Not to pay for last night's hotel

[PlateSpinnerExtraordinaire]

I am away on business- an important event today and I need to be thinking straight.
I arrived last night and have spent quite a lot of money on a "boutique" hotel.
The room was dreadful- tiny and not clean but I was willing to let that pass for now (not great in a pandemic though!)
I had to go down to reception at 1am and ask to move rooms as it was noisy as there was some sort of extractor fan from a ?kitchen was running outside the room and even with all the windows shut and a pillow over my head and iPods in I could still hear it!
They moved me to another room (I had to pack up my stuff and get back into bed at 2am). That room had a fire exit light which flashed brightly all night. So still no sleep rant is less there fault but I can't sleep if there is light.
There has been NO apology at any time.
So I'm tired, big day today and I supposed to stay here tonight too.
So do I:

1. Complain again
2. Leave and if so should I pay for last night????

[Yummypumpkin]

Leave and pay. Presumably the company are paying anyway.

[PlateSpinnerExtraordinaire]

No I am!

[TrueRefuge]

I had a situation just like this in Brighton earlier this year. I told them I wanted to cancel my second night as I refused to stay: there had been a litany of errors so they waived my second night fee and took 50% off my first night. I thought that was fair, but still resented it. You should definitely leave but have a conversation with the manager and see what they offer.

[TravelDreamLife]

Give them a chance to fix with decent room or leave, pay as you still used the room & leave an honest, fair online review warning others. Not as revenge, but businesses will never improve unless called out.

[Undertheoldlindentree]

Pay but leave today. The fan is ambient noise, but understand it disturbs some, Hotel moved you to a new room, some would not do this. If you're so sensitive to light sources, could you carry a sleep mask in future? I would not stay a second night if room dirty.

[moonshine3600]

Pay and leave

[pasturesgreen]

Pay and leave an honest review when you leave. It's rubbish they didn't offer an apology, but they did change your original room , and admittedly if you're very sensitive to light, you should travel with an eye mask.
I hope your work event goes well today!

[SaltySheepdog]

Talk to the hotel manager today a d tell them how awful it’s been and see what they say.

[WheelieBinPrincess]

How come your company aren’t paying? If you need to travel for work and it requires hotel stays they should surely fund it?

[Crystalglass]

I would pay, leave and leave an honest review / email a complaint.

[Crystalglass]

Although a dirty room is not ok

[BarbaraWoodlouse]

Next time give them a chance to put things right. A dirty room is unforgivable-especially these days- but your decision to let it go dilutes that argument.
I frequently used to stay in hotels for work pre-pandemic and became vigilant in looking for extractor fans etc when I checked in and phoning down to change rooms. I do know that noises always get worse at night though. I’m sorry but a flashing smoke alarm light is very normal. Get a sleep mask.

Despite the above I definitely recommend politely complaining this morning. I doubt you’ll get a free night but I’d be hopeful you might get a discount and either a new room or cancellation fortonight. Bet they all have flashing lights though!

[HeronLanyon]

I would leave and pay. I would then email the manager describing the problems you had in effort to help him out them right. Wouldn’t do this before paying or link it to expectation of getting reduction etc. Whilst not great doesn’t read to me as anything justifying that. I’d hope the manager would reply and put right. Depending on reaction of manager I would then either leave honest review or not.

[DurhamDurham]

We stayed in a hotel in the Lake District a few years ago. There was a cupboard in our room which was locked. During the night a loud sound started to come from it, it was hideous and the manager rushed to our room, opened the cupboard and turned off whatever was in there, we think it was a boiler as can't imagine what else it could be.

The next morning we went down to a lovely breakfast, the waitress said that there was no charge for it due to us being disturbed in the night. We thought that was a lovely gesture.

When we went to check out the manager said that there was no charge at all so we didn't pay a thing. We left happy and returned to the hotel the following year. That's what very good customer service can achieve.

[Brefugee]

when did you spot the room was dirty? On walking in? that - no matter how inconvenient - is the time to complain.

I always ask for a quiet room when i'm on business travel. I alsk take ear plugs and a sleep mask just in case.

[Mindymomo]

We stayed somewhere where there was a noisy fan from the kitchen below that kept us awake all night. In the morning we asked to be moved to another for our second night, this room was much smaller but was quiet. When we went to pay the bill we were told they were waiting for the fan to be repaired, to which we said we shouldn’t have been put in that room if they knew there was a problem. After getting the bill, we said we would only pay 50% of the price, which they accepted.

[Purplewithred]

Speak to the manager this morning; give them a chance to apologise and put it right. I think "pay and leave then complain" would be a bit cowardly.

[Bluntness100]

Op I’m sorry this is like eating a whole meal in a restaurant then refusing to pay. You can’t do that. They will come after you.

You need to complain and query the cost. Come to an agreement, not just refuse to pay, you still stayed there the night.

[KirstenBlest]

Speak to the manager this morning and ask for a partial refund.

If declined, leave a truthful review on relevant sites.

@Undertheoldlindentree, i think most people would be sensitive to a fire exit light which flashed brightly all night.

[HollowTalk]

Haven't you paid already though? Did they really let you stay in the room without paying?

[NigelSlatersXmasTaters]

"Haven't you paid already though? Did they really let you stay in the room without paying?"

Why wouldn't they? It's pretty standard practice

[vivainsomnia]

Of course you should pay. You stayed. You could have complained sooner and be moved earlier. You didn't.

The fact that you have an issue 2irh sleeping with a light in is really your issue not theirs.

Best time travel with ear plugs and eye mask!

[KarmaStar]

Room too small and dirty,I would not have accepted it in the first place.
Don't leave without speaking to the on duty manager,just leaving without saying anything them leaving a bad review is a bit sneaky.
Find a clean hotel for tonight if you have the time.
Good luck for today!

[EileenGC]

How come your company aren’t paying? If you need to travel for work and it requires hotel stays they should surely fund it?

Some people are self employed, or it’s written in their (casual agreement, short-term) contracts that it’s their responsibility to cover accommodation. I don’t get reimbursed for approx 80% of my work travel, I just get a bigger fee.

OP - I would pay and leave a review that explains you were unhappy with the services provided. However, having stayed in a lot of both cheap and expensive hotels, I’ve learnt to bring decent earplugs and light protection just in case. I’m also sensitive to noises and lights (no curtains in summer when the sun rises at 5am anyone?), but I’ve had to learn to adapt. Some of my most annoying experiences have been at boutique-type hotels. Not everything has the sound insulation of a Marriott or Hilton. In contrast, I’ve had amazing nights of sleep in one star hostels for €20 a night. It’s just luck sometimes.

[rookiemere]

Like @EileenGC I've learnt my lesson and always bring earplugs and eye mask wherever I go.
Worst was a holiday house with a skylight right above the bed, with no shutters or blinds.