The reservations clerk said the standard room rate was $150.

"I called up the reservations clerk on the 800 number," he said.

Ask the reservations clerk or your travel agent if there is a difference in price.

Ask for a table by the water and the reservation clerk will say, "I'll make a note but we really don't reserve them."

There are security guards at the front desk, instead of reservations clerks.

Call the hotel itself: the reservations clerks may have other discounts available.

"We need you to step to the side," he was told by a reservations clerk for his prospective flight to Seattle.

If there is, promise the reservations clerk a generous tip.

A reservations clerk later explained that the Plaza does this whenever possible, which is certainly nice.

On a pad before her were the flight numbers she had got from the airline's reservations clerks.