La Quinta hotels condemned over dystopian new check-in method
The bizarre encounter occurred at the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Sunrise in Sunrise, Florida, outside Fort Lauderdale, where the male guest found himself checking in to his room via video screen.
He shared a short clip on TikTok of his exchange with the smiling receptionist, who is heard speaking with a thick South Asian accent.
In a follow-up video, the guest filmed himself checking out and confronting the the same remote worker about the arrangement.
After the virtual receptionist asked about his stay, the guest replied: 'It was all good, but I'm not happy - you took my job.'
The employee responded awkwardly, saying: 'There are some things we cannot do - we did not take your job.'
A spokesperson for La Quinta Inn, which is owned by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, would not confirm or deny to the Daily Mail whether the receptionist was based overseas.
'We are aware of this matter and are actively investigating,' the spokesperson said. 'All La Quinta hotels are independently owned and operated under franchise agreements and required to have a team member at the front desk at all times.'
Video of the guest's experience quickly went viral, with critics slamming the hotel over its methods.
'Outsourcing front desk agent is WILD,' one viewer commented.
'This is getting wayyy out of hand. This is 100 percent absurd,' another wrote.
'Florida says they're pro-American but outsourcing everything,' a third pointed out.
'The price of the room is doubling and you can't even get a real front desk person anymore,' yet another added.
However, some saw the practical side of virtual receptionists and defended the hotel.
'At least it's still a human. Wait till you hear: 'Hi, I'm Sam, your friendly neighborhood AI chatbot,' one person commented.
'I think we can all agree that speaking to an upbeat Indian man ready to provide tech support is more pleasant than a rude woman at the front desk,' another wrote.
'They are in a different time zone. Maybe it's hard to find workers willing to do graveyard shifts? Not saying this is ok, just trying to decipher the "why,"' a third added.
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