The Early Check-In Olympics: How One Guest Won “Most Entitled of the Year” at 8AM
Picture it: New Year’s Eve morning, 8:00 AM. The hotel is running at near capacity. Housekeeping is frantically turning over rooms. The front desk is bracing for the tidal wave of check-ins and check-outs. Into this storm of logistics and hospitality strides Mr. Chud, suitcase in tow, ready to test the boundaries of human entitlement—and hotel policy.
What unfolds is the kind of front desk encounter that makes hotel workers everywhere laugh, cry, and immediately reach for the “Tales From The Front Desk” subreddit. It’s a masterclass in how not to check in early (unless you’re trying to snag the coveted “Most Entitled Asshat of the Year” award).
The 8AM Check-In: Not All Heroes Wear Capes
If you’ve ever worked the front desk, you know the look: a guest glides in, hours before check-in, expecting the royal treatment. Mr. Chud was that guest. With a confidence only rivaled by someone who’s never read a hotel’s fine print, he announced, “Checking in. Last name Chud.”
The front desk agent, u/JuneFernan, handled it like a pro. Despite being 99% sold out the night before—meaning rooms weren’t just unavailable, they were still being cleaned—she found the one king room ready for early check-in. But, as hotel policy (and common sense) dictates, there was a $50 early check-in fee.
Cue the eye rolls. Chud, undeterred by logic or availability, tried every classic move: “But I’m a member” (booked through a third party, no status found), “Are there upgrades?” (after a sold-out night, at 8AM), and “Can you waive the fee?” (spoiler: no). When all else failed, he demanded a manager—who, as fate would have it, wouldn’t be in for another hour.
The kicker? After all that, he still paid the fee and checked in—then circled back days later insisting a manager had promised to waive his fee. The front desk, with a note on his account and cameras rolling, kindly declined.
Early Check-In Fees: Policy, Not Punishment
The saga sparked a lively and hilarious debate in the comments. As u/SkwrlTail dryly observed, “Checking in nine hours early?! Nope, sorry buddy. At that point it's a Half Day Fee, not an early check-in.” Others, like u/Poldaran, went further: “Nine hours early at our hotel is ‘Auditor is still here’ o'clock, and if you check in with me, it's still last night. And you will be paying for last night.”
This is more than just petty gatekeeping. It’s about logistics and fairness. The rooms need to be cleaned, the previous guests haven’t even checked out, and—most importantly—hotel staff are not magicians. As u/birdmanrules succinctly put it, “As it should be.” Early check-in is a privilege, not a right. And as u/Noble_Gas_7485 quipped, “Fifty bucks to check in nine hours early? I’d take that in a heartbeat. What an asshat.”
But there’s a flip side. Several commenters shared stories of staff going above and beyond for guests who asked nicely—like u/therealcatladygina, who was let in early at 10AM when her dad was having heart surgery, and thanked the staff with donuts and a gift card. As u/awakeagain2 replied, “But I bet you weren’t being rude and demanding what you wanted. Makes all the difference.”
Entitlement Olympics: The Gold Goes To…
Mr. Chud isn’t alone. As u/Rick_B_9446 joked, “He waited until the last day of the year to be the biggest asshat he could so no one could sneak in behind him and one-up him. He wanted to claim that asshat of the year award, and he got it!” The consensus from hotel staff and guests alike: politeness pays, entitlement doesn’t.
Many weighed in with their own tales of early check-in requests—some successful, others not. The common thread? The how of the ask matters. As u/KnottaBiggins shared, “I did it by being kind and polite…The response was ‘Oh, no, sir, we have a room for you right now.’” Meanwhile, u/TheWyldcatt highlighted the value of realistic expectations: “Regardless of when/where, I always start off asking if there happens to be a room available if I have arrived early...and if not, no big deal.”
For every Chud, there are guests who understand that hotels are juggling a Rubik’s cube of reservations, housekeeping, and special requests. The best way to get what you want? Be gracious, and you might just get a surprise upgrade—or, at the very least, avoid paying a fee you absolutely deserve.
Hotel Reviews, Staff Stories, and Why Manners Matter
If this post proves anything, it’s that the hospitality industry is full of wild stories and wild expectations. Hotel staff are seasoned veterans of the Entitlement Games. As u/Silentkiss123 confessed, “If I had a dollar for every time I saw ‘worst hotel ever’ I could be retired by now.” And as u/zyzmog wisely suggested, “I always discount the five-star and one-star reviews. Most of those ones are not objective, and some of them are laughably stupid.”
The real story? Most hotel workers want to help you. They do make exceptions for emergencies. They do appreciate kindness and understanding. And they do remember the Mr. Chuds of this world, if only as a warning to others.
So, next time you’re tempted to roll in before the sun’s up and demand a complimentary castle suite, remember: the only thing harder than scoring an upgrade at 8AM after a sold-out night is winning over the front desk with an eye roll.
Conclusion: Don’t Be a Chud—Be a Champion Guest
Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a first-time hotel guest, here’s the secret sauce: treat staff like people, respect the rules, and save the entitlement for reality TV. You might not always get an early check-in, but you’ll almost always get a better experience.
Have you ever witnessed an “Entitlement Olympics” moment at the front desk? Share your stories—or your best tips for being a champion hotel guest—in the comments below! And remember: kindness is the real upgrade.
Original Reddit Post: And the Most Entitled Asshat of the Year Award Goes to…