Hotel drops AI check-in after guest's viral complaint

A Texas man’s bizarre check-in video at a Florida La Quinta hotel where a tablet replaced the front desk staff went viral. 

The video gained immediate attention, with 2.5 million views, prompting the hotel chain to intervene.

In the video, it is clearly seen that there was only a burning candle at the reception,  accompanied by a kiosk featuring a remote worker on a tablet.

Although the interaction was initially fascinating but later appeared to be chaotic. Sager described: “a group arguing with the tablet over towel shortages, being told supplies would arrive "the next day.”

The kiosk at the hotel can facilitate card taps, ID scans, e-signatures, and key dispensing; however customers complain about the lack of in-person staff.

As the hotel is located in a crowded area, Sager noted that the “lack of staff could be concerning for someone who's paying for a visit.”

He further stated: "If anything happened, there's no staff here to attend to an emergency. What are you going to do? Run to a screen and it's going to be like, 'Okay, I’ll call somebody.”

Reportedly, the hotel is independently franchised, but Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has distanced itself from the kiosk setup.

The vice president of external communications of Wyndham, Robert Myers, stated: “This franchisee’s use of this equipment is not brand approved ... Our brand standards require hotels to have a team member physically stationed at the front desk at all times.”

He also confirmed that the kiosk will be removed shortly.

The incident reflects customer expectations of human interaction in the hospitality industry.