crazy lady story!