Hotel that Doesn't Have...Tea?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work for an org that is planning a multi-day event at a hotel in Puerto Rico. It is a large, major chain hotel in San Juan. Our meeting planner reviewed our food and beverage orders with the hotel today today, and since she and I are both tea drinkers, she confirmed what type of black/breakfast tea they serve. And the hotel told her that they don't have black tea. Not that they are out-- they just don't stock it at all. I told her that is unacceptable and they have to either get some, or discount our beverage service rate if I have to purchase tea for all of the tea drinkers at the event.

Am I being unreasonable to expect that a major hotel that hosts large events should have breakfast tea available? I am accustomed to being given limited/bad tea options at restaurants so I always carry some in my bag, but I've never been told by a hotel that they simply don't carry it.

I realize that in the grand scheme of life this is not a big deal, but I have been attending/managing conferences for 20+ years and this is not an issue I've ever dealt with.

See, the thing is, you did ask ahead of time if they had the tea you want because you knee it wasn't a given that they would have it. When you ask a yes or no question you should not be surprised that the answer was no, it is a legitimate answer. If you thought your preference for tea was ubiquitous as water you would not have asked about it ahead of time.

DP but I disagree, when you’re planning and event you have to exchange a lot of information that might be a given. Like she didn’t ask if they served coffee and water but they probably told her they did. So then she asked about tea because they were going over all the “givens” and it hadn’t been mentioned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Puerto Rico is a totally different culture than the other parts of the US. Puerto Ricans don’t drink tea. I don’t have a fit when I attend a conference in the states and there is no espresso.

ftfy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously I'm not going to cancel the event. But I feel like it is not difficult for them to just buy tea as a basic level of service for their customers.

To be clear-- I am not talking about only my own needs. I am certainly not the only person in a conference of 300 people who drinks tea.

Is the conference going to be attended only by UMC females over the age of 60 who live in urban areas of blue states?

If so, tea is a must-have.

Sorry for being so snarky, but you’re in a bubble.

Tea (esp hot tea) is consumed by a very small subset of the population. Not at all surprising that a resort wouldn’t stock it.

LOL and you are basing this on what, exactly? Aside from the fact that large parts of world drink primarily tea, in my office of 25 we are half tea, half coffee drinkers. Our tea drinkers include younger people and men.

Urban & blue, right?

what does this mean? maga doesn't drink tea?

[Anonymous]

They might not have pizza either.

Show some respect for the local culture, or don't travel.

[Anonymous]

Honestly I have worked with many hotels in the Caribbean for conferences and they can be super weird. I have given up having expectations. It isn’t like the many domestic conferences I have done. “Island time” is real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously I'm not going to cancel the event. But I feel like it is not difficult for them to just buy tea as a basic level of service for their customers.

To be clear-- I am not talking about only my own needs. I am certainly not the only person in a conference of 300 people who drinks tea.

Is the conference going to be attended only by UMC females over the age of 60 who live in urban areas of blue states?

If so, tea is a must-have.

Sorry for being so snarky, but you’re in a bubble.

Tea (esp hot tea) is consumed by a very small subset of the population. Not at all surprising that a resort wouldn’t stock it.

LOL and you are basing this on what, exactly? Aside from the fact that large parts of world drink primarily tea, in my office of 25 we are half tea, half coffee drinkers. Our tea drinkers include younger people and men.

Urban & blue, right?

what does this mean? maga doesn't drink tea?

Sweet tea would like a word

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure, call back and clarify in case there was a misunderstanding. But if my preference is strong for a food or drink, I would never rely on a place to have it and would just bring my own. If I NEED tea, I'm going to travel with my own teabags because you never know.

You're not entitled to tea just because a lot of people drink it.

+1 I bring Diet Coke if I have to stay at a Marriott because they only have Pepsi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously I'm not going to cancel the event. But I feel like it is not difficult for them to just buy tea as a basic level of service for their customers.

To be clear-- I am not talking about only my own needs. I am certainly not the only person in a conference of 300 people who drinks tea.

Is the conference going to be attended only by UMC females over the age of 60 who live in urban areas of blue states?

If so, tea is a must-have.

Sorry for being so snarky, but you’re in a bubble.

Tea (esp hot tea) is consumed by a very small subset of the population. Not at all surprising that a resort wouldn’t stock it.

