What They Didn’t See Behind the Desk That Morning
A Front Desk Diary Story by The Etiquette Evangelist
Mornings at River Street Inn usually hum with a gentle grace—suitcases rolling toward the elevator, guests lingering over coffee, soft Savannah light peeking through our fourth-floor windows. But on this particular morning, right before checkout, things got loud. Very loud.
🚨 The fire alarm erupted in a blare of sirens and flashing lights.
I had just stepped outside for a brief moment when I looked up and saw the unmistakable strobe through our lobby windows.
Our lobby is on the 4th floor, so I dashed back inside as guests were stepping off the elevators—some still in pajamas, most trying to make sense of what was happening.
At the fire panel: Second Floor Atrium.
With steady breath and practiced ease, my front desk partner and I sprang into action. Guests began arriving for checkout, while others came upstairs from their rooms to find out what was going on. The lobby became a crossroads of suitcases, questions, and blinking lights.
📞 The building’s security monitoring company called. I calmly provided the password to verify the alert. 🚒 Moments later, Savannah Fire Department arrived—boots on the ground, ready to respond.
The entire time, we kept the energy gracious and grounded:
“Good morning! The fire department is on-site just as a precaution. It’s a false alarm, but we’re grateful for your patience.”
No panic. No raised voices. Just warm reassurances and Southern composure.
As we later learned, the alert was triggered by a simple housekeeping mishap —no smoke, no danger. But you wouldn’t have known that in the moment.
You would’ve seen smiles. You would’ve heard calm. You would’ve felt safe.
💡 Etiquette Evangelist Insight:
Hospitality isn’t just about what we say when things go well—it’s about how we carry ourselves when they don’t.
- Respond before you react.
- Inform with clarity.
- Lead with grace.
The guests who came upstairs that morning didn’t just see blinking lights—they saw us, standing steady, ready to serve.
From fourth-floor chaos to a composed check-out experience, this moment is now one more page in my Front Desk Diary—because every day in hospitality tells a story.
And this one? It ended with everyone safe, soothed, and back on schedule—just the way it should be. 💫