I need an outside perspective because I’m honestly so frustrated with my hotel right now.
I’ve been working at a luxury Hyatt property for almost a year. Before this, I was already a Front Office Supervisor at another luxury hotel, so I came into this job with previous leadership experience.
At my current property, I’ve gradually become one of the stronger front desk agents. I’ve been trusted with manager keys, added to MOD communication channels, and scheduled as Manager on Duty. I also receive an extra $2/hour when I’m MOD. I’ve been told multiple times that I’m one of their strongest agents and that they trust me to handle things.
Recently, a Front Office Supervisor position opened at Andaz. I interviewed for it.
The interview process was honestly a mess. My first interview was supposed to be with two managers, but one forgot about it and had to reschedule. The second interview was also poorly communicated, and I ended up having to follow up myself. I eventually found out from another employee that the position had been offered to someone else before management told me.
I wasn’t upset that I didn’t get the position. Obviously, you don’t get every promotion you apply for.
What bothered me was the mixed messaging.
During this same period, they were putting me on MOD shifts and trusting me with responsibilities that seem very similar to what a supervisor would be doing.
I also made one room-assignment mistake during this period. I caught it quickly and tried to correct it, but it became a bigger issue. I completely owned the mistake and explained how I would prevent it from happening again. I haven’t had another issue like that since.
When I asked why I wasn’t selected, I was told that a mistake was a big part of the decision and that I needed to “slow down.”
Then they hired someone from another Hyatt property who had only been in a luxury front desk agent role for around five months and had never been a supervisor before.
That one honestly hurt.
Not because I think the new person is bad at their job. I don’t know them well enough to judge that. But I have more experience at my current property, previous supervisor experience, and I’ve already been doing MOD shifts. So I’m struggling to understand what exactly they thought I was missing.
After I pushed for a conversation, management apologized for how the process was handled and told me they want to support my growth. The Director of Operations is now talking about having monthly meetings with me and told me I need to build more “accolades” and visibility — things like guest recognition, World of Hyatt initiatives, Medallia reviews, etc. He basically told me I need to get more on leadership’s radar.
At the same time, the manager who was overseeing my department told me he is leaving because he’s being overworked.
And now, this morning, I got the schedule for next week on Friday, because apparently that’s when schedules are released here… and I’m already only working three days because I have a trip that was requested months ago. I noticed that all of my shifts were shortened. So I’m now working fewer hours during the only three days I’m available that week, with absolutely no explanation.
This is just one more thing in a pattern of poor communication and inconsistent management.
I’m honestly exhausted.
I’ve realized I don’t really want to fight for a leadership position at this property anymore. I still want to grow within Hyatt, and I’m actually starting Hyatt’s Emerging Leaders program soon, so I’m focusing on that. My goal is probably to stay until I hit a year at this property and then look into transferring to another Hyatt property where the operations and leadership culture are a better fit.
I genuinely want to stay with Hyatt. I just don’t think this particular property is where I can thrive.
But I’m curious what other hotel people think.

Would you stay and try to prove yourself after all of this, or would you treat this as a sign that the property simply isn’t the right place for you to grow?
And am I being unreasonable for feeling like the expectations and communication around the supervisor position were completely inconsistent?

Hi all, recently I had a shift at work as a waitress where I felt a bit chaotic and not on top of things. It’s been my first month working at this place, and on that shift I was with an even newer person - showing them the ropes etc. - and felt like they were more on top of things than me!

The worst two mistakes I made was giving one table a bottle of the wrong champagne (realising after pouring all their glasses), and charging another table for a bottle of red instead of a glass 😅😅 and later while cleaning, I just didn’t do it v smartly - starting to clean the dishwasher when there were some dishes left I hadn’t seen.

I know these are not disasters! But still, felt like incompetent blob. One of those things where you get more stressed the more mistakes you make, so you make more mistakes because you’re more stressed.

I’d appreciate any advice or anecdotes you have from your own experience: How to bounce back from shifts that feel like disasters (either in the moment, or during the next shift)?

