r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk

Call it ignorance. Call it a lack of common sense. Hell, call it plain old stupidity, but here we are with another round of stories about guests not acting with their full faculties.

So a guy calls just before midnight. He's upset because we charged him just under $650 earlier in the week, and he wants to know why since he claims he never stayed with us. I look up his name and discover that he was correct, he didn't stay with us. Unfortunately, because he didn't stay with us, he had not one, not two, but three no show charges. Two on one night, and the third the following night. I explain this to him and he says that he was supposed to cancel those reservations but just forgot. Then he says, "So yeah, you just give me back my money, cancel the reservations, and we're square, right?" I told him that unfortunately I was unable to do that as it was stated on the confirmation that he received after booking that failure to cancel within the appropriate time frame or just simply not showing up meant that he'd be charged the no show fee. Then he actually asked, "Wait a minute... you guys were serious about that?"

Yes sir. Yes we were.

Another guest called me in the morning to ask if our shuttle was already running and before I can answer, she's already demanding that I schedule our shuttle to take her to the airport. I had to burst her bubble and inform her that the hotel had no shuttle. She then starts berating me, saying that I don't know what I'm talking about and that she stays with us because of the convenience of having the shuttle to get to and from the airport. Either she's lying or completely delusional. Giving her the benefit of doubt that she's delusional, I tell her she may have us confused with another hotel. She screams that she stayed with us last month and used our shuttle. I inform her that I've been with the hotel since we opened and we've NEVER had a shuttle. She slammed the phone down.

I looked up her profile and saw that this was her first ever stay with us. I guess she was trying some kind of scam, but I don't want to think too hard about what kind. I don't want to dumb myself down that much.

Finally, I had a guy come to the desk who was upset. He said that his key wasn't working on the parking gate (I had to buzz him in after confirming he was a guest) and now it wasn't working on his room. He wanted to know how this happened. Why he didn't come to me before going upstairs was the question going through my head, but I can't control the common sense of my guests. Before anyone wonders how he got passed the front doors if his key wasn't working, he's part of a group block and they all came back together from going wherever they went after their convention, so I'm assuming one of the other group members opened the door for all of them.

Anyway, I apologized and told him I didn't know. Since we switched key cards from swipe cards to RFID cards years ago, we haven't had this problem really happen anymore. So I ask for his name and room number as well as his ID to make sure it wasn't just him going to the wrong room (it happens), which he wasn't. So I offer to make a new key, but also ask to see his current key, thinking it's just defective or something. When he hands it to me I immediately see the problem. He's using a key from a different hotel. When I point that out to him he asks if I'm sure and I tell him that I'm completely sure because we're not a Schmilton property. He justifiably looks embarrassed. I make him a new key, and send him on his way, assuring him he's not the first person this has happened to.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step." To travel comes with patience. There will be moments of doing nothing. There will be moments of progress. The whole point is to take it all in stride, and you'll be okay. These guests didn't get that memo, though.

Before leaving earlier in the shift, my manager warned me of a small group we had coming in; some no-name traveling band who he described as being "drama queens." I met the band manager not too long after, and she was okay at that moment. She confirmed the members' rooms and said they'd trickle in over the course of the next few hours.

Things were going without much incident until later in the night when one of the last members had landed. He called for an airport pick-up; the shuttle had already made its way out for a flight crew. We house staff of a certain larger airline, and part of that contract is the shuttle waits for them even if other guests climb aboard.

A few minutes after that call, the band manager from earlier power-walked up to me all flustered. "Hey, one of my guys is sitting in the shuttle, and the driver is telling him they have to wait. Listen, he's already been delayed by a lot today, and he just wants to get to bed." I briefly explained to her how the driver was waiting on a flight crew and that it shouldn't be too much longer. She sighed in frustration and then snappily asked, "Well, is there a second shuttle we could send out to get him???"

Fixing my face before it got me in trouble, I simply replied, "No, ma'am. He'll just have to wait, okay? Shouldn't be long." She sighed again and just waved me off as she stomped away.

Perhaps no less than a minute later, I had the driver himself calling me. He got out of the shuttle to cool off because Mr. Bigshot was giving him grief. I told the driver, "Just hang out there. If he has a problem, he can get a rideshare."

