Is your travel provider really paying attention?

I once read an article about the apparently ridiculous “riders” that touring bands have in their contracts, such as asking for the red M&Ms to be excluded from the dressing-room snacks.

It turns out that they serve a function other than pandering to the ego or perceived power of the band members. And that reason can be useful to travellers.

The reason is that it’s an easy way to know whether the venue management really read the contract. If there are red M&Ms in the snack bowls in the dressing rooms, then it’s possible that something more serious — such as an electrical safety requirement — hasn’t been attended to either.

I remembered this because on my online check in for the hotel I’m currently staying at, I requested a low floor. Why? Because I’ve always been worried about building safety standards, and the tower-block fire in London has made me more so.

I’m on floor seven, which might not seem too bad. Except that the hotel only has seven floors.

Now I’m not going to complain (other than in this post), but this could be taken as an indicator that the hotel staff either didn’t read or didn’t care about my request.

And it’s a reminder that it’s the little things that count, and add up to the bigger things.

When you pay money for a service, you’re entitled to get it.

Maybe the hotel is fully booked, but even if that’s the case, an explanation at the desk or in an email would’ve been appreciated.

PS: Everything else at the hotel — the Ibis Nana in Bangkok — has been very good to a four-star standard.