Nancy A. (Chocoholic) reviewed Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality on + 291 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
This book has generated a lot of attention from the media...with morning news shows and the internet all buzzing about it's secrets (but not all of them). All of the media attention piqued my curiosity and I knew I had to read this book. It's a memoir of how a man first got his start in the hotel business and his life while working for various hotels in New Orleans and New York City, working in various positions within the hotels. The author holds nothing back and exposes a lot of dirty little secrets that anyone who stays in hotels should know before booking their next stay. I found this to be a really compelling and interesting peek behind the scenes of the hospitality industry. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially to travelers!
loregess reviewed Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality on + 175 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I shouldn't have liked this book as much as I did. Heads in Beds is an amusing and honest account of a man who's worked in many facets of the hospitality industry including high-luxury and low-end hotels. Though I was expecting ground breaking, behind-the-scenes, never-mentioned-until-now kind of hotel secrets, the most you get are tips on how to over-tip or bribe staff into getting upgrades. We all know money talks, so there was no surprise there. However, I appreciated the author's honest and comic account of his own personal experiences starting from the bottom of the totem pole and climbing to managerial heights. Tomsky shares his experiences working in a New Orleans, high luxury hotel in which the higher-ups treat the staff with respect and expect them to work to the highest standard. Staff were even encouraged to go the extra mile for their guests and offered daily classes on service and "anticipating a guest's unmentioned needs." For example, if the guest's car is dirty, the valet was encouraged to wash it - even buy a CD the guest might enjoy listening to on his way back home. Staff was encouraged and paid to provide guests with these comforts.
Being a product of a military family, Tomsky moved from place to place frequently and it is in his nature to want to pick up and go every so often. He leaves New Orleans and ends up working at a NYC Midtown hotel whose standards are no way close to those of the New Orleans hotel. Staff wasn't motivated to go the extra mile and once they unionized, making it hard for them to get fired, things really go south.
Both experiences come with their fair share of pros and cons for working in the industry, but what I enjoyed most about Tomsky's account is that you don't necessarily need to work in the industry to relate to him. We've all worked for people that make us want to do our very best because we're supported and believe in the organization's mission. And we've worked in environments that are so constricted and negative that it's all you can do to wake up and punch in. If you don't necessarily care about the hospitality industry but need a light read and an anonymous friend that can relate to what you're going through at your crappy job, this is the book for you -- and Tomsky is that friend.
Being a product of a military family, Tomsky moved from place to place frequently and it is in his nature to want to pick up and go every so often. He leaves New Orleans and ends up working at a NYC Midtown hotel whose standards are no way close to those of the New Orleans hotel. Staff wasn't motivated to go the extra mile and once they unionized, making it hard for them to get fired, things really go south.
Both experiences come with their fair share of pros and cons for working in the industry, but what I enjoyed most about Tomsky's account is that you don't necessarily need to work in the industry to relate to him. We've all worked for people that make us want to do our very best because we're supported and believe in the organization's mission. And we've worked in environments that are so constricted and negative that it's all you can do to wake up and punch in. If you don't necessarily care about the hospitality industry but need a light read and an anonymous friend that can relate to what you're going through at your crappy job, this is the book for you -- and Tomsky is that friend.
Shannon T. (chippygirl) -
Wanted to like this, the premise sounded so interesting. But it is about the author rather than hotel industry. He is so bitter. His disdain of customers is evident through every chapter in the book. He radiates snob attitude, and he feels working in the service industry is below him. I'm still trying to finish it so I can post it, cant seem to finish the last 3 chapters. I need to just let it go.
Bren (Breninithaca) reviewed Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality on + 377 more book reviews
Cynical, sarcastic, at times hilarious, at times absolutely disgusting. As someone who spent 5 years working in a 5 star Inn, all I can say is I'm glad we never dealt with the kind of shenanigans this guy talks about!
Alyssa T. -
Having been a hotel manager, I was expecting this book to be a tell all and it was more about the author's life, coworkers and opinions and not so much about his experiences in the hotel with guests. The stories that he did tell were VERY tame and I was hoping for more. I have worked in hospitality for over a decade and I have way more interesting and juicy stories, I feel like he toned it back and could have shared more.
Rosemary D. (fiberartist) reviewed Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality on + 50 more book reviews
Tomsky has worked in the upscale hospitality industry most of his life. There are lots of insider tips. Writing is coarse in some places--also smart and really funny. I enjoyed reading this book. "You know you're learning way more than is good for you, but you just can't stop reading" People
