When “Message Retrieval” Becomes “Massage Retrieval”: Hilarious Hotel Front Desk Fails
If you’ve ever worked at a hotel front desk or simply stayed at a quirky inn, you know the front desk is where the magic—and the mayhem—happens. But sometimes, that magic is less Harry Potter and more Lucille Ball. Case in point: a recent viral Reddit post from r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk, where “CrazySquirrelGirl” recounts a guest’s quest for a “massage button” that left the entire staff—and the internet—in stitches.
Picture this: It’s a quiet evening at a boutique inn and spa. The phone rings, and on the other end, a guest is growing increasingly impatient. She’s been pressing the “massage button” on her room’s phone for an hour, but her spa-day dreams remain unfulfilled.
What followed was a comedy of errors that perfectly encapsulates the joys and absurdities of hotel life:
“Good Evening hotel Front Desk, this is CrazySquirrelGirl, how can I help you?”
“Yes. I have been hitting the massage button for an hour and no one is coming to give me a massage.”
“I’m sorry. What button?”
“The massage button.”
“I apologize, but where is this button you are pressing?”
“On the phone. Massage Retrieval.”
“Ma’am, do you mean the message retrieval for voicemails?”
“Oh my God…” click
It’s the sort of moment that could only happen in hospitality—a world where the customer is always right, except when she’s desperately summoning spa therapists via voicemail.
The internet, predictably, loved every awkward second. The post racked up over a thousand upvotes and a wave of comments, each more entertaining than the last. As u/DaneAlaskaCruz quipped, “That would be convenient to just press a button to request a massage therapist to come over to your room.” Admit it: Who among us wouldn’t want a “massage on demand” button after a long day of travel?
Yet, perhaps the best part was the guest’s reaction—not entitled, not angry, just deliciously embarrassed. “OH my God…” she gasped, before hanging up. As OP CrazySquirrelGirl later explained in the comments, “To be honest, she had called me 4 times from 3 to 318. That ended her calls hahaha.” Sometimes, all it takes is a little misunderstanding to solve a persistent problem—and to provide a “happy ending,” as u/Deaconse cheekily observed.
Of course, this wasn’t the only case of hotel communication gone sideways. The comment section quickly turned into a greatest-hits album of hospitality hilarity. u/Airodyssey shared a story about a guest who asked for his “Escort,” prompting a moment of shock—until it turned out he was referring to his Ford Escort parked with valet. The classic: “I’d like my Escort, please.” “...I beg your pardon?” “My FORD Escort.” Hotel staff, beware: context is everything.
The nostalgia flowed, too. Several commenters reminisced about the golden era of motels with coin-operated vibrating beds—Magic Fingers, anyone? As u/EnchantedTikiBird noted, “They used to have that built into the beds. It cost 25 cents. Lol.” u/LakeMichiganMan chimed in, “Magic Fingers. 25 cents for 15 minutes.” Suddenly, the idea of a button that actually delivers a massage wasn’t so far-fetched. Maybe we were just born too late.
But let’s get real: technology and expectations aren’t always in sync. u/Lego3400 pointed out that many guests simply don’t know how to use landline phones anymore, recalling a moment when hotel guests didn’t even know to pick up the receiver to answer a call. As u/Spritemaster33 and others discussed, offices and homes are rapidly going mobile or virtual, leaving the humble landline a relic of a bygone era—one that can lead to some truly hilarious confusion.
And then, there’s the matter of language. u/roquelaire62 recounted a British friend’s request to be “knocked-up” at 5am (meaning a wake-up call in the UK, but quite another thing in the US), and u/nutraxfornerves shared the tale of an Englishman’s disastrous attempt to buy cigarettes (“fags”) at an American bar. International travel: come for the new experiences, stay for the accidental double entendres.
Of course, the “massage button” saga wasn’t the only massage-related mishap in the thread. u/TravelingWithJoe brought up the time military leadership accidentally confused “massaging devices” with “messaging devices”—cue jokes about confiscated Blackberries and iPhones. It’s a reminder that sometimes, technology, language, and context collide in ways that are almost too perfect.
So what’s the takeaway from this delightful tale? Hotels are full of surprises—and not always the kind you can order from room service. Whether it’s a guest expecting a magical in-room massage, a car request gone awry, or a simple language mix-up, the front desk remains the stage for some of life’s best unintentional comedy.
Next time you check in, give your front desk staff a smile. And remember: if you see a “massage retrieval” button, it might just be your voicemail.
Have a hospitality story of your own? Maybe you’ve pressed a mysterious button or accidentally ordered something you didn’t mean to. Share your tales in the comments below—because laughter, after all, is the best amenity.
Original Reddit Post: Massage retrieval