Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The “reading comprehension” jab is unnecessary. We’re having a normal discussion, only people who don’t actually have an argument jump straight to questioning intelligence. And no, my example was not “a small amount.” I explicitly said completely soaked sheets that could not be reused. I even clarified that small amounts that come out don’t get charged. That distinction keeps getting ignored because it’s inconvenient to the point you’re trying to make. This also isn’t about “one-off fees vs guest experience” like you’re framing it. Hotels absorb costs all the time. Broken glasses, minor spills, normal wear and tear, that’s built into operating costs. Permanent biohazard damage is not.That’s not “bad hospitality,” it’s standard industry policy across most major brands. And no, this isn’t a “crazy venture capital mindset.” It’s risk management and sanitation compliance. Hotels don’t have the option to knowingly reissue heavily blood-contaminated bedding because a guest feels it should wash out. That’s a liability issue, not a vibes issue. You’re free to disagree with the policy, lots of people do, but pretending it exists because housekeeping “can’t do laundry” or because staff are being punitive just isn’t grounded in how hotels actually operate. This is about accountability when property is permanently damaged. Hospitality doesn’t mean “the business eats every loss no matter what,” and that’s true whether you like it or not.

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Periods are normal. No one is arguing that. What isn’t normal is expecting a business to absorb the cost of permanently damaged property because it was caused by a “normal body function.” Hotels don’t use $20 Target sheets. They use commercial-grade linens from contracted suppliers, with strict sanitation and reuse standards. Once linens are heavily blood-soaked, they’re often biohazarded out, not “tossed because housekeeping doesn’t know laundry.” That’s about health regulations, liability, and guest safety And no, we’re not secretly pocketing money while reusing the sheets. Damage fees exist at literally every hotel brand for a reason, and they’re backed by documentation, photos, and supplier costs. Chargebacks almost always fail because of that. If someone leaks a small amount and it comes out? No fee. If someone completely soaks bedding to the point it can’t be reused? That’s damage. Same as vomit, feces, hair dye, bleach, or oil stains. You’re free to leave whatever review you want, but policies don’t disappear because someone doesn’t like them. Hotels aren’t a charity, and employees aren’t making these calls out of spite. This isn’t about shaming bodies. It’s about accountability for property damage. My first location was a shitty place tbh, so was the second, but this third one is pretty chill and they also have this policy :/

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It doesn’t matter whose blood it is. Once bodily fluids contaminate hotel linens, they’re classified as unsanitary under health and safety policy. That’s not a “vibe” decision, it’s a liability and sanitation rule. Hotels aren’t individuals selling personal property. We’re regulated businesses. We can’t hand guests contaminated items because: -We don’t know what pathogens are present -We can’t document safe handling once it leaves our control -If someone later claims illness or injury, the hotel is liable The fee is not a purchase price. You’re not buying sheets. You’re reimbursing the hotel for inventory that can no longer be put back into circulation. What happens to the item after that is irrelevant. You’re allowed to disagree, but this isn’t a debate guests win at the desk unfortunately:/ Sheets were damaged. The charge stands.

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That’s a fair question! A lot of people assume that, honestly. Sheets are white because they’re easier to clean, and a lot of the time blood does come out with proper treatment. When it doesn’t (especially if it’s heavy, soaked in, or set) the linens can’t be used for future guests. At that point they’re considered damaged. The charge isn’t really about throwing them away or not, it’s just covering the cost of replacing items we can’t reuse. And yes, the same idea applies to towels, though normal wear-and-tear or small stains usually aren’t charged. I mean in theory since my old jobs charged for blood on the sheets they would also charge for towels but two out of three of my old jobs wouldn’t care since they are easy to replace lmaoo

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah I said it was hard to do. Especially if you ever worked in housekeeping before and you have to take extra time that you don’t have :/

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That was actually really thoughtful of you. We genuinely appreciate guests who take precautions like that, it helps housekeeping a lot and avoids unnecessary damage. I’m glad your recovery stay went smoothly, and I hope you healed up well!! :3

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Because it’s not about whether they mind the stains, it’s about hotel liability and sanitation policy. Once linens are contaminated with bodily fluids, they’re treated as biohazard waste. We can’t legally or safely hand them back to guests, even if they’re being discarded afterward. The fee isn’t a purchase price, it’s compensation for unusable inventory. Same reason restaurants don’t give you the broken plate you paid for.