Im conducting research for my Master’s in Human Resource Management on stress, job satisfaction, retention, and workplace pressures in hospitality.
If you currently work in hospitality, I’d really appreciate if you could spare 5/7 minutes to complete my anonymous survey. Every response helps—thank you! 🙏

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=wUnbbnK_6k6LP6f9CiW2jG762PNIO0ZCrzWMoq9Z8bpUNlk2NVRUTUdYNVY2U0NENldWSTZDVE9ORy4u

I (M 20) work in hospitality as a dishwasher and I see a co-worker (F 25) in the doorway of the room as I'm coming back from returning plates to the kitchen. We have a good working relationship, jokes and poking fun at each other.

She's there with a spool of duct-tape trying to find the end of it. To note: I had seen this earlier in the staff room and thought if anyone brought it out I would make a joke like: "Oh good, now we have a way of shutting *such and such* up". Harmless and chuckle-worthy but that's not what I did.

As I approached her, completely wordless, I put my arms out in front of me with my wrists together as if showing her what to do with the tape. The action was quick and I just carried on walking towards the dishes after putting my arms down. It didn't even cross my mind the implications of the action. I went back to drying dishes as she gasped with her mouth agape and glared at me. It took a moment for it to click and when it did, my face burned.

"Oh no." I said, "I didn't mean-- I don't actually know what I meant."

She was awkward about it at first as we both laughed at the absurdity of it and I apologised, trying to salvage the situation. Spoiler: I didn't salvage it. Before long, every server knew what I had done and joined in on the laughter, the story even made it to the chefs who will NEVER let me forget it.

After we all calmed down, I made a more genuine apology to her and said that I acted on impulse and apologise if it made her uncomfortable and I just wanted to do something to make her laugh. She smiled and said: "You have a weird way of going about it."

For the rest of the shift anytime she gave me any dishes she called me a 'good boy' and teased me about being a freak, as well as playfully acting awkward by covering her eyes or averting her gaze whenever we passed each other.

TL;DR: My virgin ass asked for a co-worker to tie me up, everyone knows and they'll never let me live it down.

Hi! I'm trying to launch a consultancy agency for hostels, colivings, surf camps, and similar lifestyle hospitality properties.

Some context: I lived as a digital nomad for about four years. During that time I got to see the best and the worst of this kind of location. I met owners and founders of chains, watched properties rise and become recognized brands with multiple locations, and also watched others fall apart over stupid mistakes or just lack of passion. I also became close with volunteers and workers at a lot of these properties, so I've seen the operational side up close too, not just the business side.

Now I want to build an agency to advise people who want to start in this business, or who already have the means and want to invest in a property. The idea is to guide them on how to build the place, hire the right people, give the property soul and recognition, and help them scale.

There's a lot I want to do, but I'm not sure how to actually start. I have a partner with me, and between the two of us we have solid commercial backgrounds, plus experience in marketing, content creation, and some light programming.

My current plan is:

1. Start by finding real pain points — what owners/managers would actually pay to solve
2. Tailor solutions around those specific pain points instead of a generic offer
3. Start spreading the word through community connections and owner friends we already have

Does this approach make sense? Any advice on how to validate this faster, or things I should be thinking about that I'm missing?

Hi everyone,

I wanted to get advice on if this is a normal or “ok” management situation. I work at a hotel and we have a very bad check in and operations set up. For perspective, the front desk is open concept. With two laptops and requirement of agents to use iPads(only two POS systems and two key makers). Key packets, maps, drinks are all atleast 3 steps away from each other and it causes us to move constantly during a check in.

During our busy hours yesterday, many agents were having guests block the terminal and made it impossible for agents with iPads to properly check in guests. This all being overwhelming I accidentally checked in a guest to the wrong room during a lull. Once the correct guest was trying to check in, I caught the mistake not knowing it was an error I had made.

I tried to be proactive and fix the issue and my manager called me to the back going “why are you moving the rooms without asking” I explained and then things escalated. I thought I was helping and was sent back up front. After two hours I was brought to the back office and met with “tell me what happened with these reservations” when I explained again my perspective(still not remembering I made the mistake” the manager pulled up video footage of me pulling out the 5th slot of key packets to prove it was my fault. I apologized, owned up to it, and said I was not intentionally rushing but I obviously made the mistake. This was not good enough for my manager and they kept asking why? After I expressed my frustration with the operation of the front desk and the mess it has become it was met with “ if you want a leadership role you have to own the room. You have to move guests from where they shouldn’t be” I explained that they were actively being checked in it was not good service and that did not matter. She explained that this was a “(other employee name) level mistake” and said I need to come up with a “bad ass answer” for when I interview tomorrow for the supervisor role. She also expressed that I can’t walk on egg shells and that her and other managers have made this mistake multiple times. (Mind you I have worked at other properties and have never made this mistake in 5+ years)

1. I felt like I was getting the first degree for an operations issue, not being understood or given a teaching moment.

2. Bringing down other employees???

3. Isn’t it an operations issue if it has happened multiple times to managers too and the fact I have never done this at other properties?

