Hugh's Hotel Life Stories

[⚅Hugh Wallington]

Hotel Life 31
 
We had a "family" gathering at a Pub in Brent Knoll last night (The Red Cow). Twenty of us all together. Bronwyn's nephew and his wife are over from Australia (we went to their wedding when over there in 2001) so it was nice to meet up with them again. 

When some of the party were leaving and saying their goodbyes, Amy (our grand-daughter, who will be 12yrs old on Monday) pretended she was going too and said "Bye, Grandad", and she waved as she went towards the door. 

"Bye", I said. Then she came back in and said it again ... and then a third time. 
So I said, "Bye Amy ... go on ... buzz off!".

At which point she said "Grrrrandad!" ... she always rolls her "r"s when she's telling me off! ... "You said a RUDE WORD to me just now!", to which I replied "No, I certainly did not!". 

"You did", she said "you said piss off" ... which was immediately backed up by both Bronwyn's nephew and his wife! 
"We heard", they said. "And had thought, 'Gracious, fancy Hugh telling his grand-daughter to piss off!!'".

[⚅Hugh Wallington]

Hotel Life 32
 
We had an enquiry middle of last week for two rooms over the weekend. A lady and a gentleman who knew each other 30 years ago and hadn't met up since. Very romantic! They have had some super sunny weather, and they went to see a comedy at the Playhouse Theatre their first night here. We were there too and it was brilliantly done. One of the best plays I have seen.
 
At breakfast, having had a full English breakfast followed by toast and marmalade I asked them if they wanted any more of anything ... to which the gentleman replied (with tongue in cheek!) that he would be quite happy to have more of anything that was on offer!

[⚅Hugh Wallington]

Hotel Life 33

The couple staying in Room 7 mentioned to me this morning that the bulb had gone in the light over their sink.  This is a light/shaver socket, with an isolating transformer for switching between 240v and 115v.  When I went up to their room, I realised there was a very loud "electrical" buzzing sound coming from the direction of the shaver light.  So I pulled the chord in case the light was switched on, but no it wasn't that.  Perhaps the transformer?  So I went downstairs and pulled out the fuse for the ring main on that floor ... but still the buzzing sound was there.  So then tried the lighting circuit.  Still there.  Well, nothing for it, I'd have to turn off all the electric to the Hotel.  And then reset all the bedside clocks, microwaves etc. afterwards.

Confident I had resolved the problem and what was needed was a new shaver light, I went back into the bathroom ... but that buzzing noise was still there!  And it appeared to be coming from behind the wall.  So I checked Room 6 .. couldn't hear it in there .. checked in the loft .. couldn't hear it up there.  I put my ear to the wall and the buzzing sound was very loud.  So what was behind the wall that was buzzing?  With all the electric off!  I moved the wicker chair so I could get a better idea of exactly where the buzzing sound was coming from.  (Incidentally, I was very worried at this stage as I could not let the room with that noise going on .. and wondered if I would have to call an electrician in to solve the mystery).

And as I moved the chair .. the buzzing sound, although still there, had become quieter.  And trying to identify the direction of the noise I suddenly noticed a toilet bag on the cushion on the chair.  Which is where the sound was coming from.  Upon opening the bag (I expect you've already guessed) I found an electric toothbrush .. switched on and spinning round and round!  The back of the chair had been resting against the wall and the vibration had made the whole wall act like a "loudspeaker".  This isn't the first time I have been caught out by an electric toothbrush.  I must remember in future.

[⚅Hugh Wallington]

Hotel Life 34

We have had a lady and her daughter arrive today ... with her elderly parents.  The taxi driver brought their cases into our hall, and after I had checked them in and given them their keys they headed for the stairs.  Her elderly father began to lift his case, but she said, "Leave it Dad.  I'll take it up for you".

Upon which he tried again to lift the case, but couldn't even move it.  So she said again, "Leave it Dad.  I'll take it for you.  It's too heavy for you".

And again, he tried to lift the case and managed to raise it an inch or so .. 'til it pulled him back, and he nearly toppled over.

Upon which she marched over, lifted the case and headed up the stairs.

He called out to her, "I don't know how you manage it!"

And as she headed up the stairs I heard her mutter under her breath ...

"Anger!"

[⚅Hugh Wallington]

Hotel Life 35

Well, not a Hotel story this time.  Grandchildren again!

I was taking Kate (aged 6yr) and Abbie (aged 4yr) home and they were singing songs in the back of the car.

And Kate came up with this one ...

The Grand Old Duke Of York,
He had ten thousand men,
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.

And when they were up they were up,
And when they were down they were down,
And when they were only half way up
Their trousers all fell down.

!!!!

Followed by fits of giggles!

Grandchildren !!!

[⚅Hugh Wallington]

Hotel Life 36

I went down to our local hardware store today (yes, we still do have one of those!) for some methylated spirit for a fondue we were doing for our children and grandchildren.

