Heads in Beds

A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality

By: Jacob Tomsky

Narrated by: Jacob Tomsky

Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

In the tradition of Kitchen Confidential and Waiter Rant, a rollicking, eye-opening, fantastically indiscreet memoir of a life spent (and misspent) in the hotel industry.

Jacob Tomsky has worked in hotels for more than a decade, doing everything from valet parking to manning the front desk. He's checked you in, checked you out, separated your white panties from the white bed sheets, parked your car, tasted your room service, cleaned your toilet, denied you a late check out, given you a wake-up call, eaten M&Ms out of your mini-bar, laughed at your jokes, and taken your money. And in Heads in Beds, he pulls back the curtain on the hospitality business, revealing the crazy yet compelling reality of an industry we think we know. It is an incredibly funny, authentic, and irreverent chronicle of the highs and lows of hotel life and boy, is there a market for it: in 2010, the American lodging industry generated $127.7 billion in revenue. Prepare to be amused, shocked, and amazed as he spills the unwritten code of the bellhops, the antics that go on the valet parking garage, and the housekeeping department's dirty little secrets.

Prepare to be moved, too, by his insightful honesty about the profession; employees are often poorly paid and frequently abused. However, Heads in Beds is more than just a memoir. Jake explains the secrets of the industry, offering easy and legal ways to get what you need from your hotel without any hassle - from scoring late check-ins and upgrades to getting that pay-per-view charge knocked off your bill. This book will give you the knowledge you need to get the very best service from any hotel or property, from any business that makes its money from putting heads in beds. Or, at the very least, it will keep the bellhops from taking your luggage into the camera-free back office and stomping the crap out of it.

©2012 Jacob Tomsky (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Jacob Tomsky is a star. The kid writes like a dream. Heads in Beds is hilarious, literate, canny, indignant and kind - revealing an author who manages somehow to be both a total hustler and a complete humanitarian. I love this book. Keep an eye on this writer. I'm telling you, he's a star." (Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia)

Entertaining

Great listen and well worth the credit. Not a family road trip book but it will make you laugh, as long as you don't get offended by tough language. I am glad the author did the narration because it would not have been the same coming from someone else.

Great book

i I really enjoyed this book. It was humorous, informative and all-around enjoyable to listen to.

Amazing!

As a former hospitality worker (bellmen/valet) this book is amazing. Relatable, and a great guide for the hotel guests!

Good audiobook about hotels, lots of insider info

Interesting tale of someone who worked in several departments of luxury/business hotels in New Orleans and New York -- from valet to housekeeping management to front desk. Some good content for frequent hotel guests seeking to maximize their experience (and learn more about the processes and politics within the hotel).

The audiobook is particularly good, as it was read by the author.

Entertaining & Informative.

Gotta baby brick for the next front desk agent who checks me in to my hotel.

Lively, laughs, learned something.

What did you love best about Heads in Beds?

I value really good service in all parts of my life. This book offered valuable insights regarding how to express my appreciation for good service more effectively, for the benefit of the employee and for my own benefit. And nothing dry about the lessons learned: very colorful stories and anecdotes made this a page turner. The story did start to wear thin on me towards the last quarter, but then I have a short attentions span.

Loved it, funniest thing I've read in a long time!

Would you consider the audio edition of Heads in Beds to be better than the print version?

The audio version was great because the author himself read it, and he is a great orator. A real personal spin that adds to the book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Heads in Beds?

I love cheap thrills, so the "after-shave/cologne" scenario left me laughing out load.

What about Jacob Tomsky’s performance did you like?

He is a great story teller and excellent speaker. Seems very comfortable with himself and that comes out in his narration.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The book wasn't heavy, just entertaining in a cheap laugh's kind of way. Laughed out load a few times, funny, funny, funny!

Hilarious and helpful!

As a frequent traveler, I can’t help but see hotels in a whole new light. Thank you “Tommy” for teaching me how to tip! Whole new worlds of service are opening up. And thank you for making me laugh out loud!

Great story

Loved it! Couldn't stop listening to it. Full of fun stories and industry insight that you can't stop listening to

If you've EVER stayed in a hotel...

This highly entertaining book gives a good insight into the machinations behind a hotel's front desk. The narrator, who is also the author, does a terrific job of moving it along and making you want to find out what the heck could happen next. Educational as well as amazing, he lets you know what you should never do, plus what you can get away with. Fast paced and fun, this book gets a strong recommendation from me. Give it a try!