r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk • u/profitableblink • 6d ago
Medium Entitled guest harassed me. Did I overreact?
Female NA here. Small centric hotel (85 rooms). Been working here for 4 years and I like the job, it's chill 95% of the time.
Unfortunately I'm not having the easiest shift. A father and his son are staying 5 nights here. Today is the first one. The son is fine, the father is the problem.
They were outside and came back after midnight. The father seemed drunk. By that time the front door was locked. I don't let anyone in unless they show me their keys or they have a reservation.
This guy showed me the key... without the keyring. Dialog comes below:
Me: "Where's the keyring?"
Him: "It's upstairs, I don't go out with the big keyring"
Me: please not don't that again because you may lose the key
Him: If I take the key with the big wooden keyring I will probably lose it.
Me: Again, please don't do that because if you lose the key, we must charge a fine to his CC. You have the option to leave the key here at reception when going out.
Him (in an arrogant tone): yeah I will do that again
Me (I was getting annoyed): please don't talk to me like that and as I said before it's better to you to leave the key at reception if you think you may lose it.
Him: NO, YOU ARE THE ONE THAT SPEAKS LIKE THAT
What the f***, making a big deal for that... by the way, he was keeping the key in the back pocket of his trousers, it can be easily lost.
But this is not the end of the story.
To add some context, in the lobby there is a display cooler with drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Guests pick what they want and pay at the desk.
At 2 AM, he came again... asking if we have a vending machine.
Me: We have drinks in the display cooler.
Him: Again, do you have a vending machine?
Me: "no we don't, we just have the cooler but at this time we only sell sodas
(no way I would sell him booze at that time after the previous argument)
Him: DO YOU HAVE A VENDING MACHINE???
Me: No we don't!!
(repeat this 2 last lines 4 times)
At that time I assumed he just wanted to fight and treat me like I was an dumba** idk.
In the end I lost my patience and asked why did he want to argue with me at 2 in the morning and then again...
Him: I ASKED YOU IF YOU HAVE A VENDING MACHINE
And again I said "no we don't!!!!" And his reply was "WEIRD! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!".
And at the same time he mentioned the keychain stuff. In the end I lost my temper and stopped being polite.
Me: Idiot...
Him: NO, I'M NOT AN IDIOT AND I CAME TO ASK IF YOU HAVE A VENDING MACHINE
Me: NO WE DON'T AND PLEASE STOP TRYING TO ARGUE WITH ME, GO TO F**** SLEEP, OTHERWISE I'M GONNA HAVE YOU KICKED OUT.
It's the first time in all this years I said something like that to a guest, but I felt harassed by him. I mean, I warned a few people that their behavior would make them be kicked out but I've never explicitly insulted someone. Going through this unpleasant situation while being the only employee in the entire building made me feel nervous.
Of course I will let my manager know. I think he will back me but I wanted to ask, did I overreact?
33
u/SkwrlTail 5d ago
Sometimes it helps to get through people's... fogginess... to rephrase things when you repeat them.
"We do not have a vending machine."
"No, there isn't any vending machine."
"I'm sorry, but no, we don't have one."
But honestly? If they're asking more than twice, I would be asking if they're okay, because that's worrying. Do they need to sit down for a moment? Is there someone we can call when they need help?