u/TheDryadPrincess

Hi everyone.

I don't know who to talk to about this. I don't have an HR department, and I've called them out numerous times on their shit. I also don't have confidence that my manager would handle this appropriately as LGBTQIA+ concerns seem to make him squeamish. So...now I turn to you all for...advice? An ear? I don't know. I just have to get it out.

So I have this coworker. (Shocking, I know.)

So this particular coworker and I used to be best friends. Long story short, we have a long history tied to our jobs, and I know she's a bad person, but she has this way of dragging you into her bullshit.

Anyway.

The last time we worked together, show left a nasty text about me, my character, and my sexuality. She was hurt and thought I was the reason she got fired (I was very much not the reason) so she took it out on me the only way she knows how.

The current place I work at, she's here too (not by coincidence, but that's not my biggest issue here). She's made a transphobic comment in recent history that I called her out on, spoke to her at length about, but she chose to double-down on the matter before eventually backing off and apologizing once I called her ignorant.

This past week, she had an interaction with a homeless individual who jusf so happens to be gay and in both a work email and in person has used the "f" slur. The first time, I told her to never say that again as it was offensive, which resulted in her calling this individual a "little gay boy". Mind you, this is completely irrelevant to anything she needs to say, and my manager even said that was inappropriate (with no real consequences, unfortunately.)

The second time they used it was today. I said again not to say it and it was really offensive, and they just...ignored it and changed the subject.

I'm disappointed, but not surprised. I just really don't know what to do. I've even addressed the fact that she is also a part of a marginalized community and should know how damaging words can be, and it just doesn't get through to her. Not sure what I can even do at this point. Leaving this job isn't an option either, so...what do I do? I'd love to hear how similar experiences have been handled, too. It might just give me some insight I've missed.

Overall, I'm fine.

Or at least...I tell myself I am.

Today, the inflammation is at a high. I'm itchy all over my arms, and a little on my face.

The fatigue is HEAVY heavy today as I try to fight to keep my eyes open at the desk.

B12 still hasn't kicked in, nor the caffeine.

Here's the thing: I do everything right and I get inflamed. I give up, eat what I want, and I'm inflamed and miserable.

And very very fat.

I'm tired, y'all. I'm just tired of it all.

Goooood morning, everyone! After some much-needed rest this past weekend, I return to a bit of a fun Monday. Here's the highlights of this morning:

* Lady comes in early af wanting to check in, but not wanting to pay the early check in fee. Too bad, so sad - plan better!

* A message from a prepaid OTA over the weekend flies in about losing money because their trip got canceled. "But I paid for travel insurance!"

* A woman comes to check in, and mid-spiel goes, "My god, you're hairy. You have PCOS?" Yes, I do, but also...horrendous comment. (And yes, I've had a guest previously near-fetishize my hairy arms. Lucky me... 🫩)

* The shop is not nearly close to being stocked (or properly). But this one is a win for me because I love to make it look nice.

* "Thank you for staying with us! We kindly request if you have any keys to please place them in the drop box here!" 😊 I point to the box even, but that's a little too big of a task, and they proceed to place multiple sets of keys next to the box. 😐 Have a great day, I guess?

* "You don't have a shuttle? But you're so close to the airport!"

All before noon, lovelies. Going to be a looooong shift.

Gooooood morning to all my fellow FDA! It seems as if today is one of those days, so I thought I'd share the fun moments:

* A guest who had been upset about our "no prepaid cards policy" has been requesting for days to get compensation for the inconvenience. What inconvenience that is, I have no idea.

* Maintenance walked in on a guest who had previously checked out. They requested to speak with a manager because maintenance should have knocked...on the door of a room they had checked out of.

* Guest called upset about our pre-arrival authorization and refuses to unlock or offer new card. Guest states we "better have [their] reservation" when they get in at midnight.

* Non-guests are upset they have to pay $1 for coffee when the event they're attending refuses to cover the cost.

