# Slamming doors and other hotel annoyances. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 17, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175 "2011-05-17T03:56:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/61 "2011-05-18T21:11:10Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Just this morning (0430) I was awoken by slamming doors and loud. voices in the hall. After about 10 minutes I decided to get up and see what the commotion was all about, There was a large man standing at the door of the room next door having a conversation with the person inside. > > I asked him to keep it down, adding the obvious fact that people were trying to sleep, His reaction: he stepped away from the door, walked up to me and said, “Shut your fucking mouth and go back in your fucking room!” > > Did I mention that the man was LARGE? I went back > In my room, put in my earplugs, and once I calmed down, managed to get back to sleep. I’ve stayed in many hotels over the years, but i’ve never been threatened by another guest. (this was at a mid-range Best Western in Colorado) I can relate,\*\* blondebear\*\*. Sorry this happened to you. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/62 "2011-05-18T22:33:40Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > His reaction: he stepped away from the door, walked up to me and said, “Shut your fucking mouth and go back in your fucking room!” You’re lucky. Good way to get yourself killed or seriously injured. A good rule of thumb is not to intrude on potentially crazy people. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/63 "2011-05-19T00:25:14Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > So, you’re saying the thermostats in the rooms are actually connected to something? We were speculating that they aren’t, because they don’t ever seem to _do_ anything. 🙂 It’s an inefficient system. When you turn the knob, you can hear that 747 that must be up on the roof start up. The air conditioning on the plane will eventually be ducted into your room. After a few minutes of the roaring jet engines, you can start to feel some moist air moving around in the room. Sometimes, it might even feel slightly cool. It feels just like the air coming out of the little vents when you’re in a plane idling on the tarmac for an hour in August. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/64 "2011-05-20T22:27:41Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > So, you’re saying the thermostats in the rooms are actually connected to something? We were speculating that they aren’t, because they don’t ever seem to _do_ anything. 🙂 Of course they don’t, hence the “don’t feel guilty!” part… ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/65 "2011-05-20T22:45:29Z")
> [@akennett](#): > > Of course they don’t, hence the “don’t feel guilty!” part… You may be right! [http://authspot.com/thoughts/fake-elevator-buttons-and-other-placebos-very-funny/](http://authspot.com/thoughts/fake-elevator-buttons-and-other-placebos-very-funny/) While I’ve never been in a hotel where the climate controls didn’t do anything at all, I wouldn’t put it past some establishments to have dummy controls! ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/66 "2011-05-21T08:08:52Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > “Hey, we asked them to put all of us selfish jerkoffs in the same place, but they didn’t, so whaddayagonnado?” > > Look, asshole, just because you request to be placed all together doesn’t automatically negate your obligation to be courteous and considerate of other guests. If they put you in different parts of the hotel, then do your socializing somewhere that people aren’t trying to sleep, like maybe the hotel bar or a nearby pub. Did you bother to read my post before calling names. We stay at Motel 6 level places. If there was a bar, we would be all all be there. The fleabags we frequent don’t even have mini-fridges. > [@Grapefruit](#): > > You get what you pay for. If you booked a presidential suite at a five star hotel, you wouldn’t hear any doors slamming. But not everyone has the luxury of doing that, so you’re just going to have to seethe quietly while slumming it in the flea holes. Sorry. As Grapefruit correctly points out, if you want a high dollar experience, you have to put out the money. > [@silenus](#): > > Yep. If you stay on the cheap, you are going to get this sort of behavior from your neighbors. Spring for a decent hotel and it gets a lot quieter. Word. > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Yeah, but you put 30 bikers on the same hall as, say, the Pepperdine women’s volleyball team and hooooooo boy. > :eek: > 😃 The one time we put out the money for a HOTEL, we were in a place with some sort of Nun convention and a cheerleader convention. I felt like a sheepdog, running all over the place, trying to do damage control. > [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Does someone from your group deal with a sales director or manager to block rooms for your get-togethers? If not, consider it. (And, for the record, I’d much rather have a group of bikers at our hotel than many others that have been mentioned, including sports teams of any age, and - especially - weddings or family reunions.) Thank you. I’m the usually the one who makes the calls. I didn’t know to talk to a manager, I just expected the person who answered the phone to know what they were doing. We aren’t picky, so I ask for a block of rooms together and tell them that we don’t care about smoking or bed size. All we want are rooms together. We can change rooms ourselves if someone doesn’t want a smoking room or others want bigger beds. I’ve trained them to tip the maids well, btw. Before we ride away, I ask if everyone has left money for the poor person who has to clean up after their skuzzy ass and someone always has to run back to the room and deal with it. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/67 "2011-05-21T12:42:08Z")
