Anyone who’s ever worked in the hospitality and service industries knows that customers come in all types: from the super polite to the mega annoying and entitled. And you’ve got to have a wide smile on your face at all times to make everyone feel welcome and cared for, even if you feel like you’re at your limit, emotionally. Thankfully, the internet is here to help us figure out how we can be better people as customers.
Case in point, one redditor asked hotel workers to share all the annoying and irritating things that guests do that tick them off. And, wow, they really didn’t hold anything back. From turning their rooms into pigsties and breaking things on purpose to treating the staff very rudely, these nightmare guests might just make you reconsider your career path.
Have a read through some of the best hotel worker stories below, upvote the ones that made you embarrassed the most, and if you’ve ever worked in the hospitality industry before, dear Pandas, we would absolutely love to hear your experiences. How did you deal with nightmare guests? Let us know in the comments.
#21
Alot of guests just assume we know who they are.
How am I supposed to know by face/name all 300rooms when I'm a bartender and seeing you for the first time.
Also the amount of people on checkout that try deny all room charges despite us having their signature on each one.
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61points
#22
I start going through the spiel about amenities, breakfast, etc. and they either just say "Thanks" and walk away before I'm done, or say "yeah I know I've been here before" so I stop.
10 minutes later, they call, "hey, what time is breakfast? And when does the pool close?" Well s**thead, if you had listened the first time...
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60points
#23
Wedding parties and bridal parties. 9/10 the women are extremely high maintenance, trash the rooms , and never tip under any circumstance yet expect to be treated like royalty because "they're paying for their room " .
Goes the same way with Bachelor parties too, loud drunk obnoxious men who tend to start fights in the lobby. On the plus side the men seem to tip slightly more often.
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59points
#24
I am a housekeeper at a nice, smaller sized, family oriented hotel in Atlantic Canada. It is a franchised property but is apart of a huge chain.
Bastard jackal children running up and down the halls. Some even like to knock on other guest's doors at 10pm and shout 'housekeeping!' They honestly think it's hilarious.
People just coming up to my cart and taking what they want. Towels, shampoo, etc. Just ask???
People staring at myself and my fellow housekeepers as if we are actual aliens. It baffles me how many people don't understand that we essentially keep a hotel running and they barely know we exist.
Don't ask me how much I make. don't ask me if my work is seasonal (???). don't ask me anything that is not related to your stay and general comfort.
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55points
#25
Regular guests that would interrupt you when dealing with other customers like they are more important.
54points
#26
Hotel pianist here, I hate being photographed or filmed but I keep a cool head by telling my self that at least I know they like my playing.
Some Japanese tourists however... The whole group came to my piano mid performance and positioned themselves one by one behind me while a designated photographer took pictures of them. I mean come on, at least ask if it's ok, give a tip. I'm not a rare attraction that need be documented, that s**t is distracting.
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52points
#27
Honestly it's when the locals boast about knowing the owner. You already got a big discount. Stop asking for everything free you think you deserve.
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50points
#28
Used to work in a very nice hotel, downtown in a heavy tourist-traffic city.
If you're staying in a nice hotel in the middle of one of the most traveled entertainment districts in the country, quit getting mad and acting surprised when EVERYTHING costs money. Yes, parking costs money, yes breakfast costs money.
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46points
#29
Former manager here:
This is the same for any customer service field. If you have an issue, just come and ask us or tell us about it. There's no need to yell or scream, our job is to help you, and frankly, we want to help you and get you taken care of as soon as possible so we can go back to screwing around.
Screaming, at me, if anything, doesn't make me work faster. Doesn't make me want to do anything for you and there are incredibly few instances that I will actually "just comp a room." People fishing for a free room or free things is so god damn obvious to me. Working in hospitality made me such a petty person that I had to leave, but sometimes things are as simple as
"Hey, can I have a water?" "Sure, here have a bag, it has water and some pretzels and a candy bar."
as opposed to
"THAT PERSON GOT A LITTLE BAG WHEN THEY CHECKED IN! I DEMAND TO HAVE A BAG." "Well, those bags are actually for the members of our HHonors program. If you sign up online we can enter your number and you can start earning points. In fact, if you go over to our convienient business center, I'll start you off with the blue tier (just two waters) bag!" "THATS RIDICULOUS IVE NEVER BEEN TREATED LIKE THIS AND I STAY HERE ALL THE TIME!" "Ah well, that's what you've got to do to earn the bag. Also, when did you last stay here? I've worked 6 days a week for the last three years and I see nearly every guest that stays here, and I don't think I've seen you before." "Oh well... uhh, maybe it's not this one it's the one across the street." "Ah."
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46points
#30
Hotel chef here. When people phone down for food from their rooms 1 minute before close because they were waiting until the last minute to get food.
If you're one of those people, it's your fault I hate everyone.
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44points