* Bathroom break reveals someone was eating sour gummy worms on the toilet. (Yummy?)

* A guest arrived very early to check in the morning after a sold out night. They couldn't comprehend that no rooms were clean to check into at that time and threatened to go somewhere else.

This was all before 11:00am. I'm having so much fun!

Hi everyone!

So I'm not sure if I belong here or not, but I'm honestly not sure where else I would possibly fit in.

Basically, I'm not formally diagnosed, but I know deep in my bones that I have BPD. My question is this: how did you know before a doctor told you? Is there a test for it, or do they just say, "Ope! You have it!"?

I've been going through a lot lately and I'm sick of the emotional roller-coaster. I want off the ride, you know? So if anyone has guidance or could point me in the right direction, that would be amazing, especially since my health insurance is bogus and doesn't help with anything.

Good morning, folks! I figured the first post was getting a little lengthy, so I decided to make a new one for today's antics.

To start, I really, REALLY didn't want to come in today, but I'm committed to reporting the chaos to you all. So I bring you information that happened *before I even made it in today*.

The day begins with a regular of ours, grabbing a lobby coffee. Mundane. Expected. Welcomed, even.

In walks our charming Ms. Bilfo. Our unfortunate regular (beloved) guest greets Bilfo, but that doesn't sit quite right with her, and she seeks out our poor auditor to let her know it's too early and people shouldn't talk to her before clip-clopping her way off elsewhere.

As we all know, the fun doesn't stop there. Bilfo is assisted to take her breakfast to her room, but doubles back and grabs drinks from the lobby store. Our ever-vigilant auditor stops her and asks if she grabbed anything, which is confirmed, but she wants them *as a courtesy*.

Nope, not happening. And yet...she still walks off with them.

Today is the day, everyone. TODAY. IS. THE. DAY.

Edit #1:

You ever feel a tingle in your bones when there's impending fuckery afoot? I'm feeling it now, Mr. Krabs.

Luckily I was sent to fiddle with some equipment elsewhere in the building, but when I returned, I had learned that Bilfo was checking out late. MIND YOU, she never asked, she just was. Roughly 30 minutes. Cool, I can swing 30.

Show of hands: how many of you think she's left the room?

Edit #2:

Hello chickadees! To any of you who called it that she would not leave the room, you were right! Aaaaannnndddd I may have snapped.

See, head honcho told me to give A+ customer service to everyone. I've done that every single day for the past few years I've worked for the brand, but today? I snapped. Politely, but I still snapped.

I called to tell her to leave, and all I got in return was excuse after excuse about how Bilfo wasted her time all morning and now was blaming us about yesterday so now she needs until 2 hours past check out time to go. I told her that none of that mattered, it was already WAY past check out time, and she needed to leave. She of course wanted to speak with head honcho, but he wasn't available. He's stepping in though.

Oh, did I mention she managed to steal something else from the lobby store while I was assisting another guest? Absolutely insane, this one.

Edit #3:

Our saga is almost at its end, friends. After being threatened with some uniformed weewoos and being told to leave, Bilfo FINALLY made her way down before I walked out the door. Luckily, I didn't have to give her my choice of parting words, but she decided to stop by to be rude one last time, ask where I was, and how she didn't like the way the manager spoke to her. She ended up exiting stage right, and I BOOKED IT to my car to get out before she had time to recognize me because (due to some extensive research) we found out theft is her forté.

She is now on DNR and currently in the process of having her membership revoked. I have a feeling this isn't the end, and I'm salivating at getting to see that review, but for now, we rest.

For the sake of this story, our esteemed guest will be referred to as 'Bilfo' (bitch I'd like to fart on). I need all of you to know that this guest is still very much on property and I may have an interesting update in the next 1-3 hours. You'll understand why shortly:

Let's rewind for some backstory, shall we?