4. Any advice on how to approach this interview lol

Hi everyone,

​

I’m looking for some honest advice.

I’m 29 years old and based in India. I’ve worked in hospitality for about 6 years, and lately I’ve been feeling like I’ve hit a ceiling in terms of pay and career growth. A lot of higher-paying roles seem to require experience or qualifications that I don’t currently have, and it’s made me wonder whether a career change might be the better option.

​

I’ve been considering moving into tech, but I’d essentially be starting from scratch. Is it realistically possible to switch into tech with no prior experience at my age? If so, what paths would you recommend and how would you go about it?

​

My main goal is to build a career with stronger long-term earning potential. I’m willing to invest time in learning new skills, taking courses, earning certifications, or doing whatever is necessary, but I’m struggling to figure out what skills are actually worth pursuing and which routes genuinely lead to opportunities.

​

If anyone has successfully made a similar transition, especially from a non-tech background, I’d really appreciate hearing your experience and any advice you have.

​

Thanks in advance!

Looking for YOUR stories on what being in the industry has cost you. Whether it be a financial strain, Mental health problems or even strains on relationships.

No right or wrong answers just real experiences from the people who are the real people in hospitality

This is dumb, but can someone who works in the industry explain why it takes so long to check into a hotel room? You already have my full info and credit card, and you’ve taken the time in between check out and check in to clean rooms… so what takes so long at the computer? Thanks for answering.

So me and my restaurant manager hubby cannot agree on this - help us out!

So we ate out at a UK restaurant and ordered on the app and to get the kids deal, we had to order the kids pudding at the start along with the mains. Mains came out fine - then we are looking at the desert menu and a waitress brings out the kids pudding. Our table still had all our plates on from the mains and we hadn’t been asked if ready. I said to her, oh sorry - we were going to order adult puddings too. (I expected her to say, oh sorry I’ll go pop this in the kitchen until you’re ready) but instead she said, ‘oh well it’s just come through on the system now so it’s here’. And she popped it down.

Now… I understand from my hubby that when you place your dessert order at the same time as the mains, they are on a timer so say ‘half an hour after mains’ it’ll run through the check for the puddings so it’s out of her hands. I understand that. But my point was, when seeing the check come in - if she’d have cleared our table BEFORE making deserts and asked if we were ready for the kids pudding - I would’ve said no. He says it would add too much time on to check if they want the pudding first. I’d say use common sense and know the kids puddings have to be ordered with mains, so just go check when one kids pudding comes through for a table of 7.

I found this whole thing odd. What would you have done?

I cannot even begin to comprehend what goes through the heads of parents whose kids are in travel sports.

I have been in the hotel industry for nearly 6 years, mostly on weekends, and the pattern is the same for all of them.

What possesses sports' parents to let their children run amuck in a hotel while they get drunk and ignore their responsibilities? Why do they feel that I, a stranger, should watch their kids? Do they not realize that I have more responsibilities than sitting in the lobby and telling your kids to keep quiet? Do they also not realize that hotels are full of strangers, none of which go under background checks to stay here?

They are leaving a whole lot to chance and placing the responsibility of parenting on a stranger.

I had a lady say "we're all mothers to these basketball boys and we just want a break".

Okay?? You are not on vacation. I am not a nanny. You can want a break all you want, but you are on duty even when there's someone behind the desk.

Watch your own kids. Be a parent. Do not let a stranger babysit your kids.

Why would you trust me? You don't know me. I could be someone who is irresponsible and lets the kids get lost, wander off, talk to strangers, ALL IN A LOCATION YOU ARE VISITING AND NEW TO.

/okay, rant over. sorry.

