#personalized guest service

[trayoungvis]

6 ways to improve front desk operations in a hotel

Implement a User-Friendly Property Management System (PMS)

Investing in a robust, user-friendly PMS can streamline many front desk functions, allowing for quicker guest check-ins and check-outs, and simplifying task management for staff. The right PMS can also automate functions like billing, housekeeping updates, and guest profile management, ensuring that information is centralized and accessible. With integrated technology, front desk staff can access real-time data and focus more on engaging with guests rather than juggling paperwork.

Example: Hotels can use cloud-based PMS solutions that integrate with mobile devices, enabling staff to manage bookings, room assignments, and other guest requests on-the-go. This type of flexibility can enhance the guest experience and make the front desk operation more agile.

Enhance Staff Training and Development

A knowledgeable and friendly front desk team is essential for smooth operations and creating positive guest experiences. Training programs should include customer service techniques, conflict resolution, cultural sensitivity, and technology skills to ensure that staff can handle a wide range of scenarios. By investing in ongoing training and development, hotels can empower front desk agents to respond confidently and professionally to any guest need.

Example: Implementing customer service role-playing sessions or workshops on handling difficult situations helps front desk staff feel more prepared and confident in high-pressure situations. This leads to quicker resolution of guest issues and enhances the overall service quality.

Leverage Mobile Check-In and Check-Out Options

Offering mobile check-in and check-out options can greatly improve convenience for guests, especially those who value minimal contact or are on tight schedules. With these digital options, guests can skip the line, access their room with digital keys, and receive important information directly on their mobile devices. This not only speeds up the process but also reduces wait times at the front desk, allowing staff to focus on more personalized interactions with guests.

Example: Hotels that allow guests to check in through an app or kiosk help reduce lobby congestion during peak hours, providing a smoother arrival experience. Mobile check-out also enables guests to settle their bills quickly and leave feedback immediately, fostering a positive and seamless end to their stay.

Create a Well-Organized and Efficient Workspace

Organization is key to smooth front desk operations. A clutter-free, well-designed workspace helps front desk staff access essential tools and information quickly, allowing them to serve guests efficiently. Organized storage, a clear filing system, and ergonomic workstation setups can reduce unnecessary steps and help staff focus on guest engagement rather than searching for items.

Example: Organizing desk drawers with labeled sections for different forms, supplies, and guest essentials can speed up routine tasks. Hotels could also use digital filing systems to eliminate paperwork, making it easier to retrieve guest data and reducing physical clutter.

Use Data Analytics for Forecasting and Staff Allocation

Data analytics can play a significant role in optimizing front desk operations. By analyzing guest flow patterns, seasonal demand, and peak hours, hotels can better predict staffing needs and ensure that they have adequate coverage. This approach prevents both overstaffing and understaffing, ensuring that guests receive timely service without additional operational costs.

Example: With data insights, front desk managers can allocate more staff during weekends, holidays, or major events when guest traffic is higher. During low-occupancy periods, they can redistribute front desk staff to other areas of the hotel, optimizing labor costs and efficiency.

Encourage Personalized Service and Attention to Detail

Personalized service can leave a lasting impression on guests and set a hotel apart from its competitors. Simple gestures, like addressing guests by name, remembering their preferences, or accommodating special requests, can enhance guest satisfaction. Front desk teams can leverage guest data from CRM systems to tailor their service approach, creating an experience that feels unique and memorable.

Example: If a guest is a returning visitor who previously requested extra pillows or specific room amenities, front desk staff can proactively arrange these before their arrival. Such attention to detail shows the guest that their preferences are valued and remembered.

Conclusion An efficient front desk operation is essential for a hotel’s success and guest satisfaction. By adopting advanced technology, continuously training staff, organizing the workspace, using data analytics for decision-making, and personalizing guest interactions, hotels can significantly enhance their front desk operations. These improvements lead to smoother guest experiences, higher retention rates, and a stronger brand reputation.

Additional Tips for Optimizing Front Desk Operations

Offer Multi-language Support: Having multilingual staff or digital translation tools can enhance communication with international guests.

Automate Routine Tasks: Automated notifications for housekeeping, maintenance, or guest requests can streamline coordination among departments.

Implement Guest Feedback Systems: Encourage guests to provide feedback during check-out, which can help the hotel address issues immediately and improve service.

