Anyone Here Work for a Hotel Assigning Rooms?

[tarheelmjfan]

As I've mentioned before, DH & I travel a lot for his job. Greater than 80% of the time we're assigned a room behind the elevator or across from it. It has become a running joke for us. I guessed which room was ours this afternoon, based solely on the floor number. On our current trip, we've had three rooms behind the elevator out of four hotels. The other hotel didn't have an elevator. Why are we always assigned these rooms? We're just curious.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I used to work front desk. A lot of times, it's when you arrive.

And it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. People often wanted rooms without having to walk a mile. Those rooms are close to elevators.

That said, I travel A LOT. I have a running Facebook joke about my future "coffee table picture book" of HVAC units seen from my hotel rooms. I have very bad hotel room karma with regards to my view. Example: recent Chicago. I'm ready when they need the archers.

 

[Deb]

As I've mentioned before, DH & I travel a lot for his job. Greater than 80% of the time we're assigned a room behind the elevator or across from it. It has become a running joke for us. I guessed which room was ours this afternoon, based solely on the floor number. On our current trip, we've had three rooms behind the elevator out of four hotels. The other hotel didn't have an elevator. Why are we always assigned these rooms? We're just curious.

unless it's all at one chain, it's just luck of the draw. You can generally put in a request to be away from the elevator, but as the person above said, if it's a large hotel, be prepared to walk.

If it's all the same chain, there is a possibility you pissed someone off at some point and the put a note on your profile. But I doubt that's the case

 

[Ning Ning]

I used to work front desk. A lot of times, it's when you arrive.

And it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. People often wanted rooms without having to walk a mile. Those rooms are close to elevators.

That said, I travel A LOT. I have a running Facebook joke about my future "coffee table picture book" of HVAC units seen from my hotel rooms. I have very bad hotel room karma with regards to my view. Example: recent Chicago. I'm ready when they need the archers.

View attachment 902117

Sorry, I had to laugh at your last comment! What an awful view!

 

[_19disnA]

lf you are traveling on business, I would be less interested in what room I got since I am probably at the office during the day and don't really care about the view when I return in the evening after dinner since it probably already dark outside. Being close to the elevator is more convenient, so I am not sure why someone thinks that is a problem.

Being on vacation at some sort off resort probably means more in terms of the view. However, I would still prefer being close to the elevator given the choice. I agree as someone else mentioned, you will probably never please everyone and the specific often arbitrary preferences they have regarding their room.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I used to work front desk. A lot of times, it's when you arrive.

And it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. People often wanted rooms without having to walk a mile. Those rooms are close to elevators.

That said, I travel A LOT. I have a running Facebook joke about my future "coffee table picture book" of HVAC units seen from my hotel rooms. I have very bad hotel room karma with regards to my view. Example: recent Chicago. I'm ready when they need the archers.

View attachment 902117

It appears you have our luck.

It doesn't seem to matter, when we arrive. We can arrive at 4 or 10 & still get assigned a room right by the elevator.

unless it's all at one chain, it's just luck of the draw. You can generally put in a request to be away from the elevator, but as the person above said, if it's a large hotel, be prepared to walk.

If it's all the same chain, there is a possibility you pissed someone off at some point and the put a note on your profile. But I doubt that's the case

The four hotels this trip have all been in different loyalty programs. I hope we're not so horrible that we've pissed all of them off.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

lf you are traveling on business, I would be less interested in what room I got since I am probably at the office during the day and don't really care about the view when I return in the evening after dinner since it probably already dark outside. Being close to the elevator is more convenient, so I am not sure why someone thinks that is a problem.

Being on vacation at some sort off resort probably means more in terms of the view. However, I would still prefer being close to the elevator given the choice. I agree as someone else mentioned, you will probably never please everyone and the specific often arbitrary preferences they have regarding their room.

While we are technically traveling for business only DH is gone, during the day. I sleep later & would prefer to have a room that isn't noisy in the morning. We've never complained about our room location though. It just seems odd that we always get a room in a similar location.

FWIW, DH doesn't use a cooperate account to book, so they don't know we're there for business.

 

[Deb]

While we are technically traveling for business only DH is gone, during the day. I sleep later & would prefer to have a room that isn't noisy in the morning. We've never complained about our room location though. It just seems odd that we always get a room in a similar location.

