hotel stay reports

Just hoping someone can give me an idea of the report required by one of the MS that does hotels all over the world. I have requested a listing of what would need to be documented/written about from the scheduler and have never received a reply. The coverage of the hotel stay would be inviting if it was in a location I planned to be in anyways. The only one I can do without travel expense is within 35 miles of me so I'd be doing it for a weekend out. Looks like the pay is 50 for a 2 days stay with multi interactions at dinner, bar and breakfast. I am wondering if the pay/time to write up the report is worth it for a weekend out?

Any feedback is appreciated.

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The complexity of the report and the level of detail required varies soooo much by MS company (MSC) that it is not possible to help without knowing the MSC name. You can name the MSC as long as you do NOT name the client. btw, if it is Coyle, you will be highly unlikely to get a hotel shop from them unless you have already done a number of their fine dining shops, with top marks.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I recently did a 2-day hotel stay. Besides the looong reports, there are so many tests you have to do while at the hotel, e.g. 1) calls to front desk 2) complain about noise next door 3) wake up call 4) turn down service- mess up the bed, bathroom mirror, towels, take pictures of before and after; 5) take pictures when you first walk in the room; 6) call for Engineer and pretend TV or something is not working right, remove an antennae cord so the picture is fuzzy, etc... 7) call housekeeping and request something .........and on and on.....All of these are separate reports category, of course....The reports were so time consuming that I did not even enjoy my visit to the city or hotel. In addition, only one breakfast and in-home dining was reimbursable. I had out-of-pocket expenses for 1 lunch, 1 dinner and breakfast on the checkout day or go without breakfast. The fee just is not worth the hours and hours spent on the reports.

By the way, what MSC's do you like that does hotels?
Has anyone worked for Travessa? I was contacted. Their narrative samples look horrendous as well.

There can be lots of perks that make hotel shops worth your while, and all of those interactions a as simple as pie after one or two shops. I always have time to put my feet up and read, watch TV, walk around a new city, or go to the pool. Being organized and writing the report during the stay are fundamental. Like most hotel shoppers, I plan to leave the hotel with all of the report written except the departure sections. My rewards points from hotel MS buy me LOTS of free nights each year at very nice hotels. btw, take a cooler with you and/or get a room with a fridge. Pack one picnic supper and some breakfast supplies and munch while you write.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

@ShopperFun99 wrote:

I recently did a 2-day hotel stay. Besides the looong reports, there are so many tests you have to do while at the hotel, e.g. 1) calls to front desk 2) complain about noise next door 3) wake up call 4) turn down service- mess up the bed, bathroom mirror, towels, take pictures of before and after; 5) take pictures when you first walk in the room; 6) call for Engineer and pretend TV or something is not working right, remove an antennae cord so the picture is fuzzy, etc... 7) call housekeeping and request something .........and on and on.....All of these are separate reports category, of course....The reports were so time consuming that I did not even enjoy my visit to the city or hotel. In addition, only one breakfast and in-home dining was reimbursable. I had out-of-pocket expenses for 1 lunch, 1 dinner and breakfast on the checkout day or go without breakfast. The fee just is not worth the hours and hours spent on the reports.

By the way, what MSC's do you like that does hotels?
Has anyone worked for Travessa? I was contacted. Their narrative samples look horrendous as well.

I have worked for them and the owner is wonderful - she will treat you like a professional and some of my favorite properties ever I was introduced to the property by her. However, if you look at the sample and say that you feel like that is horrendous, then I would recommend that you not work for her - she gives you that sample so that you know what she will expect.

Travessa is picky upfront -- she uses shoppers whose reports are not likely to need heavy editing.

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams

@ShopperFun99 wrote:

Has anyone worked for Travessa? I was contacted. Their narrative samples look horrendous as well.

Can we just add a clarification mean to say horrendous (in length and detail)? @MickeyB recently told me that she thought the sample came from one of my reports!

While the reports may be tedious, I cannot say enough nice things about the owner of the company. She will go out of her way to work with you, and is truly understanding to the plight of shoppers. If you approach the shops professionally, you will feel more respected than with just about any other MSC.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

@ShopperFun99 wrote:

Has anyone worked for Travessa? I was contacted. Their narrative samples look horrendous as well.

Can we just add a clarification mean to say horrendous (in length and detail)? @MickeyB recently told me that she thought the sample came from one of my reports!

While the reports may be tedious, I cannot say enough nice things about the owner of the company. She will go out of her way to work with you, and is truly understanding to the plight of shoppers. If you approach the shops professionally, you will feel more respected than with just about any other MSC.

Agreed. She is really nice.

Thanks for your input.

I travel to NYC monthly for one hotel night along with other work. I get to the city, work all day, get to the hotel around 3, do hotel work and related reports until about 5:30, go to dinner with a friend, go see a show or something, back to the hotel to set the wake up call and I’m done for the day. Next morning it’s breakdast and check out and I’m out of there by 8:30 or 9 and back to other work with about 30 mins of reporting to finish for the hotel (mostly the whole check out procedure).

Once you get good at hotels and specific MSC’s requirements, they become very easy.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

You mean you do not have to do all those checks and calls I enumerated in my original post? And take tons of before and after pictures? Sounds like all you have to do was observe check in procedure, room, wake up call and check-out. Is that right? But it is only one night stay. What MSC is it?

There is still a lot to do. No pics though. I’m efficient about it. I’ll call down for the engineering request while I’m writing up the check in, for instance. While I wait for the dude to show up, in writing. By the time he gets there, I’m ready to move on to the next phase. I don’t allow myself downtime while I’m on the property.
Housekeeping request happens immediately after the wake up call comes in. That way I’m finishing up the wake up call section and the call down for housekeeping narrative while I wait for them to deliver my free toothbrush (I have so many disposable toothbrushes).
Got to keep it efficient.

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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

Yes, you got it down good. Very efficient. No pictures? I had to take over 70 pics and imagine the time it took to upload them all, in the proper sections. Can you share the MSC by PM? I am no where near NYC, so no competition. Thanks.

I do the ones that require pictures of the room and bathroom before I touch anything and of any problems, and maybe of the lighted signage at night, pool, exercise room, uneaten meals, front desk area, etc. You just do some pix as you walk to or from the bar, to or from breakfast, etc. Maybe about 15 pix on a one night stay would be the max I have EVER done, but that was where there were a lot of problems to document.( Did about 30 for a 2 night stay at a high end resort with many extra interactions (dry cleaning, cash left in room, coffee kiosk, sandwich hut, pool service, spa reception area and dressing room, etc.). It's just a matter of getting into a rhythm. I still have time to put my feet up and read or watch TV and still depart with only the departure interactions to add to the report.

I would not do a shop that required 70 pictures. Period. Why bother when there are so many that are a lot easier.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I just applied for an upscale hotel near LAX by Data Quest, any tips...my first time with this company.
thx in advance.

Live consciously....

DQ is a very fair company with expectations that aren't outrageous. You'll do totally fine. And you write in the 1st person, so that's nice.
What MSC's are you used to?

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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

I used to work for Buckalew and QSI in Vegas .I actually haven't done a hotel in a couple years, but ready to get back into it. Coyle is too much for me at this point, although they have amazing properties.

Live consciously....

Oh ya. This will be nothing like what you're used to, then. You'll be wondering if you missed anything and usually you haven't.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

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