tell the hotel it's my son's birthday while we're there?

[MelindaKiah]

Does anyone know if they do anything special if someone is celebrating a birthday while at Universal?

We're staying at the RPR in December and while we're there, my son will be turning 16. Is this something I should let the hotel know? I don't expect anything...but do know some hotels do little things when it's a special day.

Figured I'd ask on here and see what everyone thought.

Melinda

 

[bjakmom]

IMHO it never hurts to let them know when you make your reservation - I let them know at HRH for my b'day and the young girl at check in said "I see we have a big birthday happening" - we got all our requests met for our rooms - then she brought me a large chocolate CD in a little HRH bag and wished me "HB". The next day when we got back to our room from the parks there was a cute birthday card on the tray with our loews gift.

We'll be staying at HRH for my son's 16th in Jan and I'll let them know again - he won't be upset if nothing happens (I won't even tell him I mentioned it) , but he'll be pleased if it does !

 

[RyGuy]

Mention it at check-in. They will send something up to the room for your son's Birthday.

 

[Motherfletcher]

My son will be 16 this month and on his 15th birthday just him and I went to PBH. I let them know in advance of his birthday. PBH not only didn't do anything but they neglected to bring the cookies and milk welcome gift. We ate at the Trattoria character dinner and one girl at reception said "Happy Birthday" because they had asked if there was a special occasion when I made ressies. Don't count on the hotels to do anything unless you arrange it in advance and pay for it.
The inattention in no way spoiled his birthday. He got all 9's on MIB and we busted into the minibar and I let him drink Bacardi like it was his birthday. The trouble was when I went to check out I told him to pack the suitcase and he packed everything that was in the minibar, the robe, the toilet paper and even the bathroom scale. I saw the lump for the scale and put it back but the other stuff I ended up paying for. He will be mowing my lawn well into his 30's for that.

 

[RyGuy]

Motherfletcher,

That's surprising. I have stayed at all three hotels for my birthday or a friends and have always received some type of gift in the room. I usually just mention at check-in that we are celebrating a birthday. PBH has told me before that the front desk staff can send up anything they want from balloons to a cake at no additional charge.

 

[AaronX]

I've come to understand that If you get a good person when you check in your visit could be great, but in the Loews family you'll get a different story from every person. Trust me, i've been trying to get my reservations stright for months and i've talked to anyone from the Manager to the V.P. of Guests Services about it and they all have different stories. When you check in, just find someone that looks happy

Btw, Happy Birthday to your son..

 

[macraven]

that's great some of you received something for a birthday.
last june we stayed at hrh and were celebrating my son's high school graduation and his birthday on the same day. this was two days after we checked in. (stayed 5 days)
it was noted on our ressies and the front desk was aware of this.
nothing was done, not even a , hey, happy birthday.

i guess it depends who is at the front desk.
raven

 

[Motherfletcher]

RyGuy-
I was kind of surprised too. It was my first experience with Loews and I somehow thought they would be about the same as Disney. I mentioned that I was disappointed when we checked out that we hadn't received the cookies and milk. The reception manager heard me and offered a bottle of wine. I told her that my son was only 15 and I was an alcoholic (21 years sober) and we couldn't use the wine. She told the girl that was checking me out to take $10 off the minibar bill. Good thing because as I was checking out my son did the packing and cleaned out the minibar. I have the PBH corkscrew, playing cards, camera, plastic coat, all the snacks, sodas, beer, little whiskey bottles, the robe, etc, etc. Those cashews in the glass jars are good.

 

[AaronX]

Alright so you took everything, and they didn't charge you for it? Why would you steal it in the first place?

 

[BarbaraMB]

I feel my leg being pulled! And IF all those things were packed away by a pack happy family member, I think the hotel will charge you! I really don't believe you let your just turned 16 year old have his way with the rum. (a mouth full?) I think my other leg is being tugged on.

 

[bjakmom]

I saw the lump for the scale and put it back but the other stuff I ended up paying for. He will be mowing my lawn well into his 30's for that.

I think MF is saying that he was charged and did pay for what his son packed.

He will be mowing my lawn well into his 30's for that.

Oh yeah - my DS would be paying that stunt off forever, too !!!

He got all 9's on MIB

That would be b'day present enough for my DS, too - no card or chocolate CD would come close !!

I think that you might as well mention the birthday and see what happens - they are certainly not required to give extras - but seems they sometimes can and do.

 

[Motherfletcher]

Oh, I paid alright. They took $10 off of the minibar bill that amounted to more than the cost of the room. The disposable camera was $20, the cashews were $10, etc. Since I was fairly liberal with the minibar during our stay my son thought everything in there was comp. It was his first encounter with a minibar. Before that I never got the key for a minibar.
There was a song at the time with a line, " Drink Bacardi like its your birthday..." He had one of those little bottles diluted with Coke to the point where he could drink it and still shivered. He didn't finish one glass. Since there is no booze in our house it was his first taste. I felt it was an oppurtune time on this father and son outing to allow him to drink and it was a way for him to ask questions about drinking. He told me about his friends that drink and I shared my experiences such as waking up in a Mexican border town jail. I have made him aware of the dangers of alcohol without glamourizing it whatsoever.
I was concerned about the scale. But the way it was packed so obvious in a outside zippered compartment that wasn't even zipped closed I think he was planning to get caught. He had a mischievious smile when I noticed it first thing back to the room. I think he would have said something before we actually put the suitcase in the van. The scale read 10 pounds light.
Leg pulling or not, does anyone need a Portofino corkscrew?