We’ve all seen negative reviews before, but some reviews are scarier than others. Instead of warding off evil spirits, these hotel horror stories ward off future guests, driving down your revenue. Luckily, your hotel staff can prevent most negative reviews from happening with the right tools and tips. So, in honor of Spooky Season, let’s take a look at these five terrifying tales from guests and how you can avoid them.

1. Dirty or Unsanitary Rooms

★☆☆☆☆
 “I don’t think the housekeeping staff ever stepped foot in my room before I checked in. The bathroom sink had toothpaste splatters, the shower had hair stuck to the wall, and the carpet looked like it hadn’t been vacuumed in weeks. Worst of all, I pulled back the sheets to find crumbs and—yes—someone else’s sock. I ended up sleeping on top of the blanket fully clothed because I didn’t trust anything.”
- Boo-tique Hotel

Nothing gives guests nightmares more than a dirty room. You want rooms available for the next guests quickly, but they need to be tidy, too. To avoid this nightmare, make sure your housekeeping staff have strong team communication and clear expectations on what tasks need to be completed and when. You can use our free housekeeping checklist to make sure each room is ready to go.

2. Noise Issues

★★☆☆☆
“If you want sleep, look elsewhere. Between the thumping music from the bar downstairs, kids running up and down the hallways until midnight, and what sounded like a construction crew starting at 6 a.m., I got maybe three hours of rest the whole weekend. When I asked the front desk for a quieter room, they shrugged and said they were fully booked. It’s more of a nightclub with beds than a hotel.”
- The SpookEasy

Guests don’t even like hearing creaks on the floor or sounds from the walls in the middle of the night; they certainly don’t want to try and sleep with loud music or construction either. If you know there is going to be loud construction or maintenance, make sure you notify your guests, even with a simple guest message. And if they have a noise complaint late at night, always check to see if there is another room available further away from the event space, and have your service recovery plan ready.

3. Unhelpful or Rude Staff

★☆☆☆☆
“The location was nice, but the staff ruined the stay. When I asked politely if our room could be ready a little earlier, the front desk agent rolled her eyes and told me to ‘read the check-in policy.’ Later, when the TV stopped working, maintenance never showed up despite two calls. Every request felt like I was inconveniencing them. Hospitality clearly isn’t a word they know here.”
- Black Cat Inn

This kind of review should be the most avoidable. This is hospitality. Being kind, helpful, and bringing great customer service is necessary for the industry. Don’t scare off guests with rude behavior, or force them to chase you down to get something fixed. If they have a complaint, you address it promptly and with the full attention they deserve. Take our service recovery guide *insert link when available* and improve your service. You’ll see these reviews disappear right before your eyes!

4. Poor Maintenance Issues

★★☆☆☆
“This place desperately needs a renovation. The air conditioning rattled so loudly it kept waking me up, the bathroom faucet leaked constantly, and the elevator broke down twice during my stay. At one point, I had to lug my suitcase up four flights of stairs. For the price I paid, I expected at least basic upkeep—not a hotel falling apart at the seams.”
- Monster Mash Motel

These kinds of maintenance issues are frightening. Your guests don’t want to be stuck on the elevator - they’ve heard those ghost stories before! Things around the hotel will break down at inconvenient times, so make sure when that does happen you are communicating with your guests accordingly. To avoid major maintenance issues all together, stay on top of your preventative maintenance and you won’t have to worry about these horrifying guest reviews.

5. Misleading Amenities

★☆☆☆☆
“I booked this hotel specifically because of the pool and fitness center. Guess what? The pool was closed ‘for maintenance’ (looked more like it had been drained for months), and the gym was basically a broom closet with one broken treadmill. They also advertised free Wi-Fi, but it only worked in the lobby. Feels like false advertising—I wouldn’t have booked if I knew the amenities were a joke.”
- The Scare BnB

Don’t set up your guests for disappointment. If there is ongoing long-term maintenance for one of your amenities, notify guests right at check in and update your website to reflect your current status. Good, strong Wi-Fi should be a standard at any hotel. Amenities are there to elevate the guest experience - so make sure your amenities are running and updated to their expectations. You want to highlight your amenities without lying to them. Engage with guests via text to boost your amenity awareness and help make their stay more enjoyable.

While it is spooky season, the hotel experience doesn’t have to be scary. Leverage hotel technology to level up your guest service and elevate your guest experience. Your guests will live to tell the tale of your great hotel!