5 Horror Stories That Could Happen in a Hospitality Job

1) Stumbling Upon Corpses

It’s not uncommon for hotel employees to discover dead guests. Some employees have reported finding victims of suicide, heart attacks and unnatural deaths in their hotel rooms. A Quora user named Susan wrote that one female guest had too much to drink, slipped into her Jacuzzi, and boiled to death. However, many of these deaths are not reported on the news as hotels are careful to avoid causing panic and attracting bad publicity and “dark tourism”. 

2) Fairly Odd People

Truth is stranger than fiction, as illustrated by the motley crew of characters that hospitality staff meet daily. A hotel employee recounted a particular guest who would always leave the bathroom covered in the remnants of expensive pies. Another said that a CEO of a large corporation would request for a tray of cookies every night so she could chew them and place them back on the tray. While these guests can add “colour” to one’s job, their antics sure are a hassle for employees to attend to!

3) Gross Encounters

Hotel guests can sometimes take their privilege for granted and expect employees to clean up after them, no matter the circumstance. A hotel employee once found a trail of poop leading from the elevators to the end of the hall (and way more poop in the bathtub). Other unsavoury discoveries include a bed full of coleslaw, floors and mirrors smeared with mayonnaise, and a room with an insane amount of blood stains. 

4) Pesky Little Critters 

Bedbugs are a bane to our existence – even more so for hotels and resorts where travellers come and go frequently. These little bloodsuckers do not stem from uncleanliness but tend to latch onto clothing and belongings until they find a bed to nestle on. Bedbugs not only leave extremely itchy bites but they can also lay over hundreds of eggs in a matter of days. This is why reports of bedbugs are often treated very seriously and can be a headache to handle! 

5) Uninvited Guests

Some establishments are hosts to otherworldly things, and if you have a “third eye”, you just might encounter something paranormal on the job. You might witness furniture moving on its own, a woman crawling around the room or disturbing sounds and screams. Besides carrying religious items or talismans with you, some hotel employees recommend knocking on room doors first before entering to avoid displeasing any supernatural inhabitants.

Are you brave enough to survive in the hospitality industry? Take on the challenge – pursue a Hospitality Diploma today.