All I could think of in that moment was the absurdity of it all. Mr. Bigshot thought he could boss around a courtesy shuttle, and the band manager actually thought it made sense to expect we'd just send a second vehicle specifically for him. Suffice it to say we actually do have a second vehicle, but they didn't need to know that. Even if we were silly enough to bend over for this, he'd still have to wait for it to arrive there.

It's almost like waiting is a part of the entire equation...

(Night audit) I swear to God, dude. I don't know why it boils my blood, but it does. Every few weeks, I'll have a random ass old man that never seems to be in his room, sucks down all of the coffee and sugar packets all night that I have to keep refilling, goes outside and smokes cigarettes and wafts it all in making the lobby smell like an ashtray, and always manages to blow up the fucking toilet with violent, shit-splatter-all-over-the-commode diarrhea that I have to clean up before the bitchy day shift girl comes in because she'll complain about it in our notes if she has to do any actual labor besides stand at the desk.

At 12:50 this mfer comes down the elevator and says "Good Morning" like bruh, I guess in all technicality, it has been "morning" for 50 minutes. Like what are you doing here man, you're not a night shift worker because you'd be at work. Why get a hotel room if you're not going to sleep? It literally makes zero sense. Make coffee in your room. Shit in your own toilet. Leave me alone. Like I don't care if I see a guest once or twice through the night, it's whatever. I'm friendly, I'm nice, I'm helpful. But like, it's an ongoing thing for several nights in a row. The coffee, the cigarettes, the shitting. And it's a different old man every time, like this behavior is part of a set of personality traits that gets assigned to a randomized Sim.

i work at joe average chain hotel that is respectable. diana ross is preforming in my area tonight. her band is staying with us, obv not her. said to my co-worker, we have diana ross' band with us tonight. thats cool. she shot me the weirdest face, and said whos diana ross? that will prob make me need a hip replacement. this week. diana ross. to add insult to injury she was googling diana rose. i have never felt so old in my life. god forbid trying to explain gary lewis and the playmakers who stayed with us about a month ago(yeah, this area gets oldies)

I was working during the night on a Saturday-Sunday when a man without clothes came down to the reception. He started to talk without really saying anything. Since I work in the middle of a capital filled with clubs and bars I thought he was extremely drunk. I started to ask him what he needed help with by naming different things and he started to point at the stairs. I followed him (i obviously took the assault alarm with me). He pointed at a room and told me it was his while knocking on the door. I walked up to the door just in case it wasn’t his room (which it wasn’t…). After waking that poor couple up I took him down to our reception again and after 5 minutes I got him to say his name. I created a key (since it was very obvious he didn’t bring his) and told him to go to his room. He then walked to the breakfast area and the neighbor cafe while falling into the walls. I had to help him use the elevator… when my friends from breakfast came I told them about it and the girl said “was he a sleepwalker” and that’s when I realized that he probably was. 10 minutes after that he came down to check out like nothing had happened. He spoke very clearly, and in fact in another language than during the night? He also gave the extra key a weird look? If he would have been so drunk during the night, it would have been impossible for him to be that sober in the morning?

This is just a tiny one.

I am at a small boutique hotel, and some of our rooms have little games, deck of cards, or books, but we don't currently have any other games to lend out from the front desk.

Anyway, an older woman came into the lobby asking if we had any board games to lend. I said I would look, and she stated, "it's okay if you don't, but most high end places have games for people." I looked around the storage behind the front desk, just in case, but didn't find anything. She then said, "Okay. But, like I said, most high end places have games for people." with that same emphasis.

Is that a thing? Why repeat that multiple times? Hah.

When I came for my shift at 3 pm, there was a young man in his twenties checking in. I could hear his slurred speech. It is unsure if this is due to a regional accent, him having some disability or condition of some kind, or being diabetic and his sugar levels out of whack or just... being totally high.

My coworker sent him to his room and I started my shift.

He then started coming and going to our garden and back. Every time he would pass in front of the desk, he would ask where his floor is. When I would be busy, he would ask other guests.

He was suddenly shirtless. I saw him from the windows going around the building, in the bushes, where there is no pathway of any kind.

