PSA: Watch Out for the Westin

[RoboMom]

I've had some really life-changing job experiences over the years.
One of the most memorable was the summer I spent during high school as a chambermaid, the most junior of the crew, in a swanky resort. I have also had the job of running a lodge and supervising the cleaning and food service crew. (For any of you hikers in New England, this would be Pinkham Notch Camp which you pass heading up to Tuckersman's Ravine on Mt. Washington-not swanky by any criteria.)

I hope that everyone has the opportunity to experience working in a underpaid, under appreciated service role because it is an incredibly valuable life experience.

For most "nicer" hotels, (the Westin would fit this category) there are certain rules of the road that should be followed.

• Lock your "valuables" in the safe or at the front desk. This includes laptops, and gold necklaces and money you chose to leave behind.
• Maids will not assume that "money left around" is a tip, unless you have checked out. Please leave a tip if you think the maid did a good job. Otherwise, don't leave money around.
• If you do not want the maid to make the bed (which is one of the dictates they are given), call the front desk and tell them you do not want your room serviced. You can just request towels be replaced for example. Of course your clothes need to be moved off the bed in order to make it!
• A guest at a hotel with a key card can request to have the code changed at any time.

Schnabel experience was definitely a problem, and not necessarily because of the maid.