Locals taking over hotel

[Arbesque]

We are staying in a hotel at the moment and couldn't get a seat in the lounge yesterday evening because it was full of locals watching a match and drinking pints.

Another resident told us that on Sunday they had to eat in the bar because the dining room was booked out for a 70th birthday lunch.

We also have very limited access to the pool because of school swimming lessons, aquafit classes etc

Anyone else get annoyed when they stay in a hotel and find themselves constantly playing second fiddle to locals?

Would that be the locals who support a business for 365 days a year?

It it a tourist area that you’re staying in? We live in the West Country and ‘out of season’ local hotels rely on the trade of locals and things like swimming lessons and birthday parties to cover the overheads.

Gosh, how utterly appalling. I can't believe that a business wouldn't put the right of entitled casual guests over catering for the people who support it all year. Dreadful that one might have to eat in the bar. Or that other people can hire the facilities that you are also hiring. And I don't know where to begin ... people were actually drinking pints? How utterly common of them. I always opt for G&T when watching the match. That would be the test match of course, because I'd never do anything so coarse as watching rowdy football. It is obvious that your two night stay should be their only consideration all year, and they should have planned accordingly.

Well.if you are paying for the facilities you should surely have full access. It's good that the locals support them in the off season but they shouldn't really be neglecting their tourist trade

How awful, imagine letting LOCALS into the hotel < clutches pearls and fans self with a copy of Country Life >

Are you one of those who comes up here to Cumbria and complains about the smell of manure?

Seriously though, are you unaware that the venue needs to be producing revenue year round and needs local trade ?
I now live in Spain and this reminds me of the British visitors who go on Facebook to complain that not everyone speaks English. 🙄

I think a hotel should ask when you check in whether you need to book a table for dinner. Guests can't assume a table will be free, but the hotel ought to check with guests.
I do think the pool should be available at all times to guests. Part of the cost of the hotel is for the facilities.
The hotel management aren't doing a good job if guests feel they aren't being looked after properly and its management's responsibility to balance local customers with staying guests.

Oh don't be silly. I don't care if they're the royal family. The point is that are staying in a hotel that has advertised itself as having a warm relaxing lounge, full dining facilities and an indoor heated pool, is charging us for the privilege and then denying us access to those facilities so they can also make money from non residents.

Pool opening times should be clear on website.

Anyone can book a hotel restaurant. Or drink in the bar.

How is that remotely similar?

@Arbesque yep, that's annoying. You've paid for facilities you can't use. At check in guests should be asked if they want to eat in the restaurant and tables kept free for that purpose! I understand they want to attract locals, but not if it means staying guests are sidelined.

Because some people think that venues and destinations operate like the Trueman Show and burst into life just to accommodate them.

No, some people expect if they're being charged for facilities to be able to actually access them.

Was dinner included in the hotel price?

I agree with you OP, I would not mind if it was advertised that the restaurant was possibly not available but if the stay was advertised as being 'with facilities' then you should be able to use those facilities. Pool times should be advertised etc.

Understand the need to attract business, everything just needs to be clearly advertised so that expectations are managed.

Haha good one OP.

Whilst I agree about needing local support, if it a case that guests need to book a table for dinner in restuarant for their stay, they really ought to be offered that, or at least warned.

Same for the pool availability.

This is a piss take, right?

I agree. We've being stung like this a couple of times, once after an 8 hour drive to Cornwall when we arrived to be told that the restaurant was closed for a wedding, and that they couldn't offer any food other than crisps in the bar.

Now, if I book online I follow up with a call to check about dinner booking or ask at the time of booking of I'm dealing direct with the hotel.

@Pollydon oh give over, there is a massive difference between complaining about citizens speaking their own national language and complaining about not being able to access facilities you have paid a company for.

@LizTrussIsACylon that is exactly what my sister. Who also lived in Cumbria would say. Thanks for making me laugh!

I've had this problem OP. Paying £150 a night at a Hilton and specifically told we needed to book well in advance for the pool due to Covid rules and follow a long list of arcane practises to avoid getting or sharing a germ, meanwhile locals just rocking up, not booking, let straight in by receptionist, taking over the pool, standing around in the lanes chatting and at one point, pushed me and the baby out of their way. I wasn't best pleased.

If the OP booked the hotel based on believing they would have certain services then those services should be available. You can't just not provide a promised service however worthy the reasons are.

It sounds like either your didn't read the full hotel description, or they misled you (either on purpose, or by omission).

It's poor communication really. But hotels depend on local trade to keep open all year round.
The only thing I ever had was in Ireland where their pool was used for kids swimming lessons. It was the only pool for miles so you could hardly take offence and we were told at check in.