Creepy Late-Night Calls: Tales from the Front Desk and the Weirdos Who Haunt It
Working the overnight front desk at a hotel comes with its fair share of oddities: the occasional midnight wanderer in slippers, endless coffee, and the promise of a few good stories. But nothing quite prepares you for your very first truly creepy phone call—a rite of passage that leaves your skin crawling and your guard up for the rest of the shift.
Recently, u/owlvomit shared their unsettling experience on r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk: a routine room inquiry that quickly spiraled into a bizarre, uncomfortable exchange with a repeat caller. The story struck a chord with fellow hospitality warriors, who flooded the comments with support, advice, and plenty of gallows humor.
When “I’m Coming” Isn’t About Check-In
It started innocently enough: a call asking about room availability, a promise to arrive in 15 minutes, and some polite small talk. But then the caller kept repeating, “I’m gonna come,” with nothing else to say. After a moment of confusion, OP realized something was off. When the caller phoned back with the same weird script—“I think we got disconnected”—the creepiness dialed up several notches. OP did what many of us would: unplugged the phone, reported it to the non-emergency line, and reached out to friends for emotional backup.
As one commenter succinctly put it, “Sorry to say, but it sounds he was just calling you to hear another person’s voice, particularly a lady’s voice, while he’s masturbating.” (u/DaneAlaskaCruz) Yes, folks, this is less “prank call” and more “unwanted auditory peep show.” Night auditors, especially women, seem to be the prime target for these phone weirdos, as u/bookgirl1196 explained: “They know hotels are usually staffed 24hrs a day. I’m guessing they call around to different hotels until they find their preferred gender... I’ve done everything from hang up on them as soon as I realize to hand the phone to a male coworker.”
Community Wisdom: Hang Up, Hold, or Hit Back
The front desk army has developed a toolkit for handling these creeps, ranging from the practical to the downright hilarious.
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Put ‘Em on Hold: u/SkwrlTail recommends the “hold” button as your new best friend: “A lot of the weirdos get off (literally) on people reacting, but being on hold takes that away from them.” OP chimed in, “I’m gonna do that next time for sure… Weirdos gonna be weird.”
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Blast ‘Em with Noise: Some rely on technology for payback. u/bookgirl1196’s coworker uses an air horn app on her cell phone and blasts it into the desk phone. Nothing like a digital trumpet to ruin a pervert’s night.
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Outweird the Weirdo: The top-voted comment goes to u/Proud_Mistake_4686, who shut down a creepy caller with the perfect response to “What are you wearing?”: “Oh a blouse a skirt and pretty bra and panties set. The only problem is. The lace keeps itching my balls. Does that ever happen to you?” The result? Click—call ended, creep defeated, community in stitches.
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Bluff with Caller ID: Even if you don’t have caller ID, pretend you do, suggests u/petshopB1986: “I bluff and tell the prankster I have their number even if I don’t and that I will be randomly calling back then hang up on them.”
Of course, not everyone gets the satisfaction of a satisfying “gotcha” moment. As OP lamented, “Can’t these people resort to real phone sex operators and not lil ol me at 2am just trying to do my job? Get a liiiffeeee.”
Safety First: What If They Actually Show Up?
A question that haunts every night auditor: do these callers ever show their faces at the desk? The consensus, thankfully, is “almost never.” As u/bookgirl1196 reassured, “I’ve been NA for over 4 years and they’ve never shown up at the hotels I’ve worked at.” Most are just faceless creeps hiding behind the anonymity of a phone line.
But preparedness is key. Commenters encouraged OP (and all hospitality workers) to talk with managers about emergency procedures, self-defense options, and when to trust your instincts: “Have a serious discussion about who you can call if an emergency does happen...it’s a lot more pleasant knowing what I can use as self-defense, that [my manager] will always answer my calls no matter the hour, and that I have his full permission to hang up on or kick out weird and creepy people at the first sign of trouble.” (u/Simple_Rhubarb696)
And for hotels still rocking ancient phones with no caller ID? Time for an upgrade! As u/Haystar_fr put it, “You’ve got a good justification for it!”
The Night Shift Sisterhood (and Brotherhood): You’re Not Alone
Ultimately, the best armor against late-night creepers is community. Whether it’s the coworker ready with the air horn app, the manager who always picks up, or the fellow Redditors who can turn a horror story into a comedy, no one has to endure the weirdness alone.
As OP reflected, “Definitely threw me off, but I’m trying not to let it get to me for the rest of my shift...I made sure not to react any type of way for that reason, so I just abruptly hung up. Weirdos gonna be weird.”
So next time the phone rings at 2am and someone starts acting odd, remember: you’ve got a legion of hotel warriors, prank call ninjas, and Reddit comedians in your corner. Hang up, put them on hold, or get creative—but above all, stay safe and don’t let the weirdos win.
Have you ever had a creepy midnight caller? Share your story or best front desk survival tip in the comments below! And if you’re reading this on your break—hang in there, you’re doing great.
Original Reddit Post: First creepy phone call :(