Every time he would pass in front of me, I would have to remind him where his floor was.

He then suddenly disappeared for a few hours, until, in the middle of the evening, he came back escorted by two police officers.

The police inquired if he had a room here.

"If there is no issues, yes".

The young man didn't even remember he checked-in already.

"Maybe your keycard is in your wallet", said one of the officers.

There it was, indeed.

Once again, I reminded him where his floor and room were, and I explained to the officers how... unusual... his behaviour was in the afternoon.

They told me he just crashed his car close to here and that he was completely confused and lost. They seemed more amused than worried about him.

Why they didn't arrest him for impaired driving is beyond me.

But once they were gone, he picked up on his earlier habits. He passed in front of the desk to go outside and come back in several times. Each time, he would ask where his floor and his room were.

Night shift just arrived and I just explained to her the situation. "You can't miss him, he is going to ask you where his room is."

She believes he may be on some medication that he didn't take today. Or he took too much of it. Who knows.

It is highly possible that, tomorrow, he won't remember that he crashed his car and he will be looking for it.

I am now so curious about what will happen with him tomorrow that, for once, I'm kinda looking forward for my shift.

Update

Update: the local police posted on Facebook that there has been a car crash at the corner of the street close to the hotel. The driver who caused the crash, a young man in his twenties, tried to walk away. The police found him later, he was impaired by a combination of drugs and alcohol, he was interrogated at the police headquarters and then released after receiving a court order, a big fine and his driver's license was suspended.

Its funny when people check in and they book a ADA room, and then proceed to complain when they get the room they booked.

"I didnt want a handicap room" Well Ms Idiot it's what you booked. I know people will book this type cuz it's cheaper or we have no basic kings/queens available so they think booking this room and saying they dont need it will make me go "OH good I can save it for a person that will need it." But it's never like that. If I do have the standard king/queen i inform them of the upgrade fee and they get upset for the $10 fee. I mean I know why you guys booked the ADA room and now youre still having to pay for it. MUWHAHA!!

Literally a lady comes to check in give her the whole spiel of confirming how many nights and even saying I see you booked our king suite with roll in shower accessibility room and she's all yes's. Do her CC etc.... give her keys 2 mins later she's back down here complaining about having an accessibility room. I inform its what she booked and she goes off saying she booked a standard king. I ask for her confirmation email or to check her app. Of course she KNOWS what she booked! I tell her I need to confirm. Of course reluctantly showing me that im right and shes wrong. Now had she been chill about the whole scenario I would've changed her to a standard king but she wanted to be a issue its a $10 upgrade which she can pay or stay in the ADA king. Well 10 bucks is 10 bucks so she stays in the original room but she will contact corporate about me. And corporate will most likely refund her cuz fuck your employees right?

A few years ago, I was working as a project manager for an ownership group. I was sent to a nice property on Long Island to manage a front desk renovation. As I was starting to move equipment from one of the terminals, I heard a raised voice next to me and immediately tuned in.

A guest was furious that the FDA couldn't find his reservation and was loudly letting everyone within earshot know it. Since I was standing right there and had plenty of experience with our system, the FDA asked if I could assist. We asked the guy a round of standard questions to locate the info, like whether it was booked under a different name or if someone else made it for him. When we asked if he had a confirmation email, he flatly stated that he "didn't do email."

After digging a bit deeper, we finally found it: marked as a no-show from the exact same date one year ago. Since we were entirely sold out that night, there was absolutely nothing we could do for him.

Now, most normal humans would realize their mistake, feel a bit embarrassed, and try to find a backup plan. But not Mr. Boomer.

First, he insisted we were responsible for the error. When we asked how he booked it, he said he did it online. We pointed out that booking online meant he entered all the details for the stay himself. He then screamed that there was no way he could have known what date he booked because he "DOESN'T DO EMAIL!"

The FDA then pointed out that he was charged a no-show fee for that missed reservation a year prior, to which he proudly declared that he "doesn't check his bank statements, ever."

At that point, I politely informed him again that we were completely sold out and had no reservation for him. His grand finale was claiming it was still our fault because "every hotel in the world mails you a printed paper reservation except for this one," and that we failed him by not mailing a physical letter to his house.