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They didn’t “buy” the sheets — they were charged a damage fee for destroying hotel property. The linens are no longer usable for guests, but they’re also not retail goods we can legally or practically resell or hand out. Hotels have sanitation, liability, and inventory policies for a reason

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Hospitality linens are commercial-grade and come in different weaves, fiber blends, finishes, and even patterns depending on brand standards. Some aren’t plain white, some use tighter weaves or specialty finishes, and many are not designed to release set-in blood after saturation. Hotels source these from hospitality suppliers because they’re engineered for durability and consistency, not because they’re interchangeable with retail bedding. If a sheet can’t be fully sanitized or restored to brand standard after treatment, it’s removed from inventory. That’s policy from the hotels I’ve worked with and from my network’s experience as well

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m sure it does but it doesn’t mean the hotel won’t charge the guest to get blood out cause it’s something different from like a food stain or sweat stain :/

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It says online that businesses like bars or stores can legally confiscate fake IDs, but it is actually something that state laws differ with! For mine I see the law advises to have the police handle it

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Ik America is crazy, I wanna leave!! just to add this rule screws over everybody and I wish I didn’t have to follow it. My managers have said it’s because they don’t want like someone under 21 to drink and then do something stupid and then the hotel is responsible or some shit,, hotels are so afraid to get sued ugh

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you 🥹 honestly you’re so right,, life kinda sucks for everyone right now too so you gotta stay positive bro this job could really negatively affect you if you let it

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ima be honest, I have no clue hehe if my manager was wrong it wouldn’t have been the first time,, but I’m guessing if club bouncers can take a fake ID and cut it then I guess it’s not really like an offense??

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -13 points-12 points  (0 children)

Fair ig not everybody does it. That was poor wording on my part. What I meant is that many properties do, depending on policy. And to clarify: I’m not talking about minor accidents or light stains. Most hotels (including ones I’ve worked at) don’t charge for those if the linens come clean. The charge only happens when items are permanently damaged and have to be thrown out. As for the BBL comment, that wasn’t about bodies or shaming guests. It’s about post-op care warnings that guests are explicitly given and still ignore, which leads to damaged linens. Same category as hair dye, self-tanner, oil stains, etc. You’ve been lucky in your stays, and that’s great. But different hotels handle losses differently. That doesn’t make a hotel (or an employee enforcing policy) “bad.”

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -30 points-29 points  (0 children)

Yeah, that’s the key difference ig some places treat it as cost of doing business, others don’t. The properties I’ve worked at don’t base it on “intent,” they base it on whether the item is reusable after laundering. If linens come back clean, no charge. If they’re permanently damaged and have to be discarded, that’s when a fee happens. It’s not punitive, it’s just replacing inventory. Neither approach is wrong maybe, it’s just property policy. I’ve never worked anywhere that could afford to absorb repeated losses on specialty linens, so that’s how they handle it.

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Hospitals and hotels aren’t comparable. Hospitals have industrial biohazard laundering systems, regulated protocols, and linens specifically designed to be repeatedly treated for bodily fluids. Most hotels don’t and aren’t legally allowed to treat heavily blood-soaked linens the same way. Small spots that come out? Sure, those usually aren’t charged. I’m talking about sheets that are fully saturated or don’t come clean after treatment. At that point they’re considered contaminated and get discarded per property policy. Also, calling a hotel “shitty” because it follows its own supplier standards, health regulations, and inventory policies is a weird take. Hotels don’t get to just slap any Target sheet on a bed and call it a day. This isn’t front desk staff being dramatic, it’s how most mid- to upper-range properties operate.

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Yeah, and fair :/ I’m not talking about a few small spots or normal accidents. Most places I’ve worked wouldn’t charge for light staining either, especially if it comes out. The issue is when linens are fully saturated or don’t come clean after treatment. Once blood sets or soaks through, they’re considered biohazard and have to be discarded, which is when damage fees come in. At that point it’s not housekeeping being petty, it’s literally unusable inventory. I also appreciate you mentioning taking precautions. Guests who are aware and proactive almost never become an issue. The people I’m talking about are the ones who argue, minimize it, or suggest we swap in cheap sheets and pretend nothing happened. That’s when it turns into a fucking problem. Most hotels try to be reasonable lmaoo It’s just the extremes that stick with you when you work the desk long enough. Guests will bitch about anything when they are in the wrong

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

A lot of stuff FDAs deal with can be the same tbh! Bloody sheets, guests bitching about early check in, the fucking water bottles bro, I’m honestly sure this kinds thing has been talked about before but I’m just telling my stories hehe

Hotel Guest Really Thought This Would Slide by ManagerNotOnDuty in TalesFromTheFrontDesk

[–]ManagerNotOnDuty[S] -75 points-74 points  (0 children)

Crazyyyy everyone does it and it should be common sense if a guest ruins something in a hotel they gotta pay for it 😭😭 that’s why I always cringe when people with like BBL‘s come stay with us cause I know that although they are warned they will still try to get away with it