No matter how basic or fancy the hotel you stay at, the odds are that you will interact with the staff the most on two occasions. One, when you check in; and two, when you check out. Other than that, most guests have minimal interaction with hotel staff these days. The key cards are electronic so you don’t need to go to reception to pick up your key. Housekeeping cleans the room when you are out and about. And so on.
Which is why it is imperative that hotels get their check in and check out routines just right. You would think that would be easy. But you would be surprised at how many of them fail the test. Well, in my book, at least.
Let’s just deal with the check-in experience this week. We will talk about check-out routines another week.
First off, there is the patter. From the time you get out of your car to the time you reach your room, you will be asked the same question by every member of staff you encounter. “How was your journey?” they will trill cheerily. The truth is that none of us want to dwell on our ‘journey’ which probably involved an overnight layover at an airport and then several hours cooped up in a steel tube hurtling through the air. We just want to forget that whole nightmarish experience and get on with our holiday. So, reminding us of our travails serves no purpose.
Instead, hotel staff would do much better if they appreciate that when we enter the hotel we want to look forward not back. So, how about a greeting that says, “Welcome to our city. We are so looking forward to hosting you.” Something along those lines would make us feel welcome and put us in a better frame of mind than being asked incessantly about our flights, trains, road trips, etc.
{{/usCountry}}Instead, hotel staff would do much better if they appreciate that when we enter the hotel we want to look forward not back. So, how about a greeting that says, “Welcome to our city. We are so looking forward to hosting you.” Something along those lines would make us feel welcome and put us in a better frame of mind than being asked incessantly about our flights, trains, road trips, etc.
{{/usCountry}}But even this kind of interrogation is better than being greeted by, “Hello, madam, how are you today? You look very tired!” Really? No kidding. I’ve just spent a sleepless night on an uncomfortable airplane seat, eating execrable re-heated food. So, I guess I do look tired; but thanks very much for pointing that out. I would never have known otherwise.
No matter how tired you look, though, it will not stop hotel staff from offering you a property tour the moment you have checked in. This is the dining room, where we serve breakfast every morning. This is the outdoor pool; and that’s the gym at the end of the corridor (it has a steam and sauna as well). This is our specialty restaurant; can we make a booking for you on any night of your stay? Would you like to check out the bar before you head to your room? They make a mean Negroni.
No, I always want to answer, I want to do none of that. I just want to head to my room, use the loo, brush my teeth, have a hot shower, and slip into my pajamas. Your property tour can wait until I feel human again.
Of course, I say nothing of the sort. I just nod politely and think longingly of the bed awaiting me upstairs, praying that I will get there sooner rather than later.
From HT Brunch, March 28, 2026
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