All I could say to that was, "That's not how anything works," before turning around and walking right back to my renovation project.

He spent the next five minutes glaring boomerly at the FDA while the hamster wheel in his brain worked overtime trying to figure out how this was somehow our fault and not his own. After an uncomfortably long staring contest, he finally stormed out presumably to terrorize another poor hotel somewhere else on the island.

It’s currently half an hour after this encounter and I still feel gross. I’m 22f and work night audit alone. I just had a guy pretty aggressively hit on me. Asking to kiss me and legit offered to and I quote “eat my p***y” for money. When I told him I’m not interested he still stood around looking at me disappointed then finally left. I can’t find him in our system but I have his name and he ended up giving me his phone number. I’m seriously considering calling the cops just to have it documented.

Am I over exaggerating?

I work in a hotel and I just need to share things people have actually complained about in their reviews:

1. The weather during their stay (multiple complaints about this).

2. The fact that it was still bright outside later in the evening.

3. The city our hotel is in.

4. The fact that they booked the wrong dates, arrived on a sold out night and therefore they couldn’t stay.

5. The gas station beside us had bad coffee.

6. He got into an argument with his wife and left early.

7. They weren’t allowed to stay (both guests were 15 and were emailed before they arrived that all guests had to be 18+).

8. Our 19 year old, 4’11”, same weight as a medium sized dog, never touched a wrench in her life, receptionist couldn’t tighten the bolts on their bed enough and the guests had to wait a whole half hour for our maintenance man to drive in.

9. We assigned them a room on the ground floor (which was changed when they came to the desk asking to be moved higher. But because their room was initially on the ground floor, they had to mark us down in their review)

10. We asked for their passport or license to confirm their ID (a complete infringement on their privacy, allegedly).

There are so many other small stupid things but these are the ones I could remember. I’ve worked a lot of jobs in hospitality but something about hotels just attracts the worst.

My name isnt too hard to pronounce, and most likely you say my name everyday in casual convo. (No I wont say my name in here)

But recently I had my boss make a new badge for me to wear so I can mess around on D23 weekend. I work close to the Disneyland resort. So my new name badge was "Frank Castle" and wanted to see how many people would get the joke. Whats sad/weird is people said my name more times that weekend then theyve ever said when I wear my actual name. So thats where Ive come to my conclusion people are worried they'll say my name wrong. Like a few people caught on my pseudonym but some were like "Thanks Frank" or Excuse me Frank where is _________"

I may just keep my fake name on so at least people feel ok about saying my name. And then people can leave a bad review on FRANK CASTLE... LOL

New day, new complaint.

Today we received email from guest that have booked a stay with free cancellation 5 days prior arrival that she was deeply shocked to find out that non refundable rate was significantly cheaper than her rate. ( difference was less than 10 % )
She had option to pick cheaper non ref rate yet she opted for free cancellation option, but now she’s requesting that we either match her price with non refundable rate, but let her have free cancellation option or give her a F&B voucher for amount of price difference .

Where do people even get these ideas?

I have been a card man a long time, and I have endured most of what the hobby has become. What I have not accepted is the belief that every human being behind a counter must defend a price against whatever number appears on a screen.

A few years ago, I took my apprentice to a card conference. He had worked my counter for six years. He knew the dead inventory, the estate lots, and which customers needed five minutes before they were ready to buy. I thought I was bringing the future of the shop with me.

The morning of the dealer floor, I came downstairs and found him at the hotel desk with his phone in one hand and the reservation confirmation in the other. He had found his room ninety dollars cheaper through a third-party app. He wanted the clerk to match the price or cancel the reservation so he could rebook it through the app.

The clerk explained what happens when a third party owns the reservation. He kept pointing to the number on his screen. He said ninety dollars belonged back in the Dugout.

He believed he was protecting the shop. I watched him make a human being defend her counter against a machine.

It was not our first argument about machines. It was the last.

I did not yell. I watched his foot tap while the clerk spoke, and I understood that a man who turns every price into leverage will eventually turn everything else into leverage. The counter is a code, not a negotiation. He had chosen the machine over the counter before he ever chose it over me.

When we returned home, I told him the apprenticeship was over and held out my hand. He placed the shop key in it.

