Hockey Season and Hotel Havoc: Tales from the Front Desk
If you work the front desk at a hotel, you know the seasons not by the weather—but by the sports teams checking in. When the bats and gloves are packed away and the leaves start to fall, a chill creeps in. It’s not just autumn—it’s hockey season. And for hotel staff everywhere, that means one thing: brace yourself, the storm is coming.
Recently, a viral post on Reddit’s r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk captured the chaos, comedy, and occasional carnage that ensues when the hockey kids (and, more importantly, their parents) descend en masse. From smelly jerseys to bro-dads who just want to crack open a cold one in the lobby, these front desk warriors are in for a wild ride.
Welcome to the Thunderdome: 40 Check-Ins and the Art of Herding Teens
The original poster, u/beenthereNdonethat, sounded the alarm: “40 check-ins today! 2 different team 12-14 year old smelly boys.” That’s not just a full house—it’s a full-on youth sports stampede. If you’ve never experienced a youth hockey weekend at a hotel, imagine a tornado made of rolling luggage, damp socks, and enough hormonal energy to power a city block.
The first line of defense? House rules, posted everywhere and handed out to every guest. But as the OP wryly notes, some guests “sign it or ignore it and scribble their names (which we note).” There’s a reason for the rules: no alcohol in public areas, no wild hallway races, and, ideally, no destruction of property. But enforcing them? That’s where the fun begins.
As the OP put it, “Let’s see how these entitled sport bro dads take to being told no for the first time in their lives.” Spoiler: not well.
Bro-Dads, Entitlement, and the Quest for the Perfect Lobby Party
Within hours, the first skirmish broke out. OP’s update? “Already 2 bro-dads not happy they can’t watch the game with their friends and ignore their crotch goblins.” (If you’ve ever worked in hospitality, you can probably picture them: team hoodies, cargo shorts, and a cooler tucked under one arm.)
Commenters were quick to empathize and commiserate. u/Qextor offered a knowing warning: “Here’s hoping management will back you up if the Dads get frustrated at the no-alcohol policy. Too much pressure—they’ll fold, and leave you with the fallout.” It’s a front desk worker’s eternal struggle: lay down the law, but risk being left to mop up the mess when management caves.
And the mess isn’t just metaphorical. As OP later lamented, “Well they left the place trashed and broke one of the chairs... yeah it won’t be available to them tomorrow night.” When asked about charging for damages, OP sighed, “Hard to pinpoint which nepobaby did it.” It seems when it comes to accountability, the apple doesn’t fall far from the bro-dad tree.
The Real Wildcards? Not the Kids—It’s the Parents
One of the most popular comments by u/ru-yafu0820 delivered a surprising twist: “Most of the kids themselves were reasonable. It was the PARENTS that were the problem.” The youngsters gamed quietly in the business center (a rare, peaceful moment), but the parents made up for it with a raucous “meeting” in the lobby, complete with drinks and noise complaints echoing up to the second floor. When staff intervened, the response was classic: “It’s not even 10PM.” and “Okay, mom.” (Yes, these were the fully grown adults.)
The kicker? One of the parents left a review complaining that the “front desk was friendly until she wasn’t,” simply because they were asked to be considerate. As OP pointed out, you can sometimes contest these reviews if you have proper documentation, but the emotional labor is endless.
u/Waitingforthelotto brought some much-needed comic relief: “Friggin hockey season... It’s going to take months to get the smell of Doritos and Axe body spray out of the lobby.” (If only Febreze came in “Locker Room Neutralizer.”)
Surviving the Chaos: Pro Tips, War Stories, and Solidarity
Front desk life during sports season is not for the faint of heart. OP shared that, to cope with the barrage of inevitable complaints and entitled reviews, they’ve even pre-written “gentle parenting style” responses using ChatGPT—a modern solution for an age-old problem. “I pretty much told my GM and RM to be prepared for the bad surveys. Because unsupervised minors in a hotel with no parents is our fault when they are horseplaying around the hotel and disturbing other guests.”
But it’s not all doom and gloom. In the comments, you’ll find a community that rallies together, swapping tips, jokes, and the occasional “I just don’t give a puck!” (thanks, u/ShortFatStupid666) to keep spirits high. As u/Dovahkin111 quipped, “Oh, I do not miss that. No hockey teams in Texas!” Sometimes, the only winning move is to live far from the nearest rink.
Conclusion: The Real MVPs
So the next time you check into a hotel during hockey season—or any youth sports tournament—spare a thought for the folks at the front desk. They’re the unsung referees, crowd-control experts, and damage control specialists, all rolled into one. And if their patience seems thin, remember: they’ve survived the season of bro-dads, Axe-scented lobbies, and the wildest weekend warriors around.
Have your own tales from the front desk? Share your stories in the comments below—because as every hospitality veteran knows, laughter (and maybe a little Febreze) is the only way to survive hockey season.
Ready for more hotel hijinks? Stay tuned, because as OP said, “Stay tuned for all thebjijinks that will ensue.”
Original Reddit Post: And a new season begins!!!!