Motel Goblins and Hot Springs Mayhem: Tales of a Front Desk Manager’s Nightmare
If you think working at a motel is all about handing out keys and folding towels, buckle up—because I’ve just discovered a front desk tale that’ll make your wildest hospitality nightmares look like a Disney vacation. Picture this: a quirky little motel in southern New Mexico, perched on a hot springs aquifer, surrounded by dust, roaches, and just enough weirdness to fuel a season of reality TV.
But the real monsters? They don’t lurk under beds. Instead, they check in with tote boxes, a phone set to “record,” and a level of entitlement that could rattle even the most unshakable manager. Welcome to the world of “motel goblins.” And, spoiler alert: the biggest plot twist isn’t the guests—it’s the drama-loving owner who keeps inviting them back for an encore.
Meet Marissa: The Final Boss of Problem Guests
Enter Marissa—the recurring villain in our hero’s saga, described as the “boss battle of problem guests.” She’s the kind of guest who treats housekeeping like her personal moving crew, schedules like sacred texts, and the front desk like her emotional punching bag.
Her list of exploits reads like a sitcom script gone rogue:
- Demanding Housekeeping On Her Clock: Housekeepers start at 9:30 a.m.? Marissa wants them at her door by 9:31—armed and ready for battle, of course. Not on time? Expect a full-volume meltdown, with the whole thing caught on her phone’s camera roll.
- Treating Staff Like Serfs: Need 20+ tote boxes moved around your room? Who better than the cleaning staff—never mind their actual job description.
- Laundry Room Anarchy: Who needs commercial washers when you can just break the household ones over and over again? And don’t even think about restocking her paper towels or coffee—she’s already burned that bridge.
- Remote Control Crisis: Forget overflowing toilets or safety hazards; the true emergency is dead batteries in her TV remote, especially when it’s Thanksgiving weekend and the place is packed.
The Owner: Chaos’ Biggest Fan
Now, you’d think after surviving a guest who’s told staff to end their own lives (yes, really), harassed neighbors, and called the cops over dog drama, the owner would finally back management up. But not in this universe.
Meet the 82-year-old owner, who has a heart so big (or perhaps so bored) that he falls for every sob story, every single time. The manager bans Marissa for good, peace returns, and—cue horror movie soundtrack—she’s invited back for a discounted stay because, “We need the money.”
When Hospitality Meets Masochism
It’s the kind of story that’s both hilarious and deeply, deeply relatable for anyone who’s worked in hospitality. Because here’s the thing: every hotel, motel, or bed & breakfast has their version of Marissa. The guest who’s never happy, who finds a new way to break the rules, who turns minor inconveniences into Shakespearean tragedies.
But what makes this tale uniquely unhinged is the owner’s role. It’s one thing to tolerate chaos for the sake of business; it’s another to actively resurrect it for the sheer thrill (or, as the manager puts it, “to watch me suffer”).
Lessons from the Wild West of Motel Management
- Boundaries Are Everything: The manager’s hard-won peace only lasted as long as Marissa was actually banned—a reminder that enforcing boundaries matters, no matter how much the owner likes drama.
- You Can’t Save Everyone (or Every Machine): Sometimes, “doing more with less” just means more laundry disasters and more headaches for staff.
- You Need To Laugh, Or You’ll Cry: When remote batteries are the hill someone chooses to die on, the only thing left is to laugh, pour another cup of over-brewed motel coffee, and brace for the next round.
So, What Would You Do?
If you were the manager, would you hold the line—or grab popcorn and let the chaos unfold? Have you ever met a “motel goblin” in your own travels or jobs? Share your own tales of hospitality horror in the comments below! And if you spot Marissa in a hot springs town near you… maybe just hide the remote batteries.
Because in the wild world of motels, sometimes the real monsters aren’t under the bed—they’re on the guest list.
Let’s hear your craziest guest stories—drop them below!
Original Reddit Post: The Owner Keeps Inviting the Motel Goblins Back (and I’m Losing My Sanity)