lapaspusempapedam's review against another edition
3.0
Imodžena Edvardsa-Džounsa ir žurnāliste,kura mīl viesoties dažādās pasaules viesnīcās un vēl vairāk mīl pastāstīt mums,kas tad īsti notiek tajās,apkopojot šo visu informāciju stāsta veidā grāmatā.
Grāmata sevī ietver uz patiesiem notikumiem balstītu stāstu, kas atspoguļo kādas 5 zvaigžņu viesnīcas darbinieka 10 gadu pieredzē piedzīvotos notikumus,kas parāda,kas patiesībā slēpjas aiz viesnīcu darbinieku skaistajiem smaidiem mūs sagaidot,kā arī cik pārsteigumiem un noslēpumiem pilns var būt ikviens viesnīcas klients, kurš sper savu kāju pāri tās durvju slieksnim.
Lai nebūtu iespējams atklāt, kas šī ir par viesnīcu, tai tiek piešķirts izdomāts nosaukums "Viesnīca Babylon". Kā arī, lai nebūtu kādam no lasītājiem atšifrējams konkrētais laika periods, darbinieka 10 gados piedzīvotie interesantākie notikumi tiek atainoti vienas 24 h darba dienas ietvaros.
Sekss, vara, šmaukšanās - tas viss un vēl vairāk atrodams grāmatā! Un ko var zināt - varbūt kāds no stāsta varoņiem un piedzīvojumiem liks tev ataust atmiņā sen dzirdētu stāstu no savu draugu, paziņu, kolēģu viesošanās kādā no 5 zvaigžņu viesnīcām un atklāsi, kurš patiesībā slēpjas aiz kāda no šīs grāmatas varoņiem - nekad neko nevar zināt!
Reiz studiju gados, strādājot apkalpojošā sfērā (bērnu apģērbu veikaliņā), vienmēr domāju, cik aplausu vērts ir tas smaids, kas sagaida ik katru klientu, jo aiz tā paslēpušies ne tikai kuriozu pilni notikumi, bet arī aizvainojums, sāpīgi mirkļi, kāda klienta sliktā garstāvokļa izmešana uz pārdevēju, bosa "Man vajag, man vajag" mūžīgi neremdināmās alkas pašam neko neieguldot darbiniekā, un vēl, un vēl, un vēl... Un ah, kas tik nav piedzīvots - ja ne grāmatas, tad vismaz bloga cienīgi patiesi stāsti noteikti!
Šī faktora dēļ bija jau diezgan paredzami, ko tieši uz savas ādas ir izbaudījuši un vēl izbaudīs lappusi pēc lappuses grāmatas varoņi.
Viegla lasāmviela, kas ļaus tev gan smieties, gan ieplest acis aiz šoka un sev jautāt "Kā tā var rīkoties?", un noteikti tāpat kā man liks aizdomāties - kādi tad mēs paši esam viesnīcu klienti un ko par mums domā to darbinieki ?
Grāmata sevī ietver uz patiesiem notikumiem balstītu stāstu, kas atspoguļo kādas 5 zvaigžņu viesnīcas darbinieka 10 gadu pieredzē piedzīvotos notikumus,kas parāda,kas patiesībā slēpjas aiz viesnīcu darbinieku skaistajiem smaidiem mūs sagaidot,kā arī cik pārsteigumiem un noslēpumiem pilns var būt ikviens viesnīcas klients, kurš sper savu kāju pāri tās durvju slieksnim.
Lai nebūtu iespējams atklāt, kas šī ir par viesnīcu, tai tiek piešķirts izdomāts nosaukums "Viesnīca Babylon". Kā arī, lai nebūtu kādam no lasītājiem atšifrējams konkrētais laika periods, darbinieka 10 gados piedzīvotie interesantākie notikumi tiek atainoti vienas 24 h darba dienas ietvaros.
Sekss, vara, šmaukšanās - tas viss un vēl vairāk atrodams grāmatā! Un ko var zināt - varbūt kāds no stāsta varoņiem un piedzīvojumiem liks tev ataust atmiņā sen dzirdētu stāstu no savu draugu, paziņu, kolēģu viesošanās kādā no 5 zvaigžņu viesnīcām un atklāsi, kurš patiesībā slēpjas aiz kāda no šīs grāmatas varoņiem - nekad neko nevar zināt!
