Lucky Mouth

[Lucky]

It’s no secret that I am willing to speak up, but it doesn’t always win friends or make allies. But in Bangkok, we had gone to Chinatown and walked miles in the heat. We were tired and sweaty upon returning to our nice air-conditioned hotel. But it wasn’t air-conditioned upon our return. The power was out. The hotel says they notified everyone of maintenance taking 4 hours in the hot afternoon. But they didn’t notify me. So I approached the front desk to make my complaint that it was hard to get ready for the spa under those conditions. Well, okay, aI didn’t specify that. The manager heard me and walked over to introduce himself.

Everything was very friendly and he wanted to know how he could make it up to us. Two massages? No. Drinks? No. I suggested 20000 points, but he said he couldn’t do that. Then he suggested dinner at the nice restaurant, so we agreed on that. What a lovely dinner. Anything we wanted. The bill must have come to $150 US. (We don’t drink alcohol.) But not bad since I wasn’t going to say anything until I saw the super beautiful clerk on duty.

And it got better. At dinner, we met a colleague of the manager and she asked, since we were leaving the next day, if they could comp us a limo ride to the airport. Oh, sure! Why not?  At the airport, a hotel rep greeted us and smoothed our way through. Nice to be a VIP, no? Lucky and his big mouth!

[Lucky]

We checked out of our first hotel in Hong Kong because I only had enough points for two free nights. I spoke up at check out, too. Why didn’t I get the senior discount at the dining room? Soon thereafter, I did, retroactively. In the course of that conversation I learned that they give paying customers discount coupons for breakfast. The nice lady said she would apply those to our two breakfasts. Given how high the prices are, it was a savings to me of $70 US just for the asking.

I am unhappy with our latest hotel, an aging old lady.But I am tired of speaking up. I guess there is only so much mileage in my lucky mouth. But, we’ll see. The current rate is $75 US a night less than I am paying. Does anyone think I can get them to give me the lower rate? For 4 nights, that’s $300!

[Latbear4blk]

1 hour ago, Lucky said:

We checked out of our first hotel in Hong Kong because I only had enough points for two free nights. I spoke up at check out, too. Why didn’t I get the senior discount at the dining room? Soon thereafter, I did, retroactively. In the course of that conversation I learned that they give paying customers discount coupons for breakfast. The nice lady said she would apply those to our two breakfasts. Given how high the prices are, it was a savings to me of $70 US just for the asking.

I am unhappy with our latest hotel, an aging old lady.But I am tired of speaking up. I guess there is only so much mileage in my lucky mouth. But, we’ll see. The current rate is $75 US a night less than I am paying. Does anyone think I can get them to give me the lower rate? For 4 nights, that’s $300!

[MsGuy]

"The current rate is $75 US a night less than I am paying. Does anyone think I can get them to give me the lower rate? For 4 nights, that’s $300! "

 

Lucky, I would never bet against your cranky ole self's ability to harry ordinary mortals into abject submission.

And with US$300 at stake?

I pity the poor fools.

[Lucky]

Well, here’s what happened. Coming back to the hotel tonight there was no activity at reception, so I approached a cute young guy with a nice, full head of hair. I told him the story: I am paying 1955 HK a night. I found on the website that rates had gone down. Tonight was 1530, the next two nights 1338. He basically called me a liar, insisting that their rates are never that low. He said he had just booked a walk-in who paid the 1900 or so.

Well, I went to my room and checked again. I found the same rates that I saw earlier. Our young friend was in disbelief, even when I showed him the numbers on the website. He had a breakthrough, though, because “Oh, sir, this is a special rate. You have to be a...”

Then he looked up at me and stopped speaking. I said I am already on this senior rate. So he went behind closed doors for a considerable time. When he returned, he had found the same rate for tonight, but an even lower rate for the next two nights, 1275.

Bottom line he said he would give me the reduced rates for tonight and the next two nights, but not for the first night since that has come and gone. I did not disagree.

Because the rates are subject to 10% tax, I saved 10% more on the reduction. My total savings should be 2051 HK. It’s not quite $300 US, Ms. Guy, but awfully close. When I guessed three hundred earlier, I was figuring all 4 nights. But, I am happy. Anyone want to hire me to argue for them?

[MsGuy]

 

 

Do you work on commission?

[Lucky]

Hehe, I am retired! But, it was nice to see that aI have retained some of my legal skills.

Edited January 15, 2019 by Lucky

[AdamSmith]

I live on a fixed income too.

Until I decide to get up off my lazy arse and earn whatever I deem needful.

[Lucky]

12 hours ago, AdamSmith said:

I live on a fixed income too.

Until I decide to get up off my lazy arse and earn whatever I deem needful.

Where in this thread is living on a fixed income mentioned? I don't know what your point is.