To think this hotel policy is rather odd!

[Athyrium]

I was on a work related course today. It was a bit of a distance so I decided to book into a hotel local to the course. So yesterday I booked in 4 ish, made myself at home, get my clothes out ready for next day, treated myself to a pre-dinner bath and glass of wine, and wandered out to find tea. I got back to the hotel in the dark at half 8 to find a man in my room. Frightened the life out of me! He quickly explained he was room service doing a tidy up. Eh? I had not asked for room service, had only booked in 4 hours ago, and felt very intruded upon. Knickers both clean and dirty scattered around! Am I the only one who thinks that this was a weird time to do room service?

Normal in a lot of places - they come early evening to tidy up, empty bins and turn back the bedcovers. Did he leave a chocolate on your pillow?

I think that's very odd. I'm sure all rooms are cleaned by a certain time in the afternoon. I'd have a word with reception if I were you.

I'm sorry...are you saying that he was the knicker scatterer?

I've heard of a turn down service in v posh places but...this sounds like something else. Was he dressed as housekeeping?

It could have been a turn down service rather than a room service.

answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060617141444AALoF4P

exexpat Did he leave a chocolate on your pillow?

Ew. I really hope not.

YANBU but I have had similar when staying at a hotel. They offered what they called a "tuck down" service - ie tucking down the bed - at about 7pm. I was trying to shower and found it similarly weird and intrusive.

But it is A Thing.

I would complain, not about the man who is only doing his job but about the policy.

We always had an evening housekeeper for turning down the rooms etc...so not odd

Oh, xpost that proves I've not a clue what I'm talking about. Sorry!

Yeah, sounds like the turn down service to be honest.

Was it a turn down service? Actually you'd hardly complain if your pillow was festooned with chocolates! Was he holding stuff to tidy up, any bags or a trolley down the hall?

Was it a posh hotel? They often have an evening turn down serive.

I've stayed places that leave a present on your pillow and arrange your nightie in different shapes on the bed.

It's great

Why would you have clean knickers scattered around?

Never had it in a hotel (don't stay in posh enough places!) but did on a cruise but you had to put a sign on your door to tell them the room was ready to do.

No chocs Im afraid, just a weather forecast slip. Odd again. It was the deputy manager apparently. Still think its odd.

No apocalypse, t'was me that did the scattering, assuming the space was my private space for the night.

Turn down service. They pull the curtains, remove fancy covers and cushions off the bed. Sometimes change towels too.

In a hotel overseas once they did a turn down service where they came and got the covers on your bed back ready for you to get in and left some slippers there or something. I found it most odd but it seemed to the the thing. I resorted to hanging the go away sign outside my door in the evening!

I think it was probably that. Don't feel freaked out feel posh

I think it's quite "posh" hotels that offer a turn down service, if your talking about your standard travel lodge premier inn kind of place then yes odd, nice slightly more up market hotels no so much.

Nice towel animals, chocolates, turned down covers, restocked drinks, it's quite common.

But it should be offered as an extra or you should have been told about it at check in

It's standard in lots of hotels. Empty your bins, top up tea and coffee etc. close your curtains. Not needed when you've just checked in but housekeeping aren't to know what time everyone arrives.

When I used to do i had it down to a fine art what time to go round to ensure 80% of guests were in their room getting ready for dinner so said no thanks. Get round in no time

I'm not used to going posh, clearly! Seems I stand corrected and this is normal for hotels. Shouldn't they warn you/give you a clearer choice tho? He scared me to death! I would have tidied up a bit before I wet out too!

I once stayed in a B&B on a school trip when I was 16. I remember getting back to our room to find that my nightie had been ironed. The guy who ran the hotel was really creepy. I have never forgotten it over 30 years later.

I have never stayed in a hotel with a turn back service. Did go on a cruise last year though where they seemed to come in to the cabin every time you had been in and left again. The end of the toilet roll was permanently folded into a point, there were animals scultped from towels - sometimes with some of your possessions used as props, the beds were always turned down at night whilst you were at dinner and your pjs folded if you had just shoved them under the covers.

Turn down service is normal in expensive hotel. If you don't want it just leave the do not disturb sign up.

We had this in Egypt; long day with a journey to Manchester airport from Newcastle then flight to Marsa Alam. When we got to the hotel around 6.30 pm I decided to have a shower then take a look around. Came back 11.30 ish to find lamps switched on, air conditioning, bed turned down, chocs on pillow-and the bra I had dropped on the bathroom floor elegantly draped across the dressing table and stuffed with flowers
My DH almost choked laughing!

I love turn down service. My favourite hotel leaves a fruit selection and chocolates. And the bed is such a kerfuffle to get into when it's all pretty that it's nice for someone else to sort it and organise all the pillows. Enjoy it!

In Tunisia last year the nice lady scattered rose petals all over the pillows during the evening. But my dh has terrible hayfever and it set him off! Choccies would've been better.