[garlicslut]

heart beating and thumping like im running for my life and rlly its just the weekend and there's gonna be a lot of chr*stians coming into my work. and they make THE WORST FUCKING CUSTOMERS

[treeprince]

audio processing disorder so bad i only minorly fucked up the social interaction bc it was so funny that the blunder was immediately forgiven

[mastergarryblogs]

Beyond 5-Star: The Most Extravagant Luxury Hotel Amenities Market You Won’t Believe Exist

Introduction

The luxury hotel amenities market is experiencing remarkable growth, driven by evolving consumer preferences, a heightened focus on personalized experiences, and the expanding influence of younger, experience-driven travelers. In 2024, the luxury hotel amenities market was valued at USD 16,341.70 million and is projected to reach USD 24,360.50 million by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.88%. As high-income travelers increasingly demand premium in-room amenities, luxury hotels are responding with bespoke offerings that enhance guest satisfaction and drive brand loyalty.

Key luxury hotel amenities market trends shaping this growth include the increasing demand for customization, wellness-focused amenities, and sustainable hospitality solutions. Additionally, the rise of "bleisure" travel—where business and leisure merge—has propelled demand for high-end hotel experiences that seamlessly balance work and relaxation.

Request Sample Report PDF (including TOC, Graphs & Tables): https://www.statsandresearch.com/request-sample/40577-luxury-hotel-amenities-market

Luxury Hotel Amenities Market Dynamics:

Key Growth Drivers

1. Rising Demand for Premium In-Room Amenities

Luxury travelers expect more than just a comfortable stay; they seek an immersive and tailor-made hotel experience. High-end amenities such as designer toiletries, premium textiles, customized bath products, and cutting-edge in-room technology have become essential in satisfying affluent guests.

Exclusive Brand Partnerships: Luxury hotels collaborate with renowned skincare and fragrance brands to offer exclusive formulations, enhancing their premium image.

Personalized Touches: Bespoke offerings such as customized pillows, aromatherapy kits, and curated minibar selections provide a unique guest experience.

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2. Influence of Millennial and Gen Z Travelers

These younger generations prioritize authentic, luxurious, and sustainable travel experiences, compelling hotels to innovate and align offerings with their values.

Sustainability: Eco-conscious travelers prefer biodegradable toiletries, refillable dispensers, and organic bath products.

Technology Integration: Smart rooms with AI-powered assistants, keyless entry, and customizable lighting and temperature controls enhance convenience and exclusivity.

3. The Growth of "Bleisure" Travel

The fusion of business and leisure travel has driven demand for sophisticated, multi-functional hotel amenities.

Wellness-Centric Offerings: High-end hotels now provide luxury spa services, in-room yoga kits, and state-of-the-art fitness centers.

Enhanced Business Facilities: Modern travelers require high-speed Wi-Fi, executive lounges, and private workspaces that cater to both professional and leisure needs.

Luxury Hotel Amenities Market Segmental Analysis:

The luxury hotel amenities market is segmented based on product type, end user, distribution channel, and region.

By Product Type

Wet Amenities (32.7% Market Share) – Includes premium shampoos, conditioners, bath oils, and lotions, essential in shaping a luxury brand's identity.

Textiles – High-quality robes, bed linens, and towels that enhance comfort.

Dry Amenities – Luxury slippers, combs, dental kits, and wellness products.

Wellness & Fitness Accessories – Essential for wellness-focused guests.

By End User

Hotel Chains (Largest Market Share) – Luxury chains prioritize premium amenities for consistency and guest retention.

Independent Hotels (CAGR 7.08%) – Focus on personalized service and unique guest experiences.

Luxury Resorts – Offer high-end, immersive experiences tailored to leisure travelers.

By Distribution Channel

Direct Sales (CAGR 6.98%) – Preferred by luxury hotels for exclusive, high-quality control.

Online Sales – Gaining traction due to ease of access and bulk purchasing options.

Distributors and Wholesalers – Facilitate efficient supply chains for global hotel groups.

By Region

North America (34.3% Luxury Hotel Amenities Market Share) – Strong demand due to high consumer spending on luxury experiences.

Europe (27.8%) – A leading luxury tourism destination.

Asia-Pacific (23.0%) – Rapid growth driven by rising disposable incomes and tourism expansion.

Competitive Landscape

The luxury hotel amenities market is highly competitive, with top players commanding over 35% of the total market share. Leading companies are leveraging strategic partnerships, sustainable innovations, and product diversification to maintain dominance.

Key Luxury Hotel Amenities Market Players

Aromatherapy Associates

Bulgari

The White Company

Herbivore Botanicals, LLC

Acqua Di Parma S.r.l

Baccarat

Asprey London

ADA Cosmetics

Rituals Cosmetics Enterprise B.V.

Lush Retail Ltd.

Notable Industry Developments

June 2024: Hotel Emporium partnered with Bulgari to introduce sustainable luxury hotel amenities.

2024: Marriott and Hyatt expanded luxury all-inclusive resorts in Europe, targeting affluent tourists.

