When I was a rookie AGM in a New York hotel I would wake up at 4:45 am, be on the subway by 5:15 am and at the hotel before 6:00 am. My morning ritual was to share a pot of coffee in the back office with the night manager.
Aside from hearing the happenings of the night one was treated to a little hotel history 101. The night manager was a raconteur of some of the legends of his days in some of the great old hotels of New York. Tales of movie stars and would be presidents, gangsters and home run kings. eccentric owners and some crazy general managers. His stories embodied the romance of what is great about being in our business. Another account, another laugh, a knowing philosophical quip. as he wrapped up his shift and I started mine.
In the better hotels the Night Manager - wore black tie - Smoking. Guests in their formal wear returning from the Opera or a charity ball were right at home in a soft lit lobby, with the background noise of a live pianist wafting through from the bar, and the gracious manner and greeting of “The Manager of the Night “.
Now the night manager, is called the night auditor. Somewhere along the way a consultant decided we could get rid of the night auditor but then another consultant decided we could eliminate the more expensive title of night manager and have the night auditor do all of the work!
No matter his title, he is still the person whom most of the staff never meets! He is the welcomer of late night road warriors and lost travelers, the bookkeeper who closes the house, and the one who breaks the bad news about the overbooks to the poor walks on a snowy night.
Do yourself a favor and next time you have insomnia go hang with the night guy!
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Aside from hearing the happenings of the night one was treated to a little hotel history 101. The night manager was a raconteur of some of the legends of his days in some of the great old hotels of New York. Tales of movie stars and would be presidents, gangsters and home run kings. eccentric owners and some crazy general managers. His stories embodied the romance of what is great about being in our business. Another account, another laugh, a knowing philosophical quip. as he wrapped up his shift and I started mine.
In the better hotels the Night Manager - wore black tie - Smoking. Guests in their formal wear returning from the Opera or a charity ball were right at home in a soft lit lobby, with the background noise of a live pianist wafting through from the bar, and the gracious manner and greeting of “The Manager of the Night “.
Now the night manager, is called the night auditor. Somewhere along the way a consultant decided we could get rid of the night auditor but then another consultant decided we could eliminate the more expensive title of night manager and have the night auditor do all of the work!
No matter his title, he is still the person whom most of the staff never meets! He is the welcomer of late night road warriors and lost travelers, the bookkeeper who closes the house, and the one who breaks the bad news about the overbooks to the poor walks on a snowy night.
Do yourself a favor and next time you have insomnia go hang with the night guy!
[email protected]
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