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Hotel secrets you need to know!

13

Comments

  • #62
    Cherrycola
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,378 ✭✭✭Cherrycola


    OP, are you sure you're not thinking of a movie?! :rolleyes:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJEsNjH3JT8

    As a former chef, who was once one of those Cert students, ive worked in many hotels down through the years, good and bad, and the worst thing ive seen is someone wash pepper sauce off a steak under the cold tap, and reheat it on the pan, as the customers requested no sauce........not too disgusting, and relatively hygienic. :p


  • #63
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,967 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    Cherrycola wrote: »
    As a former chef, who was once one of those Cert students,p

    CERT was a top organization
    Did a course with them in Limerick in Roxboro and the facilites, training and staff were top class.

    If FÁS were half as good we wouldn't be reading constant stories about them in the papers.

    I'm not sure if CERT still exists, I think Fáilte Ireland took responsibility for it a few years back

    Chefs take their jobs very seriously. I think the OP is watching too much of Ramsey's kitchen nightmares and not enough watching the chefs in his hotel kitchen in action


  • #64
    Renn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,255 ✭✭✭Renn


    skittles1981 wrote: »
    Wet pi**ed matresses being flipped and next guest none the wiser.

    Clearly Seinfeld fans


  • #65
    dolphin city
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭dolphin city


    eternal wrote: »
    I have to agree that people dont have a clue whats going on in hotels.I have worked in really posh hotels and nearly all the people I was working with had very bad drug problems .One kitchen had maggotts on the veg which wasnt refrigerated and the floor was manky ,place Id say had never been cleaned properly.
    All people know is the image which is created ,they dont know whats really going on.Its true ,yeah the leftovers does become the soup but I have never seen anyone spit on food .I can only say for the kitchens ,havent worked in the other areas .The crap I put up with was unbelieveable ,I was robbed ,threatened ,abused.The staff were horrible .Its ok to say that I have found decent jobs since but it wasnt in the upmarket hotel area.

    maggots on the veg? Whats wrong with that? Don't you know that veg grows in the ground and you will find the odd maggot on them? Thats why you wash the stuff before using or put it in a bowl of salt water so the maggots rise to the top. Maggots on veg is normal - watch out for the corn worms in corn on the cob too - most people don't know about that but yes, they get in between the kernals. no big deal.


  • #66
    Cheeky_gal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,166 ✭✭✭Cheeky_gal


    Cheeky's experience working in a hotel


    Btw this was a four star...

    1. The staff used to come in after nights out in a local club up the road (the back door to the hotel was permanently open so we just went in there, up the steps and into the kitchen. The place would be in complete darkness, not a sinner around and we'd just go to the fridge and make ourselves a load of sandwiches - didnt even wash our hands when picking out the meat etc.)

    2. During lunch time we would always run out of clean cups and teaspoons so all tea/s and coffees were just poored into the dirty cups and then served, gave the teaspoons a quick rinse!

    3. If you ordered a club sandwich, the sandwich was made in one area of the kitchen and the chips were made in another. The chips were usually always cooked before the sandwich so while waiting on the sandwich we'd just stand there and pick at the chips.

    4. Chefs never wear gloves - EVER.

    5. Our sandwich chef used to lick the excess mayo off his fingers, absolute w*nker!

    I'd never eat in a hotel, the staff are morons! :mad:


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  • #67
    the_syco
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,310 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    We were always told 2 days before that a surprise health inspection would be coming.

    Always. And always passed it.


  • #68
    syklops
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,966 ✭✭✭✭syklops


    Cheeky_gal wrote: »
    4. Chefs never wear gloves - EVER.

    I actually agree with this. So long as he washes his hands, which most do, its not a problem for me.

    I used to work in a deli and we wore gloves, and while I did change my gloves as often as I could, I actually think it was easier to cross contaminate while wearing gloves than with your normal hands.

    I really like to cook and I noticed this. When you pick something up, you can feel the residue on your skin. You are aware of it, until you wash it off. When wearing gloves you dont. So I think unless you are changing your gloves every 2 minutes, they could be picking up all sorts of stuff and not be aware of it.

    Oh yeah, I have some stories to tell too, but ill save it for the deli thread that I am sure will be opened eventually.


  • #69
    kennypowers
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 144 ✭✭kennypowers


    Having run my own catering business I find some of the above comments hard to believe.The Irish rules around HACCP and general hygine are some of the strictest in the world and are thoroughly enforced.Inspections are carried out on a regular and unannounced basis .People in the hse notifying the business of an upcoming inspection is unheard of in my experience.


  • #70
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    Stovelid rule:

    Stayed in hotels and haven't died so who gives a fuck about what I don't see?