Reiz studiju gados, strādājot apkalpojošā sfērā (bērnu apģērbu veikaliņā), vienmēr domāju, cik aplausu vērts ir tas smaids, kas sagaida ik katru klientu, jo aiz tā paslēpušies ne tikai kuriozu pilni notikumi, bet arī aizvainojums, sāpīgi mirkļi, kāda klienta sliktā garstāvokļa izmešana uz pārdevēju, bosa "Man vajag, man vajag" mūžīgi neremdināmās alkas pašam neko neieguldot darbiniekā, un vēl, un vēl, un vēl... Un ah, kas tik nav piedzīvots - ja ne grāmatas, tad vismaz bloga cienīgi patiesi stāsti noteikti!
Šī faktora dēļ bija jau diezgan paredzami, ko tieši uz savas ādas ir izbaudījuši un vēl izbaudīs lappusi pēc lappuses grāmatas varoņi.
Viegla lasāmviela, kas ļaus tev gan smieties, gan ieplest acis aiz šoka un sev jautāt "Kā tā var rīkoties?", un noteikti tāpat kā man liks aizdomāties - kādi tad mēs paši esam viesnīcu klienti un ko par mums domā to darbinieki ?
rasha_reads's review against another edition
4.0
This was quite a funny read but since I've worked in the industry the shock value that it has for someone who hasn't was muted. Still - quite enjoyable.
kingfan30's review against another edition
3.0
Having read Air and Fashion Babylon I have been quite intrigued to get round to this one, especially as I loved the TV series. It is along the same lines of Air and Fashion but for some reason I did not enjoy it quite as much, is it because I have read too many from the Babylon series of books, or did the TV series spoil it? Not sure on this one, maybe a bit of both.
The fact that this is based on a 24 hour period does not help (someone doing a 24 hour shift - really? is that allowed?). If makes it feel rushed and like they tried to cram too much in and there was a lot of, a friend at another hotel told me/I remember last month/year when this happened, which makes the book a bit clunky to read. I guess I was comparing the TV show to the book quite a bit, and could see some of the characters, although they were a lot less developed in the book, I guess it is easier to build up characters over 32 episodes instead of 300 pages!
That said it is a fast book to read and although shocking at times, I can quite believe that this sort of thing goes on. It is not really surprising that as long as you are paying money out (and a lot of it) the hotel is prepared to but up with pretty much anything.
There are a few tips along the way too - "it is always the single business man that gets bumped, Lynette does it on purpose. As soon as she knows she has overbooked, she goes down the list to see who she can upgrade and who she can bump. If, when you book your hotel room, you say it is some sort of special occasion, you are more likely to be moved to a junior suite. If you book through a travel agent the result is the same. It is a good way of keeping the company sweet and in the good books. However the lone traveller for one night, is always the first to go" - must be a good one to remember, special occasions at every stay I feel!!
The fact that this is based on a 24 hour period does not help (someone doing a 24 hour shift - really? is that allowed?). If makes it feel rushed and like they tried to cram too much in and there was a lot of, a friend at another hotel told me/I remember last month/year when this happened, which makes the book a bit clunky to read. I guess I was comparing the TV show to the book quite a bit, and could see some of the characters, although they were a lot less developed in the book, I guess it is easier to build up characters over 32 episodes instead of 300 pages!
That said it is a fast book to read and although shocking at times, I can quite believe that this sort of thing goes on. It is not really surprising that as long as you are paying money out (and a lot of it) the hotel is prepared to but up with pretty much anything.
There are a few tips along the way too - "it is always the single business man that gets bumped, Lynette does it on purpose. As soon as she knows she has overbooked, she goes down the list to see who she can upgrade and who she can bump. If, when you book your hotel room, you say it is some sort of special occasion, you are more likely to be moved to a junior suite. If you book through a travel agent the result is the same. It is a good way of keeping the company sweet and in the good books. However the lone traveller for one night, is always the first to go" - must be a good one to remember, special occasions at every stay I feel!!
vdoprincess's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun, light read. I love any book that goes behind the scenes in the service industry (though I've no idea why) and this was no exception.
shinychick's review against another edition
4.0
I found this on a friend's booklist... It is, supposedly, the nonfiction account of 24 hours in a five-star London hotel. And, for that, it is EXCELLENT. I mean, I stayed up until 3 am many nights, saying to myself, "Oh, well, I'll just stop at the next chapter..." and I couldn't. Strangely, it made me want to work in a hotel, and not strangely, it made me want to go to London.
yossy_cookie's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.0
This is a very light read and not at all taxing. It's nothing amazing but it's an easy read and fun,if that's what you are after. If you want complex characters and something meaningful then look elsewhere.