The Night I Chose Peace Over Pesos: A Motel Owner's Tale
After over four decades in the hospitality racket, I’ve seen it all – from the bizarre to the downright baffling. But let me spin you a yarn about my latest encounter, a tale that might make you chuckle or nod in agreement if you’ve ever run a small business.
It was a balmy Saturday night, the kind where most Hotels will crank up their rates to fleece the weekend warriors. I had just locked up my office at 10 PM, a ritual cherished by both my guests and myself. Who wants the cacophony of late-night arrivals when you’re trying to catch some Z’s?
At 10:15 PM, just as I was about to surrender to the sandman, my phone rang. On the other end was a chap inquiring about the rate for a single bed. I quoted him $64.99 plus tax, explaining I was already closed for the night. He was over the moon, noting my rate was a whopping $50 less than the big chains in town. Not because my place is a dive, mind you, but because I don’t serve breakfast and keep it real with my independent vibe.
Fast forward 15 minutes, and there he was, pulling into my driveway like he owned the place, heading straight for my office. I greeted him with the warmth of a seasoned host, but he immediately launched into haggling mode, asking if he could get the room for $55. Now, I’m no pushover, especially when he’d just agreed my rate was a bargain. I told him, with all the politeness I could muster, that if he was after a $55 room, he should keep driving. And with that, I showed him the door.
He reluctantly agreed to the $65, but my spidey senses were tingling. Years of dealing with the public have taught me that those who haggle over fair deals are often the ones who’ll nitpick every speck of dust and leave you a one-star review online. So, I bid him adieu, locked up, and hit the hay. I slept like a log, knowing full well he was probably shelling out at least $50 more elsewhere or still on the road, searching for a place to crash.
Some might argue I should’ve taken his cash, but here’s the thing – short-term gains can lead to long-term pains. Guests like him are the ones who love to leave scathing reviews on Google and TripAdvisor. In the end, I chose tranquility over a few extra bucks.
And that, my friends, is the story of how I turned down a guest for peace of mind. In the motel business, sometimes you’ve got to pick your battles, and I chose to sleep soundly, knowing my reputation for fairness and quality service remained intact.