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Weird, wacky and wonderful – the questions guests ask

By James Russell: Weird, wacky and wonderful – the questions guests ask

December 11, 2015

  • Is Haggis an animal?
  • What time do the Northern Lights come on?
  • What’s the best time to cross Snake Pass to avoid the snake?       
  • Where can I find Cameron’s Northern Powerhouse?

Travelodge has just revealed some of the bizarre requests Travelodge staff have been asked by customers during the last 12 months, and the strange requests and questions throughout the year contain some real oddities! They include:

  • What time does Nessie come up for visitors?
  • Does the Angel of the North ever visit the South?
  • How do I get out of the front door?
  • What time does Big Ben go to sleep?
  • Can you ask the seagulls to be quiet?
  • What train do I get from Kings Cross to get to Hogwarts?
  • Can you babysit my family of gnomes whilst I go out to dinner tonight?
  • Can you find us someone to perform a multi-faith wedding?
  • Can you arrange for the moon to look into my room as I want to propose to my girlfriend under the moonlight?
  • Can you arrange for us to have Christmas Day in July?

Can I borrow your suit as I have burnt my trousers?

As a result of Travelodge growing its corporate business fourfold during the last 18 months, hotel teams across the country have also reported a significant rise in bizarre requests from business travellers.

Here are some of the more unusual requests:

  • Can you join a conference call and be my translator as I don’t speak Mandarin?
  • Can you star in our company’s corporate video as an employee?
  • Can you attend a meeting with me and pretend to be my PA?
  • Can I hold a brainstorm with your hotel team?
  • Can you reserve a whole train carriage for me as I have an important presentation and I need to rehearse on my journey from London to Edinburgh?
  • Can you go and pick up my boss from the airport as I need to finish off my report?
  • Can I please practice my pitch on you and your team?
  • Can you type a report on my iPhone if I dictate it you?
  • Can I have a room close to the runway as I don’t want to miss my plane?
  • Can you do my tax return?
  • Can you call me out of a meeting and say it’s an emergency so that I can catch my train?

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswoman said: “With over 17 million customers staying annually in our 506 UK Travelodge hotels, our hotel teams receive thousands of unusual requests from business and leisure travellers. Our hotel teams will always try their best to accommodate all customer requests but there are some requests that we physically just cannot help with such as controlling the weather, arranging a meeting with Nessie, or switching on the Northern Lights.”

In addition to the examples already listed, the receptionist at Holyhead Travelodge was asked by one customer: “Can you ask the ferry company to stop lorries arriving on the freight ferry?”

At Macclesfield Central a customer asked if the hotel could be re-designed, suggesting: “Can Travelodge move the rooms so that they are all at the back of the hotel?”

At Kings Cross Central Travelodge, a Harry Potter fan asked the Hotel Manager “What train do I get from Kings Cross to Hogwarts?” and across the capital at London Park Royal a customer asked “Can I borrow your turban as I am visiting the Neasden Temple?”

Detailed below are some of the bizarre requests asked by customers in Travelodge hotels:

Hotel Customer Request
Aberdeen Justice Mill Lane What time do I need to wake up to see the Scotch Mist?
Bath Waterside Can you babysit my family of gnomes whilst I go out to dinner tonight?
Bicester Cherwell Valley Can you come shopping with me to Bicester Village and be my translator and help carry my shopping?
Birmingham Airport Can I have a room close to the runway as I don’t want to miss my plane?
Birmingham Broadway Plaza Can you find us someone to perform a multi faith wedding?
Birmingham Bull Ring I know checkout is at 12pm but am I allowed out before then or do I have to stay inside?

Please can you divert the marathon while I leave the city?

Bodmin Roche How do I get out of the front door?
Bradford Can you accompany me to my meeting and pretend to be my PA?
Brighton Seafront Can you count out 100 beans as that’s my limit for breakfast?
Bristol Central Mitchell Lane Can you arrange for the moon to look into my room as I want to propose to my girlfriend under the moonlight?
Cambridge Central Can I have an instruction manual next to the sink to show me how to use the tap?
Cambridge Orchard Road Can you please write me a letter in Spanish?
Cardiff Atlantic Wharf Does Laver bread contain real lava?
Cheshire Oakes Can someone help me get my dinosaur off the roof?
Chippenham East Can you turn the rain off?
Edinburgh Airport Does the airport shuttle take me directly to the plane?
Edinburgh Rose Street What time do the Northern Lights come on?
Edinburgh Princes Street Can you type a report on my iPhone if I dictate it you?
Glossop What’s the best time to cross Snake Pass to avoid snakes?
Gloucester Where can I find the stinking bishop?
Guildford Can you please be my chauffeur for the day as I need to impress my clients?
Harrogate West Park Can you serenade my partner with our song this evening for our anniversary?
Holyhead Can you ask the ferry company to stop lorries arriving on the freight ferry?
Inverness Is haggis an animal?

Is there a bridge to England or do I have to fly?

Kendal Where can I find Peter Rabbit?
Leeds Colton Does your saver room have electricity?
Llandudno Can you make the seagulls be quiet?
Liverpool Exchange Street Can you come to Anfield with me as I heard you cannot walk alone to the stadium?

What time will the Liver Birds be landing at Pier Head?

London Battersea Can you ask the Emergency Services to turn the siren volume down?
London City Road Can I borrow your suit as I have burnt my trousers?

Can you arrange for the changing of the guards to happen after lunch as I have an appointment in the morning?

London Covent Garden Can you reserve a whole train carriage for me as I have an important presentation and I need to rehearse on my journey from London to Edinburgh?
London Euston What time does Big Ben go to sleep?
London Kings Cross Central What train do I get from Kings Cross to get to Hogwarts?
London Marylebone Can you call me out of a meeting and say it’s an emergency so that I can catch my train?
London Park Royal Can you get me a turban as I am visiting the Neasden temple?
Macclesfield Central Can Travelodge move the rooms so that they are all at the back of the hotel?
Manchester Ancoats Do you have a Spanish member of staff that can be a translator on a conference call?
Manchester Piccadilly Where can I find Cameron’s Northern Powerhouse?
Newcastle Gateshead Can you go and pick my boss up from the airport as I need to finish off my report?
Newcastle Gosforth Does the Angel of the North ever visit the South?
Norwich Cringleford Could the electricity pylons be moved for my next stay?
Nottingham Central Whilst you are standing behind reception can you write out my wedding cards? I have 200 to post today.
Nottingham Riverside Can you sit-in on a conference call and be my translator as I don’t speak Mandarin?
Pontefract Can I walk on the A1?
Reading Central Can I hold a brainstorm with your team?
Sheffield Meadowhall Can you fill my bath with exactly 100 litres of Evian water at a temperature of 38 degrees?

Can you arrange for us to have Christmas Day in July?

St Austell Does Stargazy Pie contain stars?
Warrington Can you help me design my company website?
Watford Where is the gap in Watford?
Winnersh Triangle Can you star in our company’s corporate video as an employee?
York Central Can I please practice my pitch on you and your team?

 

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