No, in fact, the guest is not always right. There will be times when the guest is clearly wrong. How do you handle such situations sensitively but firmly so you’re not putting your property or employees at risk?

First, and this is truly the most important response, the One Thing That You Must Do, is those three little magic words:

Keep. Your. Cool.

A hotelier should be able to calmly listen to a guest ranting and raving, completely unreasonable, not telling the truth, shouting personally at the hotelier, without responding in kind, but maintaining a courteous, professional demeanor, quietly separating the facts from the obnoxious bluster.

If you’re nervous in such situations you’ll only escalate the bad stuff. If you start shouting you will have lost all possibility of a successful resolution.

To deal correctly with difficult guests, think LAST:

Listen, Apologise, Solve and Thank.

Keep it as a mental checklist or write it down.

Upset guests want to know, first and foremost, that they’re being heard and understood. Whatever the complaint, however ridiculous, you listen and rephrase the complaint to show the guest you’ve listened and you understand.

Not that you agree. Never say “You’re correct” when the guest is clearly wrong, say “I understand.”

Ask at least one clarifying question: “So, when you woke up this morning, the furniture in the room had shifted positions? As in, the table was in a different place?” Not just for show - you’re genuinely trying to enter the guest’s mindset. Repeating back to the guest their complaint in your own words does this, and shows them you have done this.

That’s half the battle won. Above all, guests with complaints want to be listened to and understood. Accomplish this calmly and quickly. When the guest says “Yes, that’s right, that’s what I’m saying,” you’re in control of the situation and can move quickly to step two: Apologise