LOL and you are basing this on what, exactly? Aside from the fact that large parts of world drink primarily tea, in my office of 25 we are half tea, half coffee drinkers. Our tea drinkers include younger people and men.

Urban & blue, right?

what does this mean? maga doesn't drink tea?

It means that OP's pearl-clutching epitomizes privilege and narrowmindedness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work for an org that is planning a multi-day event at a hotel in Puerto Rico. It is a large, major chain hotel in San Juan. Our meeting planner reviewed our food and beverage orders with the hotel today today, and since she and I are both tea drinkers, she confirmed what type of black/breakfast tea they serve. And the hotel told her that they don't have black tea. Not that they are out-- they just don't stock it at all. I told her that is unacceptable and they have to either get some, or discount our beverage service rate if I have to purchase tea for all of the tea drinkers at the event.

Am I being unreasonable to expect that a major hotel that hosts large events should have breakfast tea available? I am accustomed to being given limited/bad tea options at restaurants so I always carry some in my bag, but I've never been told by a hotel that they simply don't carry it.

I realize that in the grand scheme of life this is not a big deal, but I have been attending/managing conferences for 20+ years and this is not an issue I've ever dealt with.

Buy a big ol' box of Lipton from Giant and bring it with you and call it a day.

Tell me you aren’t a tea drinker without telling me you are a tea drinker
Not OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it’s a weird island thing? Islands can be weird.

And generally some cultures
That’s why it’s better to just plan thing on US mainland imho

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds weird enough that I'm wondering if she didn't understand what you're asking. I'd call again tomorrow and see if they can just tell you what type of tea they carry.

I agree. Your constant reference to "breakfast tea" is confusing. I wouldn't know what that was and would not promise to have it if a guest said they required it.

Say "Earl Grey" - I bet they'll say "Oh sure, we have that."

It’s sad but so many people think that earl grey and black tea (English/Irish breakfast tea) are the same thing

[Anonymous]

I need closure on teagate. is it misunderstanding? Does the hotel hate tea? Will OP bring a few boxes with her?

I know for a fact that Puerto Ricans drink tea so this is one of those small curiosities for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously I'm not going to cancel the event. But I feel like it is not difficult for them to just buy tea as a basic level of service for their customers.

To be clear-- I am not talking about only my own needs. I am certainly not the only person in a conference of 300 people who drinks tea.

Is the conference going to be attended only by UMC females over the age of 60 who live in urban areas of blue states?

If so, tea is a must-have.

Sorry for being so snarky, but you’re in a bubble.

Tea (esp hot tea) is consumed by a very small subset of the population. Not at all surprising that a resort wouldn’t stock it.

I am a 48yo immigrant and lack of tea culture in the US is my pet peeve

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work for an org that is planning a multi-day event at a hotel in Puerto Rico. It is a large, major chain hotel in San Juan. Our meeting planner reviewed our food and beverage orders with the hotel today today, and since she and I are both tea drinkers, she confirmed what type of black/breakfast tea they serve. And the hotel told her that they don't have black tea. Not that they are out-- they just don't stock it at all. I told her that is unacceptable and they have to either get some, or discount our beverage service rate if I have to purchase tea for all of the tea drinkers at the event.

Am I being unreasonable to expect that a major hotel that hosts large events should have breakfast tea available? I am accustomed to being given limited/bad tea options at restaurants so I always carry some in my bag, but I've never been told by a hotel that they simply don't carry it.

I realize that in the grand scheme of life this is not a big deal, but I have been attending/managing conferences for 20+ years and this is not an issue I've ever dealt with.

See, the thing is, you did ask ahead of time if they had the tea you want because you knee it wasn't a given that they would have it. When you ask a yes or no question you should not be surprised that the answer was no, it is a legitimate answer. If you thought your preference for tea was ubiquitous as water you would not have asked about it ahead of time.

She knew it wasn’t a given that they have her specific type of tea preference (ie that they only have basic Lipton yellow label and not earl gray) but to not have any hot tea available full stop is crazy for a major hotel/conference center anywhere in the world that caters to international guests.

I mean… it’s PR
Not Germany or a Scandinavian country
They are quite relaxed lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They might not have pizza either.

Show some respect for the local culture, or don't travel.

lol
It’s all cute for a mom and pop establishment but not for a major international chain