AIBU to feel sorry for myself because i'm stuck in this hotel for another 6 nights?

[AnotherWhinge]

Away for work (still in UK). Boss paid for the accommodation up front at last minute. Nothing else was available within reasonable distance of my work thing and within what he considered a reasonable budget.

I gave it a quick Google before leaving home yesterday and reviews weren't all bad. Pictures on the website made it look basic but clean.

Checked in yesterday after a long day of travelling and I haven't slept since.

SPACE - one tiny shelf with a kettle on it (and two tea bags, one sachet of sugar, one pot of UHT milk) leaving me half a shelf-space to put my stuff like makeup and deodorant on. No shelf in the bathroom. Areas beside the sink taps are tilted and tiny so can't keep anything there. No flat surface in the shower to keep anything. There is a teeny bedside drawer. Handles are broken on two of these. Bottoms keep falling out of the drawers whenever i try to put socks or stuff in so I've had to leave them empty. Just need to keep all clothes in suitcase. Can put my beauty/wash stuff on top of this bedside table I suppose but a bit worried i'll knock it over in my sleep (if i ever get some). Can't move it away from the bed as it's screwed into the floor.

PLUGS - two in whole room. One beside bed which the lamp is plugged in to atop the bedisde cabinet. Can't get behind the cabinet to remove this plug for my phone as it's so tightly pushed against the wall and screwed into the floor. There is another one at the other side of the room which the kettle is plugged into. This looks totally unsafe. The back is coming away from the kettle plug. Won't be using that!

CLEANLINESS - Fake tan/foundation hand prints over the bathroom walls and wall next to bed, Inside of drawers are disgusting and stained (so just as well i didn't keep my socks in there!) A red smear that looks like blood next to the bed. Black splatter on wall next to sink. There is no housekeeping service. There are no towels or any little shampoos etc. Not even a bar of soap.

BUGS - There are little bugs along the window which look a bit like book lice (definitely not bed lice - I check for these in every hotel I stay in on holiday). I'd try to close my window to see if that stops them but it's so hot and clammy!

NOISE - it's a small place with maybe 15 rooms. Doors when closed have an awful centimetre round gap from the door frame. Doors are clearly the wrong size. This means I can hear every conversation my neighbours have. My next door neighbours got into trouble at 4am this morning for setting the fire alarm off as they decided to smoke in their rooms. The reception is only manned between 8am and 10pm so the manager had to drive down from his own home to check on it (took him 10 mins btw, and nobody evacuated the building). Manager then entered into a bit of a curt telling off with neighbours. He then drove back home. Since then, neighbours have been going down stairs and outside every ten minutes for a cigarette. While they're outside (right outside my window), they're shouting up to their pal in the room while he's hanging out the window next to mine. Doors and stairs alone make an absolute racket never mind them chattering.

I've asked them to be quiet. They just laugh and say sorry (i'm assuming they're drunk or just very immature).

HEAT - heater is on full and there seems no way to turn it off.

SIZE - room is very small. Maybe 10ft x 3ft. Then bathroom is approx 3ft by 2ft. Basically, when you stand up from the toilet and turn to flush, your bum touches the shower glass.

I have text the reception's out of hours number at 5am and 6.30am about the heater but had no reply. Not great, is it? What if there was an emergency?

There are no nearby shops to buy a sandwich or takeaway etc. No food offered at the hotel. Not even a drinks machine. It's basically a reception desk then rooms upstairs. Nothing else. Everything appears to be 30 min walk in any direction. Only garages and factories nearby. Luckily i get fed lunch at my work thing and i'm out every day. But i'm dreading spending the next 6 evenings here. It wasn't even cheap. £430 roughly to stay here seven nights. It honestly reminds me of the time I stayed in a hostel but at least I now have my own room and loo.

Hotel is non-refundable and no way would my manager be willing to lose that money and try to find me somewhere else. Doubtful he'd be able to as everything is booked up that's nearby. This hotel on their website is saying no availability too. So not even likely the manager can switch my rooms when I get back in this evening. Manager will say this is perfectly adequate. I suppose it is. I have shelter and a bed. But ... it's quite shit. This is my first work trip away and I was quite looking forward to it. Now I'm dreading future ones. Maybe in a few years if my salary goes up, I'll be able to afford adding to my boss's budget and booking somewhere a bit better.

[My38274thNameChange]

Your employer sounds shit. Who treats their employees like that?

My meal allowance is £50/day and that’s a bit tight for three meals. And I have a say on accommodation. Premier in or travel lodge are fine. Budget B and B; hell no!

[crunchymint]

All those saying they get £50 plus meal allowance, it is not like that in the public sector. You do get very small meal allowances. It is not like the private sector at all. And if you submit invoices for higher amounts they will simply not pay it.

[Pollaidh]

If no cheaper, safe alternatives are available, they will pay it, within reason.

