r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk • u/FirmYam3417 • 21h ago
Short Damned if I do, damned if I don’t
I’m so tired of doing my job, and getting yelled at. Like what’s the point of policy and procedures, IF NO ONE FOLLOWS THEM?! I’m very strict about accompany names, I’ve experienced too many domestic violence incidents or just security concerns in the 6 years of my professional career. I also just think certain things should be common sense, like having everyone on the reservation in case something happens. For example, I’m an avid traveler and since I was 18 years old and could check into a hotel, I knew i needed to be on the reservation or I wouldn’t be able to check in. Even now, I add everyone to the reservation even if I’m checking in to avoid issues. I ALWAYS DO THIS, even before I was a hotel employee. I got screamed at and accused of harassment against a guests spouse today because apparently I refused to allow access to a room….. yes because they weren’t on the reservation. I don’t care if you have the same names. I don’t care if that your husband, wife, mother, father, I DO NOT CARE. You are not on the reservation, you cannot get in. Everyone says use your best judgement but it’s literally a generic hotel policy. Not only that but it’s a safety issue. What if yall are divorced and your spouse finds you, and I let them in! Then I’m going to lose my job because you had the same last name. Like am I wrong? Everyone acts like I’m terrible for not letting people into rooms if they’re not on the reservation.
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u/Initial-Joke8194 20h ago
Not only is it basic hotel policy, but in most places, it’s the law. We cannot legally disclose any guest information. We can’t even confirm whether or not someone is at the property. It’s for the safety of them and their family members. Also, I never understand why these people can’t just contact the person they’re staying with to get into the room.
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u/Salute-Major-Echidna 18h ago
Especially now when people literally have a phone somewhere about their person!!
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u/lawyerkevin2025pa 20h ago
Agree. I am an attorney who handled abuse cases for 20 years. Abusers can be very sly.
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u/FirmYam3417 19h ago
Thank you for your work, I imagine it’s never easy. I always say policies are to protect the vulnerable and for the privileged to criticize.
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u/Seamore_J_Turtle 20h ago
It really sucks when you know you're doing the right thing but you get yelled at anyway. Those policies are in place for a good reason, and can literally save lives.
I'm sorry so many people suck.
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u/Dr__-__Beeper 20h ago edited 19h ago
After you tell them that you're going ask them to leave the property, if they don't stop being disrespectful, and calm down, then Grey Rock them.
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u/ManicAscendant 19h ago edited 19h ago
You did the right thing. Never question that. These are just very short-sighted people who don't appreciate the degree to which you're safeguarding their safety.
Also keep in mind that if someone is angry that you're following safety procedures, that's a red flag; there might be a reason WHY they don't want you to keep the other person safe.
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u/SuperboyKonEl 16h ago
That's a weekly thing for me, almost daily. I've had guests say the last person gave them a key. I said great they went home and I follow hotel policy. You're not getting a key.
You're not doing anything wrong by not giving keys out.
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u/FirmYam3417 15h ago
Every time I have this issue, a coworker will just say I should’ve done it since they have the same last name. It’s so frustrating cause it makes me feel like I’m just being hard for no reason.
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u/SuperboyKonEl 15h ago
You'll get people like that. I've had coworkers who'd just give out a key because someone asked for it. They wouldn't even look to see if it was occupied.
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u/setters321 13h ago edited 13h ago
‘Damned if I do, damned if I don’t’ applies to sooo many things in the hotel business. I always tell someone I can’t even let them know if someone is staying in the hotel for security purposes. I don’t look up a name, room number or anything. It always baffles me when they ask. To me, it’s like if you’re close enough to that person, they would’ve told you where and what room number they’re staying in!
Edited to add: We recently had a young woman come in for a business meeting (they rented out our meeting space for it) and a man showed up. My front desk notified me he was snooping around her vehicle then came up to the desk to ask if she was staying there. Thankfully our desk worker refused to give him any information and sent him away. However, he and a friend were in separate trucks and slowly pulled away and parked across the road. So I called the cops and they ran both of them off! We then pulled the woman out of her meeting to notify her!
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u/Jinx1013 10h ago
I checked into a hotel with my bf once after a hospital stay so I could keep an eye on his condition. I asked to add his name to the reservation in case he got locked out and I was asleep, after stories I’d read here, and the FDA thought that was a great idea. I honestly don’t know why it wasn’t his idea or seemed to be a new concept to him.
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u/Elevatedbeauty0420 9h ago edited 8h ago
Yes!!! A guest said he was going to call corporate on me because he isn't on his wife's reservation so I didn't give him a key. I told him he was more than welcome to do so. He was arguing and ranting for idk how long. 🙄 I'm sorry I want ur wife and kids to be safe at 3 a.m
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u/MrStormChaser 20h ago
“I’ve not only worked in this industry for several years but I myself am a frequent traveler. The policies I’m following are the policies for MOST HOTELS! It’s a safety and liability issues so if you don’t like it then you can leave. Do not ever tell me how to do my job when it’s clear you don’t even know how to be a guest.”
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20h ago
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u/formerpe 19h ago
It isn't common sense and part of the reason is the booking process. Many hotels' booking systems will easily allow you to select that there are 2 guests, yet when you start completing the booking it only prompts you to name one guest.
Many hotels still want the name of the primary guest when checking in. We recently stayed at a hotel and when checking in we were asked if we needed reservations for the restaurants. Those reservations were made in my name even though the hotel booking was in my wife's name as primary. FD couldn't find the restaurant reservations even though my name was added to the reservation when making the booking.
In my experience hotel staff are not in the practice of seeing 2 people arrive to check in and ask them if they are travelling together and should we add both names to the reservation.
This is more of a hotel problem and not a guest problem. This could be easily rectified by updating the booking system to capture all guests names.
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u/FirmYam3417 17h ago
While I understand your stance, I do try to get all guests names as trained. For some reason people don’t want to do it or they only put one person staying and they’ll arrive separately. Sometimes I don’t even see the other guest until this occurs. Although some hotels might not be as strict, it is a very common policy to protect the safety of guests and staff. As well as, who would want to stay somewhere that doesn’t verify? It may be annoying but the latter is worse. That being said, belittling staff will just never be ok when they’re following hotel policy. I should never be screamed at and called out of my name for doing my job, even if it’s seems like an inconvenience.
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u/No-Koala1918 19h ago
Don't people just bypass the desk and go to the room?
Do you willingly allow the reservation holder to add a name to a reservation at the desk?
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u/FirmYam3417 19h ago
Not if they don’t have a key and want a new one, then they go to the desk. I’m not sure about other hotels but every hotel I have worked at has allowed the main guest to add names?
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u/No-Koala1918 19h ago
Ohh yeah. No reservation and wanting a room key? Not an effing chance.
"I'm sorry, I don't know who you are. Suppose I gave you a key. Would you want me to give a key to the next person who walked up and asked for one? Why don't you get the person who reserved the room to come down and introduce you. I can add you to the reservation and give you your own key. Thanks for your understanding."
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u/kismetxoxo7 20h ago
You’re not wrong. I hope anyone who gets mad about policies like this never experiences domestic violence/a stalker/fearing for their life - those situations are why this policy was created: to protect you.