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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To leave this hotel and expect them to refund the rest of our stay?

27 replies

KinkyFruits · 26/08/2017 07:48

We arrived at our hotel yesterday. We had booked the "family suite," in a what appeared to be the nicest hotel in a city that is touted as lovely and quaint. We are paying £225/night, which I know isn't crazy in the summer hols but isn't cheap either.

It turns out the hotel is very disappointing, with ugly, dated rooms and more importantly the WORST beds we have ever slept in. The city is full of loud, drunken backpackers and the single window in our "family suite" overlooks a rowdy pub. The room is sweltering and the only way to get air is to open the window (though it only opens a crack anyway). But it's impossible to sleep with the window open due to the noise outside, which went on until around 2:30 am. My DD is the heaviest sleeper in the world and even she kept waking up. It was truly untenable.

Late last night my DH managed to find a lovely airbnb an hour away, and he booked it. The only issue is that this hotel has a 24-hr cancellation policy, so as of now we are on the hook to pay for tonight. If we have to take the loss we will, but it would be REALLY nice not to. Not really an AIBU since we're doing it anyway, but what's the best way to ask the hotel to waive the 24-hr cancellation and refund tonight's payment? Should I say we are leaving no matter what or act as if we would stay tonight if they don't waive the fee? Any other tips for successfully negotiating?

I know I should give the hotel a chance to change our room, etc., and I know it's not their fault that we don't like the area. But they do have airless, ugly rooms with terrible beds, and a family suite where it's impossible to sleep before 3 am! With two little ones we can't be arsed to give it another night.

Thank you very much for any advice. Here's hoping this holiday improves from today!

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 26/08/2017 07:52

I think you may have to cut your losses. You haven't given the hotel any opportunity to sort another room out. Just enjoy the rest of your break.

rookiemere · 26/08/2017 07:53

I think I might know where you are. It isn't Newquay by any chance?
Hope you get it sorted.

LittleWitch · 26/08/2017 07:58

We did this on holiday three weeks ago. Booked a hotel because we know it, having eaten there lots of times on previous visits to the town, but never stayed there.

Turned out that upstairs wasn't anywhere near as nice as downstairs- very very scruffy, badly in need of updating, balcony only big enough for one chair, shower poured water onto the bedroom carpet etc.

After two nights we booked somewhere else, moved out and politely explained why. They said we would get a refund if the could resell the room for the remaining nights and were confident that they would be able to do that. We got three nights money back.

We were prepared to lose the money because we really didn't want to stay there. Give it a go. It's not worth spoiling your holiday.

JaneEyre70 · 26/08/2017 08:08

I'd try by going to reception, say you've not slept at all because of the noise and uncomfortable beds and you want a refund for the rest of your stay. It's worth a go.

Farahilda · 26/08/2017 08:17

I doubt you'll get a refund, beyond what you can still cancel IYSWIM, because you haven't given them a chance to rectify, so I don't think there will be anything you can say that will be particularly persuasive.

If you threaten to put a bad review online, they'll respond publicly that they are very sorry that you had such a bad experience and that they wish you had spoken to them before deciding to leave as that meant they had no chance to rectify things. And will mention that they gave a refund in line with normal cancellation terms, despite it being a peak weekend and it being likely that the room will remain vacant. So you'll look unreasonable.

Just explain what's wrong, that your leaving and ask for the rest of the bill to be cancelled. If they can resell the room, you might get lucky.

Original poster
KinkyFruits · 26/08/2017 08:27

Thanks everyone. I'm not going to be threatening or nasty, just hoping if I explain politely they will do it. I know they probably won't but it's worth a try!

OP posts:
Oblomov17 · 26/08/2017 08:29

I agree, politely tell reception all the points you've told us. Ask them to cancel the next few nights. They can thus sell the room to someone else. Meaning they can, in theory return your money.
What have you got to lose?

LadyWithLapdog · 26/08/2017 08:33

How awful. You won't be the only ones to have been disappointed so they'll probably expect it. I hope you get tonight's money back and that your holiday improves after this bad start.

IdaBiscuit · 26/08/2017 08:33

Just tell them that it's too noisy too hot and you're not going to be able to stay. I think you'll be able to get your money back if you're polite and reasonable.

Are you in Bath?

Batteriesallgone · 26/08/2017 08:36

Why didn't you go down to reception to complain before booking the airbnb?