Future Luxury Hotel Amenities Market Trends:

1. Rise of Sustainable Luxury

Luxury hotels are increasingly investing in eco-friendly solutions, including:

Biodegradable toiletries and refillable dispensers.

Locally sourced and organic wellness products.

Sustainable packaging and zero-waste initiatives.

2. Increased Demand for Bespoke & Personalized Offerings

From signature fragrance-infused bath products to AI-driven room customization, the demand for unique, personalized guest experiences is at an all-time high.

3. Luxury Pet-Friendly Amenities

High-end hotels are introducing:

Luxury pet beds and organic pet grooming products.

Gourmet pet menus to cater to affluent pet owners.

4. Smart Technology Integration

AI-powered concierge services.

IoT-enabled rooms with personalized automation.

Augmented reality (AR) hotel experiences.

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Conclusion

The luxury hotel amenities market is poised for substantial growth, driven by premiumization, personalization, sustainability, and technological advancements. As demand for high-end travel experiences continues to surge, hotels must innovate and align offerings with evolving consumer expectations to remain competitive.

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Contact Us:

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[hygienix123]

Why Hygienix Hospitality is the Leading Supplier for Housekeeping Materials

In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene is a top priority for businesses across various sectors, especially in hospitality, healthcare, and corporate environments. For such establishments, having reliable and high-quality housekeeping materials is essential. One company that stands out in providing these critical supplies is Hygienix Hospitality.

With a strong reputation for delivering premium quality housekeeping products and excellent customer service, Hygienix Hospitality has become a leading supplier for housekeeping materials in India. This blog will explore the reasons why Hygienix Hospitality is the top choice for housekeeping supplies, how they meet industry needs, and what sets them apart from the competition.

[ikonikpress]

Social Media and Personal Branding: How to Brand Yourself Online

Master the art of social media and personal branding with practical tips to build a powerful presence online. This guide shows you how to brand yourself on social media, attract the right audience, and grow your influence. Perfect for entrepreneurs and professionals looking to increase their visibility. Get your brand featured with a guest post at IKONIK Magazine.

[dailymore-news]

The Rise of AI in Hospitality: How Technology is Revolutionizing.

Introduction: The Revolution of Artificial Intelligence in Hospitality The hospitality industry, which is traditionally known for its personalized customer service and human interaction, is undergoing a significant transformation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now integral to every industry facet. It impacts guest services and marketing. It also influences operations and management. Hotels and…

[transformativeworks]

"Deprecated Fandoms" Spam Bot Alert!

If you get a comment that says AO3 is "deleting works to conserve server space", that is a Spam Bot. There is no such thing as "deprecated fandom content", nor is there any limit on the number of works that can be posted to a fandom tag (regardless of how "popular" it is). AO3 has not changed its content policies. We are committed to upholding our founding principle of maximum inclusiveness of fanwork content, and will only remove content that violates the AO3 Terms of Service. While non-fanworks are not allowed on AO3, we consider both original works and real-person fiction to be fanworks. Please don't listen to anyone telling you otherwise.

Unlike the previous round of art spam, so far these comments have all been from guests, so our advice for handling them is different! We're working on filtering these comments out, and flagging them as spam is how you can help. Read more below the cut!

To help train our automated spam-checker to block similar guest comments in the future:

If the comment is on your own work: 

Note: The "Spam" button only appears when viewing a guest comment directly on your work. This is because the AO3 comment inbox is merely a copy of the work's comments – deleting a comment from your AO3 inbox does not delete the comment from the work itself.

Go directly to the comment on your work, either by clicking on the link in your email or in your AO3 inbox.

Click on the "Spam" button to mark the guest comment as spam and remove it from your work. 

That's it! You don't have to do anything else.

If you see comments like these on someone else's work: 

Feel free to let the creator know the comment is from a bot and that they should mark it as spam. 

You can also report the comments as botspam via the Policy Questions & Abuse Reports form linked at the bottom of every page on AO3. 

If you are reporting multiple guest comments, please submit only one report and include all comment links in your report description. (You can get the direct link to any comment by clicking the "Thread" button on the comment, and then copying the URL of that page.)

AO3's Policy & Abuse committee (PAC) does not pre-screen content on AO3; they only investigate if they receive a report. All reports are reviewed by PAC volunteers, who are real human beings. You don't need to worry that your or anyone else's fanworks will be taken down due to a baseless report or a mass-reporting campaign. 

If PAC were to determine that you had violated the TOS, you would receive a notification of the violation via the email address associated with your AO3 account—not via comments, social media, or any other method. 

[resdraft]

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Design & Drafting

An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a secondary housing unit on a single-family residential lot. These units can come in various forms, such as detached units, attached units, or converted portions of existing structures like garages or basements. We provide personalized, comprehensive drafting solutions tailored to your needs, ensuring a seamless process from concept to completion.

