I’m a hotel manager – the little known ‘red flag’ that suggests you shouldn’t stay
A HOTEL manager has warned guests of a little-known “red flag” that suggests you shouldn’t stay there.
Santiago Leon, the general manager at The Robey, said guests should watch out for this warning sign to avoid a bad experience.
The experienced hotel worker has urged hotelgoers to check if the light bulbs work in the common area.
He said: “A simple but telling red flag is when light bulbs are not working in the common areas.
“As miniscule as it may sound, I think it speaks volumes about how well the hotel is maintained, its budget, management, and attention to detail.”
Santiago also told guests to avoid hotels that don’t ask for “identification upon arrival”.
It is compulsory for visitors to provide a form of ID when checking in for safety reasons.
Hotels that don’t prioritise your security is a “red flag” guests should avoid.
Similarly, the general manager added that a hotel’s lack of response to pre-arrival inquiries should set off alarm bells for guests.
If you’ve made a request and haven’t received a prompt response, it’s a clear sign that you should consider staying elsewhere, according to Santiago
This follows a hotel receptionist’s list of major “guest no-nos”, including why you should never use third-party bookings—even if they’re cheaper.
The experienced concierge took to TikTok to share some of her biggest annoyances with hotel guests.
In the video, she explained that there are several “unspoken rules” visitors should be aware of when booking, arriving, and enjoying the hotel’s facilities.
The receptionist’s video was captioned: “Somebody had to tell y’all how to act.”
She said: “I work a front desk at a hotel and I’m gonna read off a list of things you should not do as someone who is coming to visit a hotel.”
The list included:
- Don’t show up late and expect the room to still be available—especially not a day late
- Book directly with the hotel rather than through third-party booking sites
- Remember your manners
- Try not to get mad at employees
- Do not bring your kids to the bar or any adult event
- If you’ve had issues with the hotel, be sure to tell the staff so they can help resolve any grievances.
Thousands of viewers liked and commented on the receptionist’s video, with many agreeing with her list.
“I agree,” commented one user.
“Always book directly through the hotel. Hotels usually don’t honour status of you book through a third party.”
“It’s always cheaper to book direct,” said another.
While another hotel employee wrote: “As a front desk employee at a hotel, I wholeheartedly agree with you.”
It comes after a former manager revealed the one common item travellers should avoid using in their hotel room.
And travel experts have shared their top tips on how you can get yourself a free hotel room upgrade without it costing you a penny.
The dangerous mistake guests make at hotels
CAROLYN previously told Sun Online Travel why guests should stop hotel receptionists from reading their room number out loud.
After a room number has been said out loud, hotel staff at the reception desk will often give guests directions to their room.
While this may seem helpful, it can actually be quite dangerous because other guests will know exactly where you are staying.
Carolyn added: “I’ve known people with bad intentions to make room-to-room personal calls.
“If they know that you’re in your room by yourself, they may knock at the door and pretend to be a member of staff because they’ve overheard your room number in the reception area.”
Instead of having the room number read out loud, Carolyn recommended asking for the number to be written down.
You can read more about Carolyn’s hotel safety tips, here.