Hotel Front Desk Horror Stories: When Guests Get Way Too Comfortable (and Just Plain Weird)
Picture this: You’re at work, minding your own business behind the front desk of a hotel, when a guest approaches—not to check in, not to ask about towels, but to request… that you rub lotion on their back. Welcome to the wild world of hospitality, where the phrase “customer service” sometimes gets taken way too literally (and disturbingly).
If you think front desk life is all about key cards and polite greetings, buckle up. In a viral r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk post, u/ManagerNotOnDuty recounts jaw-dropping encounters with boundary-challenged guests—ranging from the hilariously awkward to the outright creepy. Let’s dive into these tales (and the spicy comment section that followed), and explore why “the customer is always right” might need a serious asterisk.
Stranger Danger: The Unwritten Rules Guests Keep Ignoring
If you’ve ever worked a customer-facing job, you know there’s an invisible line between “friendly” and “too familiar.” Apparently, some hotel guests never got the memo. The OP shares a parade of requests that would make anyone clutch their employee handbook: from a woman demanding a lotion back-rub, to guests asking staff to zip up dresses or adjust belt buckles.
As OP puts it, “Why do guests think we’re friends?? I don’t f***ing know you. We are strangers. AND STOP THINKING I’M SOME KINDA SEX ROBOT WITH NO EMOTIONS.” The exasperation is real—and totally justified.
Commenters were quick to jump in with both empathy and humor. u/SkwrlTail nails the psychology: “Some people equate professional politeness with ‘they aren’t telling me to get lost immediately, so I must have a chance.’” It’s the classic “strippers like me” delusion, as several users noted—politeness is not an invitation.
And it’s not just women who deal with the weirdness. OP mentions male coworkers being asked to fix belt buckles—a gender-neutral brand of awkward. As u/birdmanrules shares, sometimes coworkers have to step in to run interference, proving hospitality is truly a team sport when guests cross the line.
Flirtation Fails and Cookie Catastrophes
It wouldn’t be a hotel horror story without at least a few failed pick-up attempts. One especially bold guest asked for the front desk agent’s phone number right after requesting the hotel’s address. The OP’s response? A well-timed flash of the wedding ring and a firm “nah, sorry, taken.” (A+ for diplomacy under duress.)
But it gets weirder. When management decided to offer cookies at check-in, some guests went full “1950s sitcom,” asking if the agent baked them herself—in what the OP describes as a “trying to be seductive or teasing” way. As she says, “Brother, I didn’t get paid enough as it was; I wasn’t getting in the kitchen to bake cookies.”
The comment section absolutely lit up at this. While one user tried to defend the “did you bake them” line as “just friendly,” the overwhelming consensus was clear: flirtatious banter is not part of the front desk job description. As u/Silentkiss123 put it, “I don’t get paid to laugh at their jokes and sometimes it slows me wayyyy down too.”
When “Compliments” Cross the Line
Perhaps the most unsettling story involved a wedding guest telling the OP, “I would kidnap you if I could”—right in front of her manager. While some tried to excuse it as a cultural misfire, most commenters (like u/BabserellaWT) agreed: “Yeah, dudes need to be aware that ‘I wanna kidnap you because you’re cute’ isn’t the A-plus conversation starter they think it is.”
The OP noted that even if the guest came from a different culture, there’s a universal need to learn what’s considered a compliment versus a threat. And as u/PonyFlare bluntly suggested, “Some of the creepier ones... DNR. Especially #8 who mentioned wanting to kidnap you.” (DNR = Do Not Return, for the uninitiated.)
Let’s not forget the physical closeness some guests seem to crave. Open-concept desks might look chic, but as the OP bemoans, “People be gettin two inches away from you for no reason brah.” The struggle for personal space is real, and as u/Silentkiss123 hilariously championed, the fencing emoji (“🤺”) is now the official mascot for “Back! Up!”
Community Wisdom: Drawing the Line in Hospitality
So what’s a hotel worker to do? Many commenters shared tips, ranging from the practical (“We are not allowed to have physical contact with guests, even with permission”—u/GirlStiletto) to the sassy (“Write the hotel’s number, NEVER yours!”—u/BlueJeanFoneCase). Others advocated for backup and calling out inappropriate behavior directly—encouraging staff to protect themselves and each other.
On the lighter side, the community bonded over the absurdity of some guest requests. Which guy is cuter? “You’re both equally ugly,” quipped u/PonyFlare, speaking for hospitality workers everywhere who just want to get through their shift in peace.
The big takeaway? As OP herself reflected: “If it would be inappropriate for a front desk agent to ask of a guest then it’s inappropriate the other way around!” Hospitality doesn’t mean sacrificing boundaries.
Conclusion: Share Your Own Front Desk Fails!
From lotion and zippers to unsolicited “compliments,” these stories are equal parts hilarious and horrifying. If you’ve ever worked in hospitality, you know these tales are just the tip of the iceberg.
What’s the weirdest thing a customer has ever asked you? How do you handle guests who get a little too familiar? Drop your stories or survival tips below—because if there’s one thing the front desk community loves, it’s trading war stories and reminding each other: You are not alone.
And remember, a little decorum goes a long way… especially when cookies are involved.
Original Reddit Post: Some guests are too familiar…