For roughly the past week, a woman would call in, ask a lot of questions about the surrounding area, thank us, then hang up. Not uncommon, but it happened so frequently that her number became recognized on the caller ID.

The other day, she calls in the early morning. She began by asking where we were located, with uncommon nearby landmarks. My customer service voice is activated and with an assist from Google I confirm our location. She asks if she can check in early and to her dismay, we were sold out last night. If I have anything early, I won't have an update until noon. This seems to quell Bilfo, and she tells me she's in the area and will be here in 10 minutes. She hangs up.

That was at roughly 8am. She doesn't arrive until almost 1pm.

Mind you, we were not only sold out last night, but I was short a housekeeper that day. An early check in was most likely not happening if the supervisor hadn't even updated me by 1pm. Regardless (and due to Bilfo's aggravating demands) I begrudgingly ask for an update. I get one (which takes a whole minute, but a minute too long by Bilfo's standards) and I get her checked in. Did I happen to mention that the guest was ranting and raving the whole time about how she was *promised* an early check in and had called *three times* to confirm this?

Bilfo happily wanders off to her room, and I begin my novel of a pass-on. I leave and get several messages from my coworker confirming how absolutely fucking weird this lady is.

Cut to today.

I believe I had a pleasant morning. Birds chirping, sun shining. Steady check out. Morning coffee.

But what goes up...

Bilfo arises, and calls for linen. Sure, no problem, let me ask housekeeping to hook you up. Things turn sour when she demands this be the *only* time anyone knocks on her door. Not an odd request (and could've been requested nicer, but I digress) so I confirm this is possible.

A minute later, phone rings again. I'm sure you know who it is already. The following conversation transpires:

Me: Hi! How can I help you?

Bilfo: WHERE is housekeeping?

Me: Ma'am, I jus-

Bilfo: I want my things! How long will it take?!

Me: She will be up shor-

Bilfo: ALSO, I'm a super shiny elite member and I want free water. Have housekeeping bring one up with them.

Me: Yes, we do offer the option at check in fo-

Bilfo: Yes, I know. I was tired.

Me:...for super shiny elite members. You're the lowest tier. However, we do sell bottles of water here in the lobby.

Bilfo: Well can you just do it as a *courtesy*?

Me: Unfortunately I would not be able to waive that. Water is for purchase only in the lobby.

Bilfo: Oh my god. WHAT is your manager's name?

Me: *gives name*

Bilfo: Well...can you ask your *manager* if I can have a courtesy water?

Me: Sure! Let me just ask him.

Bilfo. NO. I want to speak with your manager.

Me: ...soooo I'm just going to ask-

Bilfo: No, no, NO. Let me speak to him!

Me: (if it gets you to stop talking to me, gladly)

So I call head honcho and give him a quick run-down of what's about to hit him, and he takes the call, explaining to her the same thing I did but with "Mr. Boss" in front. I sigh with relief... for about 5 minutes.

Turns out, since I REFUSED an early check in for her yesterday, she's needing a late check out of 4. Ha! Very funny! Best I can do is 1. After some mumbling and grumbling about how she gets 4 everywhere, Bilfo takes the 1.

Another few minutes pass, and she calls about a mechanical user error. No problemo, let me get Mr. Fix It. Not even 30 seconds pass and she calls back demanding to know when he'll be there, cutting me off when I explain that I just spoke with him, but *graciously* allowing me to talk when I say he's on his way right now.

Nature called, and when I returned, I found out through multiple sources that Bilfo had another user error and Mr. Fix It was heading back.

It is now the time for her to be checking out.

My gut says she's not skedaddling until 4, if at all.

I'll be updating this insane saga once she leaves or if head honcho decides she can stay even longer.

Edit #1: Bilfo has decided they want to stay another night, much later than their given check out time. I've asked my manager to step in and deal with her since the level of attitude she gives me is making me see red. I've had to step away from the desk so I don't go ballistic.

