Well, SOMEBODY F***ed Up The Reservation

I work in a hotel. It’s December twelfth, and I’m enjoying a slow and quiet Sunday night when a guy walks in just a little after 11:30 pm.

Me: “Good evening. Welcome to [Hotel]. How can I help you tonight?”

Guest: “I need to check in.”

Me: “Sure. What’s your last name?”

He tells me and I type it in.

Me: “Are you sure your reservation was for tonight, Mr. [Guest]? I do see a reservation under your name, but it was for last night, the eleventh.”

Guest: “Yes, I’m sure. I called your hotel directly.”

Me: “Hmmm, I don’t think you did, Mr. [Guest]. I see you made the reservation through [Third PartyAgency]. You would have had to do that online or over the phone.”

Guest: “Right. I called them and they transferred me to your hotel.”

I try not to roll my eyes.

Me: “No, that’s not how they operate.”

Guest: “Well, then you guys f***ed up my reservation when you received it.”

I look at the reservation history.

Me: “No, sir, no changes were made to your reservation on our end. Perhaps you gave them the wrong date when making the reservation?”

Yeah, that was the wrong thing to say. I realize that now.

Guest: *Getting quite upset* “No, you people f***ed up my reservation! I know what date I told them. Since I’m here, just f****** fix it so I can get checked in!”

Me: “I’m sorry, Mr. [Guest], but since the reservation was for last night and you didn’t show up, it went into our no-show account when the night audit was run at 3:00 am.”

Guest: “Of course, I didn’t show up; the reservation was for tonight!”

Me: “Well, Mr. [Guest], we had no way of knowing that, so if you want to stay here tonight, I’d be happy to check you in with a new reservation.”

Guest: “Just use the old one.”

Me: “I’m sorry, I can’t do that.”

Guest: “Why the f*** not? It’s f****** paid for.”

Me: “Yes, sir, it is prepaid. But since it was prepaid through [Third Party], I’m not allowed to make any changes to those types of reservations. Besides, a no-show fee was applied to the deposit, so there’s a zero balance on the reservation — another reason I wouldn’t be able to use it.”

Guest: “This is f****** ridiculous.”

Not really knowing what else to say, I just stand there looking at him.

Guest: “So, you’re not going to help me?”

Me: “As I said, I can check you in under a new reservation at $143.00 plus tax, but beyond that, there’s really nothing else I can do.”

Guest: “God d*** it! Let me go see what my wife wants to do.”

He went out to his car, which was parked right by our front door. I watched on our monitors as he got in the car and sat there for about five minutes before pulling out of our parking lot. From the direction he turned, he may have been heading to the hotels behind us. Maybe the wife thought the rate I quoted was too much.

Thankfully, my Sunday night returned to being quiet, slow, and uneventful after that.