[kittsuneriyu]

For a while I really wanted to make my own designs for a "role swap" AU.

The idea is that characters change roles, not in between, they change sides but still have their own unique quirks to hunt or survive.

007n7 basically goes insane after losing both Noli and c00lkidd, turning back into his old hacker persona, he decides to make his sorrow into everyone's problem. 007n7's actions are way more destructive and reckless, with nothing else to lose, why should he fear getting hurt or punished? This mentality is what pushes him further into keep living to make hell break lose.

Elliot is still a worker on Builder Brother's Pizza's, the best as always. But sometimes you never felt like making some jerk pay for his actions? That's Elliot's mindset, using his freetime to hunt down anyone that dared to mistreat him or other employees. Having a twisted kind of satisfaction on making "justice" with his own hands. Of course, he would never let it affect the Pizzaria's service.

Chance is a thrill seeker, to achive it he always took the most risky choices. It lead him into involving himself with some shady people. Now working as some hitman, Chance uses this title to coerce his targets into gambling with him in change of their mercy. But somehow Chance always wins either way.

The rest of the survivors aren't as elaborated as those three.

Noob is just some generic killer, the kind that looks like an average person but later shows themselves as some maniac.

Guest 1337 as stated on the drawing works like Fliqpy, genuinely feeling guilty for hurting someone, his flight or fight reaction really blinds him when something triggers him.

Two Time achived a very high connection with the spawn after a bunch of sacrifice's. One life in change of a extra one, this allows them to insta-heal a deadly injury an keep going, of course it doesn't comes without consequences. Each scar and rebirth disfigure's Two Time's form further and further.

Builderman alongside Telamon started an iron fist moderation, punishing and banning anyone that broke rules or defied their ideals.

Builderman didn't changed much design wise, glasses to only focus on their ideals, headsets to not hear their pleas or opinions and a hardhat to protection of course.

Telamon never gave up on his hatred, some still spilled over his creation but most of it still with him.

Dusekkar never agreed with this nonsense, and the two Admins didn't took it lightly, now Duse doesn't mind that much, afterall he doesn't have a thinkng mind at all anymore.

Taph would do anything for builderman, so they hopped along with the two Admin's, Taph happened to mess up a few times but now that they got the message they're not going to fail Builderman anymore.

And of course we have our survivors.

"Poor kidd there's something about us people never really liked." Not sure about what happened to c00lkidd for him to disappear. Up to you I guess.

1x a vessel for the admin's experiment, nothing but that. And when falling purposeless they felt anger, a powerful need for revenge. 1x and 2x never happened to become sepparated entities.

John Doe a mere moderator, only wanting to ensure that robloxia's problems were solved, too good for his own sake. This was his ruin.

Noli since the start aspired that one day he would reach out the starts, but now that he has them in hands theres no one left to share their glimmer with.

Guest 666 was just some rebel, a trouble maker as people say. Unable to properly speak without an account, but also unnable to be properly punished. Not sure how his relation with Noob could go.

Azure was, alongside his partner, one out of the most faithful ones of their cult. This feat led him and Two Time into a huge sacrificial rabbit hole. After being killed Azure turned his back to anything related to spawn or cults in general.

[bramblepatch]

The thing is the blended family ohana ending of the original Lilo and Stitch isn't just the best case scenario for Nani and Lilo, it's also a profoundly good end for Jumba and Pleakley.

Jumba's story is one of rehabilitative justice. He starts the movie as a convicted criminal, a self proclaimed and unrepentant evil genius. He might not ever really admit it - he never lets go of the evil genius label, and rarely expresses any remorse for his earlier plans of conquest and mayhem - but his investment in the welfare of his Little Girl really brings him back from that brink. In the credits slideshow and the TV show, Jumba is happy living a relatively quiet life as Stitch's de facto guardian and one of Lilo's caregivers. The Pelekai family is his alternative to a lifetime in a maximum security cell and he embraces that second chance. And the narrative doesn't call this into question at all: allowing him to act as a caretaker is more important than punishing him.

Pleakley doesn't start in so dire of a position - but he's a highly strung government functionary with a passion for uncharismatic endangered animals and a desire for self-expression that isn't being met. Joining the Pelekai family doesn't just mean being able to present himself in a more comfortable way - although that's certainly an important aspect of OG Pleakley's characterization - it also demonstrates that he's learned to see the personhood of the native people of his favorite animal's native habitat and respect their autonomy. On paper, Pleakley's the most qualified person in the household, especially by the standards of the galactic government - a mature adult, likely well-educated, with no previous criminal record and a respectable career in civil service. But there's no question that this is Nani's house and that she has final say on Lilo's upbringing. Pleakley's a guest, and he accepts this, because living with them is more fulfilling and comfortable than his old life.

