Aibu to turn this customer away?

[QuandryQueen]

I've name changed as I'm a regular and this is a work related question and I don't want it linked to my usual account.

I work at a Hotel and what with the Christmas break was the most senior person there yesterday and will be this afternoon and evening. I don't know what decision to make!

A customer reserved a room to arrive today and I noticed yesterday they have put a comment on the booking to say they are bringing their dog. We don't accept dogs except service pets. They booked through a travel agent/Web site rather than direct. I have been off prior to yesterday so not sure if others have seen the note or not. There's nothing in the booking to show that anyone has tried to get in touch with the guest.

I messaged them through the site they booked (a from hotel message not a personal one!), and highlighted where it says on their confirmation that pets are not allowed.

I have no other way of communicating with them. As of yet we have had no response.

What do I do?

1. message again, not knowing if they will see it?
2. if they turn up with the dog turn them away?
3. if they turn up with the dog let them just keep the dog in their room?

They've pre paid and booked a month ago so it's pretty crap that none of us have seen the note before now, but it is well hidden in amongst all the other data on their booking.

What do I do??

OP, some owners don't care. I volunteer in a charity shop and we have a clear "no dogs except guide dogs" and "no food and drink" sign on the door. People routinely ignore the signs as they are obviously special cases. One woman who came in with some massive hairy thing which wasn't even on a lead got quite arsey when I told her she had to take it back out.

Well, that just sounds like the worst sandwich ever.

It's a fair point, but as I mentioned upthread, try telling that to any number of Americans. It's perfectly true that emotional support/comfort animals don't meet the strict criteria for service dogs, but that hasn't seemed to stop the ballooning abuse sad

In the US, "Service dog" has always meant a guide dog, a dog that can tell when a seizure is coming, or a dog that otherwise offers a legit assitance. They're specially trained and almost always are in a vest in public.

"Support dog/animal" is the one that just anyone can use, and that's the one that's being abused. People are putting it on any pet they want just to be able to take their pets places, because businesses can't ask someone to prove they're disabled over here. Some are legit support dogs (ie to people with great anxiety, agoraphobia, or have PTSD), but so many people abuse it that it waters it down terribly.

I'm predicting an elderly whippet, name of Harold, resplendent in winter tweed jacket.

He used to have a pipe, but he's gotten a bit more health conscious in the past few years. You can find him reading Proust by the fire.

I dont like dogs of any description. I am a little nervous around them. We always book pet free accommodation. I would be furious if I booked pet free and there was a dog there. I would not stay, demand a refund as not selling what was paid for is pet free accommodation and highlight on Trip Advisor. Tell them pet free means no dogs to protect other guest and reputation.

You could have found somewhere else local to the hotel who takes dogs. I wouldn't have dogs in my B and B.

If I were the customer, and you turned me away at this stage, I'd see a solicitor about suing you for breach of contract - you've had ample opportunity to see the error and let them know in time,and you didn't take it for whatever reason. You can't just turn them away - like someone said, all alone in a strange place,with the added responsibility of a dog?? It would be downright cruel.

Andrew awww shucks.

Wasn't there a mystery fourth guest who never showed?

The fourth room arrived late jn the evening but theirs wasn't the dog room they were just with that group generally.

Great thread and I have just spent 15 minutes watching YouTube videos about service ponies. Wow.

Oh for fucks sake I've just read this entire thread and what an anti climax. Did you not think to phone them!? Sorry I couldn't resist!

shame u missed the dog op thanks for the updates

could you not have phoned them?

Then they could CANCEL THE CHEQUE

The terms and conditions of the booking say no pets, poshpaws. These were emailed after the guest said they wanted to bring a dog. The hotel didn't agree to the dog. They had no contract to accommodate the dog. A Solicitor would not be interested.

Glad it all worked out op

Do you turn children away? I think you will find most dog owners are much more thoughtful & courteous than parents letting their kids run riot as they are on holiday. Wherever I stay with my boys the place is usually cleaner when I've left as I appreciate that my boys were allowed to stay so will return the generosity.
My boys will sit under the table fast asleep, the only time we have a problem is when someone can't control or chooses to ignore their child running riot or winding the dogs up.

I imagine if it is an adult only hotel then yes, they would turn children away! What a stupid comment.

I'm confused as to why this has become a children v dogs thread...

I have both and take both to hotels. I expect good behaviour from both... some parents/dog owners don't.

This is the nature of society; we all have differing standards, which is the reason for adult only and pet free hotels!

Not a stupid comment at all, I have and always choose a child free hotel but on numerous occasions have been greeted by screaming & ill behaved children. When I have enquires at reception I am always told that they didn't know they were coming and couldn't turn them away!
It isn't a child v dog thread at all, I just got annoyed at the anti dog comments when I've seen far worse behaviour from kids and don't get me wrong some Adults! Most dog owners will appreciate a hotel, b & b, guest house, apartment or cottage that accepts dogs and will return the gesture with respect.

Sanhall you are being ridiculous. Just because your dogs are well behaved doesn't mean all dogs are or that all dog owners are responsible. In the same way that because you have come across some badly behaved children or incompetent parents means that they all are.

If a hotel is adults only and someone turns up with a child, I would expect that family to be refused accommodation.

I love dogs and have two. I love children, have three and also work with kids with emotional and behavioural issues.

Not everyone likes dogs, or children though, and I respect that. They aren't wrong and neither am I.

We have taken our children to hotels several times, from when they were quite young, Sanhall, and have never let them run riot or spoil the experience of other guests.

Some dog owners don't make their dogs behave, and some parents don't make their children behave. In both cases, we tend to notice the ones who are misbehaving, because they force themselves on our attention, whilst the quiet dog under the table, and the quiet child sitting at the table with a book/colouring/tablet on silent, don't.

On a lighter note, I would love to meet Harold the Proust-reading, tweed-wearing whippet!

Just caught up with this thread.

Wow – we nearly have the full house on MN bingo in this thread:

-Not RTFT - OP, I really think you should phone them…
-pro vs anti dog
-children vs dogs with veiled judgements about own vs others' standards of behaviour
-hilarious fantasy back stories created about hound interwoven with straight-laced advice about adherence to H&S, T&Cs etc.
-questions about detail of the story then indignation at anti-climax when OP gives a plausible update and conclusion.

All we need now is for dhound’s party (all adults) to have parked in a P&C space at a supermarket en route to the hotel and for dhound’s owner to have refused to fold him up and move him out of a wheelchair/buggy space on the bus.

Thanks OP for entertaining us so well – and thanks, of course, to Bobby the border collie.

Onemorestep

You forgot canceling the cheque...

I think I ought to start more threads on the life and times of the random hotel guests that come to stay!

don't worry I won't!

Oh please do Quandry! I used to work in a hotel, the nutters are what keeps you going.

I would love to read a thread about hotel goings on. Sounds like it would be interesting.