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Original poster

Help me assertive...hotel

107 replies

Yummypumpkin · 19/10/2021 10:06

I'm staying in a hotel alone.

It's generally OK, though I've paid over the odds for it.

The issue is every morning at breakfast the lady asks if I'd like my room serviced.

I would. I'd like the bin emptied, towels folded, tea and coffee topped up, the odd surface wiped, more toilet roll.

So I say yes.

She then stares at me until I say no.

I want to get my room serviced but I really struggle with assertiveness. I don't know if she is the owner or staff. There is never anyone on reception.

I don't want to go through the same thing tomorrow.

How would you handle this? I know it sounds basic but her start is very hard and when I've heard her ask other guests they too have said yes please then no it is fine!!

OP posts:
FAQs · 19/10/2021 10:08

Can you say. Yes please that’ll be great with a smile and then walk away before she death stares

ChaToilLeam · 19/10/2021 10:09

Just say Yes, and then turn back to your breakfast. Ignore the staring. She sounds weird and rude.

AtomicBlondeRose · 19/10/2021 10:09

Can you put yourself in role as, say, a pushy American tourist (stereotyping I know!). The sort who wouldn’t care less what the staff thought of them but knew they’d paid for their room to be serviced and were totally entitled to it? What would they do? They wouldn’t back down for sure! When she stares smile and say “yes please, I would like my room serviced, every day thank you!” and turn away like the conversation is over!

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catfunk · 19/10/2021 10:10

I don't understand what you mean. Why do you then say no?

SylvanasWindrunner · 19/10/2021 10:11

Just say yes please and then go back to eating your breakfast or whatever.

DeireadhFomhair · 19/10/2021 10:11

After you say Yes please, turn away from her. Don't keep looking at her and she can't "stare you down" until you say no.

iwannascream · 19/10/2021 10:16

Just as everyone else is saying, say yes and return to what you were doing before they asked the question, or if you are going out the Hotel for a bit, ask for it to be serviced while you are out.

Original poster
Yummypumpkin · 19/10/2021 10:16

This is helping. I thought people might say I was being a bit princessy wanting it serviced. But at £100 a night for a single room, I do want that little luxury!

These tips will help, especially breaking eye contact.

I wouldn't mind but everyday someone comes into the room and turns my heater and laptop charger off, meaning I have a cold room to come to every evening!

OP posts:
EBearhug · 19/10/2021 10:21

Yes! It's part of why I don't mind paying for hotels, that I don't have to do the bloody housework - it is part of what I'm paying for.

I have literally just checked out of a hotel, 4 nights alone - they weren't servicing rooms by default, but you could request it for the next day, and that worked well.

You are paying for this service. Don't take no for an answer.

AlCalavicci · 19/10/2021 10:30

I had this once in a B&B , I was there for 8 nights .
I got there ( pre arranged) at about 6.30pm I have my name to the bar staff as there was no reception as such and he said I spose you want to go to your room now emm yes please Confused
I had to wait about 20 mins while I assume they sorted my room out.
When I was taken up I was asked if I would like my room servicing each morning .
I said yes , to which I got a disgruntled look.
Then the following two mornings I got asked again each time while I was trying to order breakfast .
On the 3rd morning before he had a chance to ask I very clearly said ( again) that u would like my room servicing every day and if this is not convenient please refund me my remaining days arrange and pay for a taxi to take me to another hotel where it won't be a problem .

I didn't get asked again but I was certainly not treated with a welcoming attitude.

While I realise that small hotels and b&bs may not have a lot of staff or time to give the rooms a quick once over they could of always added this as a option when booking ie £40 per night without service and £45 with it. .
How they expected me to stay for 8 nights with no bins been emptied , no extra toilet roll ( only one provided ) or more coffee ( 3 sachets provided ) .
I don't expect a full bed strip clean sheets and fresh towels every day but I do expect the basics to be looked after.