[krowbby]

Ankh-Morpork Dashboard Simulator

happy 40th anniversary everyone 🥳🥳

🌅peach-bi-street

who’s that watchman who’s kinda skrunkly

🐀↺riverrat Follow

helen. 

HELEN. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT NOBBY NOBBS.

🌅↺peach-bi-street

oh yeah

#are you gonna look at me and tell me that im WRONG?

24 notes

🪙official-c.m.o.t.☑️☑️Sponsored with Blaze

C.M.O.T. Dibbler’s Escape The Room!!!!!

Newly opened in the Street of Cunning Artificers is an experience unlike any you’ve had before! Enter a room filled with secrets and mysteries which you must solve in order to escape! Great place to bring a date! Compete with other visitors for the fastest time to solve the room!

Show this ad at the front desk for a special deal of only one dollar per person, and that’s cuttin’ me own throat!!!

Dibbler Enterprises does not take any responsibility for any maiming, hot oil, buckets of snakes, or any other hazards guests may encounter in their visit.

#smallbusiness #ankhmorpork #ankhblr #deals

590 notes

🚹humantwitter Follow

4,981 notes

💌postal-service-top Follow

saw the postmaster today in his stupid gold suit. hes so hot

🌚↺lesbianbaker

i don’t get why people say this he’s the most average looking guy ever. his WIFE however

#you know that post that’s like ur at a lesbian bar and a hot older woman is smoking #and ur like. ‘can yuo put that out on me’ #yeah

120 notes

🥁evenmoremendeddrum Follow

do you guys think the patrician has a secret blog

🛤️↺makeyefret Follow

No, but I bet his secretary is on studyblr

🐶↺wufflesgirl Follow

are you kidding me the patrician is definitely on tumblr. brb committing treason so i can compliment his shoelaces

🥁↺evenmoremendeddrum Follow

peer-reviewed tags

#lord vetinari if ur reading this is legally a joke #wear an owl pin if ur one of us

🏚️↺ankhmorporkheritageposts Follow

Ankh-Morpork Heritage Post

1,074,228 notes

trainhoe-deactivated19890205

hot take but i kind of think the guild of assassins and thieves are problematic. like one of them you could ruin someone’s life and the other one you’re literally KILLING people. i know rich people are delusional but i can’t believe they literally think the best school for their kids is murder college.

🐲essential-dragons Follow

assassins got them

20,391 notes

[hygienix123]

Why Hygienix Hospitality is the Leading Supplier for Housekeeping Materials

In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene is a top priority for businesses across various sectors, especially in hospitality, healthcare, and corporate environments. For such establishments, having reliable and high-quality housekeeping materials is essential. One company that stands out in providing these critical supplies is Hygienix Hospitality.

[seat-safety-switch]

There's a really non-obvious consequence to all those "smart" appliances out there. Your average corporation lasts less than ten years before it's acquired, goes bankrupt, or is no longer doing the thing it first started out doing. However, all those internet-of-things gadgets still need someone to be paying the server bill, otherwise half of the features go "poof."

This is great for me: I get cheap appliances, tools, construction robots, and pseudo-sentient war machines because most of their functionality required a now-nonexistent web service to be working. For instance, this oven I pulled out of a ditch works perfectly fine to cook food, but the "Turkey Mode" that makes an obnoxious gobbling sound on Thanksgiving Day no longer activates on its own.

Not everything is as lucky. Lots of gadgets are just totally useless, so they get turned into other things. A lobotomized robot lawnmower quickly became a regular ol' human-operated lawnmower with the attachment of a Princess Auto two-stroke engine and a very, very long wood pole. And then there's the stuff that just gets plain weird.

A few weeks ago, I got a new microwave from the "gettin' spot." It was due to be recycled, to be turned into some other microwave. I figured it would still work perfectly fine, so I brought it home, plugged it in, and got ready to heat up some Pizza Pockets. Nothing doing: the screen had only one functional "app" remaining.

On its flickering high-dollar OLED screen, I saw the words "death prediction date." And, clicking on it, the microwave began to read out an entirely plausible date and cause for my personal demise. For a couple days after, guests to my house were also amazed by the microwave's chillingly reasonable projection of their inevitable fatal accident or terminal illness.

I'll never know why the Guangzhou Champion Home Appliance Company imbued the microwave with such an eerie memento mori, but I am grateful for it. The whole experience taught me that life is short, far too short to listen to some snarky-ass microwave that won't even cook a Pizza Pocket. If it's so smart, maybe it should have guessed that I was going to drag it behind my truck on the highway until the transformer – with its delicious, copper-rich windings – fell out.

