"This blanket only gets washed once a year," reads one nightmare-inducing post on Whisper, an app that lets people post anonymously. Hotel staff--from front desk clerks to belhops to housekeepers--have been using the site to reveal some of the hotel industry's dirtiest secrets.
The posts can't be fact-checked, of course, but they do make for a fascinating (if unsettling read). Revelations include confirmation of the long-held suspicion that hotel lobbies are kept cold on purpose to discourage loitering; that your room service tray may be missing a few French fries by the time it reaches your room; and bed linens may not be as clean as you would hope. "I'm a maid at a hotel and sometimes when I'm lazy I reuse the sheets on the bed and make them look nice. I always feel bad for the next people," wrote one hotel employee.
Other posts reveal that when a hotel receptionist tells you the place is booked, they may be too lazy to actually check if there is room in the inn. More posts reveal that, yes, the staff can hear you, those bed sheets might get re-used a few times, and if your key card stops working over and over again, you could be the reason for it.
Some secrets reveal kindness on the part of the staff. "I work at a hotel, whenever someone comes in who can't afford a room, I give it to them for free," reads one post.
But most of the posts serve to remind hotel guests that hotel staff members are people, too. "Please don't yell at me. I'm human, too," reads a post. It's important to remember to treat staff with kindness, respect, and human decency. Or else. Plus, sometimes it can score you an upgrade.
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--By Melissa Locker