Perfect for late night reading.

I have been wanting to read this book since it first came out in 2012.  This tempting piece of non-fiction has lingered on my Goodreads to-read shelf for years and I am happy to have finally read this one and crossed it off the list.

Heads in Beds follows Jacob Tomsky from his very beginnings as a valet at a hotel in New Orleans. After working up the proverbial food chain, Tomsky took a break from the hotel industry only to find himself right back in it, starting from scratch in New York. Without meaning to, the memoir quickly becomes a work of comparison between the hotels and lifestyles of two famous cities. One more laid-back, the other all business. You can take a guess at which is which.

If you’re expecting a salacious read about celebrity clientele and guest sexcapades, you’ll be sorely disappointed. There are moments of both in small doses, but the strength of this memoir is in the behind the scenes look at the mercenary approach to customer service.

Tomsky’s experience is based in the luxury hotel business, not your average Hilton or Doubletree. He breaks down the basic economics as quickly as he inserts lyrics from 50 Cent–both of which are valuable and hilarious additions to his narrative. Tomsky often has a tone that reads as a wisecracking uncle, schooling his nephews and nieces in the way of life. And learn, I did.

For instance, if I ever find myself in a luxury hotel or, hell, even the local Doubletree, I now plan on tipping. Turns out, tipping is the lifeblood of a hotel, and though it sounds naive now, I never really thought about tips as being all that important in the hotel industry. But they are. Not only for the people receiving the bills, but for you the overnight guest. Tomsky makes the value of under-the-table funds explicitly clear. Better service. Better rooms. Better experience.

Heads in Beds is a quick read and a solid piece of nonfiction. Part hotel tell-all, part guide to getting better customer service, Tomsky is witty and candid in his revelations of the hospitality industry.

Tomsky’s asides and observations prove a knack for storytelling that the reader will enjoy. You can expect laughter, lip-curling disgust, and possibly some guilt for being “that” guest. Heads in Beds is a page turner that just might make you a savvier traveler in the process.

Heads in Beds was a rather enjoyable read for me and I give it 3 Book Bubbles–Suitably Poppable.

Thanks for popping in!