I May Need to Google That
When staying at a hotel, it’s totally reasonable to ask for things like towels, pillows, or soap- most hotels will give you these items at no additional cost. But there are some requests that are a little…”out there.” Have you ever been asked to find a camera-ready monkey, or a life-sized Disney princess cutout? What about a pair of camels, or ways to travel with a tiger?
Hotel guests have come up with some truly strange requests, and hotel workers around the country have decided to open up and share some of the nuttiest things they’ve ever been asked for. Keep reading to find out more about some of these strange, interesting, and downright crazy requests. You’ll be glad you’re not the one figuring out what to do with these wacky guests…
The wackiest guest request I ever received came by email from a travel agent in Tasmania. She wanted to book a week’s stay for her client, an Anglican bishop, in the state of Tasmania with his wife. She asked if I knew of a place where his wife could ride a ‘hinny’ (which is like a donkey/horse hybrid). After emailing back and forth and doing some research, I was prepared to meet this couple.
He Wanted the Best
We arranged for this couple to meet some of our Amish neighbors. The wife got to visit with their mules, as it was the closest we could come to a hinny. It was a wonderful visit for everyone after figuring out what they were looking for. They seemed to be happy with the mules, so everything worked out. I hope they enjoyed their visit. Reddit User: [redacted]
The professional staff at St. Ermin’s Hotel in London, England isn’t shocked by interesting requests. They get a lot of requests for food, but never any as strange as this one. One guest wanted a daily serving of Kobe beef for a dog. Remember, Kobe beef is the super fancy kind that can go for hundreds of dollars. They catered to the dog by having a nearby restaurant prepare his food fresh each day….
I Need These, Please!
It’s somewhat normal to spoil your pets. They’re members of the family as well. What isn’t normal is feeding your dog some of the most expensive beef on the market. It makes you wonder why someone would spend so much money on pet food. The dog would probably be happy with any type of fresh beef, instead of Kobe beef. Reddit User: [redacted]
A man by the name of Sean Fitzsimons was a businessman based in Denver, Colorado. He traveled to Salt Lake City twice a month and decided to make his trips more interesting. “I got bored doing the routine checking in and checking out, so I thought, why not try to ask for a random request?” he told ABC News. Sean now comes up with interesting requests for hotel employees…
A Strange Purchase
His most interesting requests to date are three pictures of Donald Trump looking confused, a photo of Grandma Winslow from Family Matters, and a pillow fort. He’s also asked hotel staff to draw pictures of him. This request got awkward, and he decided to stop asking that question when checking in to hotels. He thought he made the concierge uncomfortable with that one. Reddit User: [redacted]
A guest visiting the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona needed help with some camels. The staff was asked where to find two to purchase. Concierge Victoria Cote did some research and actually located a place where the guest could purchase these camels. It was around a half-hour from the resort. Unfortunately, the transaction never happened, but it wasn’t for lack of trying on the concierge’s part….
A Milk Bath
What an interesting request. Who knew you could purchase camels in the United States? It does make you wonder what these guests were planning to do with the camels, though. It’s possible they just wanted some exotic pets, but we’ll never know. Reddit User: [redacted]
Some requests come at a pretty steep cost to the customer. This one definitely takes the cake. A guest once asked Sean Davoren, head butler at The Savoy, London, for a bathtub full of wild goat’s milk to bathe in. The milk itself only cost around $75, but it had to be sourced from Wales. The milk then had to be transported by taxi. The whole process of getting the milk cost around $800….
A Celebrity Request
One it arrived and the customer bathed, the butler was asked to get 30 bottles of heated Evian water to clean the milk off the customer. I guess it’s possible that the goat’s milk can help your skin, but why would you want to bathe in it? It seems silly to waste goat’s milk and Evian water. Reddit User: [redacted]
Seth Freedland and his girlfriend, Amy Marsh, are residents of Portland, Oregon and once spent a few days at the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica, California for a wedding. Seth decided to have some fun when booking their hotel room and added some odd requests to the form. He asked the hotel staff to fill his room with photographs of Jeff Goldblum….
A Specific Type
When Seth and Amy arrived at the hotel, they realized the staff had fulfilled his request. There were photographs of Jeff Goldblum in the bathroom, on the desk, and stacked on the bedside table. Amy had a crush on Jeff Goldblum, especially his role in Independence Day; he never expected the Huntley Hotel to fulfill his request, and it made for a memorable hotel stay. Reddit User: [redacted]
The strangest thing about a hotel guest requesting a dinosaur isn’t the request itself. It’s actually how often something like this is requested. Guests at the Novotel Wolverhampton made it simple for the staff when they asked for a T-Rex picture. The staff happily got them what they asked for. Something happened in 2011 at another hotel, however, that upped the ante on these types of requests….
A Fort With an Added Request
A guest of the Monte Carlo Inn in Ontario asked specifically for a baby stegosaurus. He wanted a real one. The best the staff could do was a miniature plastic version. They left a note apologizing to the guest with the tiny stegosaurus. I’m not sure how the guest thought it was possible to get an actual dinosaur in today’s world. Reddit User: [redacted]
The W Hotel in Seattle, Washington had an interesting request from a guest in 2013. They often get requests for extra pillows so children can build a pillow fort in their hotel rooms. This request was a little different, however. The guest wanted the staff to build the pillow fort and also wanted a towel folded into the shape of an elephant and a picture of ‘sexy fruit’ to be placed on the nightstand….
Feeling Ill from a Certain Color
The pillow fort could be a childhood dream, but the added request of a sexy fruit picture is a little strange. I guess everyone has their own fetishes, but this one’s interesting. The request for a folded towel is even fairly normal, as some hotels already do this. It makes you wonder what they wanted with this strange request. Reddit User: [redacted]
I had a lady come to stay that was allergic to the color purple. Yes, she was actually allergic to color. She emailed me before she arrived and asked that any purple room amenities, furniture, or fixtures in her room and around the hotel were removed so she wouldn’t get sick. This was a problem for our hotel for more than one reason….
What About Breakfast at Tiffany’s
All of our shampoos and lotions were lavender scented. We had purple-colored books in our library, purple on wine bottle labels, purple paintings in our art gallery, and purple flowers throughout the hotel. We were able to remove everything before she arrived. She didn’t have any problems during her stay. I’m glad the staff was able to help keep her comfortable. Reddit User: [redacted]
The staff at our hotel once had an interesting request from an elderly gentleman. The concierge, Todd Hunt, shared his experience with a sweet couple. This couple was in their early 70s and got married at the Crosby Hotel. It was their first marriage. The groom proposed at Tiffany’s and wanted to have breakfast at Tiffany’s with his beloved wife….
Strange Requests for the Kiddos
It’s rare to get these kinds of requests and also extremely rare for Tiffany’s to allow such a thing. The concierge at the Crosby Hotel was able to quickly arrange for an actual breakfast on the fifth floor of Tiffany’s 5th Avenue. This gentleman was absolutely delighted to have his plan carried out, and his bride was in tears due to his thoughtfulness. Reddit User: [redacted]
The hotel I work at once had parents demand some unusual things for their toddlers. They wanted us to fill a bathtub every morning, and then gently add the kids’ pet fish. They also asked the staff to hand-wash and air-dry the toddlers’ clothing daily. It was certainly one of the strangest requests I’ve ever heard. I never found out what the deal was with the fish….
An Exotic Pet
This was definitely a strange request. I wonder if the parents do this at home. I’m curious as to why the fish was on vacation with them in the first place. There has to be a logical explanation. Hand-washing the clothing could be due to allergies or something along those lines, but putting the fish in the bathtub is strange. Reddit User: [redacted]
The Setai Hotel in Miami Beach once had a guest with an interesting request. A man was getting ready to move to London and asked his girlfriend to move with him. There was a problem, however, as she had a pet tiger. She decided she would only agree to the move if the tiger could come too. The man needed a quick solution to the problem at hand and could only think of one solution….