FWIW, DH doesn't use a cooperate account to book, so they don't know we're there for business.

start requesting a quiet room away from elevators and vending

 

[tvguy]

Most of the hotels I have stayed off in recent years are relatively new, and are designed with either the electrical room or storage room between the elevators and any guest rooms. Elevators tend to be kind of offset so there are no rooms across from them.
Did have a first happen last year. After a long day of driving we checked into our room at a Holiday Inn Express, open the door, the room is all dark, towels on the entry way floor, and a woman yells...."HELLO?". Yup someone in the room, and they didn't throw the dead bolt or the security latch. Went back down to the front desk just as the people in the room called. Front desk clerk was nice with them, but asked them to come back down and put a credit card on their account as the room had been closed out and billed. She got off the phone and said she would have to do some investigating to see if in fact these people had told an employee they were extending their stay, but they have had issues with people trying to stay and extra night without paying and hoping not to get caught.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

start requesting a quiet room away from elevators and vending

We should probably do that. We've never made requests, because we didn't want to appear difficult. Apparently, that's not working.

 

[MIGrandma]

I’m the one who always makes our hotel reservations. We try to stay at Hilton brands most of the time for the points and our room preferences are on file. We prefer the highest floor possible, and as far away from the elevator as possible.

 

[BrianL]

I’m the one who always makes our hotel reservations. We try to stay at Hilton brands most of the time for the points and our room preferences are on file. We prefer the highest floor possible, and as far away from the elevator as possible.

Plus, for most stays, you can use digital check-in and select your room on the app.*

*Yes, I do work for Hilton.

 

[Disneylover99]

We should probably do that. We've never made requests, because we didn't want to appear difficult. Apparently, that's not working.

Making a request does not make you appear difficult.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Sorry, I had to laugh at your last comment! What an awful view!

LOL. I have a bunch of them. I'm serious about a coffee table book. San Diego comes to mind.

And you'd think my karma wouldn't be in effect south of the border, but here's Guadalajara:

 

[lovesmurfs]

While we are technically traveling for business only DH is gone, during the day. I sleep later & would prefer to have a room that isn't noisy in the morning. We've never complained about our room location though. It just seems odd that we always get a room in a similar location.

FWIW, DH doesn't use a cooperate account to book, so they don't know we're there for business.

If it's important to you, when you make the reservations, you (or your DH) need to specify that you want a quiet room -- call the hotel directly and talk to the front desk the day before or the morning of your arrival. You will end up in outer Mongolia, but it'll be quiet.

 

[lovesmurfs]

And my cover page (another beauty from Chicago, I believe):

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Plus, for most stays, you can use digital check-in and select your room on the app.*

*Yes, I do work for Hilton.

It's funny you say that. I'm currently sitting in a Hilton Garden Inn behind the elevator. Maybe, you could hook us up. I will say it's been fairly quiet. I heard a couple groups early this morning, but that's been it.

If it's important to you, when you make the reservations, you (or your DH) need to specify that you want a quiet room -- call the hotel directly and talk to the front desk the day before or the morning of your arrival. You will end up in outer Mongolia, but it'll be quiet.

Our biggest problem is we rarely book our hotels far in advance. Most are booked same day. My top priorities are location & reviews at that point. We've resigned ourselves to taking the room we get, but you all have convinced me that it wouldn't hurt to call to make a request, even if we're only a few hours away.

 

[BrianL]

It's funny you say that. I'm currently sitting in a Hilton Garden Inn behind the elevator. Maybe, you could hook us up. I will say it's been fairly quiet. I heard a couple groups early this morning, but that's been it.

I'm afriad I could not, but if you use the app you should be able to select a room. If you are booking last-minute, that might affect what is available.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I've appreciated the responses & commiserating with @lovesmurfs. If you travel enough, you will get dumpster, roof or air handling unit views. I expect it, especially for work travel, but lovesmurfs needs to slip a rabbit's foot in her luggage.

Obviously, some hotels are louder than others. Being near an elevator or stairs isn't always a major problem with noise, but it can be. I didn't really post this to complain, but to see if anyone had a clue why we keep getting these rooms. It seems more than coincidental at this point. @MIGrandma sparked a thought. I was really sick in 2022 & struggling to survive much less travel with DH. He may have requested to be near an elevator to make things easier for me then & it's still on file. That's definitely something to check into.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I'm afriad I could not, but if you use the app you should be able to select a room. If you are booking last-minute, that might affect what is available.

We don't typically use any of the hotel apps. We stay at so many brands that our phones would be full of apps. It's probably time that we got over caring about that & started using them though.