[Anonymous]

[SimonRowberry]

Hi All,

Thought you might be interested in this.

I was in EDI a couple of weeks ago for a concert. Because of the Bank Holiday weekend and a Rugby League tournament happening (the latter supporters were great fun), the only (habitable) less-than-£300-on-a-Sat-night option was the Edinburgh Airport Hilton.

Having been to the gig and the apres-gig drinkette, I arrived back at the hotel around midnight. I had a mid-morning BA to LHR the next day for the same the following evening at The Barbican. It therefore seemed utterly reasonable to ask the front desk for an alarm call. The conversation went something like this:

“Hello, I’m in Room x and would like a wake-up call at y, please.”

“Sorry, Sir, we don’t give wake up calls.”

“Why not?”

“Hotel policy, Sir.”

“Hang on, this is a Hilton, at an airport, charging me x a night, and you don’t give a core benefit like a wake up call?”

“No Sir. Sorry. But as a Diamond Member, you have a free buffet breakfast.”

“Very kind of you. But I’d like the chance to wake up in time to eat it. This is pretty unheard of in a Hilton. May I speak to the Duty Manager, please?”

“That’s me, Sir.” (I think “Oh, bugger.”)

“There is a clock radio in your room and you can also set a wake-up call on your TV.”

“Could you show me how, please?”

“Certainly, Sir.”

I asked him if this was because the hotel was afraid of litigation in the event of not delivering (or allegedly not delivering) a wake-up call and he implied this was the case.

I then waited until HE had set both and, as he was leaving the room I couldn’t help but tell him as he had set them he was now liable if neither system worked. He visibly blanched.

In the event I woke up courtesy of the TV, the radio, the iPhone AND a call from the Memsahib. Better safe than sorry…..

Is this what we now have to face – hotels that are afraid to give core benefits because of our increasingly litigious (hope I got that right, VK ; ) ) society?

Interestingly, the next night I stayed at the Hilton Tower Bridge (a crackingly good hotel) and mentioned this matter to the staff in the Exec Lounge. They assured me this was not general Hilton policy and that they had never heard of such a stance being taken in one of their properties. Mind you it (Edinburgh Airport Hilton) was built as a Stakis, and these are very much “second tier” Hiltons in my view.

Ho hum.

Happy and safe travels to all,

Simon

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