Slithering Creatures
The man thought his best bet would be to ask the hotel concierge, Maite Foriasky, for help. Ms. Foriasky did what she could to help him. She found out that the Orlando International Airport is the only one in Florida that could handle a tiger in the cargo compartment. The man was able to get his girlfriend to move with him, and it’s reported they are now living happily ever after in their new home in London. Reddit User: [redacted]
The Four Seasons Tented Camp in Thailand once had an interesting request according to Travel and Leisure Magazine. They had a guest who wanted a photograph of his children with a snake. The guest thought it would be an excellent reminder of their vacation. The hotel staff got to work to find what they were looking for and didn’t want to disappoint the guests….
A Dance Party
The staff was able to find a 12-foot python from a nearby village. This snake was so large that the children were able to lie down on it. The guests were thrilled and got some pretty amazing photographs. I’m surprised the children were comfortable enough to lie down with a snake that large. Most children wouldn’t want to be near something that intimidating. Reddit User: [redacted]
The director of guest relations at New York’s Pierre Hotel had an interesting request come up while working one day. She had a VIP family who wanted to book the Tata Presidential Suite for a birthday party. This wasn’t just any normal birthday party, however. The guest wanted the suite to be transformed into a ’70s-themed disco for their son’s 18th birthday….
Does He Need Bananas, Too?
The director had to think quickly and was able to get the engineering team together to make the party happen. They brought on a dance floor, disco balls, and lots of silver foil to transform the room. The team removed all of the furniture in the suite to make room for everything. The VIPS were so happy with the results that they asked everyone to stay and dance. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m the concierge at a luxury hotel in Miami’s South Beach. Our hotel is one of the best in the area, and we try to give our guests anything they need to make their stay as comfortable as possible. One of the strangest requests I’ve ever received was for a professionally trained, camera-ready monkey. The guest was absolutely serious and needed the monkey immediately….
A Sweet Surprise
He needed the monkey to film a commercial. The previous monkey left the production and left a huge role to be filled. I made dozens of calls for the hotel guest and ultimately found what he was looking for. Do you realize how difficult it is to find a trained, camera-ready monkey? That was one of the most stressful days I’ve ever had as a concierge. Reddit User: [redacted]
Maurice Dancer, the chief concierge of the Pierre Hotel, once had an interesting request from a guest. A man was taking his wife on a romantic getaway and wanted surprises arranged for her along the way. The surprise started with two dozen white roses. One dozen was in the limousine that picked them up from the airport, and the other was waiting in their hotel room….
A Special Reunion
The guests were treated to a silver tray filled with chocolate-covered strawberries, sliced fruit, and lychee martinis upon arrival to the hotel. The man’s last request was for a singer and dancers to greet them in their room while singing and dancing to “I Need to Know” by Marc Anthony. This was certainly one of the most romantic gestures the staff had ever seen. Reddit User: [redacted]
One of the most common requests for Hilton concierges is to find long-lost relatives for guests. The concierge at the Waldorf Hilton in London, England was once asked to help a guest find one. The guest was looking for a friend of her grandmother’s who was from the United States. The guest didn’t have much information, which made the search difficult….
No Flight Zone
The only helpful information was about the woman’s line of work. She was the landlady of a pub in Northern England during one of the World Wars. The guest wasn’t sure which one. It took quite a bit of searching through phone calls and internet inquiries, but the concierge was able to locate the woman in question. The staff spoke with the woman and arranged a surprise for the hotel guest. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m the concierge at the Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa in San Diego, California. Our hotel is one of the most popular in the area. We get requests on a daily basis, and this one was the most dangerous out of all of them. I had a guest check in during the afternoon one day. He took his bags to his room, and I saw him leave the hotel 20 minutes later….
An Interesting Wedding
I received a phone call from him a few hours later, and he requested to have his helicopter land on the property. We don’t have a landing pad, so I had to reach out to the authorities to get permission. They gave the thumbs up, but he was lucky. The zoning and aviation laws are difficult to navigate, and they could have easily said no. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m the concierge of The Beverly Hills Hotel and see plenty of guests come through our doors on a daily basis. The strangest request I’ve ever received came from our long-time hotel manager. She asked me to arrange a $15,000 wedding for her two dogs. She wanted us to find an ordained minister and someone to cater the event…
Dangerous Sunlight
There was also another guest who asked the entire staff to address him in dog language. He expected us to bark at him. I’m not sure what his expectations were, but he wholeheartedly believed he could understand what dogs were saying when they barked. It was difficult to accommodate his request. This happened two years ago, and I’ll never forget it. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m the sales manager at The Eliot Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. The hotel is in a popular area, and we get a lot of guests every day. I’ve had some interesting requests over the years, but this one is the strangest. I’ve never heard of this kind of issue. The guest was serious about her stay and had an interesting request….
