GGuest UserMy family and I stayed for two nights with breakfast, and overall, we were satisfied with the hotel. The thoughtful detail of providing late-night congee (convenient for seniors) was particularly commendable. However, what happened with the hotel restaurant waiter on our departure morning was truly infuriating.
Here’s a brief summary of the incident: I arrived at the hotel restaurant entrance with two family members and proactively presented the room cards for both rooms. The waiter responsible for registration told me that only the room numbers were needed, so I provided both (and saw him record them on a form). The waiter then indicated that the three of us could enter the dining area. While we were eating, my family member mentioned that this waiter had approached her again to ask for her room number when she was getting food. She told the waiter that she had already checked in for dining. My family member was confused and upset about being asked for her room number again mid-meal. I could only explain to her that I was the one who handled the check-in at the restaurant entrance, so the waiter might not have noticed her. My family member accepted my explanation, and we continued to enjoy our meal.
Unexpectedly, a moment later, as I was alone at the buffet counter getting food, the same waiter walked straight up to me and asked for my room number. I told the waiter, “You already registered and verified our room numbers at the entrance before we came in, and we entered the restaurant with your permission.” I then asked the waiter, “Does every guest who registers at the entrance and enters the restaurant get asked for their room number again?” The waiter said no.
Everything described above is an objective and factual account, without any subjective emotion. By the way, a front desk supervisor happened to witness the scene and immediately apologized to us with sincere politeness. I commend this supervisor’s professionalism and crisis management skills.
Without saying more, I just want to raise two questions:
1. It is standard practice for hotel buffet restaurants to have a verification process at the entrance, such as guests presenting their room cards or stating their room numbers. The hotel verifies the guest’s identity, then allows them to enter the dining area and be seated. This should be considered the completion of the identity verification process, and guests should not be disturbed again for this purpose while dining. This is basic etiquette and the minimum standard of hospitality. If guests are asked to re-verify their identity while eating, it’s just ridiculous. Honestly, among all the hotels I’ve stayed at, both domestically and internationally, from five-star establishments to general chain hotels, this is truly the first time I’ve encountered such an odd and rude experience.
2. Since the waiter responsible for registration at the hotel buffet area explicitly stated that not every guest entering the restaurant needs to have their room number reconfirmed, I am curious: by what criteria does he select which guests need to be re-verified? And it’s quite an honor that both my family members and I were singled out twice.
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