Lightning Strikes Thrice at Hotel Check-in

Hilton Americas-Houston follows three unacceptable rooms with a winner

I'm not a prima donna. Really, I'm not. But some hotel rooms just won't do. When I checked in to the Hilton Americas Houston for the 2008 Society of American Travel Writers convention, I didn't care whether my room as in the East Tower or the West Tower or the section in the middle. I didn't care whether my room had a king bed or two doubles.

But I did care when I opened the door to my room and saw two key cards on the desk, and soiled towels and used soap in the bathroom. Plus the room smelled of smoke. I had just minutes to get to a meeting, so I called the front desk, explained the situation and asked to for a bellman to pick up my bags and transferr them. I would come down for my new keys when the meeting had ended. I was told that for "security reasons," I had to present myself to be given a new room. Is the Transportation Security Agency involved with hotel check-ins now?, I wondered.

I waited in line at the registration desk, explained the situation again and was given keys to another room on another floor. When I inserted the key card in the door lock, it flashed both red and green. Then I heard voices in "my room." I loudly asked whether anyone was in there. A couple opened the door explaining that they had just been moved to that room because the air conditioner in their original room wasn't working.

Down to the lobby again. A Hilton staffer recognized me still dragging my baggage around and asked about the problem. I explained yet again, then went back to the the desk for my third key to my third room. As I was leaving the lobby, she asked whether everything was all right. I said that I hoped so, for by now, the meeting I was supposed to be at had been going on for 15 minutes. She looked at the little folder that holds key cards and noticed that I had been given what she thought might be a smoking room.

Back we went to the desk. She looked over the shoulder of the desk clerk and old him that "we [the hotel] have to do something for this guest [me]" She offered to comp my first night's stay. I thanked her but said I was with a group and had pre-paid everything months ago. She then upgraded me to an "executive room" on a higher floor. She came up with me to make sure that my key worked (it did), that the room was clean (it was) and that no one was in it (on one was). Much to my further astonishment was that every light in the room was blazing -- in the middle of the afternoon. I know that Houston was enriched by the oil business, but this was totally unnecessary. Guests in executive rooms have access to a lounge where continental breakfast, beverages and snacks are available -- and all the lights are also always on.

I all but missed my meeting, but I have a nice, clean room that I'm not somehow sharing with strangers. It turns out that my angel was event services manager Bridget Moses. When I returned after the convention's opening ceremony, a large bowl of fruit and some juice had been delivered -- with her card and a note of apology. If this happens to you, I hope that you too have a Bridget Moses to make things right.