Derby Does Paris

Does the attitude sound familiar?

From an NRO blog entry by John Derbyshire

«[E-mail received] Dear Madam or Sir---You stay in our hotel last week in the room 34 and you did not live the key when you live. You pay your bill and just left whitout leving the key at the front desk. I will just ask you to be very kind and send back the key because since you live the room is close, we dont have any other key to open that door I am waiting to hear about you and I hope you will send back the key to the hotel. ---HOTEL COMFORT SAINT PIERRE, 10 RUE DE CLIGNANCOURT, 75018 PARIS

[Derb] Dear Sir---I have no idea what happened to the key. I do not have it. I checked all my luggage. I asked my family -- they do not know where your key is. We just do not know. Is it not usual for hotels to keep a master key for all their rooms?

[E-mail received] Dear sir---I am the one who was there when you check out and i am sure that you did not live the key, your wife and children was near the door only you was in the front desk to paid your bild yoou did not live the key. You close the door whitoout living the key it true and I dont have any reason to lie and now it is a very big deal for me and the manager. Please try to have a look one more time sorry to border you but it verry important to me to find back that key. Sincerly yours

[Derb] (1) We don't have your key. We have all checked. (2) In 40 years of traveling around the world, I have never experienced so much fuss about a room key. Hotels keep master keys or duplicates. That is basic hotel management. Hotel guests never think about keys. If I lose a key, the hotel gives me a replacement. That is how it is, all over the world. (3) If keys are so very important to you, then you should take great care that guests hand them in before leaving. (4) Are there no locksmiths in Montmartre? (5) If you and your manager are being criticized and persecuted by your superiors, I shall do what I can to help. It is not right for employees to suffer because of bad company policies. Please refer your superiors to me, and I shall try to pacify them. However, the fundamental problem here is not my carelessness, or yours. The fundamental problem is bad hotel management.»

- Merci buckets to Val.