[kabr0ztrousers]

A shy chubby fem reader is looking for a job and is offered one by a well built demon. He's looking for another maid for his mansion and he's offering ridiculous sums of money. It's too good to be true and it sorta is? It's still a maid job and she is still getting paid very well but like the rest of the servants she has to dress in a really slutty outfit and be a free use toy for himself and any guests.

Her first day on the job?

Bouncing on her boss’s cock while he and his associates (who are also fucking the staff) are enjoying the view.

Kabr0z Writes Episode 137: Employment Hell

Find the rest of the Kabr0z Writes Anthology here!

Ao3!

CWs: initial dubcon; enthusiastic content; size difference; oral sex; demons; mild religious themes; mild alcohol use; sex work; excessive cum; cum inflation

A/N: This one almost reached 2600 words, and took literally all day. Have fun with it :D

###########################################

You'd think Hell would be a pretty shitty place to live, and you'd be right. Though, you might be surprised when you get down here. Turns out the whole Hieronymus Bosch schtick isn't so popular any more. There's a finite number of demons, and the sheer quantities of the damned are overwhelming. If they were to actually do the job, each demon would be personally responsible for the torment of over ten thousand souls and counting at best guess. That's not considering the impossible task of taking a census in a realm that is literally infinite. Demons are a lot of things: avaricious, impulsive, lustful, but above all indolent. Supposedly, they're the army of Hell, poised to invade and wreak havoc across creation. In practice, they're a bunch of hedonists. Some greater authority makes sure the real nasty bastards get their due, and many of the more violent demons absolutely get their rocks off in the pursuit of that duty, but most demons were perfectly happy in an endless stream of orgies and alcohol.

So the eternal punishment takes another form. It just so happens that it's the exact same varietal of low-grade misery that exists every day for millions of the living. Unless you want to live completely off the grid, rent needs paying, so many people have a job, or live with someone who does. In theory it was a similar level of awful as up above, in practice food is strictly a luxury, as is shelter. If you don't mind couch surfing, you could live in relative ease. Everyone knows that of course, so the actual jobs tend to be less "extracting value from labour" and more "thinly veiled excuses"

When you applied for a job, you didn't know this. Freshly damned and with nothing to your name but the clothes you died in and a glossy pamphlet entitled "Welcome to Hell!" containing the contact information for a few places where you might find a cheap bed, flanked on all sides by dozens of adverts for everything from obscure streaming services to almost every imaginable sexual proclivity for sale. You found a number for a recruitment agency, clinging to the corner of the document, just below an image of a demon spreading her drooling cunt whilst holding her impressively knotted cock.

You begged a coin off a stranger for the payphone and called the number, a bored voice answered your questions. Yes, it's regular work. No, you're not going to be hurt. Yes, most of it is housemaid work. Uniform is provided, as is a room in the manor where you'll be working. Your first shift can be this evening if you like. The voice gave you an address, even called you a cab to get there. You'd find out more about the job when you got to where you're going and the head maid gave you more information.

The taxi arrived, driven by a short-haired man in a flat cap who regaled you on the best places to eat, the best bars in town, when to avoid driving, even some of the nicer demons you might meet out and about. He reassured you, sure, you're in Hell, but generally folks were no worse here than up above, just a lot less pious about things.

He dropped you at the mansion. It looked like an old-money townhouse, the kind of thing you'd see in central London, a large square detached house complete with decorated friezes a gate out front and a woman dressed in a skimpy maid outfit waving at you

"Hi! You're the new hire, I bet?"

You nodded and introduced yourself to her

"Good, good! I'll show you inside and get you a uniform, do you prefer men's clothes or women's? Never mind, I'll give you a couple of sets of each. You'll be refreshments for tonight's soiree, so no need to worry about cleaning anything for now, just get comfy in your room, we'll go over some ground rules while you're living here and make sure you're all set for tonight"

You allowed yourself to be led inside. Serving refreshments doesn't seem too bad, you'd worked behind a bar for a while in life, and the skills don't get all that rusty. The house was surprisingly bright and spacious, marble tiled floors, plush furniture, art hanging on the walls, even the stairs down to the servant's quarters were well lit and maintained, individual rooms were afforded for every member of the household staff. Sure it's a bit of a shoebox but a room like this would set you back 3 grand a month in London's zone 1, so you're not complaining.

