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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:
sunglassesonthetable · 04/04/2024 22:34

Yes . Think of the night porter.

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:35

Isinglass20 · 04/04/2024 21:54

£900 per night in Switzerland is not high end for a hotel

😂😂😂😂

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:39

Xyz1234567 · 04/04/2024 22:07

If you can afford to pay that much for a hotel, think how incredibly lucky you are.

Compare it to what the hotel night porter probably gets and wind your neck in love.

What a sad state of affairs when you have so very, very much and just want to get some poor member of staff in trouble. You can't be that tired if you've time to complain on here.

If I and others hadn't paid to stay here, the poor night porter would be out of a job. Did you think of that?

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Holidays
CountFucula · 04/04/2024 22:42

It’s not classy to expect free shit when minor things go wrong.

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:42

@neverknowinglyunreasonable - I'm fascinated by this thread. I honestly feel like half of MN are competing to see who can have the most deranged take on this as some kind of practical joke. Is this what's happening? Please somebody tell me.

I think you might be right. I've been told that there are no hotels costing this much in Switzerland AND that's this is not high end for Switzerland.

I must think about the night porter. I'm being greedy, grabby, dramatic.

I must count my blessings. Imagine if I lived in a war zone!

Oh my god. There are always new levels of batshittery.

I thought I'd get a few replies. I didn't think the thread - or half of MN - would go mad.

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:42

CountFucula · 04/04/2024 22:42

It’s not classy to expect free shit when minor things go wrong.

👍🏼 Cheers. I'm not classy.

Silly me for expecting to receive the service I paid for!

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:43

ChampagneLassie · 04/04/2024 22:11

I think you’re not being unreasonable at all. I’m planning my first night away from my 2 yr old who wakes through the night. This will be my first undistrubed night in 2 years. If I get woken by an alarm I would want compensation!

I hope you have a lovely night!

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:44

LittleGlowingOblong · 04/04/2024 22:05

All that’s missing now is for you to name the hotel in a final coup de grâce and a highly engaged audience!

I'd better not!!

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:44

cremebrulait · 04/04/2024 22:13

Drama.
Drama.
Drama.

Scroll on by.
Scroll on by.
Scroll on by.

If you're not interested.

OP posts:
sunglassesonthetable · 04/04/2024 22:45

It’s not classy to expect free shit when minor things go wrong.

Depends how just how minor staying asleep after 6 am is to you, when you've paid ££££ for the privilege.

And every classy Hotel in the world dishes out free shit when minor things go wrong.

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:46

OldPerson · 04/04/2024 21:16

Sounds like an alarm that guests can set up for themselves on the phone. In which case there was a dozy, discombobulated or evil person inhabiting your room the night before you checked-in. Personally, if you have a kettle in the room, I would not drink out of it.
But you sound like the perpetually offended brigade and think your life should be wrapped in cotton wool candy.
If the phone call caused a serious problem or inconvenience, sit down with the hotel manager and discuss.
But if you can't cope with minor things going wrong, you're not well equipped for life.

I can cope, thanks. I did discuss with the manager (see my updates from what feels like ten years ago). Coping and being happy are two separate things!

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:48

Sennelier1 · 04/04/2024 20:32

Mistakes happen, it's only human. You mention them on the right moment to the right person (daytime working hours, the manager) preferably in a civilised way, and you will get some compensation.

Fuck me, if only I'd thought of that. I suggest you read my updates!!

OP posts:
Here4thechocs · 04/04/2024 22:49

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. 🙄

Ouch. Sarcasm on steroids 🤣🤣🤣

AnnieSnap · 04/04/2024 22:58

hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:34

Oh wow, thanks for that fabulous life advice! I wish I was more like you! 🙏

🙄🙄🙄

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You are very shirty when people don’t agree with you aren’t you? Maybe try being more like me then . . . breathe . . . and relax 😂🤣

ugal · 04/04/2024 23:12

hellsBells246 · 04/04/2024 22:34

Oh wow, thanks for that fabulous life advice! I wish I was more like you! 🙏

🙄🙄🙄

Show quote history

This is a typically snarky reply but I think the poster has given some good advice. The hotel can't actually fix what happened - if your night's sleep was ruined it was ruined (poor you, not being able to get back to sleep when you were looking forward to a lie in is annoying). But I think you'd have been better off trying to figure out a way to deal with it that made it as minimally upsetting and disruptive as possible rather than blowing it up in your head such that you couldn't move on until you had an external 'fix'. For me, this means doing what the OP suggests - not ranting about something that has annoyed you (no matter how much you might want to in the moment) but making an active decision not to give it headspace. If you can find the 'hidden' positive that's even better - I'm up early so I'll wander down and see X before the crowds, it's raining but isn't this an interesting museum. Try it next time!

Ghosttofu99 · 04/04/2024 23:40

hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 15:31

Totally agree with your first para!

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The obsession with ‘good customer service’ is such an American import. I’d rather people were genuine on both sides of the coin. Op is giving Triangle of Sadness vibes.

Ownedbykitties · 04/04/2024 23:41

Oh my god for me, being woken up at 6 am when I didn't want to be would ruin my stay at the hotel. I am definitely not a lark and being woken up at that unearthly hour would ruin my day. I'm not joking. I spent all my working life conforming to working hours set by other people and if I went away and stayed in a hotel, no matter how expensive or cheap and I was woken up before I wanted to wake up, albeit accidentally, I would not be happy at all. Yes everyone makes mistakes but most people do apologise and businesses who are making profits out of people they serve, should definitely apologise properly and offer a small gesture of compensation to show they appreciate the effect the mistake has had on your stay. Just a cup of coffee or tea on the house would be sufficient.

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 04/04/2024 23:45

hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:30

Thank you for sharing your completely irrelevant experience, which was your mistake, with us...

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what a nasty comment 🤮

Was on your side until I read this (and your half-hearted apology to the poster, who was being supportive)!

sunglassesonthetable · 04/04/2024 23:50

The obsession with ‘good customer service’ is such an American import.

I love 'good customer service.' And I really struggle to see what's wrong with that.

Don't care where it came from.

KomodoOhno · 04/04/2024 23:50

sunglassesonthetable · 04/04/2024 23:50

The obsession with ‘good customer service’ is such an American import.

I love 'good customer service.' And I really struggle to see what's wrong with that.

Don't care where it came from.

I agree shouldn't everyone want good customer service?

MeandT · 05/04/2024 00:22

No vitriol to air - sounds like you've received enough of that!

Just wanted to offer some sympathies... on the first work trip away I had when DD2 was about 18 months, I was looking forward to a blissful uninterrupted night's sleep.

The previous occupant had left the alarm clock beside the bed set for 4.30am.

It played havoc with my jetlag & that was it, I was awake 😭

Needless to say I check any alarm clock religiously if I'm staying away anywhere now!

🤞for @ChampagneLassie being spared either of these fates, or a fire alarm...enjoy a hard-earned night of unbroken sleep. x

MoodyMargaret11 · 05/04/2024 00:35

Gabby82 · 03/04/2024 07:39

Not unreasonable at all. If you paid £800 for (let's say) 8 hours sleep and were woken 2 hours early that's 25% of what you paid for damaged. If you ordered a pair of £800 shoes that were missing a heel you would be sending them back.

OP isn't asking if she should 'demand' wine, just whether it's unreasonable to expect something for the poor service. At £800 a night it's not unreasonable at all. Totally commonplace in customer service where service is poor and the experience is what guarantees repeat business and referrals.

This ^^

ChorltonsWheelies · 05/04/2024 00:52

PenguinLord · 03/04/2024 07:19

They probably apologised but OP expected them growling on their knees begging for forgiveness handing over their whole wine cellar as compensation.

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Probably not. Probably a Swiss shrug of the shoulders and a bored sounding ‘sorry madame.’

DontBeAMeany · 05/04/2024 01:07

OP, I love your responses 😅. I'm amazed at some of the crazy replies you've had. The frothing is real!!!!

YANBU
YWNBU. (You Were Never Being Unreasonable)

RosalindFranklin13 · 05/04/2024 01:47

It's a noise. Someone in the next room could have made a noise, too. Should they be dishing out wine?

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