To complain about rats outside country hotel?

[zookeeper]

I've just got back from a three night stay in a travel lodge in a rural location. The hotel was fine but for me the stay was made uncomfortable by rats running around outside.

Driving up to the hotel drive on the first night I stopped the car because I thought there was a rabbit in front of it - it was a big rat just sitting there. In the two minutes or so that it took to drive to the the hotel carpark two more rats ran across our path, the second just as we were walking into the hotel (running!)about a metre from the door. In fact every time we left the hotel in the morning and came back in the evening we saw at least a couple of rats running in the car park.

The dcs thought it was hilarious but it wasn't fun pulling into the carpark especially at night.

I mentioned the rats to the receptionist who looked at me as though I was mad and asked me what I expected from a hotel in a field with a farm not too far away....

So would I be unreasonable to complain to the head office? Laughing aside, I did feel really uncomfortable whilst I was there at the thought of the rat population partying outside.

I agree with MissBeehivingUnderTheMistletoe

Who would want to see this many stray dogs?

If this many are outside, they are probably inside as well. In the kitchens. They are not rabbits or falcons or otters, y'know.

I closed down and then prosecuted a hotel once where there was a rat infestation which was discovered when a rat died in the roof space above the sauna and it started to rain maggots onto the unfortunate inhabitants of the sauna. There were rat runs through the kitchens and larders. And rat crap everywhere. It was revolting.

OP if I were you i would contact the hotel chain headquarters to complain. It may be that some people don't mind rats running around but most people do and whatever it is not a normal expectation to see them like that in the countryside or anywhere else. they will lose business over it which they will care about even if their receptionist didn't.

YABU. What do you expect the hotel to do about rats outside ? I can understand you complaining about rats in the hotel but there is sweet FA you can do about rats in fields. I do casual work in a rural hotel surrounded by lakes and fields, we have absolutely no control over our external environment.

I used to work in a 5* seafront hotel and vividly remember someone complaining about the seagulls. I wondered what he expected at the seaside.

I would expect the hotel to make its premises less attractive to rodents by sorting out their waste disposal, drains and access points. If these rats are farm rats then they have no business going that close to the hotel unless they are nesting and dining there. They aren't just going for a stroll, they are in the car park because they are eating in the hotel.

OhdearNigel, I have eaten in beach restaurants which really go out of their way to deter seagulls.

ditto wasps and mice.

If something makes you feel uncomfortable you will not stay at that hotel again. I imagine the management would like to know about it.

Would the rat lovers be as happy to see a party of rodents outside their London or New York hotel?

I think the receptionist let herself down, all you needed was reasurrance that they would not be nibbling your toes that the Hotel takes the matter seriously, and although it cannot be guaranteed, takes all possible measures to prevent rats from entering....by the way, when you say travel lodge, do you mean Travelodge, as in the brand? I have had recent emails recently, and am considering booking for various reasons. Have stayed with them in the past and for the basic package, they deliver what it says on the tin.