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Original poster

Posh hotel un-asked for alarm at 6 - compensation?!

696 replies

hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 05:21

Staying in a v posh hotel. Think 900 Swiss francs per night...

Just got woken up by a bloody alarm. Picked up phone and got a recorded message saying we had asked for a 6am alarm. We hadn't!! It woke us both and now we can't get back to sleep.

Rang reception, who were puzzled about the alarm but not v apologetic.

AIBU to think they could offer a small gesture to apologise?? Eg a free bottle of wine?! Or AIB greedy and mistakes happen?!

OP posts:
Gessy · 04/04/2024 18:44

hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 18:23

That's not sensible having a fire alarm practice at 8.30!! They're normally after check-out time, for obvious reasons...

Show quote history

Now the only logical explanation here is that was some strange employee’s idea of a joke… I’d escalate that all the way to the hotel’s actual owner & if no refund it’d be “review time”

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 18:44

Keeper11 · 04/04/2024 18:33

This happened to me recently only someone was banging on my door as they thought I should be on some coach! So I had to answer the door. AND the key failed most days resulting in having to queue up at reception to have the key reset. It was a pretty expensive hotel, but apart from “we are very sorry” there was no question of any compensation. But I didn’t ask - these things happen.

Well, it depends. Was the person banging on your door from the hotel? Had they got your room number from the hotel? If so, the hotel's fault. If not, not the hotel's fault.

OP posts:
Greymustard · 04/04/2024 18:49

Mentioned above, but if I stayed at a crappy Premier Inn and my night was disturbed, they would refund me. They honour that, because I have had a refund on those terms once when I had noisy neighbours shagging in the next room.

If I'd spent nigh on 800 quid I would expect a wonderful and uninterrupted night of sleep, on feathers like fluffy clouds under sheets crisper than crisp at the perfect room temperature....and if something spoiled that £800 experience, a weak apology would not suffice.

I get that mistakes happen, no one needs to be mean, but at that price, I absolutely do not think you are unreasonable in expecting a gesture of recompense.

I hope they make good when you check out.

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HaggardDiva · 04/04/2024 18:49

It's probably already been wondered, but I can help but think about who may have not gotten the wake up call that needed it. Because while I would also be annoyed to be awoken on vacation, I'd be more upset to miss a flight. 😬

Gessy · 04/04/2024 18:52

Theoldwoman · 03/04/2024 05:59

Greedy and mistakes happen.

Does everyone expect something for nothing these days.

It’s not about greed, if a waiter dropped some of your food on the floor in front of your face should they just pick it up off the dirty floor and put it back on your plate? If a clothes shop rips a dress you just bought as they put it in a bag should you just suck it up? Because they are the restaurant and retail equivalents. The basic requirement at a good hotel is a good nights sleep. Not sleep deprivation because of employee human error.

ManchesterGirl2 · 04/04/2024 18:55

I think YANBU. If you've paid that much, it's fair to expect not to be woken up at 6am.

RavenhairedRachel · 04/04/2024 18:57

I don't think you're being unreasonable or greedy. I would expect better especially at a top end hotel. People have complained for less.

Packetofcrispsplease · 04/04/2024 18:58

I would be really annoyed and probably unable to get back to sleep too !
It would cost them nothing to offer complimentary juice / coffee and pastries in the morning or free desserts at dinner .

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 19:00

HaggardDiva · 04/04/2024 18:49

It's probably already been wondered, but I can help but think about who may have not gotten the wake up call that needed it. Because while I would also be annoyed to be awoken on vacation, I'd be more upset to miss a flight. 😬

Yeah, it's been wondered 100 times.

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 19:02

Greymustard · 04/04/2024 18:49

Mentioned above, but if I stayed at a crappy Premier Inn and my night was disturbed, they would refund me. They honour that, because I have had a refund on those terms once when I had noisy neighbours shagging in the next room.

If I'd spent nigh on 800 quid I would expect a wonderful and uninterrupted night of sleep, on feathers like fluffy clouds under sheets crisper than crisp at the perfect room temperature....and if something spoiled that £800 experience, a weak apology would not suffice.

I get that mistakes happen, no one needs to be mean, but at that price, I absolutely do not think you are unreasonable in expecting a gesture of recompense.

I hope they make good when you check out.

Nope, sadly they didn't. I mentioned the drinks not being much of a treat and they just shrugged. Oh well! TripAdvisor review incoming!

OP posts:
Jeannie88 · 04/04/2024 19:02

Have been woken by fire alarms over the years, after barely getting back to hotel late. Never crossed my mind to ask for compensation, these things happen? X

venus7 · 04/04/2024 19:03

Trez1510 · 03/04/2024 05:34

If I were you, I'd be demanding one night's cost deducted from the bill. People who make errors as so freaking tiresome and really need to be taught to be responsible 24/7/365. 🙄

As so freaking tiresome? Or are so freaking tiresome? Mistakes are human....as you may now realise!

melonhead · 04/04/2024 19:04

I had the exact same thing after staying at an expensive Essex footballer type hôtel after a friend’s wedding and I got nothing either. It really, really pissed me off and was horrible as it was our one treat and we’d gone to bed late!

MariCooyong · 04/04/2024 19:14

You are NOT being greedy.

When you pay for a hotel room, what are you really paying for?
A full nights’ sleep.

When you pay 900 Swiss francs for a hotel room, what are you paying such a high price for?
Flawless service.

