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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:
Zonder · 03/04/2024 09:01

It's about good service. That's part of what you're paying over £700 a night for there. I would mention it again and I think they should make a small gesture.

PotatoPudding · 03/04/2024 09:01

Why don’t you go the whole hog and sue!

Get a fucking grip, OP.

Rubylooloo · 03/04/2024 09:02

YANBU. This would piss me off massively in such an expensive hotel.

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Sunnytomorrow · 03/04/2024 09:02

Just a thought but are you sure your kids didn’t order the wake-up alarm for you yesterday, maybe as an April Fool’s joke on their parents? (I know it’s not April 1 anymore but may have been when they ordered it)

IChangedMyUsernameSoICouldVent · 03/04/2024 09:02

First world problems.

sunglassesonthetable · 03/04/2024 09:03

First world problems.

And first world prices.

JJathome · 03/04/2024 09:08

I think it’s fine to complain and you have done so. Expecting financial recompense I feel is quite grubby.

Berlinlover · 03/04/2024 09:09

This happened to me in a hotel in Budapest except it happened at 4am and at 4.05 someone came banging on my door shouting ‘alarm call alarm call’. I mentioned it when I went down for breakfast, they were very apologetic and paid for my taxi back to the airport.

GoodAfternoonGoodEveningAndGoodnight · 03/04/2024 09:11

ThePoshUns · 03/04/2024 07:44

I don't think you're being cheeky to expect an apology and a gesture.
You've paid a lot of money for a night and morning of luxury and your sleep was interrupted.
The premier inn offer a refund if you don't get a good night sleep.
I would complain politely to the daytime manager.
If you don't shoot you don't score.
Some of the other replies are laden with envy.

This, some of the responses on here are baffling!
Yes, mistakes can happen but having worked on reception desks before you'd be very apologetic at the minimum.
If you're paying hundreds for a room you don't want waking up at the crack of dawn by an alarm you didn't even ask for!! 🙄

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:12

VestibuleVirgin · 03/04/2024 06:29

Wow, how to brag by wrapping it in something else!
Out of interest, why were the children in another room? Were they not able to contact you? Otherwise, why would you think the hotel was ringing you 'about the kids'
And then you want compensation?

Edited

🙄 The kids were in another room as they are teenagers!!

I had been woken from a deep sleep and didn't think stop to wonder why the dc weren't calling me on their phones! But since it was pitch dark and we hadn't asked for a call, my first thought was the kids.

Does that make sense?

OP posts:
Maddy70 · 03/04/2024 09:13

mumda · 03/04/2024 08:59

Nah the receptionist probably rang everyone until they got the right person.

I'd be livid. Especially as kids were in a different room I would have assumed there was a problem. That would have made it really hard to get back to sleep.

I have found reviews on trust pilot are really effective. More so than twitter these days.

Show quote history

Online reviews are gutless and damage businesses. It was a simple mistake ...

I do feel you shoudl complain and allow them to put it right in some small way. If they dont. Then you can write a review

But give them chance. They jùst put in the wrong room number. The poor people who have asked for the 6 am call may have missed their flights so they really have an issue

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:13

Newbutoldfather · 03/04/2024 06:33

I was once in a slightly less ‘posh’ hotel, only about £500/room/night when we were woken up by a fire alarm and evacuated onto the cold street at 2am, including my sons who were about 8 and 9 at the time. It turned out to be a false alarm.

I was annoyed but compensation wasn’t even on my agenda.

Fire alarms fall outside usual compensation rules as they are essential for safety.

OP posts:
BresciaBike · 03/04/2024 09:14

Oh fgs Precious, go enjoy your holiday.

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:15

shoppingshamed · 03/04/2024 06:44

Is it the type of phone where you can set the alarm yourself?? Might the previous guest have done it? I'm actually surprised that hotel alarm calls are still a thing with mobile phone alarms

You can do, or reception can do it. All calls are cancelled after a guest leaves. The hotel manager didn't know what happened.

OP posts:
TotalAbsenceOfImperialRaiment · 03/04/2024 09:15

rainbowstardrops · 03/04/2024 07:57

I wonder who the poor bugger is that is merrily snoozing away when they needed a 6am alarm call so that they could catch their flight/attend an important meeting/whatever!

Probably still asleep. Should have set an alarm on their phone like anyone else. Who even books an alarm call these days?

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:16

Priminister · 03/04/2024 06:56

Definitely demand compensation. Don’t forget to also report it to the Daily Mail and make sure you and your kids have a suitable compo face photo.

Ok. I assume you don't expect good service wherever you go?

OP posts:
IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle · 03/04/2024 09:17

hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:12

🙄 The kids were in another room as they are teenagers!!

I had been woken from a deep sleep and didn't think stop to wonder why the dc weren't calling me on their phones! But since it was pitch dark and we hadn't asked for a call, my first thought was the kids.

Does that make sense?

Show quote history

Yes. It was perfectly obvious to anyone with half a working brain that the children were in another room because they are old enough not to be sharing with their parents.

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:17

Newbutoldfather · 03/04/2024 07:22

@BoringName2 ,

I find your attitude a bit strange. Firstly a fire alarm and wake up call are both some kind of software glitch (in all probability). And getting into a cold street in night wear at 1am is a lot worse than being woken at 6AM.

And yes, of course everyone makes mistakes at work, and should forgive themselves for them. For most minor mistakes, an apology should be sufficient and you move on.

It is quite childish to expect to be compensated for minor errors. 6AM is already morning, not 2am or 3am. All that happens if everyone is compensated is hotel prices go up.

Not really. And 6am in Switzerland is 5am at home. Is that morning too?? 🙄

OP posts:
TotalAbsenceOfImperialRaiment · 03/04/2024 09:17

Just leave a two-star review on TripAdvisor, that's what most people do.

Otherstories2002 · 03/04/2024 09:18

hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 07:51

But I didn't get an apology. Didn't you read my op?

And we have saved up for months for this. It's a special treat. I expect better service here than in a Premier Inn!

Show quote history

We stayed in a hotel a few years back with my then 2 year old and 7 week old. They rang at 9:30pm to check we had settled ok. And woke all 4 of us up. I cannot tell you how furious I was. I complained - not for compensation - but to get the bloody welcome policy changed.

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:18

Namechangenamechanged · 03/04/2024 07:25

Your DC are in a different room? I’m betting they’ve done it as a prank…

They wouldn't dare. And no, they didn't.

OP posts:
Ioverslept · 03/04/2024 09:19

They should probably compensate the people who actually asked for the alarm and didn't get it as they may miss their flight or something important

mitogoshi · 03/04/2024 09:19

I'd be very annoyed. It's not that I'd expect something exactly but I would expect a profuse apology, at the time of reporting it then a sorry from management later in the morning. Perhaps everyone on here is a lark but waking me at 6 would put me in a bad mood all day

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:19

MyLadyTheKingsMother · 03/04/2024 07:25

Have a shag and get back to snoozing op

That was dh's plan!!

OP posts:
Original poster
hellsBells246 · 03/04/2024 09:20

Runningbird43 · 03/04/2024 07:28

You can normally set automated alarms via the telephone keypad.

this has happened to me once or twice- I have a sneaky feeling the previous guests checking out have done it as a “joke”.

i would find out if that’s the case and feedback that they should clear any automated alarms after each check out.

The manager said they do do this.

OP posts: