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伦敦免费住四星--是走运还是倒霉(上)
http://www.sina.com.cn 2002/10/10 09:38  北京青年报

  As soon as we landed at Heathrow Airport outside London, I asked the hotel service to find a room for me. The dignified staffer told me the cheapest one available was in a four-star Hilton - 100 pounds a night! In Beijing I'd heard there were many family hotels in London with rooms for 40-50 pounds. But the man at the counter seemed trustworthy, and as it was already dark, I bit the bullet , resolving to find something cheaper the next day.

  My stay at the Hilton began inauspiciously. Stepping into the shower, I discovered that the drain was blocked. The water was soon up to my ankles, something I hate, and I had to stand with my feet on opposite edges of the bathtub. It was like walking on stilts.

  After my shower I phoned the reception desk, which sent up a repairman. He fiddled about for few minutes, said the drain was okay and disappeared. I went back into the bathroom: what a mess! The workman had left slimy black sludge from the drain in the bottom of the tub. Appalled, I turned on the tap to flush it away, but the vile goo stayed put.

  Should I call again? Oh, to hell with it , I thought - I'm leaving tomorrow anyway. Then I looked at the guide for guests and found that one could use the TV to access the internet.Terrific! I needed to check my email. I did as the guide said, but all I got was a message on the screen saying "Please wait". Finally I rang reception again and was told that there were too many guests on line; try again later. I waited and waited but still it didn't work. I went to bed fuming.

  I awoke at about 2:00 am: surely now I could use the internet, I thought. But when I turned on the TV, "Please wait" appeared yet again. This time I telephoned reception with a bit of Margaret Thatcher in my voice: "There IS something wrong with the equipment. I'm a journalist. I NEED internet access!" Two repairmen materialised. After pressing a few buttons they claimed the problem was the telly. Puffing and panting, the two moved in a big TV set from the next room but this one didn't work either! "It's the line," they said, "You'd better move next door to use the internet." Just as I was picking up my suitcase, the manager on duty rang and said not to bother: internet access was being checked all through the hotel, so now no one could log on.

  This was a so-called four-star hotel? Now I really blew my stack , storming down to the lobby to give him a piece of my mind . I must admit he was gracious: "If you're in a hurry to log on, please use my computer." So I sat down at his desk. While I was pecking at the keyboard, several people came over and asked me where cigarettes were sold, or where the loo was - they actually took me for the manager.

  Checking out later that morning, I decided I couldn't leave meekly - I really should complain to the manager again. The night manager had gone. As the day manager, a Frenchman, listened to my account of the night's events, he said sorry again and again in a dozen different ways.

  "Please don't just say you're sorry," I said. "I was looking forward to this trip to London, but you people have really put a damper on it. I paid a high price for my room but the service has been awful! How do you propose to compensate me?""Well, to express our very real regret, we would like to offer you a free night. I'm sure that this time you will enjoy excellent service." All right, I said - I was curious to see this "excellent" service.

  But I still needed to find cheaper lodging; after all, I just had one free night. I sat down in the manager's chair again to use his computer and found a family hotel near Hyde Park. A quick phone call: 45 pounds a night. I also asked if the hotel had been full the night before: no. I realised that the hotel service had done me a bad turn , probably insgroupsto get a higher commission.

  That evening I returned to the Hilton. Wow! A two-room suite! On the living-room table a huge basket of fruit. My suitcase had already been moved. When I switched on the TV, "Dear Ms Zhang, welcome to the Hilton!" appeared on the screen. The bathtub was gigantic, and there was an independent shower to boot . I turn on the tap and rejoiced as the water flowed swiftly down the drain. The Hilton really was sincere in its apology.

  But this was not the end of my adventures in British inn-keeping.

伦敦免费住四星--是走运还是倒霉(上)

  那天一到伦敦的西斯罗机场,我立刻去了旅馆介绍处。衣冠楚楚的工作人员说最便宜的就是四星级的希尔顿了——一晚一百英镑!(相当于1200元人民币)。来之前我听说伦敦有很多家庭旅馆,也就四五十英镑一晚,可服务台后面的这位先生似乎挺值得信任,眼见得天色已黑,只好狠心住一晚,明天再做打算。

  可住进希尔顿,事事都不顺。站到了浴室喷头下,才发现下水道不畅通,一会儿积水就没过了脚面,好别扭,我只好脚踩浴缸的边缘,像踩高跷一般,冲了个高难动作的澡。

  从浴室出来就给前台打电话,不一会儿还就来人修了。他在浴室捣鼓了几分钟后说了声“好了”就走了。我进去一看,呀,好恶心,吸出来的又黑又粘的污物还留在浴缸里,他怎么这样子就走了呢?赶快放水冲吧,黑泥却纹丝不动。

  再打电话?真够劳神的,算了,反正明早我就离开了。看看住房指南,上写着利用电视可上网,这还不错,正想查查电子邮件呢。可一操作,屏幕上出现的总是“请等待”,只好又打电话,得到的答复是上网的客人太多,线路忙,请过一会儿再试。既然如此,就等等,可左等不行,右等不行,索性睡觉吧。

  睡到两点,醒了,心想这时上网的人该少了吧,打开电视,仍然是“请等待”,无奈又打电话,这一次我以撒切尔夫人式的肯定语气告诉前台:“是你们的设备出了问题,我是记者,我现在需要上网。”很快,两个修理工来了,按了几个键后,便断定是电视机的问题,他二人吭哧吭哧把隔壁房间的大电视搬了过来,可安上以后还是不行。“是线路问题”,他们说,“你最好搬到隔壁去上网。”我这儿正要装箱打包准备搬家呢,值班经理来电话了,别搬了,全旅馆的因特网设备开始检修,哪个房间都不能用了。

  心中的气真是不打一处来,这是什么四星级呀!觉也不睡了,我跑到大堂,找到夜班经理理论。平心而论,经理态度是真不错:“你要是急着上网,就用我桌上的电脑吧。”我便坐到了他的椅子上。

  我这儿正敲着键盘呢,一会儿过来个人问哪儿卖烟,一会过来个人问卫生间在哪儿——他们把我当成值班经理了。

  早晨,我收拾好行李来到前台,想了想不能就这么走,还得找经理理论理论。夜班经理已经下班,白班经理是一位法国小伙子。听我讲着这一晚的前前后后,他不断地说着sorry(对不起),“您也别光sorry了,这一夜把我来伦敦的好心情全破坏了,你们旅馆价高质次,该怎么赔偿我呢?”“这样吧,为了表示我们的歉意,我们免费提供一晚,这次一定让您享受到优质的服务。”好吧,我倒要看看优质服务是什么样。

  可便宜旅馆还得找,毕竟只免费我一晚呀。我又一次坐到经理的椅子上,用他的计算机在网上找到一家家庭旅馆,就在海德公园附近。电话一联系,妥了,45镑一晚,顺便问了句头天晚上是否客满,答曰一直有空房,我便知旅馆介绍处坑了我,想必是为了多拿点希尔顿的佣金吧。

  晚上回到希尔顿,打开房间一看,哇,好大呀,还是个套间,客厅的桌子上摆放着一大篮水果,我的行李已经安放在墙边,打开电视上网,屏幕上立刻蹦出一行字:尊敬的张女士,欢迎你。”再看看卫生间,不仅有个大浴缸,还另有一个淋浴间,拧开龙头试试,水哗哗地流走了,不错不错,看来希尔顿还是真有诚意。

  你若认为希尔顿的经历还不算倒霉,那意想不到的事还在后面呢。(本文为中译英)




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