'What can you figure out about a guest just from the way they check in?': Front desk employees and hotel workers discuss different character traits about guests that tell them how their stay will be

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Sep 8, 2026 3:15 PM EDT

Imperceptible traits can teach you more than you think!


Some people can tell you everything about themselves by just their appearance, the way they walk, talk, and breathe. Everything is just a little spoiler of how they actually are as a person. When you work in customer service, you learn to discover character traits of customers before they even open their mouths to talk to you. Is something about them that can be almost imperceptible to anyone else that will tell you everything you need to know about them. Whether they are going to scream and mistreat you, whether they will be extremely cooperative and apologetic about everything, or if they will just remain calm during the whole interaction.

These little things that make employees know their customers beforehand can be different for each worker. Some people notice the way they walk. If it's with confidence, then they will probably be entitled, but if they walk in a reserved manner, then they will try to avoid any kind of confrontation. It can also be their perfume. According to the smell, they may determine if they reserved the biggest penthouse or just a simpler suite room. Every angle and detail that you can sense with your senses will tell you beforehand everything you need to know. You just have to learn to interpret these signs.

These things aren't infallible. They can definitely give you the wrong impression about a customer, which can actually cause even bigger issues. So it's best to always keep that judgment you make of them to yourself and act as you would with any other customer. Pretend as if you haven't noticed anything about them. They are just assumptions, but they can be extremely useful to deescalate complicate situations. Just be wise about them and don't just assume you know these people just because of the traits you discovered. If you want to know even more about these little imperceptible traits, I gathered below a thread about which ones most employees notice.
 

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  • Hotel front desk workers, what can you figure out about a guest just from the way they check in?

    People probably reveal more than they realize during a short interaction at the front desk. What small behaviors, requests, or habits tell you something about a guest before they've even reached their room?
    via HoneyPetalette
  • A hotel guest enjoying his suite. Representation only.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    A hotel guest enjoying his suite.

    Representation only.

  • Great-Name2883 First of all i notice how fast the guest is doing things, normally buisness guests are in a hurry and just wants their room key while leisure guests wants to soak the atmosphere in and know everything about the hotel. You can actually see by the walking speed what the guest is here for lol. Normally i let the guests pick the pace for the check in. Also guests being overly friendly is a red flag most of the times, them learning your name asap is the reddest of flags. I dont mind pe
    via Great-Name2883
  • kingofdoofus there's a very specific kind of friendly upon check in that you can only notice after you work in customer service/hospitality. they're gonna be the type to expect free things and unreasonable accommodations and when they don't get their way, they get aggressive and loud. edit: also sports groups. always sports groups.
    via kingofdoofus
  • Hazencuzimblazen You can see a problem group with how f'ing loud they need to be in the lobby when checking in No one 5 blocks down care to hear your boring stories
    via Hazencuzimblazen
  • TroubleOk1314 Learned not to assume anything. We're luxury but also host groups, meaning people that aren't used to luxury, but happen to work for a company that can afford it. Rich people that act amazing, Rich people that act entitled. Rich people that are impeccable because they don't know anything else, rich people that are slobs because someone else will do it. Broke people that are trying to belong, and act like Broke people that want to be kind because they're uneasy.
    via TroubleOk1314
  • Wise-Ferret274 That "walk-in" swagger of an old boomer on a road trip. (It's 8pm on a Saturday and I am eagerly awaiting to tell them I am sold out)
    via Wise-Ferret274
  • bradgoodyear Well if you dont like being asked about towels then stop putting 3 towels in a room with 2 queen beds. 4 people should have 4 towels. There is nothing like checking in my family of 4 to find only 3 of us can shower without having to go ask for another towel. Lets be honest as much as you dont want me to ask for a towel, I dont want to have to go ask you either. So I ask at check in if there are 4 towels, most
    via bradgoodyear
  • of the time you say yes and there are only 3 anyway. Could save us a lot of irritation in both sides if your hotel was managed properly.
    via bradgoodyear
  • Global-Nectarine4417 I wasn't a front desk agent- I was a cocktail server in one of the largest hotels in the Midwest. We did a ton of conventions. We had stereotypes for every group imaginable- doctors, hairdressers, Australians, Germans, French people, traveling children's sports teams, teachers, airline personnel, military folks, business people, locals, you name it. They were generally pretty accurate. For example, Australians seem to primarily order Corona, Guinness, and mojitos and get abs
    via Global-Nectarine4417
  • Business people tend to drink lots of expensive scotch and say/do inappropriate things. Teachers, airline personnel, hairdressers, and military folks tend to tip you the worst and also treat you the worst.
    via Global-Nectarine4417
  • A hotel guest enjoying her breakfast in her suite. Model image.
    via Daniel Silva Gaxiola