I was right to let him go. I was.

But some mornings I still look toward his end of the counter before I remember it is empty.

The code is the code. The counter just gets quiet.

Hi, folks! I hope you're all alive and well this lovely Monday morning!

If you haven't read it yet, I'll give you a quick search term: Bilfo. Read it, then circle back here.

For those of you already in the know...you know my history with this individual and know I was pleased as punch to think I never have to deal with them again...or so I thought.

I should've known coming in today would be a disaster with how the last shift handled guest complaints, as well as a system outage. Evil was brewing.

I hot to my desk and started going through the days' arrivals when a little notification popped up telling me this guest was on our DNR. No problem! A little cancelation and...no. NO.

There, right on my screen was a familiar name: Bilfo. Anyone who knew this person knew that she would be a problem. Even before she arrived. I stared at the screen in disbelief; HOW and WHY was she trying to come back?! Then a light bulb moment hit and I quickly checked my emails from yesterday. Right there at the top was a guest relations notification from - you already know - Bilfo.

As it turns out, they finagled their way into bullying guest relations for extra points to book a room...with at least one place that didn't want her back.

I will say right now: if there is anything to update on this situation, you all will hear about it. I just have to hope and pray that this gets handled quickly.

EDIT: Good morning, my dear readers! Today the birds are chirping and sun is shining so bright!

So overall, we refused service, and (to avoid and unnecessary headache) sent Bilfo a message to let them know they were not welcome here. I had no sighting or contact at all yesterday. My job was done!

...right?

Well, mostly right.

In response was a brief message putting the blame on US for their reservation, as well as a weak insult only a 3rd grader would balk at. So grateful for such a giggle this morning, but I hope I never have to see their name pop up on my arrivals screen again. So ends the Bilfo saga...for now.

Was told you guys would appreciate this story from my nightmare shift last night.

I work at a condo that cosplays as a hotel (thanks AirBNB). 2nd shift (till midnight). We have an indoor pool with a sauna attached. It has a glass door so everyone can see in/out. Children are, of course, allowed in the pool area but not the sauna itself.

I'm the pretty front desk lady. Only person on staff last night.

That means if anything happens, like say 3 adults are having a 3 way in the sauna, I have to deal with it.

These assholes didnt even have the decency to put things away when I knocked to interrupt them. Only when I walked over, opened the door, and started yelling at them did they start putting themselves away.

And they kicked out a condo owner's adult kid to have sex, who came to get me. He was also concerned that one of the girls had been coerced so I had call my manager (a retired cop) to sus that out before escalating to the actual cops. Thankfully, she was consenting.

They weren't even young and dumb! Just dumb! 2 of them were mid 30s at least. There's no excuse.

I do not get paid nearly enough to deal with this shit.

Update: Everyone involved was spoken to this morning, it was consensual on all sides. The pre-established couple got their stay cancelled and kicked out. The 3rd was there with her parents so we tattled on her and she gets to stay. She's on my shit list though.

Dumbass walks in with a friend.

(D) “Do you have any rooms available? Two beds.”

(Me) Yes we do.

“I called an hour ago.”

in my head I was here for the past 2 hours and I didn’t get a call, but no point in mentioning that.

I give him the rate and mention the security deposit.

His immediate reply, in his gruff, probably missing a beer, voice: “that’s ridiculous! Why do you need a security deposit?”

I reply plainly, drily: It’s a deposit, just in case you damage the room or something.

“I won’t damage the room.”

gee, you’re asking me to trust you won’t damage the room (foreshadowing)

Sure, but it’s still standard policy. We require a deposit.

“You need better guests.”

I laugh awkwardly. Partly because I thought I heard him say, “You need better customer service.” Partly because he was upset over a temporary hold on his card. Every hotel may be different in certain regards, but security deposits are standard unless you’re just a trashy hotel.

“How long does it take to get my deposit back?” Gruffles asks.

It usually takes 3-5 business days after check out, depending on your bank.

He sighs but wants the room. I ask for his ID and Credit Card. He hands me his ID, I thank him, and I ask for him credit card.

THIS BITCH HAS THE AUDACITY TO ASK WHY I WANT TO SEE HIS CARD (he was hold it in front of the payment terminal on the counter).