House rules were simple enough too. The duty roster is 4 on 4 off, if you're not working in the morning you're not expected back, guests are permitted but must be signed in and enter via the servant's entrance at the rear of the house. She set out a pair of uniforms on your bed. One was similar to hers, a French maid dress if it'd been through several tailors each one directed to make it shorter, more revealing. You held it up to you, it barely covered your ass, the tops of the stockings would be clearly visible, and you'd never be more than one wrong move from your tits falling out. The men's outfit was almost worse, somewhere between butler and stripper, made of leather straps and sporting totally assless trousers. You put away the maid outfit, indicating to your new manager you weren't going to need the men's attire.

"I thought you might say that, but sometimes people surprise you. Go ahead and get settled. There's a book with everything you'll need to know in the drawer. Oh, and before I forget, your safeword is epsilon, like the Greek letter"

Safeword? Nice to know you have one, but you hadn't thought you'd signed up for that kind of job. You shrugged and sat back on the bed, the mattress was a little firm, but not uncomfortable. You lay back and took a handbook out of the drawer. The master of the house was called Ankhayat, he had a whole page dedicated to his list of titles and epithets, but if unsure, you were simply instructed to refer to him as "Dominus"

Your heart sank as you read on. You had apparently misheard when you thought you would be providing refreshments. You were to be refreshments, namely to swan around looking pretty until a demon decided they liked the look of you and claimed you for the evening. Like everything else down here, this job revolved around sex, and you were on the menu.

You sat back on the bed, contemplating your next steps. You’d been promised that you wouldn’t be hurt, and they had given you a safeword, presumably that worked the same down here as up there. The pay was good, and the room was clean. The handbook even went over the process of cleaning the house, such as it is, that mostly boiled down to running a duster across surfaces and bending over a lot., Your job wasn’t being a maid so much as it was eye candy. You didn’t mind that so much, but you couldn’t help dwelling on your trepidation as the appointed hour neared. Every time you checked the clock it seemed to have jumped, time ticking down until you had to put on the dress and walk up the steps to the cigar lounge where they’d be waiting for you.

You changed. The dress clung to you in ways you weren’t expecting, though you’d later learn the fabric itself it enchanted. No matter which way you twisted or turned your tits stayed put. You could bend over and the skirt would just so happen to fall in the perfect way to accentuate your ass without showing too much. Even the underwear was bewitched, riding up in the perfect way to show off your ass and create a perfect camel toe, while being so comfortable you’d forget you were wearing them. On the one hand, it was nice that you wouldn’t have an unexpected wardrobe malfunction. On the other, it was another reminder of exactly why you were there, to be ogled, and then to be claimed for an evening.

Motion outside your door broke you out of your thoughts. Your new colleagues moving down the hallway. You joined the rush, another woman smiled at you, sensing your unease. You felt her hand on your shoulder “Don’t worry, Ank’s nice really. Just don’t be put off by the big horns” The rest of the staff offered similar advice, each one having gone through something similar on their first day. It helped calm the shaking in your hands, but the butterflies still fluttered in your stomach.

The group stood at the foot of the stairs, above was a door in a panelled wall, near invisible from the corridor above. Before you stood the head maid, it occurred to you you never caught her name. She looked over the group and smiled “Looking good, everyone. Remember, if anyone gives you trouble, find me. Don’t be afraid to take some air if you need it, and we’ve got a newbie today so keep an eye on her if you can so she doesn’t get overwhelmed. Have fun out there” She stepped aside and the group started up the stairs. You caught her giving you a thumbs-up as you passed, grinning from ear to ear.

The cigar lounge was exactly as you’d have pictured a room with that name to look. Narrow windows flanked a large fireplace, small tables contained ashtrays and decanters of amber liquid, demons of all shapes and sizes lounging in high-backed chairs, most smoking, some holding hands of cards, some playing dice. You recognised Ankhayat from the descriptions you’d been given. Broad-chested, red skinned, curved ram’s horns on his head, deep scars on his cheeks. He was wearing a smoking jacket fastened about the waist and dark velvet trousers. He was looking straight at you. You milled around the room with the others, topping off glasses, engaging in light conversation, but even as your colleagues were finding themselves being picked up by attendees, nobody asked you, until you got within Ankhayat’s long reach.

You felt his hand rest on your ass. You turned to him, and he pulled you towards him by your waist “So,” he began, speaking in a low, deep voice “How are you enjoying your first day?”

You blushed, turning your head a little until his hand cupped your cheek, turning your gaze back to him “It’s not exactly what I expected, a lot more fucking, a lot less housework”

He smiled at you, “Nobody’s touched you yet, what do you say about giving me that honour?”

Your blush deepened as you stepped into his embrace. You sat on his lap, one of his hands on the small of your back, the other guiding yours to the bulge in his pants. His thighs were like tree trunks, spread apart just wide enough for your hand to slide up his inseam, coming to rest on his member. You opened the buttons of his flies, allowing his cock to spring free. It was thick and concerningly long, ridges spaced out along its length. Your hand slid over them, firm but soft under your fingers. He grunted as you rubbed it, twisting your hand, squeezing the tip, eking out a drop of precum.

