The Night Auditor’s Prank: How an Owl Baby Monitor Spooked a High Hotel Guest
Have you ever wondered what really goes on at the front desk of a hotel after midnight? Maybe you picture a lone employee hunched over the computer, sipping coffee and quietly tallying up the day’s receipts. But what if I told you that, sometimes, the graveyard shift is more about creative pranking than paperwork?
Let me introduce you to one of the funniest “Tales from the Front Desk” making the rounds on Reddit—a story featuring a night auditor, a video baby monitor, and a guest who was, let’s just say, not in his most lucid state.
The Night Shift: Land of Sleepy Guests and Creative Mischief
For anyone who’s ever worked the night audit at a hotel, you know the hours between midnight and sunrise can be a wild mix of boring and bizarre. While most guests are tucked in and dreaming, the front desk staff are left to their own devices—sometimes literally. In the case of Reddit user u/SuperboyKonEl, those devices included an old, owl-shaped baby monitor with two-way audio and video.
Imagine this: The hotel is quiet. Our night auditor is in the back, multitasking between laundry loads and monitoring the front desk via the “owl cam.” Enter our hero’s unexpected co-star—a guest who is, by their own description, “high as a kite.”
The Set-Up: Enter the Owl Cam
The guest approaches the empty front desk and, a little confused, starts calling out, “Hello?” Instead of physically appearing, our night auditor seizes the chance for a little fun. Using the owl baby monitor, he responds—a disembodied voice floating through the lobby.
“Hello!” he says into the mic.
The guest, now visibly bewildered, asks, “Where are you?”
“I’m to your left,” comes the reply.
The guest looks left.
“No, your other left.”
He looks right.
“No, your other left.”
He looks left again.
“Keep looking left.”
Round and round the guest goes—left, right, left again—until he’s essentially spinning in circles, his confusion mounting with each turn. The night auditor, watching through the camera, is barely holding back laughter. Finally, with the guest’s back to the desk, our prankster asks, “Can you see me yet?”
The guest, now fully perplexed, admits defeat. But the fun isn’t over.
“Close your eyes and count to ten,” the voice instructs.
As the guest complies, the night auditor makes a mad dash to the front desk. When the guest opens his eyes—surprise! The auditor is there, cool as a cucumber, claiming to have been there the whole time. The guest? Absolutely freaked out.
Why Do We Love Stories Like This?
It’s easy to see why this story racked up hundreds of upvotes and dozens of comments. First, it’s a harmless prank—no one is hurt, and the only thing injured is the guest’s grip on reality (which was already a bit wobbly). The playful use of technology—a baby monitor intended to soothe infants, now used to confuse adults—adds a creative twist that’s hard not to appreciate.
There’s also something universally funny about the “your other left” routine. It’s the kind of joke that transcends language barriers, workplace hierarchies, and, apparently, sobriety levels. Who among us hasn’t gotten a little mixed up with left and right, especially under pressure?
But perhaps the real magic of this story is its glimpse into the camaraderie and humor that keeps night shift workers sane. When the world is asleep, a little mischief goes a long way toward making the hours tick by.
The Unwritten Rules of Hotel Pranking
Of course, every industry has its own code of conduct. In hospitality, the golden rule is: Don’t cross the line. Pranks should be lighthearted, non-threatening, and never at the expense of a guest’s safety or dignity. This story hits the sweet spot—just enough confusion to entertain both parties, but nothing that would end up in a complaint (or a lawsuit).
It also raises the question: What other creative tools do night auditors have at their disposal? Security cameras, intercoms, walkie-talkies… the possibilities for innocent fun are endless, as long as you remember to respect the line between playful and problematic.
The Takeaway: Keep Your Eyes Open—and Your Sense of Humor Intact
The world of night audit is full of surprises. Sometimes it’s a spreadsheet that won’t reconcile; other times, it’s a guest who mistakes a baby monitor for the voice of God. Either way, a little laughter makes even the longest night shift more bearable.
So next time you check into a hotel late at night and the lobby seems empty—listen carefully. If an owl-shaped device starts giving you directions, you might just be part of the next great front desk prank.
Have a night shift story of your own? Share it in the comments below! And if you’re a fellow night auditor, what’s the best harmless prank you’ve pulled? Let’s hear your tales from the front desk!
Original Reddit Post: Messing with guests when they're either drunk and/or high.