When Online Reviews Meet Reality: Tales from the Hotel Front Desk
If you think working the front desk at a hotel is all about smiling, handing over keycards, and pointing out the breakfast hours, think again. It’s a world where guest reviews can make or break your day, coworkers have their own hospitality philosophies, and your every move might end up online for the world to judge. Just ask u/Plus_Bad_8485, a seasoned front desk warrior, who recently shared a tale on Reddit that perfectly captures the rollercoaster ride of customer service—complete with gift bags, grumpy guests, and a dash of unexpected camaraderie.
Let’s pull back the velvet rope and get a peek at what really happens in the lobby, where not every review tells the whole story, and sometimes, the only thing you can do is laugh.
Welcome to the Front Desk Circus
Our storyteller works side-by-side with a coworker whose approach to hospitality is, shall we say, “by the book.” Gift bags (containing two bottles of water and a snack) are sacred—bestowed only upon the hotel’s Elite Members. Meanwhile, our narrator prefers the “Oprah method”—you get a gift bag, you get a gift bag, EVERYONE gets a gift bag! It’s a small act, but one that guests notice and appreciate, as highlighted in glowing online reviews.
But in the hotel world, no good deed (or lack thereof) goes unnoticed—or unreviewed.
The Power (and Pain) of Online Reviews
One day, the duo sits down to sift through the latest batch of online feedback. First up: a review roasting the coworker, described as “the old woman at the desk who wasn’t approachable at all, looked miserable, and seemed to not want to be bothered.” Ouch. Even though she’s generally sweet and lovely, she apparently has a “resting grump face” that doesn’t play well on TripAdvisor. The poor woman looks like a “sad chihuahua” reading the review, and our narrator can’t help but chuckle at the accuracy, even if it’s a little cruel.
But karma moves fast in the hotel lobby. Next up is a review about our narrator—a lengthy rant from a guest who stayed over three weeks. The review accuses the “young man at the desk” (that’s our hero) of making rude comments at checkout. Now, our narrator knows exactly who this guest is and how the situation actually went down—because, like any good front desk agent, he did everything by the book and even flagged the incident to the General Manager for backup.
The truth? At checkout, the conversation was strictly professional: - Narrator: “How was your stay with us? Hope all was well.” Reaches out for the keys. - Guest: “The fk you asking me that for?” Tosses keys. - Narrator: “You have a great day.”
The guest then returned moments later for a receipt, which was provided with zero attitude or sarcasm. End of story. No rude comments, no passive-aggressive mumbling, just standard customer service. Yet, the review told a much spicier tale.
Upon reading the fictitious account, the “grumpy” coworker looked our narrator in the eye and deadpanned, “Well… he’s full of shit,” which sent both into fits of laughter. Sometimes, shared suffering is the best team-building exercise.
The Unspoken Challenges
The post ends with a candid admission. Our narrator is the only Black person working at the hotel, and an immigrant to boot. He’s acutely aware that what some coworkers can get away with, he simply can’t. Every interaction is weighed, measured, and sometimes misjudged through a lens he never gets to take off. In hospitality—where “the customer is always right” is gospel—navigating race, perception, and professionalism adds a layer of complexity most guests never see.
Hospitality: More Than Meets the Eye
This story is a reminder that behind every smiling face at the front desk is a real person juggling policies, guest expectations, and office politics—all while trying to rack up those elusive five-star reviews. It’s a job that demands patience, flexibility, and, sometimes, a sense of humor sharp enough to survive the most dramatic guest departures.
So next time you check out of a hotel, maybe add a little kindness to your review. Or, at the very least, remember that the person handing you your receipt has probably seen—and heard—it all.
Have a front desk story to share? Drop it in the comments! If you’ve ever had your own “review vs. reality” moment, we want to hear about it. And remember: sometimes the best response to a bad review is a good laugh.
Original Reddit Post: Online review including both my coworker and I