You slid between his legs, licking up his ventral duct, tasting him as he looked down at you, hand gently resting on your cheek. You kept one hand wrapped around the base of him, the other palming his balls as you went, hearing his groans as you licked and sucked on him, tracing the ridges with your tongue, teasing the tip, taking the end into your mouth. You could feel him resisting the urge to push you down, his hand tensing on the back of your head. You pulled off him and stood up, planting a kiss on his cheek as he panted at you.

He helped you up onto him, your feet on his thighs, facing him as you reached down, lining the ridged cock up with your cunt. You lowered yourself down onto it, whining as each ridge slipped in. Every one made you whine, each getting thicker as they entered. You paused halfway down, feeling the tip pressing against your cervix, rolling your hips a little, rubbing him against your back wall. You locked eyes with him, he was staring back at you, his breath catching, hands on your waist, barely touching you. You nodded, just a little, just enough for him to see what you were doing, and know what you meant.

His hands tightened on you, squeezing your waist as he pushed you down. You felt him pushing against you, slipping deeper in, grinding painfully against the entrance to your womb. You leant forwards a little, slipping it past your cervix to the space above. You gasped as another two ridges entered you, rocking your hips, trying to get the last one. Your cunt was stretched wide, the last ridge challenging you as you struggled to take it.

You both gasped as it slid in. You rocked yourself on him, feeling the ridges sliding up and down inside you, massaging your insides like no cock had before. You could feel him leaking, an extra layer of lubrication dripping from his cock in a steady stream, helping you as you stretched yourself around and over him. You felt close, your belly starting to tense up as you grabbed his wrists, leaning backwards to rub him against you better. You could feel your belly bulging as his cock filled you up, one of your hands sliding to your belly to feel him rearranging your guts.

Your eyes rolled back as you succumbed to your orgasm. You groaned loudly as you squirted hard on the demon fucking you, eliciting a ripple of quiet applause from the other guests, some clearly watching your antics. Your body shook and twitched, your breath coming in great heaving gasps. You could feel yourself squeezing him, pulsing against the ridges of his cock, his face screwing tight as he fought not to empty his balls in you. You reached behind yourself and grabbed his tight ballsack, feeling them churning in your hand, aching to release.

You squeezed, only a little. A long, low groan escaped his mouth, almost a growl. You felt him throb, twitching and squirming under you as he held on. Then he sighed. Thick streams of cum pumped out of him, gushing into your ready cunt as you rolled your hips on him, edging every drop out of him. He squeezed your waist, driving himselkf deep inside as more of his cum flooded you, swelling your belly even as it dripped out onto the chair

At last you fell onto him, feeling his still-hard cock still leaking inside you. He held you to his chest with one arm, the other picking up a crystal tumbler, sharing his drink with you. You stayed like that for the rest of the evening, him wearing you like a drooling, whining accessory, occasionally feeding you sips of whisky as he smoked and gambled until you eventually fell asleep, still wedged down on him.

You woke the next morning to a note, and a roll of bills.

“For an unforgettable first night. You’ll go far around here

- Ankhayat”

[bzedan]

A specific whim

I got into my head that Tamsyn Muir's The Unwanted Guest needed to be bound to look like a Samuel French script. You know them, if you've done theatre. And although they've redesigned their covers, they looked the same for a very long time. I'd hoped to unearth one of mine as a reference (No Exit, by Jean Paul Sartre), but I have no idea where it disappeared to in the two decades and half-dozen moves since I first marked it up.

Luckily, "vintage" acting editions abound in the second-hand world and I was able to find reference images to suit. I think I did a good job getting the vibe right. I made three copies, two gifts and one for me (which worked out great since I fully forgot orientation for my printer and the inside cover of my copy is upside down).

For this bind I added a lot of fluff, like inside covers advertising posters, other scripts available from the Mithraeum Play Service Inc. library and a new play available - The Noniad.

I also wrote little character descriptions, which I'm proud of. Luckily the script book I had to hand to physically ref was also a two-person play so it helped with the vibe. The inside text block is… fine. I realised way too late that I had mucked up the scene headers, so we won't look at those.

Also fun: text on the spine. You know, to become completely rubbed off as your sweaty hands keep fussing with the script as you completely destroy it while memorising your lines. Probably nowhere near accurately bound but it gives the vibes.

This was a delight to do, and (other than messing up the scene headers) they turned out exactly as I'd hoped and imagined. The covers were off-cuts from a photo backdrop! The perfect colour I think.