5 + 1 “lovely” discoveries that I was lucky to experience in hotels during 2011
Hello from Cluj. I came here yesterday, today I return to Bucharest and then fly to Timisoara. Tomorrow I return from Timisoara to Bucharest and on Sunday I’m going to fly to Thessaloniki, Greece. Yesterday in the plane I realized that not only do I have more than 75 flights this year, but I also witnessed several “lovely” experiences during my stays in hotels in Romania (I traveled to 11 cities) and another 6 European countries.
Let me share with you the best 6 …
1. Probably the best elevator in the world
How good are you at targeting? Not much? Do you need some practice? Then come to Cluj. A super hotel here offers its guests the chance to experience something unique: You go on the elevator and in order for you to reach your desired floor, you have to keep on pressing the floor’s button. If you stop pressing it, you will be blocked somewhere on the way. So, come and try to stop the elevator at the right place in order for the door to open. An exciting experience!
2. The most polite employee
It was in Munich, Germany. Don’t you like patriots? Well… I found the best one. I was trying to order breakfast and the lady kept on talking in German. I used to know the language but I did not speak it too much over the last few years, so I am kind of rusty.
– “Sorry, could you please talk to me in English?” I dared to ask, but she continued in German.
– “Sorry, don’t you see I am a foreigner? Why do you continue speaking in German?” I insisted.
– “Well, sir, this is my native language, I am proud of it and this is how I will talk to you”.
– “Even if I don’t speak it myself?”
– “Then you can ask me politely to switch to English, your language”.
(Do you think that being a Greek was my main disadvantage?)
3. The floor that is not flat
Back in Romania, for a nice surprise. Aren’t you bored with… flat floors? Wouldn’t it be better for us to enjoy the surprise of multiple angles and levels? To try to avoid hurting ourselves? I found all this excitement in a hotel here, whose rooms are good for a motto cross. So when you want to check in, bring your bike as well.
4. The maze
You go to some hotels and everything is so boring… predictable… but if you love excitement, I have the solution for you. I visited a hotel, built on the corner of two streets. “Square land, simple building, easy construction” I thought when I looked at it from the outside (the Real Estate consultant never rests). But not everything is how it seems to be . The reception is placed wrong. The elevator is hidden, for the breakfast room you have to ask for a map. You want to reach your room? I had a room on the second floor and I barely managed to find it. A real maze, full of dead ends and excitements, awaits you here.
5. The architect’s magic, playful touch: Find the stairs!
This is not in Romania. A friend proposed to me a “wonderful hotel”, which also looked very “luxurious” on its internet page. Its reception really is, but the rest… let me not focus on the poor facilities and the huge cold rooms. The architect of this place was really inspired and he decided to play with the guests. He did not consider it necessary to install an elevator, but also he was probably kind of undecided regarding the need of stairs in the building. This is why he finally designed some narrow ones in order for you to walk from the ground floor to the first level. When you arrive there, don’t expect to simply turn right and continue to the upper level. No, no, no, there is no excitement in this. You have to find the stairs to the second floor, hidden behind some walls. If you don’t find them, you can also sleep on a luxurious coach they have in the corridor there.
5 + 1. “The outside temperature is just -3 degrees. Here we have much colder days, so there is no reason to start the heating so early”
I went to Iasi and I admit that I did not choose the most expensive hotel in the city. So I should be punished…
I was busy during the first part of the day, so I did not realize that my room was freezing cold. The reception finally answered my 3rd call.
First reply: “The outside temperature is just -3 degrees. Here we have much colder days, so there is no reason to start the heating so early. We usually turn it on after 18.00”.
Second reply: “I will send someone to check it”. 2 people came. Saw the heating panels and made a quick diagnosis: “Everything is ok”. “But it is very cold”, I complained. “This is correct, but when they will start the heating system, it will get warmer”.
Indeed, the room got warmer after 18.00. So if you dare to go there during the day, don’t forget your jackets and warm clothes…
PS. I also visited many nice places this year. I was impressed by some wonderful hotels I’ve discovered in Romania during 2011. Also in 80% of the cases I was treated with maximum respect and professionalism.