Fake Body Hair
The guest in question asked to see all of our empty rooms. This is a strange request in itself, but it gets more interesting. This guest was concerned about the effect the sun would have on their aura. He wanted a room with a specific amount of sunlight at certain times of the day to ensure he didn’t change his positive aura into something negative. Reddit User: [redacted]
The hotel where I work is located near the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Baseball is extremely popular in the area. New baseball players are inducted into the Hall of Fame every year. These inductees often stay at the hotel. When Bruce Sutter was inducted, his friends decided to play a prank on him and asked for help from the hotel….
A Unique Use for Ice
Bruce had a grey beard, and on the day of his induction, 12 Hall of Famers decided to ask the concierge to buy each of them a grey beard. The concierge had to travel to Albany to find them. When Bruce was inducted, he was surprised to see those 12 greybeards in the audience, cheering him on. He thought it was hilarious. Reddit User: [redacted]
The most memorable request for us is the guest who asked for 20 pounds of ice for his penguins. The penguins visited a year or two ago as part of one of the exhibits at the Boston Globe Travel Show. They stayed in the bathtub in the guest’s suite when they were on display at the show, which was held at the Seaport World Trade Center….
A Bride’s Adventure
Twenty pounds of ice actually isn’t too much. We have multiple ice machines at our hotel. We were able to fill four bags for them, and it was the perfect amount. I hope the ice helped to keep them comfortable. It’s not often we get to see penguins, especially in the hotel. It must be interesting to have penguins as pets. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m the concierge for Hotel Vintage Park in Seattle, Washington and had an interesting encounter with a bride before her wedding. She realized that she got her dress dirty four hours before her wedding after wearing it during her bachelorette party the night before. She had a drunken night with her friends and didn’t realize what she did until it was almost too late….
Celebrity Sightings
She begged me to help her fix it, so I called around and found a local dry cleaner that was open. I took her dress to be cleaned and had to help the dry cleaner with the dress to get it cleaned quickly. I was able to make it back to the hotel an hour before the bride walked down the aisle. She was so thankful for my help after making a huge mistake. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m a media representative for a hotel frequented by celebrities. I once saw 222 pieces of luggage arrive with the Rolling Stones. They stayed with us for only two days in 2003. It makes you wonder what required that much luggage. They were fairly quiet and didn’t cause any problems during their stay. It was amazing to see these rock legends where I work….
Tiny Dogs and a Proposal
There was also another time where Don Henley requested a special bed for his room. He had a special bed stored in a truck that followed him wherever he went. He wanted his own bed brought into the room. It was an interesting request. He eventually decided to have his bed removed after discovering how comfortable the hotel beds are. Reddit User: [redacted]
I work at a popular hotel chain in Florida. We get some interesting requests on a daily basis, but these are the most memorable. There was one occasion where I was asked to accommodate a guest’s six chihuahuas. We were able to help, as our hotel has kennels in the underground car park. The guest didn’t want to leave the dogs home….
Bright Colors
Another request came when a gentleman wanted to propose to his girlfriend. He asked me to keep the jacuzzi closed to the general public so he could propose in private. This request wasn’t strange at all, but it was the first time I’ve ever been asked to help someone propose. She ended up saying yes, so I guess his plan worked. Reddit User: [redacted]
I work for the Home Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina as a concierge. We’re one of the most popular hotels in the area and often get some interesting requests. The most memorable request was from a guest who only wanted to stay with us if we had a room that was completely yellow. He wanted yellow towels, blankets, and furniture….
