1. Meals - Our hotel provides food for its employees 24/7, and it's really good food. The housekeepers start at 8 but most of us come a little bit early to have breakfast. For breakfast, juice, coffee, tea and toast is provided. Sometimes there are fruit and muffins if there were any left over from the restaurant the day before. Lunch is the big meal of the day and I am always impressed with what the employee kitchen comes up with. In case you don't like the main dish (usually some sort of meat, starch and vegetables) there's always stuff to make a salad or sandwich. On lucky days we get the left over desserts from the restaurant. After work most of us have a sandwich or snack before we head home. I love the fact that I don't have to pack a lunch every day or make myself breakfast or dinner. Also, it really cuts down on the grocery bill (Sean can eat a LOT of food).
2. Uniform - As soon as we arrive at the employee entrance, we tell the laundry person our number and are promptly handed our freshly washed and pressed (and personally tailored for us) uniform every day. At the end of the day we just toss it in the laundry bit. I like uniforms because I have never really been too good at fashion. Also, I don't really like doing laundry. I just wear gym clothes while I ride my bike to and from work and that's all I have to worry about for the week. The uniforms take a pretty hard beating at work and I'm glad that I'm not ruining my own clothes.
3. Discounts - After working for 3 months we get the really good discounts (staying for cheap at any Hilton anywhere and half off at the restaurants) but until then we still get discounts at the spa and the bike/ski rental shop.
4. Transportation - If you work the really early or late shift (before/after the buses run) the Hilton will pick you up or drop you off in their van. The van runs every morning and evening - you just have to sign up the day before where you want to get picked up.
5. Tips - They are few and far between but sometimes people will leave you some money. The rule in housekeeping is that if it's on the bed or left somewhere else with a note for you, it's yours. Some days I walk away with $25, most days I come home with $0.
But the biggest perk of all? The stuff that the guests leave in their room when they check out.
Of course when we find lost property that has been left behind, we fill out a slip, put the items in a bag and then wait 3 months to see if anyone calls to claim it. However, if anything is left in the trash or if food is left in the fridge, we can take it home (after checking with our supervisor, of course).
Here are some of the things that I have gotten to take home:
Half-full containers of bath salts and bath soaps (ridiculously expensive ones)
Lots of fruits and vegetables, butter, milk, juice
French cheeses, meats, olives
Lots of wine, beer and champagne
Magazines and newspapers
Candy, chocolate and snacks
Flowers
Coupons and vouchers to places in town
We all usually go home with a few things every day; it's fun to see what everybody emerges with. Today's haul? Four apples and some lanyards from the NZ PGA that nobody wanted.
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