Las Vegas is definitely a New Year’s Eve destination. They close down the strip and Fremont Street gets so packed that sardines would be claustrophobic. There are fireworks and the alcohol is flowing non-stop. Talk about a people watching experience. If you haven’t been to Vegas on New Year’s you really need to do it, at least once. Of course, I usually end up working so I get the excited guests wearing party hats and blowing annoying party horns for hours and then I get to the same guests dragging themselves through the lobby attempting to get to their room without throwing up or passing out.
I am amazed every year the punishment that a person puts on their body in the name of celebrating a holiday like New Year’s… I’m looking at you St. Patrick’s Day and your green beer, as well. I know what you are thinking and yes, I have overdone it myself in the past. I’m no prude but you get a little clarity when you see hundreds of hotel guests… the morning after.
Before we get to the Grand Prize Winner of the “VegasHC – Great start to 2018” award. Let’s take a quick look at the pretenders to the throne.
- The older guy in the wheelchair that passed out in the middle of the casino floor and didn’t get to see midnight. In fact he didn’t get to 9pm.
- The young couple who drove from Montana to celebrate New Year’s without ID and a hotel reservation.
- The middle-aged guy who locked himself out if his room and had to come down to the lobby in his tighty whiteys. Still having nightmares about that one.
- The middle-aged lady who lost her room key and her dignity as I spent about a minute trying to explain to her that her breasts where resting on my workspace because she had suffered a major wardrobe malfunction and didn’t realize it.
and now the winner…
It is 5pm, January 1st and a middle-aged man approaches the desk.
Guest: My keys don’t work in my room and I need to know how much food credit I have.
(he hands me his driver’s license after a bit of a struggle)
Me: Sir, the keys don’t work because you are checked out of the hotel.
Guest: but I am not due to check out until Monday.
Me: Sir, it is Monday. Check out was several hours ago.
Guest: No, yesterday was New Year’s Eve.
Me: Yes sir, yesterday was Sunday and today is January 1st, Monday. Your reservation was for the 29th to the 1st.
Guest: It wasn’t until the 2nd? I thought my reservation was for Tuesday the 1st.
Me: Well there is no Tuesday the 1st. There is Monday the 1st.
Guest: So where is my stuff?
Me: Let me call housekeeping…. Sir, according to housekeeping none of your things were in the room. That is why we checked you out. We figured you left because there was nothing left in the room.
Guest: Ok so you are saying that I am checked out of the hotel and my stuff wasn’t in my room and my reservation was not until Tuesday?
Me: Correct.
Guest: So where is my car?
Me: Where did you leave your car?
Guest: I think I put the car in valet.
Me: Do you have your ticket?
Guest: I should, maybe I parked it myself… (he starts rifling through his wallet). Here it is. (hands it to me)
Me: Sir, this is a valet ticket for a different hotel. This is for Hotel B, this is Hotel A.
Guest: This isn’t Hotel B?
Me: No sir.
Guest: Oh, that explains it. I had 2 different hotel rooms booked with friends. I had the other hotel until Tuesday. So how do I get to Hotel B?
Me: I would suggest a cab out front.
Guest: So, is there anything I can do about my food credit?
Me: You never had a food credit here, sir.
Guest: Oh, that must have been the other hotel. I couldn’t figure out why my friends kept sending me texts asking me where I was. I looked all over the place for them. They kept telling me they were here but I couldn’t find them. Must have been the other place.
(he starts looking around)
Guest: I know I had a backpack with me. It’s gone.
Me: It’s on the floor next to you, sir.
Guest: Oh wow, I must have overdone it last night.
Me: Probably a little bit. Have a good day sir.
Thanks for all the comments and follows. I still can’t believe the response I continue to get. Over 1000 followers on Twitter (@VegasHC) and even more on Facebook and directly here through wordpresss.com