“They’ve given us two studios,” says the client on the phone from Portugal, who, I’m sure, did in fact book two studios.
“Let me check your booking,” I tell him. There it is in black and white: Two studio apartments.
I break the news that that’s what he’s booked and he replies: “Yes, I know that, but we’ve been here before and they’ve always given us one-bedroom apartments.
“There’s six of us here, you know, in two small studios.”
I suggest he speaks to reception and tries a charm offensive to get an upgrade.
“That’s not going to work,” he says, as “the wife’s kicked off big time at the reception manager” and the hotel’s threatening to kick them out.
I advise them to beat a hasty retreat to their tiny studios and keep their heads down for the rest of the week…
Next, a lady with a grown-up daughter, who clearly has better things to do than look for holidays with her mum, comes in. “Hi, you’ve been recommended,” she says.
“How can I help you?” I ask her.
“I’m looking for a late deal. There’s three of us and last year we got the Canaries, self-catering, for £1,300 total, so we’re looking for something similar this year, leaving this weekend.”
Very last minute.
“It’s busy,” I tell her. “But we can have a look.” In other words: I will check maybe two suppliers very quickly then get rid of you.
I start a quick late search and, surprise surprise, a Turkey self-catering comes up at £1,350. It’s not going to win any awards for architecture, but when I spin the screen around, she tells me likes the look of it.
I give her the flight times and then the penny drops. “Oh, we wanted two weeks,” she says.
After telling her the price for two weeks is £1,900, I’m informed she’s ‘not paying them kind of prices’ and walks out.
So near, yet so far…
Read more Secret Agent anecdotes here.
The post Tales from the Secret Agent: How not to get an upgrade appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
“Let me check your booking,” I tell him. There it is in black and white: Two studio apartments.
I break the news that that’s what he’s booked and he replies: “Yes, I know that, but we’ve been here before and they’ve always given us one-bedroom apartments.
“There’s six of us here, you know, in two small studios.”
I suggest he speaks to reception and tries a charm offensive to get an upgrade.
“That’s not going to work,” he says, as “the wife’s kicked off big time at the reception manager” and the hotel’s threatening to kick them out.
I advise them to beat a hasty retreat to their tiny studios and keep their heads down for the rest of the week…
Next, a lady with a grown-up daughter, who clearly has better things to do than look for holidays with her mum, comes in. “Hi, you’ve been recommended,” she says.
“How can I help you?” I ask her.
“I’m looking for a late deal. There’s three of us and last year we got the Canaries, self-catering, for £1,300 total, so we’re looking for something similar this year, leaving this weekend.”
Very last minute.
“It’s busy,” I tell her. “But we can have a look.” In other words: I will check maybe two suppliers very quickly then get rid of you.
I start a quick late search and, surprise surprise, a Turkey self-catering comes up at £1,350. It’s not going to win any awards for architecture, but when I spin the screen around, she tells me likes the look of it.
I give her the flight times and then the penny drops. “Oh, we wanted two weeks,” she says.
After telling her the price for two weeks is £1,900, I’m informed she’s ‘not paying them kind of prices’ and walks out.
So near, yet so far…
Read more Secret Agent anecdotes here.
The post Tales from the Secret Agent: How not to get an upgrade appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