  • #71
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,967 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    A lot of people complain about Health and Safety bureaucracy

    Anyway, HACCP is an excellent system, look over the counter in the your local deli at lunchtime and you'll see the signs.
    It's common sense and works very well

    I doubt it's unique to Ireland but it's effective


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  • #72
    shampon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 580 ✭✭✭shampon


    I think Hotels are gas.


  • #73
    Skerries
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,014 ✭✭✭✭Skerries


    the only thing i think about when i'm in a hotel room is that even though the sheets are changed the duvet isn't or very rarely so i'd say if used an UV light it would show up some interesting colours
    same with the remote control
    Untitled Image




  • #74
    scoobymunster
    Closed Accounts Posts: 170 ✭✭scoobymunster


    Skerries wrote: »
    the only thing i think about when i'm in a hotel room is that even though the sheets are changed the duvet isn't or very rarely so i'd say if used an UV light it would show up some interesting colours
    same with the remote control

    What unspeakable things do people do with a remote? :eek:


  • #75
    Renn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,255 ✭✭✭Renn


    Shove it up their bum bum?


  • #76
    AnonoBoy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,559 ✭✭✭✭AnonoBoy


    Cheeky_gal wrote: »
    Cheeky's experience working in a hotel:

    ....I'd never eat in a hotel, the staff are morons! :mad:

    And they have such low self-esteem too.


  • #77
    ejmaztec
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,369 ✭✭✭✭ejmaztec


    scoobymunster wrote: »
    What unspeakable things do people do with a remote? :eek:

    I haven't the remotest idea.


  • #78
    marcsignal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭marcsignal


    wyndham wrote: »
    What about bedbugs? Ever get callouts for them?

    Ah yes, These horrible little bastards? Oddly enough, I only ever had a few calls for bedbugs, but from what I hear, they're more common today than they were in the 90's. You'll find them Here, around the side of the mattress, and they bite (or rather, feed on your blood).

    Not nice :eek:
    flanum wrote: »
    roaches? you mean like off the movies? or in warmer climes??

    this type, German and Oriental (click links)
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=71087419&postcount=32


  • #79
    Big Nasty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,066 ✭✭✭✭Big Nasty


    dubtom wrote: »
    I met a housekeeper from a hotel in Dublin who claimed that 25% of their rooms were closed due to bed bugs. She said you should always check the wall behind the bed for little spots of blood where the bugs have been splattered. It's a common problem in Hotels apparently.

    And just how exactly would they get splattered?

    *Giggity*:p


  • #80
    marcsignal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭marcsignal


    MCMLXXV wrote: »
    And just how exactly would they get splattered?

    *Giggity*:p

    the phantom jizzer strikes again :D
    kennypowers wrote: »
    Having run my own catering business I find some of the above comments hard to believe.The Irish rules around HACCP and general hygine are some of the strictest in the world and are thoroughly enforced.Inspections are carried out on a regular and unannounced basis .People in the hse notifying the business of an upcoming inspection is unheard of in my experience.

    This is quite true today, certainly from the Pest Control perspective. When I worked in the Pest Control game it was the early 90s' pre iso9000, and things were pretty lax. Nowadays a contractor will cover his, and his companys ass to avoid being sued, and will, in the vast majority of cases, do things strictly by the book.

    Larger hotel chains, back in the day, may have had a discreet tip off about upcoming inspections, but now everything is in duplicate or triplicate, and reports will be trawled through for evidence of negligence, so It's doubtful anyone with half a brain is going to sign off on something unless they're satisfied.


  • #81
    Chickaroo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 72 ✭✭Chickaroo


    Worked in a hotel when I was about 17 cleaning rooms, a gang of lads on stags staying in the hotel just checked out and I went in to clean the room, was thinking to myself, jeez the room isn't too bad considering it was a gang of lads staying there, went about my business and cleaned the room and moved onto the next room, about 20mins later my supervisor came up and said I hadn't cleaned the toilet in the previous room to go back and sort it out.........went back to the room, lid down, not a good sign!! Lifted the lid and BOOM, like Mr.Hanky had exploded in the toilet :eek: WORST-DAY-OF-MY-LIFE :(

    As a result of the above experience, I refuse to go in to use a public toilet that has the lid down.....scarred for life I am!!


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  • #82
    Goldenegg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 352 ✭✭Goldenegg


    Sonics2k wrote: »
    So it was like a bonus prize for being customer 1,000 or something?

    Grats!

    They were French too! ;)

    Just joking wouldn't have touched them with a barge pole!


  • #83
    squod
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,702 ✭✭✭squod


    skittles1981 wrote: »
    Worked in a hotel a few years back ..........
    Anyone else got some

    Absolutely nobody who works in a hotel and has children earns less than 28k.


