I think you are right. I know places may be short staffed, but we are all managing. Plus, he didn't seem to do anything to make the situation right. I'm sure there was some room in the hotel somewhere that was ready and he could have moved things around. A lot of people don't select their room before check in so if room 216 was ready and 412 was not, just offer you 216 and no one would be the wiser. Unless they are just packed, there is usually something more that can be done.

What if you had just gotten off a flight and were dead tired? I had this happen to me once in London (Tower Bridge DoubleTree) and they got me a cookie, a drink, and literally called housekeeping and asked them to get to my room next. I sat down, almost fell asleep, but they were over telling me my room was ready in maybe 30 minutes. Luckily, that's the only time I can remember that happening. I tend to arrive pretty late on most of my stays.