If It’s More Than Twelve Minutes’ Drive, It Might As Well Be Mars

I am fairly new at motel reception and haven’t checked in a lot of guests before. This weekend, we are fully booked as it’s the end of the school holidays. Every accommodation place in town is booked out and we have had to turn guests away. I have a guest who is a last-minute booking and was lucky to find somewhere to stay at all. She marches up to the counter before I can check her in.

Guest: “This motel is fifteen minutes from the city centre!”

And then she glares at me. I’m thinking, “Does she want me to move the motel?”

Me: “We are five minutes from town. If you drove fifteen minutes, you would be in [Rural Township].”

The guest continues to just glare.

Me: “Are you using public transport?”

Guest: “No, I have a car.”

Silence, as I am still trying to figure out what she wants me to do.

Guest: “Well?! I wouldn’t have booked here if I’d known it was so far away. I’m here to see [Popular Tourist Attraction]. How far is it from here?”

Another guest walking past chimes in.

Guest #2: “Oh, it’s about twelve minutes away.”

Guest: “Another twelve minutes?! So… half an hour from here.”

Guest #2: “No, it’s only five minutes from here to town and twelve minutes to [Tourist Attraction].”

The guest still glares at me some more.

Me: “Would you still like to check in?”

Guest: “Well, can I get my money back if I don’t?”

Me: “No, you are already here, and we have a cancellation policy.”

Guest: “I guess I’m stuck here, then. Check me in!”

I STILL don’t know what she wanted me to do. I can’t relocate the motel or check her in somewhere else. Maybe look at a map of where you are staying before you book?