The Curious Case of the Hotel 'Someone': Why Guests Just Can't Stop Lying at the Front Desk
Walking into a hotel with your bag slung over your shoulder, you expect a warm smile and a seamless check-in. But for front desk agents, that smile often hides the anticipation of the next outrageous story. If you’ve ever wondered why some hotel guests will say anything to dodge a policy (or a deposit), you’re not alone—and neither are the hotel staff who hear it all.
Recently, a viral Reddit post from r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk pulled back the curtain on a phenomenon every hotel worker knows too well: the guest who insists “someone” said it was fine. No deposit, no problem, free upgrades, magic carpet rides—just ask the mystical hotel fairy. Let’s dive into this hilarious, eye-rolling world where “someone” is always to blame and policies are apparently written in invisible ink.
The Phantom Promise: “Someone Said I Didn’t Need to Pay”
Our saga begins with the simplest of requests: a guest arrives, reservation in hand, and is told about the hotel’s incidental deposit policy. Suddenly, the mood shifts. The guest claims, “I called yesterday. They said no deposit for me. I already paid.”
Who did he speak to? “A woman.” Turns out, the only woman working that day was the front desk agent herself. The story quickly changes: “Well, actually, it was a guy. A manager.” Sorry, the manager is a woman—and she was off all week. Flustered, the guest finally lands on the classic: “I… don’t know. Someone told me.”
Cue the collective groan of front desk workers everywhere.
As u/Bennington_Booyah (a manager) quipped, “The number of times people told me I was wrong, that they had gotten ‘my manager’ to OK their heinous requests, were several times a week. People think everyone else is stupid and that they are the wise navigators of the way of the want-it-frees.”
The Mythical Front Desk Fairy (and Other Imaginary Friends)
If there’s a recurring character in this theater of fibs, it’s the so-called “Front Desk Fairy.” This legendary being is the ultimate scapegoat for guests’ wildest dreams—no deposits, surprise upgrades, and mystery freebies galore.
As OP u/Big_Air3392 explained, their manager used to actually investigate every claim, thinking perhaps there was some miscommunication. “Turns out 99% is pure fiction, and the other 1% is 3rd party or corporate mix-up. Now we all just blame it on the Front Desk Fairy.” Commenters gleefully ran with the idea, imagining the fairy frolicking with Buttercup the coffee machine unicorn (shoutout to u/pakrat1967).
But it’s not just about policies—sometimes it’s even about how the hotel is built. u/FuzzelFox recalled a guest yelling because the accessible rooms were far from the elevator. “Why would you put them there?!” The poor agent could only reply, “I don’t know, I didn’t build the hotel.” Sometimes, even physics bends to the will of “someone said.”
The All-Knowing, All-Permissive “Someone” and “They”
Hotel staff everywhere are haunted by the ghosts of “someone” and “they.” As u/Mrchameleon_dec joked, “‘They said that I could pay with cash.’ ‘They let me do this dumbass thing the last time.’” Or the classic, “I was told”—a favorite for guests (and sometimes coworkers) caught doing something blatantly wrong.
u/frenchynerd put it best: “I really wish to meet that mysterious Someone one day. So guests talked about all the eccentricities he said over the phone and it constantly puts us in trouble. I really need to have a word with Someone about our policies and how the hotel is built.”
And if you press for details? As u/Indysteeler shared, just offer your name—chances are, the guest will insist you were the one who made the promise! “Are you sure? It was yesterday at this time? It wasn’t anyone else?” The truth rarely survives this scrutiny, though some guests will double down until the bitter end.
Why the Lies? It’s Worked Before
So, why do guests fib with such confidence? According to u/BirthdaySalt2112, “They lie because it’s worked for them at some point in the past. They can’t stand it when it doesn’t work.” Sometimes, misinformation is passed down like hotel folklore, with each guest sure that their cousin’s friend’s neighbor got a free stay just by asking.
There’s also the hope that staff won’t call the bluff. But, as u/MightyManorMan suggested, sometimes pulling up call logs or just playing along (“Oh, that explains why they were fired…”) can quickly dry up the lies.
And when all else fails, the staff are ready with their own playful retorts. “Sorry, sir, it must be free on February 30th,” joked a toll collector (u/elseldo). Or, as u/RoseRed1987 likes to say, “Oh who told you? That’s not right I will have to tell management to make sure she is retrained.” Sometimes, a little sarcasm is the only way to cope.
The Front Desk Chronicles: Comedy, Chaos, and Community
What becomes clear through all these stories is that front desk staff are united by their shared experience of being lied to—sometimes hilariously, sometimes infuriatingly, but always with a sense of camaraderie. From owners disguised as maintenance workers (and catching guests in lies about “knowing the owner”) to the endless parade of “I’ve never paid a deposit before!”—it’s all part of the job.
So next time you check into a hotel and feel tempted to invoke the magic words, “someone said,” remember: the front desk has heard it all before. And somewhere, the Front Desk Fairy is having a good laugh with Buttercup the coffee machine unicorn.
Have you ever witnessed a hotel fib in action—or dared to try one yourself? Share your story in the comments below, and let’s give the Front Desk Fairy more tales to tell!
Original Reddit Post: Why they lie so much