Hampton Inn

Happiness is remembering a time when things were just pleasant.  You could check into a hotel, anyone under the chain name and be assured of certain services.   That is why you chose to pay higher rates.

But in the greed of corporate America, that isn't so anymore.  It used to be you got points and they were not stolen by the corporation from you.  It used to be they would notify you if your points were going to expire.  It used to be that you could call Customer Care, ascertain the number of points you had, and their expiration and you could count on the company to honor that.

Not anymore.  I lost too many points a few days after I called to ensure my points had another year. For a time, I stopped staying at this corporation hotel.  It went downhill excessively then climbed back up.  I am sad to report my stays there are uneven.

No cookies on the weekend, newspapers run out fast, coffee is weak, heavily watered down, breakfast is sugary items like sweet breads, fatty sausage and bacon, no biscuits and not all the amenities are present in each hotel.  No tv guide, no extra toilet tissue (I even had a near bare roll on my last visit to a hotel in Sturbridge, Massachusetts) with a spare on the shelf. I suspect a few things are going on.  Housekeeping staff is overworked.  Corporate greed is cutting back on services.

I will stay in fewer and fewer hotels.  I may even seek upper tier ones in the future.  When I vacation, I do expect service. I always leave my room immaculate.  I expect the same when I check in.

I do expect Hampton Inn to compensate me according to their "100% guarantee satisfaction or refund".  Not like the one in the above mentioned site like the manager's clerk who called me yesterday to offer me a free night.

Are you kidding me?