Watched "The Five Star Life" (movie about nothing but mystery shopping and personal relationships!) yesterday.
Last night, had nightmares....checking into a 5 star property...got all the required info; desk clerk, female, 30's, glasses, long blonde hair, uniform perfect, very professional, Martha. Her assistant, a vibrant, hilarious, friendly black male, 5'8", uniform perfect, no glasses, short black hair, 20's, named Mark.
They cannot find our reservation.
OK, how to maintain anonymity yet act like any customer would whose reservations are lost?
I take out my American Express black card, and ask to speak to a manager. A manager is called out. I assure him that American Express will be horrified -- horrified, I say! -- to find that a reservation made through them is not being honored.
The manager takes my card and my paperwork, pardons himself, assures us he will return momentarily, and disappears. He returns a few moments later; we are looking justifiably upset. We are thousands of miles away from home, it's our anniversary, we wanted everything PERFECT!!!
The manager literally falls all over himself apologizing. We are upgraded to a suite (not that the regular "rooms" in this establishment wouldn't qualify as a suite almost anywhere else!), with 24 hour concierge service, huge bouquets of fresh flowers, gift baskets, and champagne in each room of the suite (including BOTH bathrooms), 24 hour personal "butler" service, and 24 hour free food and beverage service.
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And as I walk away from the front desk, I clearly hear Martha say to Mark "goddamn mystery shoppers!"
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