Nibbling Fish
It turns out that we do have rooms with unique color palettes such as blue, green, and yellow. We were able to get him to book one of our yellow rooms, and he seemed to be very happy with the design when he checked in. That was the first time I’ve ever had that kind of request in the ten years I’ve been with this hotel. Reddit User: [redacted]
I work as a concierge for a small hotel chain in Arizona. We get a lot of guests coming through on a daily basis but have only had a few strange requests. I was once asked to arrange a pedicure for a woman who regularly had them at home. There was a catch, however. She wanted a specialty pedicure with fish that nibble on skin….
A Pink Request
It took a while to find a salon in the area that did these kinds of pedicures. I found one that was 20 miles away, and she was thrilled to continue her weekly pedicures. That was the first time I’ve ever heard of that kind of pedicure. I can’t understand how a fish nibbling on your feet would be enjoyable. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m the director of communications for the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We get a lot of requests every day, but this is one I will never forget. We had a guest who wanted to play a practical joke on a friend who was staying in the adjacent room. He wanted us to put 100 pink plastic flamingos in his friend’s room….
A Special Wedding Request
I never really asked why he chose pink flamingos, but it was fun to scatter them all over the room. I put them in the tub, on the bed, and even on the desk. I’m upset I never got the chance to see the look on this guy’s face when he checked in and found all of those flamingos in his room. Reddit User: [redacted]
My name is Kristie Poehler, and I’m the regional director of sales and marketing for the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts. We get some interesting requests, but this one really takes the cake. We had guests book a hotel room for a doggie wedding. They wanted our best suite for Cricket (the bride) and Black Magic (the groom)….
A Funny Guest Request
The guests ordered a limousine for the ceremony and asked us to create a pet menu with a wedding cake for the pups. Cricket didn’t want to share the cake with Black Magic, but everything worked out in the end. The dogs also enjoyed their Hawthorne Hotel squeaky toys that the staff had made for them. This is by far the most interesting request I’ve ever heard. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m not a hotel employee, but I always try to make funny requests when booking a room at a new hotel. I get strange looks most of the time when I make these requests, but there was one time where I got what I asked for. I feel like hotel employees could use a good laugh. I once requested a picture of a horse saying, “Hello!”
Requests in Jerusalem
I do things like this every time my girlfriend and I go on vacation. This time was different, though. I wasn’t expecting to actually find the picture when arriving in our room, but it was sitting right on the nightstand. It was so funny to find that picture! It makes me wonder what the staff thought of my request. I never got the chance to ask. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m an executive assistant at the Inbal Jerusalem Hotel in Jerusalem, Israel. I had a wealthy guest check in to celebrate his son’s Bar Mitzvah in the hotel. The guest asked the concierge to arrange a football pitch. He wanted the Israeli soccer team to come to play a game with his son and his friends. It was difficult to help him….
A Special Holiday
The concierge was able to help him get in touch with one of the largest Jerusalem soccer teams. He was very happy with our help. His son had a wonderful Bar Mitzvah and was able to play soccer with a popular Jerusalem soccer team. I’m glad we were able to help them make the Bar Mitzvah memorable for this young man. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m the public relations and marketing manager of the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower in Chicago, Illinois. Our hotel welcomed guests for an early Christmas party one year when one of them had to ship out for military service overseas before Christmas Day. The concierge bought a Christmas tree from a local greenhouse to place in their celebration space. It was a kind gesture to help this family celebrate….
Questions in Wyoming
The man’s wife shipped all of their holiday ornaments, stockings, and gifts to the hotel in advance. The concierge decorated the entire room for our guests, right down to wrapping the gifts and hanging the stockings. Our staff wanted this group to have a spectacular celebration to make up for the man missing Christmas day. The staff did everything they could to ensure everyone had a fantastic time. Reddit User: [redacted]
We get a lot of interesting requests and questions here at the Snake River Lodge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. One of the most interesting and strange questions I’ve been asked is, “What time of the year do the elk turn into moose?” It took everything I had not to laugh at the guest who asked me this question. They seemed to be very serious….
How’s That Possible?
I guess these guests didn’t know that elk and moose are two different animals. Moose are much bigger than elk, with large, thick antlers. These guys are the largest of the deer types. An elk is smaller with large, pointy antlers. They also don’t have a bulbous nose like a moose. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m the innkeeper of Scarborough Fair Bed and Breakfast in Baltimore, Maryland. I once had a guest who was vegan. She waited until breakfast to tell us she was allergic to tofu. This can be dangerous, and it’s important to know these things when preparing special food for guests. When she arrived at the bed and breakfast, she told me not to worry about her food….
