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Wake up Tenerife!
By Joe | November 7, 2008
How hard is it for a receptionist in Tenerife to smile? I mean come on, it’s not rocket science to work out that beyond a comfy bed and a clean bathroom the most important thing that a hotel can offer is friendly staff. Particularly the frontline troops ie reception.
I’ve just dropped my parents off at the Aparthotel El Duque in Costa Adeje. To say the receptionist was unfriendly is an obscene understatement. Apart from the fact that a smile seemed way beyond his facial capabilities, it was as though we’d just gatecrashed his bedroom, pissed on his pillow and insulted his grandmother. Made welcome, we certainly were not.
Now does the blame lie with the fact that he’s just a miserable, self-important git who’s crap at his job, or with a management who shouldn’t be employing such monkeys in the first place?
A bit of both I suspect, but either way, with Tenerife going through something of a popularity crisis at the moment, I would have thought that efforts should be stepped up, not down, to make our visitors welcome at every opportunity.
It’s exactly this kind of third rate service that lets the island down. We have the facilities, we’ve got the scenery, God knows we’ve got the weather, and although the prices have been rising at a scary (and unnecessary) rate, there are plenty of reasons why Tenerife should regain its popularity.
But dimwit attitudes and sucky service are going to be a nail in the coffin of this island’s tourism if fuckwits like the Aparthotel El Duque receptionist don’t buck up.
So to all those over-inflated egos in the hospitality industry who can’t be arsed to be nice to Tenerife’s visitors, get off your high horse and learn to smile. It’s your livelihood, income and lifestyle that’s going to be affected ultimately. And mine.
Topics: Inane rants, Tenerife |
November 28th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Was his hair a mess….maybe he just had a bad hair day…can happen to us all…although I personally have never experienced it….bad tie day yes, but not bad hair…chin, chin!
November 29th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Apart from his stinking attitude and his apalling demeanour, he also had all the social etiquette of a rabid bison… and the face of a gnarled rabbit dropping. Didn’t notice his tie though.
May 4th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Just to clarify that similar examples exist back in broken Britain. In some places, if my accent reveals my foreign origin, the treatment does change drastically. Despite that, I avoid drawing general conclusions about the attitude of personnel in the English hotel industry. Maybe you should do the same.
May 4th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Firstly, you’re absolutely right. There are similar examples back in dear old Blighty.
Secondly, this is not a ‘general conclusion’, it’s a personal observation about one particular numbnuts who thought he was above welcoming guests to the hotel. Nice attitude for a receptionist, don’t you think?
Thirdly, the last time I looked out my window it was free world and as such I feel mighty privileged to be able to speak my mind. Maybe you should do the same.