[angelo]

My wife and I were staying in the Fairmont in Chicago. It turned out to be the service nightmare from hell, but they also got a customer for life.

When we arrived our room was not ready so we dropped our bags and went sightseeing.

When we arrived back at the hotel we decided to stop in the sushi restaurant for a snack. A wanna be ghetto white kid with attitude was our busboy/server. I asked for two glasses of water and menus. About 5 minutes later he returns with two half full waters with no ice. Before I could ask for ice he slams them down and returns to the bar to flirt with the Bartender. I get up and take the water back to the bar and ask for 2 full glasses with ice politely. I was starting to get irritated having been in the Hospitality business for 20 years. As he is returning he looks to the Anglo sushi chef and says in a loud voice can you believe this asshole is bitching about water.

I have a horrible temper and the look on my wife face was one of abject horror at what my response would be. I am quite proud that I got up, took my wife hand and quietly said lets go. We walked directly to the front desk and asked them to cancel our reservation. When they inquired why I explained to them the encounter and that if this was the level of service we were going to receive that we would be leaving. They went into full damage control and escorted us to our room. The F&B manager called us and apologized. We got free room service and 2 Bottles of Stag Leaps Reserve Cab.

The next day I sent out my suit to be dry cleaned and they lost it. I had dinner reservation that night that required a suit. They brought in a tailor and purchased a suit for me. They then gave the hotel Bentley and Driver to us for the remainder of the stay.

I have always told my employees that accidents happen it is how we recover from them that is important.

Vailpass is right it is all about how you ask. I love the term "unacceptable"

Ang