As to the OP’s rant; I agree wholeheartedly. I hate, hate, hate business trips where I’m trying to get a little shuteye and I’m near some dickwad(s) who must constantly enter and leave their room, allowing the door to WHAM each time. Also, is there anything more depressing to the business traveler than hearing a busload of kids pull in for the night? You know you’re about to be treated to a late-night marathon of hall-sprinting and door slamming. I disagree with the OP on one point, the worst offenders are a busload of teens (any teens). All night noise, and the complimentary breakfast is turned into a wasteland (and probably a biohazard as well). There’s a reason I do all my personal travel in my RV. After putting up with asshole hotel guests on business trips, I really don’t give a shit how much gas it takes. I’m traveling in my own movable little house on my trips. There’s a lot more space in the parks (and as a bonus, I get to start a campfire:)). ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/68 "2011-05-21T17:03:41Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Thank you. I’m the usually the one who makes the calls. I didn’t know to talk to a manager, I just expected the person who answered the phone to know what they were doing. We aren’t picky, so I ask for a block of rooms together and tell them that we don’t care about smoking or bed size. All we want are rooms together. We can change rooms ourselves if someone doesn’t want a smoking room or others want bigger beds. > > I’ve trained them to tip the maids well, btw. Before we ride away, I ask if everyone has left money for the poor person who has to clean up after their skuzzy ass and someone always has to run back to the room and deal with it. :smack: Yeah, at a lot of Motel 6 level places, there is no sales director, but the manager is often the only one with the computer authorization level to put in a group and block rooms. (I think that, at our place, I’m the only one who actually knows HOW to do that in our computer system… :smack:) The hourly person you are speaking to can usually only pass along the message, and messages often get lost/garbled. Try to call during business hours, and make your request very clear, and then call back a week or so before your arrival to remind someone - staff changes often take place, and again, the message gets lost in the shuffle. And thanks for tipping the housekeepers! It’s shocking how many perfectly intelligent, presentable adults aren’t aware that it’s customary. (Honestly, it wasn’t too long ago that I clued in a long-time friend of mine - a nuclear engineer, not raised by wolves, I promise! He was 40 years old at the time, and had traveled all over the US and a great deal of the world, and had no idea!) ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/69 "2011-05-21T23:53:47Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Yeah, at a lot of Motel 6 level places, there is no sales director, but the manager is often the only one with the computer authorization level to put in a group and block rooms. (I think that, at our place, I’m the only one who actually knows HOW to do that in our computer system… :smack:) The hourly person you are speaking to can usually only pass along the message, and messages often get lost/garbled. Try to call during business hours, and make your request very clear, and then call back a week or so before your arrival to remind someone - staff changes often take place, and again, the message gets lost in the shuffle. This was very timely advice, thank you. I’m making plans for our next trip now. At this point, there are 37 committed (which means I have their money) and 6 ditherers. When I called our first stop, I scared the person who answered the phone by asking for the manager right away. His response was to ask me what the problem was and if there was anything he could do. Not surprisingly, the manager doesn’t work weekends, but the clerk took the reservations and says the manager will call me on Monday. OK, now I know to tell the person answering the phone that I want to book a bunch of rooms and then ask for the manager. Do you think it would be appropriate to ask for a discount because we don’t really care about the rooms as long as they are all in the same area. > [@](#): > > And thanks for tipping the housekeepers! It’s shocking how many perfectly intelligent, presentable adults aren’t aware that it’s customary. (Honestly, it wasn’t too long ago that I clued in a long-time friend of mine - a nuclear engineer, not raised by wolves, I promise! He was 40 years old at the time, and had traveled all over the US and a great deal of the world, and had no idea!) I know that a lot of people (not you, I’m sure) think that bikers are uneducated trash who were raised by wolves. We really aren’t. We do know that we are loud and that traveling in a pack is intimidating to people. (Not to mention that we take up more room at restraunts because of helmets and leathers…at our regular eateries, the waitstaff love us because we tip well to make up for the inconvience.) Most of the guys thought that Hotel maids should be tipped because of the envelopes they would find in the rooms, so would give them a couple of bucks. They were flabergasted when I told them that Motel maids should be tipped as well. In your opinion, how much should they be tipping? This is a common discussion, do they tip a percentage of the room fee, or is there a set amount? I just tell them that they should tip as much as they would want to get tipped for cleaning up after their skuzzy asses, so going by their wide eyes, I’d guess the maids get tipped very well. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/70 "2011-05-22T00:33:55Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > This was very timely advice, thank you. I’m making plans for our next trip now. At this point, there are 37 committed (which means I have their money) and 6 ditherers … > > OK, now I know to tell the person answering the phone that I want to book a bunch of rooms and then ask for the manager. Do you think it would be appropriate to ask for a discount because we don’t really care about the rooms as long as they are all in the same area. You should absolutely ask for a discount. The groups I go with often get a discount for 5 rooms, and always for 10. The hotels/motels sometimes want payment in advance for the group rate. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/71 "2011-05-22T00:49:45Z")
