How To Deal With Rude Hotel Staff? (5 Ways)

Most people have received rude service at some point in their lives. While it’s rare in the hospitality industry, it does happen occasionally.

Unless your behavior was the cause of the rudeness, a poor attitude usually isn’t because of you.

If you encounter rude hotel staff, politely express your displeasure. Explain why their behavior isn’t appropriate and ask if another staff member can help you. Don’t stoop to their level and insult them. If the issue gets out of hand, speak to a manager, or leave the premises.

Just remember that hotel employees are human too, and everyone has bad days.

While taking it out on guests isn’t professional, it’s enough reason for you to (politely) say something or take your business elsewhere.

Here are some steps to help you avoid arguing with hotel staff.

5 Ways To Deal With Rude Hotel Staff

1. Express Your Dissatisfaction

Your definition of a rude staff member might differ from mine, but the primary indicators are their body language and tone of voice.

The employee might respond to your requests aggressively, argumentatively, or inconsiderately.

Most people can ignore bad attitudes if the service only takes a few moments. You may walk away with a heavy sigh, but it’s usually not worth getting into.

The problem becomes intolerable if you have extended contact with the staff member. For example, if you’re checking in or out, and there’s an issue with your reservation.

You’ll need the front desk staff to help you resolve your problem, so it’s best to express your dissatisfaction as early as possible.

Let them know you’re unhappy with the situation, but be polite and reasonable.

One way of saying it is: “I understand that the problems with my reservation aren’t your fault, but I’m not happy with how you’re speaking to me. We’re both humans, and respect goes both ways.”

Some might brush it off and keep up the bad mood. Others might realize that they let their emotions take over and apologize.

If not, move to point number two.

2. Ask for a Different Staff Member

If your tolerance for rudeness isn’t high, and you can’t just brush it off, you might have skipped step one and immediately asked for a different staff member.

Having someone else assist you can help you avoid unnecessary conflict, which is the last thing you want if you want an issue resolved. 

When asking for a different staff member, you can say something like: “I appreciate you’re doing all you can; however, is there another person who can help me with this problem?”

If they don’t respond or say no for some weird reason, you may have to wait until there’s someone else available.

Otherwise, ask to speak to their supervisor.

If the rude staff member responds positively, follow it up with a “thank you.”

3. Take the Issue Upstairs

“May I speak to your manager?” is one of the most popular phrases in the world of customer service.

It’s become associated with overly demanding customers who aren’t being respectful; however, it’s a legitimate course of action if there is actually an issue that needs to be resolved.

There are rare instances when the manager is just as rude as their staff (and the conclusion is, you know where they get it from).

Generally speaking, however, in the hotel industry, management will almost always try to solve your problem.

This could mean having someone else assist you or giving you some kind of refund as an apology for bad service.

Be truthful when explaining the situation to the supervisor – the goal is getting your problem solved, not causing drama, so keep your eye on the prize and your words kind.

4. Take Your Business Elsewhere

If you’re a regular visitor to the hotel, taking your business elsewhere is likely your last choice.

For some people, however, it’s their first or second option (after asking for other staff or speaking to the manager). In such situations, it might be their first visit, and they don’t see the need for further discussion.

However, if it’s your favorite hotel, you’re probably more willing to give them a second, third, or maybe even fourth chance.

So if you’re actually willing to walk away, the service must be truly insufferable.

Whether you want to express your reason for leaving is up to you, but do leave respectfully.

You can choose to leave feedback or reviews at a later time.

5. Report the Issue in Writing

You may want to give feedback depending on how badly you were treated and what the outcome was.

After all, the only way for customer service to improve is if the hotel is made aware of serious issues.

Hotels have different ways for customers to submit feedback.

One is Twitter, the modern-day customer service platform, and it’s usually the fastest way to receive a response.

You can also leave public reviews on sites like Google Maps, booking.com, Expedia, and others. The hotel will see these and may contact you directly to see what they can do.

Another way to leave feedback is via email, which you can find on the hotel’s website. They might even have an email address dedicated to customer service or feedback.

A more old-school method is the hotel suggestion box, which is the best route if you want to remain anonymous.

Most hotels check submissions, but you probably won’t receive a reply even if you choose to leave contact information.

Regardless of how you leave feedback, keep it short, respectful, and truthful.

Conclusion

Staff members in the hotel industry are rarely disrespectful, especially if the hotel is high class or well-known. That said, sometimes it does happen.

When you’re unfortunate enough to experience rude staff, I suggest dealing with the issue politely as you increase your chances of receiving better service.

If you’re still unsatisfied, speak to management, leave respectfully, and share your experience in writing.