I go to the hostel. I try to check in. The girl at the counter has a blasé, I-don't-give-a-crap sort of attitude.
Her: Uhhhhh we usually don't let people from [my town, the same town as the hostel] get a room.
Me: (thinking, but didn't say this: you guys took my reservation, I combed your website for info and I didn't see that policy, the hostel's had my credit card number for weeks and they failed to inform me of this... Bad Service #1, but not bad service on the part of the girl) Uh, really?
Her: Is there a REASON you're staying downtown?
Me: *trying to explain yom tov and Jewish restrictions and no room for me at the usual houses.* (This is normal, few people know this stuff, I don't mind explaining.)
Her: *sigh dramatically* Is that REALLY why?
Me: Yup indeedy!
[extended crap in the middle about her not believing me that holidays start at sundown and I can still use money at right then but I wouldn't've be able to starting at 7-ish]
Her: Okaaay I guess I'll make an exception THIS TIME.
Me: Thanks for being so understanding!
Her: I really, really DON'T understand, but WHATEVER.
Aaaand that last sentence there was strike #2 for me. Luckily, the girl who replaced BadAttitudeGirl for night shift is in my program (religious studies) and knows me, so she explained it to the rest of the staff, who were UNIFORMLY AWESOME... but still. I really don't need to have my hostel room almost taken away from me despite having a reservation, then getting crap for it from the front desk girl. Next time, I guess I'll have to shell out even more money to go to a hotel that I know is cool with in-town Jews renting a room there for Shabbat/holidays.
Later that night, I was talking with someone who used to work a hotel front desk and was sharing battle stories. He pointed out it may have been to keep people from using the room as a temporary brothel... which... well, if that's why, it's a pretty good reason, and the girl gets brownie points for not implying I'm a hooker to my face!