Did you get a full nights’ sleep? No.
Did you receive flawless service? Also no.

The people saying you’re being unreasonable are either so rich they can afford to drop huge sums on disappointing hotel stays and not even care about it*, or so used to shabby service that they can’t even imagine anything better than the Travelodge. Either way, their verdict is bizarre.

On checking out of a hotel, my husband was asked to give feedback as a matter of course. He complained quite mildly about the poor quality of fruit at the breakfast buffet and taking too long to be seated at the restaurant, along with a couple of other minor things. They gave us a free nights’ stay in a beachfront room and a selection of products from the spa.

Hospitality thrives on reputation. It demands constant feedback. If they treat many customers this way, leaving a bad taste in their mouths, it will eventually bite back at them in the form of online reviews and falling bookings. They would MUCH rather hear from you in person, in private. Give them a chance to make amends. You don’t have to be rude or demanding. Smile and be nice about it.

*These people don’t exist. Every wealthy or rich person I know would complain.

Donsyb · 04/04/2024 19:14

I work in a posh hotel.

This can happen through no fault of the hotel. The alarm can be programmed on the phone by a guest, in which case the hotel wouldn’t know anything about it and wouldn’t be responsible for it.

we would apologise but wouldn’t offer compensation unless other things had also gone wrong.

Donsyb · 04/04/2024 19:16

venus7 · 04/04/2024 19:03

As so freaking tiresome? Or are so freaking tiresome? Mistakes are human....as you may now realise!

Show quote history

I assumed they were joking 😂

Back21970 · 04/04/2024 19:17

I would be a bit miffed myself, so don’t think an expectation of a small gesture of compensation is totally unreasonable or entitled.

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 19:19

Donsyb · 04/04/2024 19:14

I work in a posh hotel.

This can happen through no fault of the hotel. The alarm can be programmed on the phone by a guest, in which case the hotel wouldn’t know anything about it and wouldn’t be responsible for it.

we would apologise but wouldn’t offer compensation unless other things had also gone wrong.

No, the hotel said that they always cancel any alarms set by guests when they leave, so this shouldn't happen. But they had no record of this alarm being set by the guest!

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 19:20

melonhead · 04/04/2024 19:04

I had the exact same thing after staying at an expensive Essex footballer type hôtel after a friend’s wedding and I got nothing either. It really, really pissed me off and was horrible as it was our one treat and we’d gone to bed late!

Did you say anything?

We did get free drinks... even if they were a bit limited...

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 19:21

MariCooyong · 04/04/2024 19:14

You are NOT being greedy.

When you pay for a hotel room, what are you really paying for?
A full nights’ sleep.

When you pay 900 Swiss francs for a hotel room, what are you paying such a high price for?
Flawless service.

Did you get a full nights’ sleep? No.
Did you receive flawless service? Also no.

The people saying you’re being unreasonable are either so rich they can afford to drop huge sums on disappointing hotel stays and not even care about it*, or so used to shabby service that they can’t even imagine anything better than the Travelodge. Either way, their verdict is bizarre.

On checking out of a hotel, my husband was asked to give feedback as a matter of course. He complained quite mildly about the poor quality of fruit at the breakfast buffet and taking too long to be seated at the restaurant, along with a couple of other minor things. They gave us a free nights’ stay in a beachfront room and a selection of products from the spa.

Hospitality thrives on reputation. It demands constant feedback. If they treat many customers this way, leaving a bad taste in their mouths, it will eventually bite back at them in the form of online reviews and falling bookings. They would MUCH rather hear from you in person, in private. Give them a chance to make amends. You don’t have to be rude or demanding. Smile and be nice about it.

*These people don’t exist. Every wealthy or rich person I know would complain.

Totally agree!!

OP posts:
Keeper11 · 04/04/2024 19:22

hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 18:44

Well, it depends. Was the person banging on your door from the hotel? Had they got your room number from the hotel? If so, the hotel's fault. If not, not the hotel's fault.

Show quote history

Seeing as I was woken up and forced to answer the door in a relatively skimpy nightie I didn’t stop to question the two men who stood there! There was a lot of bowing and apologising but I was just glad to get back to bed! Given the security at the hotel, I would be surprised if it wasn’t hotel staff.

venus7 · 04/04/2024 19:23

Donsyb · 04/04/2024 19:16

I assumed they were joking 😂

Show quote history

Oh...........I see. Yes. Failure on my part. Sense of humour, usually so reliable, gone to pot.

Americano75 · 04/04/2024 19:29

Yeah, an apology is the bare minimum I'd expect.

On the flip side, it's likely some other poor sod ended up oversleeping because you got their alarm call.

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 19:30

@Keeper11 - Seeing as I was woken up and forced to answer the door in a relatively skimpy nightie I didn’t stop to question the two men who stood there! There was a lot of bowing and apologising but I was just glad to get back to bed! Given the security at the hotel, I would be surprised if it wasn’t hotel staff.

Well, that's up to you then. But I certainly wouldn't have been happy to be woken, and I'd have complained about it.

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 19:32

Americano75 · 04/04/2024 19:29

Yeah, an apology is the bare minimum I'd expect.

On the flip side, it's likely some other poor sod ended up oversleeping because you got their alarm call.

Well, the hotel say they didn't set it, and they cancel any alarms set by guests when they leave. It's a mystery.

Plus, it was two days ago now!

OP posts: