When Work Besties Go Bad: The Wild World of Silent Treatment at the Hotel Front Desk
There are few things more comforting at work than having a “work wife” or “work husband”—that one coworker who’s got your back, makes tedious shifts bearable, and shares your deepest workplace gripes over stale break room coffee. But what happens when your office soulmate turns into a silent, passive-aggressive ghost… and still expects you to bail them out of trouble? Welcome to the world of front desk drama, as one Redditor discovered in a story that’s equal parts petty, stressful, and relatable for anyone who’s ever clocked in with a dysfunctional team.
Let’s dive into a cautionary tale from r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk, where a crumbling friendship, a string of reservation mishaps, and the silent treatment collide in a hospitality workplace saga.
When the Supervisor’s Away, the Reservations Will… Disappear?
Our story centers on Reddit user u/RinaFrost and her coworker, “Jane” (not her real name), who started as inseparable “work wives” before things took a turn for the worse. When their supervisor left for a month-long vacation, the front desk trio was left to juggle morning, afternoon, and evening shifts. At first, it was manageable—until Jane started making repeated mistakes that would make any hotel manager break out in hives.
Jane, it seems, had a knack for “wiping” (removing) credit card information from third-party reservations. Instead of flagging the issue or notifying the companies, Jane left the problem to fester—only to be discovered by RinaFrost during the next shift. For a week, our protagonist spent half her shifts on the phone with third-party booking companies, untangling a mess that could’ve been avoided with a little attention to detail and a lot more accountability.
RinaFrost did what most of us would: she tried to address it directly, gently mentioning the mistake to Jane, who promised to be “more careful.” Yet the blunders continued. When the supervisor returned, RinaFrost reported the issue, expecting a gentle nudge in Jane’s direction. But what followed was a masterclass in workplace cold shoulders.
From Silent Treatment to “Can You Cover My Shift?”
After the supervisor’s return, Jane’s response wasn’t to apologize, improve, or even acknowledge the situation. Instead, she turned colder than a hotel minibar. As days turned to weeks, she refused to speak to RinaFrost—no small talk, no acknowledgment, not even a nod during shift pass-offs. RinaFrost, who is open about her disability affecting social cues, made repeated efforts to clear the air, apologize for any perceived tone issues, and move forward. Jane? Radio silence.
This went on for months. RinaFrost, ever the professional, focused on work and started to worry Jane’s non-communication might come back to bite her: “I became anxious that something would happen and that she would say I didn’t pass along the information when I did.” After flagging her concerns to the supervisor, a head-nod acknowledgment became the new protocol. Eventually, their supervisor scheduled them together as little as possible for everyone’s sanity.
Here’s where workplace karma gets spicy: after seven months of icy silence, Jane suddenly texted RinaFrost, asking her to cover four shifts. The audacity! RinaFrost wasn’t having it—she didn’t reply, and another coworker picked up the slack. When Jane finally cornered her to demand why she wasn’t being friendly or helpful anymore, RinaFrost delivered what one commenter (u/PonyFlare) called a “good rejection of her 'let’s be friends again'” request, noting that it’s clear Jane only wanted help now that she needed something.
The Community’s Take: Boundaries, Burnt Bridges, and Hotel Hijinks
If you think this tale is ripe for workplace advice, you’re not alone. The r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk community dove in with takes that were insightful, supportive, and occasionally hilarious.
u/Tripsmom9 summed up the collective mood: “Don’t quit. It’s her problem she treated you poorly when she was called out after repeatedly making the same mistake. The fact that you stood up for yourself… shows you have great boundaries and communication skills.” RinaFrost’s approach—communicate, apologize, and keep it professional—was widely lauded as mature and reasonable, especially considering her openness about her disability.
Other commenters pointed out Jane’s glaring lack of accountability. u/ru-yafu0820 noted, “She needs to stop acting like a child and handle things like an adult… I would be concerned about how she’s treating you reflecting on guest interactions.” Several agreed that Jane’s behavior was immature at best, and possibly detrimental to the guest experience.
Workplace wisdom also shone through: u/MandaMaelstrom advised, “Always, always cover your own butt. People like your coworker are untrustworthy and will find a way to screw you if you don’t get ahead of it.” Their suggestion? Use written logs, emails, or checklists for shift handovers—something RinaFrost confirmed her hotel already does, even if verbal pass-offs are still required.
And perhaps the most relatable zinger came from u/silverheart-nine: “Well, that's some audacity... 'I burned the proverbial bridge with you and sabotaged any further construction attempts, but actually I decided now it would be convenient for me to get across the river using it. I demand you build a new one for my use right now!'” If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of workplace amnesia when a favor is needed, you know this energy all too well.
Lessons in Professionalism (and Not Losing Your Cool)
So, what can we take away from this tale of front desk drama? First, know your worth and don’t let someone else’s inability to handle criticism or mistakes undermine your professionalism. As u/fuckthisshitimtired put it, “She wants to be friends again because she realized she needs to ask you for something… I’m shocked she’s still employed honestly.”
Second, don’t be afraid to escalate issues—preferably sooner rather than later. Both the OP and commenters agree: involving supervisors and keeping written records is essential, especially with coworkers who’ve demonstrated they can’t be trusted.
Finally, don’t let the pettiness of others drive you out of a job you enjoy. RinaFrost herself said she’s staying put for now: “I want to quit at this point but I don’t want to give her the satisfaction of driving me out.”
In the end, the best revenge is simply doing your job well, keeping your boundaries strong, and letting the chips fall where they may (especially if Jane is, as rumor has it, causing headaches for others and likely on her way out).
Have You Survived a Work Friendship Gone Bad?
Have you ever had a “work spouse” turn into your office nemesis? Or dealt with a coworker who wants to burn bridges—then asks you to help rebuild? Share your wildest workplace tales in the comments below! And if you’ve got tips for handling silent treatment or saving your sanity in a dysfunctional team, we want to hear those too.
After all, in the hospitality world, sometimes the real drama isn’t at the front desk. It’s behind it.
Original Reddit Post: Coworker makes work uncomfortable after she screwed up multiple reservations.