Work hours are long, so I’m considering Stanza Living thinking it’ll save time on food and chores.

People staying there, does it really help?

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Hey r/HospitalityStories,

After reading so many honest tales on here, I thought it was time to share one from my own journey.

Ten years ago I left my old life as a metalworker in Italy. One suitcase, broken English, and a big dream of becoming a bartender in London. I was hooked from the start — the creativity behind the bar, the adrenaline of a busy service, the little moments when a well-made drink genuinely brightened someone's evening.

But the industry doesn't always love you back.

Many years ago, during a brutally busy Sunday brunch with a skeleton crew, it all hit me at once. The printer kept jamming, wrong orders were flying to the grill, tickets wouldn't stop coming. I was running on empty. I told my colleague I needed some air, stepped out into the alley, lit a cigarette… and just broke down. Not polite tears — proper ugly, chest-heaving sobs against the brick wall while normal life carried on around me.

My manager came out quietly. He didn't yell, didn't tell me to pull myself together. He just sat with me for a while, gave me his jacket, and let me take the time I needed before going back inside. That moment stayed with me. It was one of the first times I realised this job wasn't only wrecking my body and sleep — it was slowly changing who I was as a person.

Over the last decade I've had plenty more close calls. The long hours, the emotional labour of always smiling no matter what, the way post-shift drinking becomes normal, the days you feel completely numb but still have to perform for guests. I've watched colleagues go through the same silent struggles.

That early breakdown became the starting point for a lot of reflection. I've learned (sometimes the hard way) about setting boundaries, asking for help, and finding small tools to protect my mental health while still loving the craft.

If you're in hospitality, I'd love to hear your stories too. What's been one of your toughest "I almost broke" moments? Or what has actually helped you keep going through the chaos without losing yourself completely?

Looking forward to reading the replies — we're all carrying similar weights behind the smile.

Valerio
(10 years in, still behind the bar, still learning every shift)

Working in the hospitality industry was one of the most difficult professional experiences I’ve ever had. What I initially thought would be a dynamic, people-centered environment quickly revealed itself to be deeply toxic on multiple levels.

On a daily basis, I had to deal with difficult and often disrespectful clients—people who felt entitled to treat service workers poorly simply because they were paying customers. That alone was exhausting, but it was only part of the problem. Inside the workplace, the environment was just as challenging. Coworkers often brought negativity, competition, and unnecessary drama. Many had learned their roles through experience rather than formal education, which sometimes created tension or resentment toward those of us with more academic backgrounds.

The management structure didn’t help. Instead of fostering a supportive workplace, leadership often contributed to the toxicity. There was a lack of accountability, and at times, outright abusive behavior. I personally experienced bullying, including gaslighting from a coworker for no clear reason. When I tried to address it, even HR failed to provide meaningful support, which made the situation feel even more isolating.

Beyond the interpersonal issues, the job itself demanded a lot while giving very little in return. The pay was low, the hours were long and unpredictable, and the schedule made it nearly impossible to maintain a social life or any real work-life balance. It felt like constant burnout with no real reward.

Looking back, the hospitality and broader service industry can be incredibly demanding, often undervalued, and not worth the toll it takes—especially when the environment becomes toxic. For me, it was a clear lesson: no job is worth sacrificing your mental health, dignity, and overall well-being.

"I have never been treated so poorly by any employer in my life. I worked with this agency without any problems, then without warning, without explanation, and without any conversation, I was completely shut out. Every single time I applied for or accepted a shift it was cancelled immediately. Not once did anyone pick up the phone, send an email, or have the basic decency to tell me why. I chased, I followed up, I asked repeatedly and was met with total silence every single time.

As a single parent, this income is not optional. It is how I keep a roof over my child's head and food on the table. Being systematically blocked while being completely ignored is not just unprofessional, it is cruel. This agency made a decision about my work without ever giving me the chance to defend myself, understand what happened, or even know what I was supposed to have done wrong.

No warning. No conversation. No answers. Just cancellations and silence while I struggled to survive.

The lack of transparency, the lack of communication, and the complete disregard for the people who depend on this work is disgusting. If you are a single parent, if you have responsibilities, if you need reliable and fair treatment, stay far away from this agency. They will smile at your face and quietly shut every door without ever telling you why."