    A hotel guest enjoying her breakfast in her suite.

    Model image.

  • Emotional-Day-332 I've always wondered whether hotel employees notice the people who are overly friendly because they actually need something later. There's probably a recognizable pattern after seeing thousands of check ins.
    via Emotional-Day-332
  • somethingblue331 I traveled for business for years. Now it doesn't matter to me why I am where I am- I approach the desk with my ID and my credit card in hand. I announce my name, state that I have a reservation, how many nights I am staying and hand over my cards. I have my license plate memorized if I have a rental. I make no added conversation, and move on. I don't want to discuss why I am in town. I don't need anything or want anything. Thanks, you have a nice evening as well.
    via somethingblue331
  • friendly_theif How they carry their cards/wallet/id. It's just my theories but.... Those that carry all their cards in a plastic clear baggy scatter brained and eccentric People that carry their cards in a wallet = feel safer organized People that carry their cards with a rubber band wrapped around them = stubborn. People who keep their ID still slipped into the little sleeve that it came in when they got it are = careful.
    via friendly_theif
  • People who keep their cards loose in their pocket in a big stack = not a care in the world People who carry their cards all in one little pouch they have to sort through = oblivious to others or live in their own world People who seem like they have all the cards they've ever had there in their wallet = struggle detaching from things People that carry their cards in a sleek wallet that when you press a button they pop up = creatures of habit People that carry their cards behind their phone case
    via friendly_theif
  • friendly_theif Please stop making the joke "I guess I'll just have to take the penthouse" when it takes me longer than a minute to find a ready room. I don't find it funny, I've never found it funny and I have to laugh so you have a pleasant check in experience. We wear pins on our blazers (that we have been given by guests or collected ourselves). Yes it is a lot a flair, yes I know you've seen the movie and I've seen the movie too because at some point I had to because I get asked about it eve
    via friendly_theif
  • friendly_theif I work for Marriott: Silver elites (10-24 nights): most of the time don't even know they are silver elite Gold elites (25-29 nights): most entitled elites to work with. I want I want I want, gimme gimme gimme. Platinum elites (50-74 nights): also can be very entitled when they don't get their way Titanium elites (75+ nights): here for work and don't really give a f what type of room they get
    via friendly_theif
  • Ambassadors (100+ nights with an annual spending of 23,000): most humble, sincere, and patient guests we get.
    via friendly_theif
  • tabasco44 What on earth do you all need all of those towels for? Seriously, why. Why do you on check in insist upon a late check out? I haven't even checked you in yet. No, none of our rooms are smoking rooms. No we do not have an airport shuttle or a casino shuttle. You people were my problem. If when I ask what brings you to town and you tell me the hospital that specializes in cancer treatment, I typically can figure out that someone in your group has cancer. I'm typically a pretty nice perso
    via tabasco44
  • deserve it more than the people here to party. Employee rates you will either be the easiest guest you have or the most demanding. If you ask me about hourly rates, extra channels on the TV, do we sell condoms, we'll be done in the room before housekeeping leaves. No, no, no, and please make it marginally less obvious. Also make sure you give your hookers the right hotel. No, I'm not lying to you, we don't have a room that number, so your "friend" can't be staying here. I liked my regulars, my l
    via tabasco44
  • them in the nicer rooms, know when they wanted their car ready, and who liked to chat. But overall, I do not miss it. Terrible hours, bad pay.
    via tabasco44

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customer service hotel guest front desk hotel employee entitled people
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