So I reply back that I needed to verify his name and authenticity.

He holds out his card in front of me, name side up, and I reach out to bring it down to the counter.

HE HOLDS ONTO IT LIKE I WAS TRYING TO TAKE HIS LAST DOLLAR (I was going to say offspring, but he’s probably be the type to take your milk first and then go find the milkman vibes).

Can you let go? I say with amusement.

“Why? You wanted to see the name on the card. Here. See. ”

SERIOUSLY. I’m literally standing in front of you. Do you think I’m going to run away with it? Do you think I want to hold your card? It’s standard policy to take both cards and make sure the names match. Gimme the stupid card.

Why are you being so difficult? I say, annoyed and over this clown.

“I’m not being difficult. You wanted to see the name on the card.”

I stare into his cold blue eyes with my even colder, deader brown eyes. And just stare. No words. No blinks. Just stare.

In my head, I was debating whether to cancel the reservation and tell him to fuck off to a hotel that has better guests because clearly this hotel attracts trash like himself.

But I win the stare-down contest and he accepts defeat. Muahahahahahaha.

The rest of the check in process goes smoothly. He mellowed down significantly. There was no gruff in his voice. If you’re chill with me, I’m chill with you. So I wish them a good stay, repeat information a second time, and send them off on their merry way.

Edit: just fixed some grammar, typos, and markdown issues.

This little tale happened yesterday, I work at a Boliday Binn, and was working my usual 3-11 shift. 5 pm comes around and a guest calls saying that he was having issues with the lock mechanism of the safe in his room. Okay, sure. I can send an engineer to see if he can fix it or replace the safe. Wrong! He doesn’t want anyone to look at the contents of his safe or try to fix it for him, INSTEAD he wants to switch to an ENTIRELY new room.

…what? You want to switch to an entirely new room from a problem that can be solved easily… No. We were also sold out that day so I wouldn’t even be able to switch his room out if I was generous. I politely let him know I could not, and he gets very frustrated. He tells me we have been very accommodating to his problems throughout his stay, and he would appreciate if I would accommodate him further. Sorry sir, but if you don’t want a solution that’s probable I can’t really help you. He obviously now wants to speak to the manager. Sorry the managers not in right now but I can let them know about your situation.

He proceeds to constantly ask me or I guess lecture me on how I would want to escalate this to a higher position… at this point I got fed up and told him bluntly if you don’t want anyone to help you, then we can’t help you.

He then asks me for my FULL legal name… no. I can give you my name! Just not my ENTIRE name. “Oh okay, JUST Eckisdee with no last name.” Hangs up on me

Why are people like this?

It is bad enough that we give out water for free to guests with no limit. It *really* chaps my ass when they get ridiculous with it and ask for 4,5,6 waters at a time. I have to *really* suppress my “fck you” face when someone else sees/overhears that and asks for the same thing (and you just KNOW that water hadn’t even been on their mind until they saw someone else get it). All of this happened last night.

But the icing on the cake was some woman called the desk at 4 am and TOLD (not asked) me to bring “two chilled waters, a bucket of ice, and a bathrobe and slippers” to her room and hung up. We are a 50 room limited service 3 star hotel and I am alone at night. We don’t have bathrobes or slippers and she had a kooking.bom rate of $166 about 60% lower than what we were selling. She’d also complained about her first two rooms and was upgraded. (Not by me) Needless to say, I ignored the request and she eventually came and got the room temperature water herself.

Maybe I should think about wrapping up my 35 year run in the hotel industry because I’ve really come to hate most of these people. Like almost hate them by default until given reason not to.

So we had a guest that booked a 7 nights stay that was paid upfront. After 5 nights they decided to leave due to personal reasons ( we didn’t ask why neither we care as they paid in full and they weren’t complaining)
Their family members remained in hotel for few more days.
As soon as they checked out, their room was cleaned and same day new guests were assigned to that room. Business as usual.

Her niece saw that as she was room next to it and notified her that someone “took her room “ that same day.

She then sent us email asking for explanation why did we place someone else in her room when she paid her stay in full. How is that normal that someone else use her room.

Really don’t know what to reply to such a nonsense