Yes, certainly ask about a discount, or one free room per nine rented (in case some of your ditherers are dithering because of financial concerns?) or something. If you’ve already collected most of the money you expect to spend, ask whether you can get the comped rooms and an extra discount by placing (for example) a 25% deposit when you book the rooms. And if it’s a concern that more rooms might be needed, ask the manager to add a few extra rooms to the block, with a deadline of one week ahead of arrival for booking at the special rate. As for tipping, at the motel level, I’d recommend a dollar or two per day per room, with a little extra if someone makes an extra mess - spills coffee on the floor, for example. With a group that large, if it’s a multi-night stay, I might actually ask all of your travelling party to contribute to a “tip pool,” and then ask the manager to help you divvy up the tips among the maids. The same housekeepers won’t be in each room daily, but if (say, in a 100 room motel,) there are five housekeepers on duty during the course of your stay, and each room donates $5.00, those housekeepers could each get $1.00 per each room in your party per day. A single $40.00 tip (say, on a 5-day stay with 40 rooms booked) from the stay for each employee will make more of an impression than a dollar or two per day - they’ll like you a lot! (And of course, if someone makes a huge mess one day, that guest can hand his personal housekeeper a little extra at the time of the issue.) ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/72 "2011-05-22T02:04:49Z")
**doreen** and **Lacunae** thank you. I never ask for discounts because we are such a bother. I’m talking 39 bikes, not people. I ride my own, but a lot of the women will be riding with their friends. The one gay couple will share a room, but the rest of the guys will want private rooms. The logistics of moving this many people through 3 states is the reason I’m doing the planning for our October ride now. I will ask for discounts because I always pay for the rooms once the details are comfirmed. We don’t want to lose our rooms because we always arrive late. Free rooms would not be fair to the rest of the club, we know who have money problems and we help out. The ditherers are the same ones who call at the last minute and want to have 40+ people wait on the side of the road because they got up late. :smack: If the rooms are in the same area, we won’t bother people by all of us picking the rooms we want and/or changing around. We also won’t bother people by standing in the parking lot, drinking beer and smoking and talking. Hopefully, what I’ve learned from this thread will stop someone from making a Pit thread about us later. BTW, I’m not going to tell them that we have been over tipping. I’ve told them to tip at least 5 bucks a night, more if they ate spicy mexican. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/73 "2011-05-22T02:09:28Z")
Take the free rooms if they’re offered and then split the total by the number of rooms. Pay for 9 get one free works out to a 10% discount. ---
**Author:** ![pakalolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@pakalolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pakalolo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/74 "2011-05-22T21:17:16Z")
Re: Tipping. I do not expect housekeeping to clean my room while I am staying in a hotel. The do not disturb sign is up from the day we arrive till the day we leave. We are not messy or dirty people. Most of the room is usually left the way we found it, besides the slept in bed, and we pile all the used towels in the corner of the bathroom right before we leave. Are we really expected to leave a tip for the housekeeper to clean up after we depart? They are not performing any service for us while we are there. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have problems tipping for service. If I were to want them to clean my room while I am there, I would tip. But to clean the room after I am gone? I don’t see why. On to the original question… Most of my issues have already been covered; noise, smells, no water pressure in the shower. One problem I always seem to have that’s not been mentioned, tubs/showers that drain very slowly, ugh…nasty. Is it just me? Oh, and if the free breakfast includes sausage gravy it always seems to taste like what I would imagine dog food would taste like. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/75 "2011-05-22T22:03:17Z")
Just when I had almost forgotten about [this experience](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=117187). Almost. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/76 "2011-05-22T22:33:28Z")
I stayed in a lovely hotel recently, it had free fast wireless access in the lobby and in the bar, but not in the rooms. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/77 "2011-05-24T00:23:12Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > the Pepperdine women’s volleyball team and hooooooo boy. [you got that right](http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigwilliestyles/page475/) ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/78 "2011-05-24T04:26:25Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Hotels seem to weight there doors so that they’ll close heavily with even a light nudge, I think its so that people won’t leave the door slightly open by mistake. If your not used to it, its pretty easy to end up slamming the door. I am currently staying in the nicest hotel I’ve ever seen. The staff aren’t making fun of me because I’m a hick, the decor is wonderful, the balcony overlooking Houston even has a bugzapper. When I was was walking in and gave the door a butt shove because my hands were full, it slammed. :smack: The door also slammed when I left. I’m now being carefull. I haven’t heard doors slamming inside my room, but I think its because of the soundproofing in the rooms. I’ve heard doors slamming while I was waiting for the elevator. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/79 "2011-05-24T15:38:15Z")
We’re currently staying in a Super8 motel - I thought of this thread when we were woken up at 6:09 by a guy yelling for Jane right outside our outside door. The funny thing is that we are at the end of the hotel - there is no reason for ANYONE to be outside our door - it’s like he knew about this thread and had to oblige by coming out of his way to yell. 🙂 ETA: I forgot to add, the room is too hot and the thermostat is set completely off. The a/c woke us up every half hour all night long by coming on like a jet engine in the room. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175/80 "2011-05-25T17:08:14Z")
Was he yelling, " Jane ? JANE !!??? It’s me, Ed Zotti. I know you’re in there, Jane !!! " :eek: 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slamming-doors-and-other-hotel-annoyances/582175.md?page=5)