Birthday Candles, Mystery Keys, and Moon Madness: A Front Desk Night Audit Tale
Ever had one of those nights where you’re convinced the universe is pulling your leg? Where every phone call, every guest, and every odd request starts to feel like you’ve wandered into a sitcom—except the laugh track is just your own nervous chuckle? Welcome to the world of hotel night audit, where the only predictable thing is unpredictability.
Our story comes courtesy of u/Own_Examination_2771 on r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk, who found themselves wondering: “Is there a full moon tonight?” Because, frankly, that’s the only logical way to explain a parade of calls for birthday candles, accusations of napping on the job, and a possible poolside caper involving a mystery key.
The Candle Conundrum: When Prank Calls Get Real
Let’s set the scene: It’s nearly midnight, the front desk is quiet, and the phone rings. The caller, who immediately misnames our beleaguered hero as “Elizabeth” (not even close, folks), asks what every hotelier dreads at midnight: “Do you sell birthday candles?”
Now, if you’ve ever worked the front desk, you know that oddball questions can be the start of a prank—or just another day in hospitality. Our OP admits, “I hung up thinking it must be a prank call,” only to have the same woman show up in person, still searching for those elusive candles. Cue the guilt.
But the plot thickens! The same guest then asks about the vending machine—because, as u/Own_Examination_2771 wonders, “does she think vending machines have birthday candles? Or was this just unrelated?” The night shift is a place where logic goes to die.
The Reddit community empathized. One commenter, u/FCCSWF, a 22-year hotel veteran, summed it up: “Nothing is odd anymore.” As any seasoned front desk worker will tell you, the line between weird and normal blurs after enough audit shifts.
Pool Shenanigans and the Case of the Magic Key
No sooner had the candle mystery subsided than a new drama emerged: A very drunk man, apparently hoping the hotel’s modest lobby had a secret speakeasy tucked away, asked if there was a bar. (Spoiler: There isn’t.) But the real action was by the pool.
Late-night pool escapades are a classic hotel headache, but this one had a twist. The pool’s door should have locked at 11pm sharp, yet OP caught a wasted man and two preteens trying to sneak in after hours. Was it a simple malfunction, or a plot worthy of Ocean’s Eleven? OP theorized it might have been a coordinated distraction—while one guest asked for paper plates, another made a break for the pool.
But how did they get in? That’s where the Reddit detectives chimed in. The top-voted comment by u/Healthy-Library4521 floated the idea that maybe the door had been left ajar. But OP insisted, “I checked it earlier in the night... it was closed tight.” Others, like u/d4sbwitu, speculated a kid could have been hiding inside to let the group in—a classic pool caper move. And if you think that’s wild, u/Bennington_Booyah shared, “Ren Fest participants... removed the door from the pool area, screws and all, and had a wild night of debauchery.” Never underestimate the determination of a guest on a mission.
Some even questioned the hotel’s key system. “Maybe have your person who deals with the programming of the key system to look at it,” suggested u/Healthy-Library4521, hinting that a technical glitch or a rogue master key could be to blame.
“Were You Sleeping?” and Other Night Audit Insults
Just when the action slowed, another classic night audit indignity reared its head: the “Were you asleep?” accusation. OP was asked this point-blank by a guest, and the Reddit community felt the pain. As u/RoyallyOakie vented, “Nothing pisses me off more than someone insinuating that I was sleeping... It takes everything in me not to smack them.” Many echoed the sentiment: staying awake all night is hard enough without being accused of slacking off.
Others shared their own “wake up” stories—like u/HaplessReader1988, whose coworker would slap their desk and say “wake up” even during intense work. It’s a reminder that the front desk isn’t just about keys and credit cards—it’s also a test of patience and professionalism.
New Moon, Full Moon, or Just Hotel Life?
So, was it a full moon? Turns out, as u/BlueJeanFoneCase pointed out, it was actually a new moon—proving that lunar cycles aren’t the only explanation for hospitality havoc. As u/EarthToTee replied, “New moons can be just as freaking weird as full moons, I’ve found.” Maybe it’s cosmic. Maybe it’s just hotel life.
As the night wound down, OP reflected, “I had a gut feeling that I should’ve taken tonight off and I was right.” Can you blame them?
Conclusion: Share Your Hospitality Horror Stories!
Whether it’s birthday candle quests, mysterious pool break-ins, or the eternal “were you sleeping?” jab, hotel night audit is never dull. If you’ve ever manned the front desk—or just suffered through a bizarre hotel stay—share your wildest tales in the comments! And next time you wonder if it’s a full moon, remember: in hotel world, every night has a little bit of lunacy.
Have your own story? Drop it below! And don’t forget to thank your night auditor—they’re the real MVPs.
Original Reddit Post: is there a full moon???