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Should Hotels Be Allowed to Rate Their Guests? Tales from the Front Desk

If Hotel Staff Could Rate Guests, Would You Still Get a Reservation?

Picture this: You’ve just wrapped up a long shift at the hotel front desk, where you’ve been called everything but your actual name. A guest storms in, already fuming about—wait for it—the color of the carpet. You smile, nod, and try to solve the “crisis,” only to be rewarded with a glowing 1-star review that makes you look like the villain from a customer service horror story.

If you’ve ever worked in hospitality, you know this isn’t an exaggeration. In fact, as u/hellobela_ hilariously ranted in a recent Reddit post, the real dream is a world where hotels can finally rate their guests, too. Because let’s face it: reviews shouldn’t be a one-way street!

The Customer Is Always Right… Right?

We live in the golden age of online reviews, where anyone with a smartphone can instantly share their experience—good, bad, or “the towels weren’t fluffy enough” ridiculous. On platforms like Booking.com or Expedia, guests wield the mighty 1-star rating like Excalibur, ready to slice through the reputation of any unfortunate property.

But here’s the thing: while guests can air every grievance (real or imagined), hotel staff are left defenseless, unable to warn fellow hoteliers about the “Karen” who thinks the continental breakfast should include lobster, or the “Chad” who’s allergic to both check-in times and basic human decency.

Welcome to the Hotel Guest Review System—In Our Dreams

Imagine a world where hotels could log into their booking portal and see guest reviews like:

  • “Arrived at the front desk already yelling. Would not recommend.”
  • “Left the room looking like a tornado hit it. 2/5, would not host again.”
  • “Debated the cancellation policy for 20 minutes, then called my manager names. Proceed with caution.”

Would guests still show up ready to turn minor inconveniences into major meltdowns? Or would a little accountability help everyone play nice?

Lessons from Airbnb: A Two-Way Street

It’s not just a hospitality pipe dream—Airbnb has long allowed hosts and guests to rate each other. If you trash someone’s home or treat your host like a personal butler, you might find your future bookings mysteriously declined. Suddenly, manners matter!

So why not hotels? Are we really satisfied with a system where only one side gets a say? As u/hellobela_ points out, knowing that your next hotel could see a giant digital warning—“BRINGS OWN AIR HORN TO COMPLAIN ABOUT PARKING”—might just be the incentive some people need to behave like decent human beings.

The Secret Life of Front Desk Staff

Here’s a not-so-secret secret: hospitality staff are human beings, not customer service robots. They didn’t invent the cancellation policy, the parking lot size, or the color of the carpet (probably). They’re just trying to make your stay as pleasant as possible… in between handling grown adults throwing fits worthy of a toddler at nap time.

And let’s be honest, most guests are perfectly lovely. But the bad apples? They can spoil the whole bushel, especially when their 1-star reviews stick around for eternity while their own tantrums vanish into the night.

Would Guest Ratings Actually Change Behavior?

Let’s dream big for a moment. What if hotel booking sites rolled out a guest rating system tomorrow? Would overnight check-ins become friendlier? Would “Do you know who I am?” be replaced with “Thank you for your help”? Maybe. At the very least, it would add a little balance to the hospitality equation—and give staff a much-deserved outlet for those “you’ll never believe what happened” stories.

The Final Bellhop: Should Hotels Get to Rate Guests?

Until that day comes, front desk workers will keep smiling, keep solving, and (secretly) keep dreaming of that magical “Rate the Guest” button. But maybe, just maybe, if enough of us talk about it, we’ll get a little closer to making guest accountability a reality.

Have you ever witnessed or experienced hotel guest drama? Would a two-way rating system make travel better for everyone—or just scarier? Drop your stories, opinions, and wildest front desk tales in the comments. Let’s keep the conversation (and maybe the laughs) going!

Ready to share your own tales from the check-in trenches? Hit reply below, and don’t forget to thank your local front desk hero the next time you check in. You never know—they might just be wishing they could rate you, too!

Original Reddit Post: I wish more websites let you evaluate the guests