AIBU to complain to this hotel?

[GetSomeGumption]

I'm staying in a British seaside hotel with my parents. It has been a tough few years and we have gone on a 2 night break, my dad has paid near £600 for a single and double room (which I am horrified about as I prefer a premier inn or an air B&B for quality for money).

My parents are on a different floor to me and since we arrived yesterday more and more furniture has been appearing in the hallway that leads to their room. There are signs up apologising and explaining that they are doing up rooms. Half an hour ago we went up to bed, I had to get something from their room, and discovered mattresses 3 deep, tables, chest of drawers along the hallway and blocking a fire extinguisher.

My parents are very stoical and are not impressed but won't complain. I've come back to my room and tried to ring the duty manager to discuss the risk if there was a fire, to be told by the person on the phone that there is no manager on duty and "I expect you're wanting compensation? Why are you ringing at this time of night?"

AIBU to complain to this hotel? My DPs will be mortified when I tell them. I feel unsettled since Grenfell and couldn't have gone to sleep without raising the issue knowing that I have family sleeping on that floor.

(Also as a side, this is why I avoid British hotels. I shouldn't have to be querying their fire evacuation plans!)

I would pass on to the fire safety officer that the manager told you nobody with fire training was on duty last night too!

I'd post the photos on Trip Advisor, and also send to the local council. That's totally inexcusable in this day and age, no matter what they are doing. If they need to refurb and move stuff around, they should close for 24 hours or however long they need and not jeopardise safety to do so.

It's a shame the manager called you before someone came out, but they'll probably be running around like headless chickens now!! As they should be. We had one come out for work purposes the other day and he was telling us about their rating system for fire safety inspections. It's a 5 point system ranging from shutting somewhere down immediately to "broadly compliant" which means nowhere is 100% perfect but as good as can be. And in a business, EVERYONE should know about fire safety.

They go through everything; extinguishers (in date, tested), fire safety signage (fire action sign, extinguisher ID sign - mandatory, alarm call point signs - mandatory if they have alarms, exit signs), the fire alarm system, emergency lighting and fire safety training. If they come out and find one thing wrong chances are they'll want to check absolutely everything to make sure they're compliant. Do tell them about the manager's lax attitude to fire safety and openly admitting all staff aren't aware.

Rubbish response!

As for the 'it will all be gone before they get here' response... did he mean it to sound like an open admission of guilt and covering up?!'

Poor you. What a waste of money :(

Given the lack of response and poor attitude i would just post photos on a trip adviser review with a suitable heading about poor awareness and practices relating to fire safety.
You are right about British hotels in general being poor value for money (from my many years of experience as a business user).

As an aside - why the fuck are they starting to decorate now at the start of the busiest season all year

I couldn't agree with you more about British hotels, OP - after many dire experiences with business and personal travel I will only stay in a handful of chains, and avoid small chains and independents like the plague unless they come personally recommended! This sort of attitude and price is so common.

I would escalate this, if it's a local chain there's likely to be others senior to the manager you spoke to.

Safety is the priority here but that doesn't exclude you from a right to compensation for your poor experience - otherwise you've used your hard earned money paying for them trying to get away with charging full whack for shoddiness.

Pretty lame to claim staff had 'no idea' that storing furniture in the corridor & blocking extinguishers is a fire risk due to lack of training but surely any of them should have known, instinctively, that it looks awful for customers.

I've got a bit more of an update. I phoned the local fire safety team at 10am and I've just received an email from the fire safety officer to stay that he visited at 10.45! He said that the blocking the hallways and attitude last night were totally unacceptable and that he has told them that they absolutely must not move furniture into the corridor when decorating rooms. He said he will work closely with the manager to ensure further training is given and will keep a close eye on them while the building work is going on.

A very swift response from them!

WOW OP!

Those photos are bad because the hotel also looks like a shithole/bad hostel. I am guessing none of you checked tripadvisor before booking this hotel? Because by the looks of it i can guarentee this place has terrible reviews.

Sexykittenhells- my DPs had stayed there a few years ago and really liked it. They say it has gone downhill since their last experience.

I am not at the hotel any more but with the fire officer now on the case and very unimpressed I would say it has gone.

Great service from the fire officer at least!