A Request for a Princess
She was thoroughly convinced she could eventually survive only on air. She thought the air would be sufficient in nourishing her body. I was so confused and concerned about her overall health after hearing such a strange statement. You definitely need food to survive. I hope she decided against trying such a strange idea. She ended up eating a lot of fresh fruit for the duration of her stay. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m a concierge at a popular hotel chain and once had an interesting request. A woman called to book a room for her family and requested life-size cutouts of popular Disney princesses like Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. She requested that Sleeping Beauty was placed in the bed, under the covers, and the other princesses were placed by the window….
A Steamy Thief
I found everything she asked for after a difficult search and made the preparations. It turns out that this family absolutely loved Disney, and the woman wanted to surprise her daughter with the cutouts. It turned out perfectly, and her daughter was delighted. I was confused until I saw how happy the little girl was leaving with her cutouts. I was happy to help that family. Reddit User: [redacted]
I work at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, California and recently had an A-list celebrity request a room. She worked on a top-rated television series and asked us to provide a personal clothing steamer for her room. We always try to ensure our guests are completely comfortable with their stay, so we made sure to have it ready for her….
Gorgeous Skies
It was waiting in her room and ready to use. We asked her to leave the steamer in her room when she checked out. That’s not what happened, however. When we went to put it back into storage, we weren’t able to find it. That’s right; she ended up taking it with her. I hope it was just a case of being in a hurry when she left. Reddit User: [redacted]
I’m the owner of Alton Albany Farm Bed and Breakfast in Barr, Scotland. Southeast Scotland is gorgeous, and our bed and breakfast is situated next to Galloway Forest. This forest is a “dark sky” area and is one of five in the world. There’s no light pollution, and on clear nights, you can see the Milky Way, stars, planets, comets, meteors, nebulae, and satellites from the house….
A Bride’s Butterflies
Our guests have had a variety of requests, but the most interesting ones were warm hats, hot chocolate, and stargazing guides. We even offer the services of a trained astronomer to help our guests locate constellations. Our requests don’t get too crazy, as people are always more interested in seeing the stars than coming up with strange requests. We’re blessed with excellent guests. Reddit User: [redacted]
I work at the Crescent Hotel and Spa in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. There have been several occasions where I’ve had brides ask us to store their butterflies in our walk-in coolers for several days before their wedding ceremony in our garden, where the butterflies are released. Unfortunately for our food and beverage department and our sales staff, it’s not quite as easy as all that….
I’ll Take One Too!
The shipping crates for these butterflies list specific thawing instructions so the butterflies can be active when they’re released. If they’re left in the cooler for too long, they become lethargic. If they aren’t in the cooler long enough, they become active too soon before they’re released and get hurt. I don’t mind helping these brides, but it’s difficult to control how long the butterflies are in the cooler. Reddit User: [redacted]
We once had a guest that was in town for a massage therapy seminar and asked if he could give some of our associates massages so that he could practice. That was one request we had no problem granting! This story comes from Kelli Crean, e-commerce manager at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York.
A Cute Piggy
It seems like this hotel gets all kinds of seminars happening within its walls. New York is a popular travel destination for all kinds of reasons, whether it’s for sightseeing, conventions, or seminars. The hotels in the area naturally get all kinds of interesting requests. Most people certainly wouldn’t turn down a free massage. Reddit User: [redacted]
The general manager of a Days Inn in Chicago, Illinois received an odd request while working one day. A woman sent a letter talking about the pet pig that she cherished. She couldn’t go anywhere without him and wanted to know if she could get a room with double beds that was near an exit so she could take him out to play with his soccer ball….
You see, the pig would oink all night if he didn’t have an hour-long playtime. The second bed would be for Billy, the pig, as he sleeps in his own bed with fluffy pillows. This woman also informed the hotel that Billy was accident-free since his run-in with Mexican food two years prior. Billy sure seems to be one spoiled pig. Reddit User: [redacted]