Edit #2 (since taking a deeeeeeeep breath): Bilfo has extended another night, despite my pleas not to do so. So a fun little twist to the story I left out of the first update went as follows:

I begin checking in a guest. We're bantering. Things are fine. Things feel...right with the world.

tap, tap, tap

If i weren't already pale white, I would have gone that color hearing her footsteps. My adrenaline begins pumping. I'm shaking. Fight or flight, baby, and I'm pretty pissed off.

Bilfo sees this as the PERFECT opportunity to interrupt me to ask a question (no prompting, just talking) and since there is a pause as I'm speaking with the guest I'm checking in, I direct my attention to the gremlin nearby.

Bilfo: Did I really need to come back down here for my new reservation? Me: Well, yes, since it's a new res- Bilfo: Nah, you don't need to talk about my business like that. See, this is why I didn't want to come down here.

Mumbling to herself, she walks away and this sweet lady just gives me the most "wtf was that lady's problem" look I have ever seen.

So by the time head honcho got Bilfo checked in, I've learned enough about this gremlin to generally despise her:

1. She's ludicrously demanding.
2. She has no awareness or regard for other people.
3. She claims to know the business. Allegedly.
4. She firmly believes it's her world and we're just living in it.
5. She is a walking red flag.

I have a feeling things are going to go downhill from here and I'm seriously debating whether I even want to come in tomorrow.

PART TWO HERE: https://www.reddit.com/r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk/s/pre5GBGekY

First, some backstory:

At our hotel, we have an early check in fee of $35 for anyone who is not top-tier members. Non-members get a one time courtesy waive of the fee if they sign up. The same fee would apply to anyone without a membership who is not willing to sign up and wants a late check out.

Now, I have two stories surrounding these fees:

Story One (this happened last week):

Check out is noon, I haven't gotten any late check out requests, and housekeeping hasn't reported any either. I usually give a courtesy 15 as a buffer because I know humans aren't perfect and aren't always on time. Around 12:45, before I got the all clear from houseekping, a couple comes down to check out. They are not members and don't want to become one. I let them know about the check out fee, and they argue, saying they got here late last night so they thought they could check out later. I tell them that isn't how that works. They say they aren't staying here again. I say ok and they leave.

Story Two (this happened today):

Guy comes to check in, lowest-level tier, asking to check in. I let him know if he does that there is an early check in fee. He said that's fine since his company is paying for the room. I told him that's true, but any other charges that aren't room and tax will be covered by the guest. He asks if I can waive it and I say no, but if he doesn't want to pay, our normal check in is 3pm. In the middle of me explaining how we could hold his luggage for him, or if he wanted to hang out in the lobby until then, he says this is ridiculous and he'll never stay here again, sticking to one of the competitor brands. I was so mentally exhausted from all the tiring and incompetent calls from the morning that I just smiled and responded, "Okay!" while he stormed out.

Today has been one for the books, for sure.

ETA: He came back and I got him in a WHOLE HOUR early AND waived the fee. He still felt the need to slam a couple of things down, so I'm just waiting for the review.

We've had a group stay with us for the past week. Every day, they've ordered extra food for the front desk and housekeeping to have lunch. Every. Single. Day. Probably the nicest group leaders that have stayed with us in a long time, and we've had a LOT.

Now the people in charge of the group were pleasant, but some of the people in the group seemed to have a stick shoved in unmentionable places...mostly upset for having to pay an extra fee to check in at 9am after a nearly sold out night the night before. Goes to show that sometimes you get a great guest, but sometimes you don't.

Ok, so this may seem kind of dumb, but I started crying a minute ago. I've had a hell of a day at my regular job, and just finished dashing for the day. I've basically mentally checked out because of my depression and like usual, I check my ratings.

I got a 5 with an above and beyond attached.

I know it's stupid, but that little recognition made me think that maybe I might want to stick around a little bit longer, you know? That this work I'm putting in is worth something.