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056204943
    :rolleyes:


  • #84
    themadchef
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,813 ✭✭✭themadchef


    Cheeky_gal wrote: »
    Cheeky's experience working in a hotel

    4. Chefs never wear gloves - EVER.

    Some of us do. Not that we have to but some stuff is just awful to touch. Mental block. Chicken fillets, no idea why but i just cant touch em, same with raw sausages. Most meat, offal and fish are ok but crab claws being my hands out in a rash if they are still warm.

    As a chef you are either going to be a hygiene freak or not. If it's a "not" then no amount of management can make you wash your hands, or not pick your arse before service! You deserve the road, and any manager worth his salt will pick you out, and fúck you out on your ear...(the crappy chef, not you CG)

    People who can flip an egg call them selves a chef these days. Once upon a time it meant something.

    \ Grumbles


  • #85
    Assassin saphir
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 318 ✭✭Assassin saphir


    s3129 wrote: »
    Worked in a hotel in Limerick for awhile. It was A1, the chefs took their food seriously, even dishing it up to me as they would a customer, they gave nothing but their best. Every bed was changed every day, everywhere was cleaned. I saw nothing out of the ordinary anyway, so I'm wondering how is it possible for ALL of that to be going on in the one hotel OP.. Must of been a pure dive...




    or else you got the sack and this is your revenge..

    (...waits for OP to accidentally on purpose name the hotel....)

    Like i said it was a few years ago and i didn't partake in any of the above mentioned. Walked out after 8 weeks not sacked!!!!!!!!
    The hotel has since had a change of ownership and management thankfully.While i agree that this probably doesn't happen in most hotels, this is what i saw. Most of the staff employed in this particular hotel were from asia or got through agencies from abroad and were paid a pitance...and the manager was never there to check on anything.


  • #86
    phill106
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,838 ✭✭✭phill106


    Chickaroo wrote: »
    Worked in a hotel when I was about 17 cleaning rooms, a gang of lads on stags staying in the hotel just checked out and I went in to clean the room, was thinking to myself, jeez the room isn't too bad considering it was a gang of lads staying there, went about my business and cleaned the room and moved onto the next room, about 20mins later my supervisor came up and said I hadn't cleaned the toilet in the previous room to go back and sort it out.........went back to the room, lid down, not a good sign!! Lifted the lid and BOOM, like Mr.Hanky had exploded in the toilet :eek: WORST-DAY-OF-MY-LIFE :(

    As a result of the above experience, I refuse to go in to use a public toilet that has the lid down.....scarred for life I am!!

    Sorry, you cleaned a hotel room, but didn't even clean the toilet? That is terrible! Makes me wonder what else you skipped!


  • #87
    seamus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,173 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    phill106 wrote: »
    Sorry, you cleaned a hotel room, but didn't even clean the toilet? That is terrible! Makes me wonder what else you skipped!
    To be fair, probably a rookie mistake - saw the lid down, thought, "Looks grand" and moved on.


  • #88
    phill106
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,838 ✭✭✭phill106


    seamus wrote: »
    To be fair, probably a rookie mistake - saw the lid down, thought, "Looks grand" and moved on.

    I've worked in hotels (not cleaning though) and worked as a toilet cleaner as a lad, if a guy puts the seat down, its cause something nasty is underneath :)


  • #89
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,627 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    chicken fingers wrote: »
    No real 4 star hotel will hire a 13 year old.

    I worked there for functions in 1992, £8 per function. Did that for 2 years, then moved on to the bistro £2.02 per hour.

    Still have my sheet with my rsi no. on it. I was told to hand the sheet from the functions manager to the lady in accounts on Monday to get paid, which I did as I didn't have a bank account.


  • #90
    solerina
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,442 ✭✭✭solerina


    marcsignal wrote: »
    Ah yes, These horrible little bastards? Oddly enough, I only ever had a few calls for bedbugs, but from what I hear, they're more common today than they were in the 90's. You'll find them Here, around the side of the mattress, and they bite (or rather, feed on your blood).

    Not nice :eek:

    Yeah thats true the levels of bed bugs have gone through the roof in the last 5 years, there have become a major problem in hotels, they were fairly rare in this country ten years ago.
    Nsty little things that give you a horrible bite which resembles a rash


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  • #91
    Chickaroo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 72 ✭✭Chickaroo


    It was defo a rookie mistake, had only been working there about 2wks, and prob lasted another 2wks after that and that was about all I could hack, I have the utmost respect for anyone who does that job.....between pervy aulfellas leaving porno mags all over the room and knackbags leaving used condoms wherever they land......disgusting!!!

    P.S The cups NEVER get washed properly, they are run under the hot water in the bathroom and thats about as "clean" as they get!!


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