I travel for work and sometimes costs of hotels and meals go over the limits, whether due to large events in the city, exchange rates, captive audience as in an airport cafe. It's a hassle, but if you can justify the cost, they will moan a bit, but pay.

I'm in the public sector, and though my allowances are much less generous that corporate DH's, they much higher than £7.50 for an evening meal.

[AnnieAnoniMouser]

It sounds horrible, as does your boss.

I’d be spending my evenings job hunting, but if the course didn’t give me skills I’d use in another job I’d be on my way home.

[MyNewAlias]

I used to work for a large supermarket and when I went on courses I was given £12.00 evening meal allowance and that was 20 years ago!

[Pollaidh]

I'd be job hunting too. Your boss sounds like an arse.

[crunchymint]

Most local authorities give £9.50 evening meal allowance. This affects many many people.

[HerRoyalNotness]

Is it a small private company? i.e is your manager the owner? If not call someone in HR or his manager. This is not on.

We get $60USD pp for food when settling and similar or reasonable expenses reimbursed on receipt for courses.

[marjorie25]

Have you taken photos, if not please do and send them to your boss.
A strong letter need to be written to the company with the pictures showing the standard of the hotel that they are renting out to the public.
I would also ask for a refund . Send the letter to head office for the attention of the CEO of the hotel.
Make sure that the letter is sent certified mail so that someone will have to sign for it.

[BangingOn]

That’s ridiculous. When I’m travelling with work I have £15 for breakfast, £15 for lunch and £30 for dinner. Do you have an HR department?

[WindAndWuthering]

Very glad your room is improved, OP. For a cheaper evening meal, check out the websites which give discount codes for various chain restaurants, if there are any in the town you're staying. They often give up to 30% off your meal and you can then get something filling for about £6 or £7 if you are careful. Just check the terms and conditions as some are only valid on certain days / times.

www.vouchercodes.co.uk/restaurant-vouchers.html

[Clearaschristal]

Check out and go somewhere else! You shouldn't have to stay in a place like that on business, no way!! Especially for a whole week. Tell your boss what you're doing and get the hell out of it. Sounds awful!! There must be better hotels around, go find them.

[goingtotown]

If it’s so awful why are you still there?

[TheFifthKey]

Why do you think, going? Because most people can’t afford to pay out of their own pocket for something work were supposed to cover with no guarantee you’ll get it back?

[MadMaryBoddington]

I feel for you, op. Did you get a better night’s sleep?

[hedgehoginthebag]

Reading your post I am VERY concerned about the fire safety at the hotel. Where there is a sleeping risk (and in a place that residents are unfamiliar) there is a high duty of care of the hotel owner to ensure that there are procedures that work effectively to ensure the accommodation is evacuated in event of a fire / fire alarm. The fact that you say residents weren't evacuated, the doors to your rooms don't seem to fit and that the manager had to drive from home to deal with the fire evacuation is NOT NORMAL. I'd be reporting the hotel to the fire authorities and encouraging a spot check/ audit by the fire service. You are able bodied but imagine if you were elderly or disabled - by reporting you may avert a disaster in the future. Up to you if you want to stay!

[Motherbear26]

I second what others have said about your boss op. Any employer who begrudges investing in his employees training and scrimps with your food and hotel room to this extent is not worth bothering with. Imagine what would happen if you were ill, or struggling in your personal life.

We are allowed £20 allowance for evening meal but alcohol is not covered which I think is fair enough, but plenty complain about! They also ring around excellent hotels in the area and try to get a discount based on volume/repeat usage so we always have good quality accommodation when traveling. I’m feeling very lucky now actually. Please don’t put up with this, there are better employers out there for you.

[sarahbanshee]

I’m a civil servant and for an overnight stay I get £27.50 - that assumes I’m on B&B accommodation so expecting that to cover increased cost of lunch and dinner away from home without access to cooking facilities.

[SeriousSimon]

We are allowed £20 allowance for evening meal but alcohol is not covered which I think is fair enough, but plenty complain about!

They're missing a trick. Go to small, independent pubs and have a chat with the landlord/lady. Get a receipt for steak and chips and dessert totalling £19.99 but actually receive £20 of booze instead 😁

I've done this so many times over the years with colleagues, all over the Country and no pub has ever said no...it's a quick £20 for them that they'd not have otherwise.

[DuckbilledSplatterPuff]

Reading back through this thread, it sounds like your boss has put you in a short term accomodation hostel rather than a hotel and given you a lower food allowance than anyone says is normal on this thread.

Is he taking a cut of the accomodation and food expenses?

[Angelil]

Glad you got a better room OP. £60ish a night IS cheap though. Don't know what your boss is on; maybe the area you are in is expensive though so the place is probably skankier for £60 a night than some other places? I tend to get about £80 a night for accommodation when away for work. AirBNB is usually a better option anyway.