[PUBLIC] Dispatches from the Frosty North
Today I flew into Minneapolis/St. Paul. Departing the airport, I turned on the GPS on my Droid to take me to my hotel, the Courtyard Roseville. About halfway there, I got the 15% Battery Warning off my phone, but with some very small percentage battery life left, it got me to the hotel. I strolled in, presented my ID and Method of Payment, and Katie, the lady behind the counter very politely asked "Umm, are you perhaps booked at the Residence Inn, or Fairfield Inn here?"
This isn't the normal response I get from Marriott staff, so I assured her no, my itinerary did not call for another hotel. I was booked at the Courtyard Roseville. She looked me up by name. She looked me up by reward number. Finally, using the last gasps of my phone, I pulled up the Confirmation Number for my reservation. She typed it in.
"Oh," she said, "You're booked at the Courtyard Roseville in California."
Oh.
Suffice it to say, it was quite a commute from California to my project site just outside of St. Paul, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to get up early enough to make it back, so I asked if I could instead check-in at the Courtyard Roseville Minnesota. She worked at her station.
"I can have you here tonight, but tomorrow night we're booked full, I'm afraid. Perhaps the Residence Inn next door has space. Would you like me to call them?"
Now the Residence Inn is my prefered Marriott property. They give you a free bag of popcorn in your room every night. Its like Christmas everyday. I permitted her to call the Residence Inn on my behalf.
Oh, happy day! They could accomodate me. I thanked Katie and set off nearly a quarter mile up the road to the Residence Inn. There I met Ian, who, when I entered the lobby, said "Welcome, Mr. Brewer." A much better arrival, to be sure. He assured me this kind of thing happens now and again, and took my name, credit card information, and asked me if I had a rewards card. I dug out my rewards number, and presented it to him. His reaction was to exclaim surprisingly loudly, "Oh, geez, you're a platinum member, too!" He booked me in and told me how to get to my room.
I walked off to the elevator. In the elevator, I reached to get my key booklet to see which room I was in. I realized I did not have it. Thinking back, I realized I never received it. I walked back to the desk, and asked as politely as I could, "Will I need a key to get into the room?"
Ian took this in stride, chided himself for a "rookie mistake", and handed me two keys to my room. Now I am safely in my studio, taking the time to tell you this marvelous story of misadventure just south of north of he border.
This isn't the normal response I get from Marriott staff, so I assured her no, my itinerary did not call for another hotel. I was booked at the Courtyard Roseville. She looked me up by name. She looked me up by reward number. Finally, using the last gasps of my phone, I pulled up the Confirmation Number for my reservation. She typed it in.
"Oh," she said, "You're booked at the Courtyard Roseville in California."
Oh.
Suffice it to say, it was quite a commute from California to my project site just outside of St. Paul, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to get up early enough to make it back, so I asked if I could instead check-in at the Courtyard Roseville Minnesota. She worked at her station.
"I can have you here tonight, but tomorrow night we're booked full, I'm afraid. Perhaps the Residence Inn next door has space. Would you like me to call them?"
Now the Residence Inn is my prefered Marriott property. They give you a free bag of popcorn in your room every night. Its like Christmas everyday. I permitted her to call the Residence Inn on my behalf.
Oh, happy day! They could accomodate me. I thanked Katie and set off nearly a quarter mile up the road to the Residence Inn. There I met Ian, who, when I entered the lobby, said "Welcome, Mr. Brewer." A much better arrival, to be sure. He assured me this kind of thing happens now and again, and took my name, credit card information, and asked me if I had a rewards card. I dug out my rewards number, and presented it to him. His reaction was to exclaim surprisingly loudly, "Oh, geez, you're a platinum member, too!" He booked me in and told me how to get to my room.
I walked off to the elevator. In the elevator, I reached to get my key booklet to see which room I was in. I realized I did not have it. Thinking back, I realized I never received it. I walked back to the desk, and asked as politely as I could, "Will I need a key to get into the room?"
Ian took this in stride, chided himself for a "rookie mistake", and handed me two keys to my room. Now I am safely in my studio, taking the time to tell you this marvelous story of misadventure just south of north of he border.