For all you know the hotel is mid renovation and there's a perfectly nice room you could be moved into.

I think you're being unreasonable not giving them a chance to offer you a different room.

paq · 26/08/2017 08:36

You can't hold the hotel responsible for the noise outside, although most places do warn you if you are over a nightclub/pub. I'd focus on beds being so uncomfortable & not informed of family room being over a pub.

Coloursthatweremyjoy · 26/08/2017 08:37

How much research did you do on hotels? Only asking because I don't know if you are home or abroad. I've stayed in a few cities where the hotel turned out to be not at all as I expected. Basic, a bit dingy...but changing just gave me similar...that's just how they are.

This summer I stayed in an amazing city, I liked our room but my husband was worried as it was expensive and it was well 'industrial' looking. It gets some mixed reviews for that reason...but it's not uncommon there...and everything is expensive.

I'd go down the avenue of it being noisy, children couldn't sleep etc you'll get more joy that way. If they decline write to head office if they have one and say it wasn't as advertised. Oh and review it on trip advisor not to be nasty but because I don't want to stay there either.

Lokisglowstickofdestiny · 26/08/2017 08:43

You can ask them to refund outside their policy but you haven't given them a chance to try and rectify the situation so I expect they will refuse. Not sure why you booked somewhere else before speaking to the hotel. I stayed in a hotel a few years ago in a university town and it seemded like every bloody student was having a party outside in the street, phoned reception, they moved me to a room on the other side of the hotel, complete peace and quiet.

eurochick · 26/08/2017 08:44

I don't think what you've described Marist a refund, tbh. Noise from the pub might be your best bet.

happypoobum · 26/08/2017 08:45

Did you not research it before you booked? Confused

I think you will have to cut your losses.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 26/08/2017 08:46

Which city are you in? I'm intrigued!

LadyWithLapdog · 26/08/2017 08:47

We stayed in a hotel in Leeds years ago with a refund policy if you didn't sleep well. We didn't because of noisy hotel clients up and down the corridor at silly hours. It might only have been a few but when you're trying to sleep everything can feel exaggerated. We got a refund with absolutely no problem.

LakieLady · 26/08/2017 08:52

The hotel can't be held responsible for the noise outside, tbh, or the temperature.

It's always tricky to strike a balance between being quiet at night and being close to the centre of things imo. Streetview can be your friend here. We found a really lovely little hotel in Bruges, 5 minutes walk from the centre but really quiet, thanks to Streetview.

And I wouldn't book a room without aircon in the summer months.

LakieLady · 26/08/2017 08:56

Was your hotel a Premier Inn, by any chance, Lady?

I've only stayed in one once, and it was so quiet it was almost spooky. Once I'd shut the door, I couldn't hear a thing. And I had a massive family room for the price of a single, with a really nice view, and the bed lived up to the hype.

I was very pleasantly surprised.

LadyWithLapdog · 26/08/2017 09:04

Yes, I think so. They were really very good. Didn't make us feel awkward for saying we hadn't slept well.

myusernameisnotmyusername · 26/08/2017 09:08

Lie and say a family member has fallen ill? I once stayed in Brighton and the place was more like a youth hostel. We found a lovely hotel and just told them that. They gave us half the money back.

PoppyPopcorn · 26/08/2017 09:26

I don't think you have a leg to stand on as a lot of what you say is subjective. "Ugly dated rooms" might be quaint and traditional to another visitor. Uncomfortable beds are also subjective. Unless they are promising one thing and showing photos on their website of ultra-modern rooms and delivering another, you have no complaint. Similarly with ventilation - not all hotels in the UK (or even overseas) have air con and yes, opening the window is a pretty standard way of letting air in... Also with the noise, a little research would have told you if the hotel was in party central.

In these situations you have to give the hotel a chance to switch you into another room which is less noisy. You haven't done that.

LadyWithLapdog · 26/08/2017 09:56

Comfortable beds and room temperature should be standard by now in a £225 per night hotel.

Original poster
KinkyFruits · 26/08/2017 10:31

We got the refund! The manager offered us another room but it was facing the same street so it would have been just as loud, and of course the beds would have been the same etc. I was polite and pleasant and so was the manager. I'm sure they will re-sell the room, maybe for even more as it's so last minute. I'm so relieved!

OP posts:
MrTrebus · 26/08/2017 10:37

Trip advisor is your friend in future