Shoxfordian · 19/10/2021 10:34

You’re the customer; don’t be intimidated
Ask for it to be done

Cantstopthewaves · 19/10/2021 10:39

"Yes please, I really would- Thank you" and look away and carry on with your breakfast.
Cheeky fk.

tempchecked · 19/10/2021 10:40

We stayed at a very nice hotel for a three day break recently. It was spotless. They had a Covid policy of not servicing the rooms and this was clearly outlined at time of booking.
However, they replaced water, tea, coffee pods, toiletries every day and towels (on request), and collected rubbish each day. Everything was packed neatly and left outside the room, and rubbish etc. we placed in bags outside the room for collection.
Was much better than having someone in the room mooching around with a duster! Probably helped overall due to lack of staff also.
It was no problem to us, but could have been for others maybe.

catfunk · 19/10/2021 10:41

Also just break eye contact - go back to your breakfast - if she tried to stand there and stare at you ask her to bring you some more milk or something so she has to walk away

SoupDragon · 19/10/2021 10:45

So I say yes.

Do you just say yes or "yes please"? Just wondered whether she's actually staring at you until you say please, like you would with a small child 😂

ittakes2 · 19/10/2021 10:45

ring house keeping and ask for it to be serviced and then go out.

BarbaraofSeville · 19/10/2021 10:46

What do you mean 'she stares at you until you say no'?

You don't have to say no just because she is staring at you. How many times has this happened?

You could just smile and say 'is there anything else you need'?

Servicing the room is a standard feature of staying in a hotel. They normally impose it on you whether you want it or not.

We've just spent a week in a hotel and we let them service the room twice, mainly for the bins and toilet roll. I'd really rather they not bother with the rest, especially making the bed.

The first time we put the duvet (hot country, totally unnecessary) cushions and bed decoration pointless strip in the wardrobe, but they dragged it all out and put it all on the bed, so we had to unmake it to actually use it and put the excess bedding away again.

toocold54 · 19/10/2021 11:17

Is she waiting for you to say what you want her to do? Or to leave the room?
It’s very odd, surely she wouldn’t ask you if she wanted you to say no?!

As PPs have suggested say yes please and then turn away. If she continues to stare at you you can say ‘don’t mind me you can carry on I’m just doing XYZ’ or if it’s at a certain time every day you can say yes please I’m just popping down to the shop so I’ll leave you to it. If you get back and it’s nit been done then you can complain.

Clandestin · 19/10/2021 11:22

This is quite weird, OP. Just say you want the room serviced, and then go on eating and reading the newspaper or whatever it is you're doing at breakfast time. And say that someone is coming into your room and turning off the heater and your laptop charger, and could whoever is servicing the room please not do that.

Original poster
Yummypumpkin · 19/10/2021 12:29

Update...

I found a different member of staff and said that although I'd said at breakfast I didn't need my room serviced, I had changed my mind...

She asked what needed doing..

I said, well for a start I'm out of coffee and milks

5 minutes later the original member of staff knocked on my door, gave me a in liner with 22 coffee sachets and 11 milks and asked if that was everything now

And because I'm an idiot I said yes!!

I do see the funny side and appreciate I only have myself to blame now but she is so very determined not to service my room I think I'm a bit scared of insisting!!

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 19/10/2021 12:33

If it’s really bad then put the “please service my room” tag on the door then go out

ShirleyPhallus · 19/10/2021 12:34

OR

Give me the name of the hotel and your room number and I’ll call up and ask for you ;)

Movinghouseatlast · 19/10/2021 12:37

Why are you leaving the heater on all day if you are out? A total waste of electricity and a huge cost to the hotel.

The heater will heat the room when you come in, it will take 5 or 10 minutes to get the room warm.

Clandestin · 19/10/2021 12:38

OP, what in your life has taught you to be this easily cowed? If you took your car to have a broken wing mirror replaced and they charged out and handed you back your car with the broken wing mirror, would you just meekly pay?

Tickledtrout · 19/10/2021 12:40

Is there a wariness because of covid do you think? If so, as you leave go to the desk and say I'll be out of room until whatever time so before then can you please arrange for someone to empty bin, fold towels, make bed