Why Didn't You Wake Me Up?' The Entitled Guest Chronicles Every Hotel Worker Knows
There are few jobs that test your patience—and your faith in humanity—quite like working the front desk of a hotel. You’re a concierge, a therapist, sometimes a reluctant bouncer, and, occasionally, the scapegoat for every guest mishap. But sometimes, a guest’s sense of entitlement reaches such legendary levels that their story deserves a place in the Hotel Hall of Fame.
Such is the case from a recent viral post on r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk, where a night auditor was berated by a guest who missed his scheduled shuttle, only to demand, in all seriousness, “Why didn’t you wake me up?” The resulting saga is equal parts infuriating, hilarious, and—if you’ve ever worked hospitality—painfully relatable.
When “Shiny Elite” Status Means “Never My Fault”
The story begins in the quiet hours of the night audit, that magical time when most guests are asleep and the front desk staff can (almost) catch their breath. Our hero, Redditor u/senescentt, is dutifully assembling elite gifts—the kind management should handle, but doesn’t—when the shuttle driver confirms there are no guests waiting and departs right on schedule.
Moments later, a family arrives at the desk, late for their reserved shuttle. When informed that the shuttle left as scheduled, the guest’s patience evaporates faster than free lobby coffee. He demands the shuttle turn around, insists it’s “only five minutes,” and, when politely refused, launches into an aggressive tirade.
Here’s where it gets truly wild: The guest claims it’s the front desk’s fault they missed the shuttle—because, apparently, staff should have known to wake them up, despite no such request. As u/Darkchamber292 so eloquently put it, “Like FR you are a grown ass man with a family. Set your own damn alarm.” The community consensus was clear: expecting staff to telepathically set a wake-up call is, well, a new level of entitled.
The Blame Game: Wake-Up Calls and Hotel Realities
To be fair, a few commenters pointed out that at ultra-luxury properties, staff sometimes do call guests before shuttle departures—but this is rare, and always by explicit request. As u/Thisisurcaptspeaking noted, “Some of the higher brands DO offer complimentary wake up call...but most elites do expect that.” That said, the OP’s property was “a backyard property with limited amenities because we simply are not THAT hotel.”
What’s more, the logistics are a nightmare. As u/measaqueen wisely observed, “What if they had changed plans and didn't need the shuttle anymore but didn't tell staff? How pissed would he have been if you had called and woken the family up?” There’s no winning with some guests: call too early and you’re the villain, don’t call and you’re still the villain.
And let’s not forget the technology angle. In 2024, every adult has a phone with an alarm function. As u/Araucaria2024 dryly put it, “There is no excuse for expecting anyone else to wake you up.” Even the OP mused, “They run off faith that they wake up on time apparently.”
Customer Service: The Art of Empathy (But Not Apology)
So, what’s the best way to handle a guest who’s determined to make you the villain in their personal travel drama? The r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk community had some sage advice. Several veteran hoteliers—like u/AnfreloSt-Da—suggested shifting from apology to empathy: “We say, ‘Oh, that’s really a bummer. I can’t _____, but let’s see what options we have to get you back on track.’” Why? As they explained, serial apologizing can make angry guests even angrier, since it sounds empty or insincere.
Another commenter, u/Surefitkw, advocated for the power of the pointed pause: let an entitled guest’s words hang in the air, “long enough for everyone present to quietly note how fucking stupid they sound.” It’s a masterclass in calm, professional shade—the kind that leaves the guest flustered and management with nothing to pin on you.
And of course, always document the encounter. As u/Fabulous-Cupcake2956 advised, “I’d definitely document it and maybe bring it up to my manager...you might want your side of it to reach them first.” In the world of hospitality, the paper trail is your friend.
Entitled Guests and the Eternal Struggle for Accountability
If there’s one universal truth in hospitality, it’s this: the guest is not always right, and sometimes, they’re spectacularly wrong. The Reddit community didn’t mince words—“The guest is an entitled jerk,” wrote u/zamula, echoing the collective wisdom of those who have seen it all.
But perhaps the best advice came from u/lapsteelguitar, who simply said, “This is why I am chronically 5 minutes early for things.” In the end, personal responsibility never goes out of style—no matter how many shiny elite cards you carry.
Conclusion: Sound Off!
Have you ever been blamed for a guest’s own mistake? Or perhaps you’ve witnessed this brand of misplaced indignation in the wild? Share your own hospitality horror stories—or your best customer service comebacks—in the comments below. Because as anyone who’s worked a front desk knows: sometimes, laughter is the only way to survive the night audit.
And remember: set your own alarm. The world—and the shuttle—waits for no one.
Original Reddit Post: Guest says I need to take responsibility for not waking them up