"You've come at the right time", said the shopkeeper.  "It's on special offer today.  Buy two and you get a FREE straw!"

[⚅Hugh Wallington]

Hotel Life 37

We had some guests arrive, and their first words as they came in through the door were, “We’re so glad to be away.  We’ve been really looking forward to a nice quiet, peaceful weekend.”

Now this is just asking for trouble!  So in the morning, at breakfast, I asked them if they had had a good night.

“Well,” they said.  “We’ve been up half the night.  But we didn’t mind.  It’s been just like Coronation Street in your road.  At about 2am we heard a noise outside in the street, and when looking out of the window we noticed some young men round our car, which concerned us.  And two of them were throwing stones at the first floor windows of the flat next door, and calling out “Sharon! Sharon!”.  Then two others arrived with a long pole and used it to tap on the windows next door, and still calling out “Sharon!  Sharon!”.  Then the alarms went off at the Queenswood Hotel, opposite you … and lights started coming on ‘till the whole hotel was lit up.  And people started coming out of their front door in their dressing gowns and slippers and standing in the car park.  At this point two police cars arrived with sirens going, followed by a black maria.  They bundled the young men up into it and drove them off.  Meanwhile, the Queenswood’s guests were filing back into the Hotel, and the lights began going out as people went back to bed.  Then all was quiet again and we were able to go back to sleep.  What on earth had been going on?”.

Well, I didn’t know, but promised I would find out.

It turns out that a group of youngsters were having a party, and had invited this Sharon, who lived in the first floor flat next to us, along.  But Sharon had rung to say that her mother was ill, and she had to go and visit her.  But at 2am their party was still in full swing and some of them had decided to come up here and get her.  But unknown to them, Sharon had decided to stay at her Mum’s house that night, so wasn’t in her flat at all.

Now the owners of the Queenswood, opposite, had decided to have a night away in London, which they would normally not even have contemplated doing, but their son had offered to come and “hold the fort” for them while they were away.  The people booked in at the Queenswood that night were all taking part in a swimming competition, and had specified that they needed a good night’s sleep.  Well, with the commotion going on over the road with the young men throwing stones and calling out “Sharon!” they had had enough, and had decided to fetch the Proprietor to sort them out.  But of course there was no response to the night bell as there was no one in that bedroom .. their son was sleeping in another guest bedroom.  So they decided to venture into the office and the kitchen to see if they could find anybody.  But these areas were alarmed .. and as the burglar alarm was mistaken for a fire alarm the other guests, thinking there was a fire, started vacating the property.  And the police, aware that the burglar alarm had gone off rushed up in their police cars and found the young men with the pole and thought they were breaking in.  So called for them to be taken off to the police station.  They eventually found the proprietor’s son, who had not been aware of any of this, and once the all clear had been given everyone was able to go back to bed.

So if any of the “Street” writers are reading this, how about this for a story?

[⚅Hugh Wallington]

Hotel Life 38

This story is of a more serious nature.

We have a group of four staying at the moment who are carrying out some market research in the town ... and they asked for an early breakfast.  Then in the morning, when I went through the hall to our Dining Room, I realised that the Fire Alarm Control Panel was making a "pipping" sound.  So went over to look.  Now we have just had installed a modern "state of the art" "Wireless" fire alarm system, and this has a computerised display panel rather like the AR.  It informed me that the smoke detector in Room 8 had been removed.

Now this was one of the group of four ... so I went up to Room 8 and knocked on the door.  The door was opened, and I could clearly see the smoke detector was where it should be.  But I intimated to the occupant that at some stage the detector had been removed ... and there was no point denying it (which he was in the process of doing) because my Control Panel was showing that it had been removed at some time.  Our Hotel being completely NO SMOKING it didn't take much to work out what had been going on.

He then apologised, and said that yes, he had been going to smoke but in the end had fallen asleep.  At which point I pointed out to him that by his action he had put the whole Hotel at risk.  If he had been smoking and fallen asleep, he could very well have set the whole house on fire.  And with no smoke detector in situ in his room the alarm would not have been triggered.

He apologised again, and said he hadn't realised we had such a sophisticated fire alarm system in place ... and added that usually when he removed the detectors in Hotels for a smoke he just put them back in again afterwards without anyone being any the wiser.

But I hope I have given him something to think about.

[⚅Hugh Wallington]

Hotel Life 39

Well, not exactly.

Heard on the telly this morning ...

"The one good thing about Manchester is that there are trains that leave and go to less rainy cities"

!!!!!

Do any of you live in Manchester?

Sorry!

[♔Chello]

Hotel Life 39

Well, not exactly.

Heard on the telly this morning ...

"The one good thing about Manchester is that there are trains that leave and go to less rainy cities"

!!!!!

Do any of you live in Manchester?

Sorry!

⚅Hugh




Some people lack basic manners and understanding, and deserve to spend the night on the street.