jasperJ8

sounds like there's a party in the room eh? 6

emma69

I LOVE my turndown service

I have long hair, so use 2 full size towels when I shower. I will typically take at least 2 baths / showers a day, and often there isn't a heated towel rail, so the towels are still damp when I want to use them again - I hate damp towel feel. I will reuse them if they are dry, but especially in the tropics, where AC goes off when you leave your room, the place is too humid for them to dry out. So I love the fresh towel aspect, and the topping up of toiletries.

I love the chocolate on the pillow. So much so that when I got married, I had the hotel leave little Green & Black bars on the pillows of the guests rooms! It is a little indulgence I enjoy when I am away from home, on business or vacation. I like it even better when it is something else as well, like fruit, or at one lovely hotel, they left a bottle of champagne at the side of the bed during turndown service - now of course there is no way I need bubbly at that time of night, but it was something I would never do at home, so made me happy and holidayish (and a tad tipsy!)

I like the room being straightened out, the lamps turned on, the curtains drawn, the ice refilled, water put by the bed, extra pillows removed and, (small inner child alert) I adore towel animals too

I use the slippers when I am away, and if the person I am with does not use theirs, I will take those home still sealed for my overnight guests. I have cold tile floors in my bathrooms, and most of my friends don't travel with slippers. I also keep robes for them, but not hotel issue ones!

The thing I like best about the turndown services is that at some CP hotels, they offer the sleep kits, CD, bath salts, a pillow spray, eye mask, pulse point oil, etc. Not always all of it everywhere tho But the thing I like MOST is the little night light some of them have in the bathrooms so you don't need to turn on a lamp when you go to the loo. The first one I had this in, I asked the manager where I could buy one, as it struck me as an excellent idea, they are dimmer than children's night lights, and worked so well I wanted one. He had no idea, so told me to take it from my room! I am still using it in my bathroom at home years later!

CMK10

I like it for the same reason I like Eggs Benedict...I don't get them at home.

ByrdluvsAWACO

I'll vote for turndown service as well for reasons already mentioned. First is the towel and soap replacement. Second is the chocolates.

ericjkelly

During a recent stay at The Inverness (Destination Hotel) I walked into my room after the turn down service. They obviously turned on the radio...I thought someone was in the room. I was ready for a fight

QueenOfCoach

Yep. Go back upthread and read what happened to me in Fort Worth.

VivoPerLei

I got service last night while I was asleep on the couch in my room. Woke up and there was a mint on the bed, blinds behind me drawn. I have no idea how I slept through that

Nola Rice

Turn down service has degraded to the point I will no longer call it a service.

When you are used to expecting certain "special" things that come along with the cost of the room, you certainly do notice when they are missing.

Do we all really need Bell Captains and Door Men, Porters and chocolates on our pillows? I say Yes! When you stay in a hotel that claims to be above a Hampton and you expect promised service, then it is a heartbreak when your bed is not turned down and your ice bucket is not full.

I am sorry for the Queen, if you do not understand turn down and did not request that you did not desire the pampering, then it is your fault.

Queenie, I will take all your stuff and will demand that no one enters your room, if you will give me all your chocolates. Especially the mint ones.

Seriously, if you ever came to China you would ####, there are people in
your room all day and they don't speak English, so who knows what they are up to. Except when they put the rug/towel on the floor and your slippers next to it.

QueenOfCoach

At that time I understood "turndown". What I did not know was that at that hotel they turned on the TV for you. Hearing the TV sound when I KNEW I did not leave it on was what scared me. Had they not turned on the TV, I would have just walked in my room and would have seen the turned down bed, like normal.

I called the front desk and told them that I did not want the turndown service the next night. They did it anyway. Grrrrr.....

Why would turning on the TV be considered a "service"?

You can have all my chocolates, if I get the peace of mind that I won't be disturbed in a hotel room when I've paid for privacy.

QueenOfCoach

That would drive me nuts. I'm in the tub and some guy comes waltzing into my room???

Fredd

I read somewhere (Ian Fleming's You Only Live Twice?) that in traditional Japanese inns there is or was a peephole allowing the employees to check the room before entering, and refrain from doing so if your attire or activities would cause you embarrassment in front of them.

Interesting concept that I haven't experienced and have no idea whether it still exists or ever did. Other FTers undoubtedly would know.

CMK10

I've seen a lot of good movies that start out just like that

QueenOfCoach

Note to self: Bring plenty of post-it notes with me when traveling in Japan.

That just gives me the creeps. Don't they knock?

BRAISKI

So I just tried this now...

I was ready to give a tip... But she didn't really do anything extra. Just the bed and thats it! Not even a chocolate!!! Maybe because I was here...

alanh

For what it's worth, I just stayed in Japan and there was no such "peephole" in either of the properties. The ryokan ("traditional inn", I suppose) had a standard door with a regular peephole for looking out, but also a shoji (sliding door) just after a little entryway (the place to leave your coat and slippers). This had no openings at all.