to think DD should get a full refund?

[Goldmandra]

DD1 stayed in a city branch of a large chain hotel last week for one night.

When she got up and went to use the bathroom, there was no cold water. Shortly afterwards the hot water stopped too. She was unable to shower or clean her teeth. This was two hours before the checkout time.

In addition to this, one of the light switches was coming away from the wall and the toilet flush didn't work properly in the evening.

When she checked out, she mentioned all of these things to the receptionist who said "Oh yes. We've turned the tanks off." When DD said she hadn't been able to shower or clean her teeth she was told "Sorry we disrupted your routine." DD isn't confident and doesn't cope with confrontation so she just left.

She has submitted a complaint to the management company who have credited her some reward points equivalent to around a quarter of the cost of the room.

She replied requesting a refund of the cost of the room or points to the full value of the stay and the response was that they believe that they had already done enough.

AIBU to think you don't turn the water off on hotel guests two hours before the checkout time and she should receive a full refund?

Yes another one for full refund here.
Incidentally my mom stayed at a travel lodge in east London the weekend just gone, the heating broke overnight and she got a full refund and a 50% voucher for her next visit, without even asking.

DP and I visited a ‘boutique’ hotel just outside London (Harry Potter tour) and paid handsomely for it. All seemed great until the morning when the water dribbled (barely even a dribble) out of a he taps/shower. We were about to check out and couldn’t hang around as had tour tickets. I called reception as couldn’t shower or wash my hair...etc.
Offered to move us rooms but that was no good, so we just left. I was containing my anger as I dropped the key off but mentioned my issues- a lovely middle aged chap behind me was waiting to complain about the exact same thing! He was a couple of rooms along from us.
At this point I lost it with reception (in the very polite but firm way they hate) ended in the manager apologising profusely - apparently this is a regular issue as it’s an old building and old pipes- told him I didn’t really give AF and it wasn’t my problem...etc (politely ofc)!

In the end we got about 25% of the stay refunded and I left a scathing trip advisor review - one of quite a few from the weekend we had stayed!

25% wasn’t enough I told the manager I’d have got a premier inn for a quarter of the price of their hotel and I’d have been able to shower in the morning!

If you are staying at a hotel it's normally for something important, be that work or special occasion. Being able to wash is fundamentally more important than normal. Yes that warrants at least a near full refund.

full refund. I believe that there are health laws that specify that public buildings must have flushing toilets and washing facilities, or they must close until these facilities are re-instated. They were breaking the law and bloody cheeky to boot.

It is immaterial that she had use of the room overnight. The contract was for a fully functioning (up to legal standards) room and she did not get that - they broke the contract and she should not pay.

If I'd been using this hotel, say for work, and not been able to clean myself and do my hair etc I'd have been, shall we say, very 'robust' in demanding compensation.

write to the CEO, tweet about how bad it was. shame them into a refund - and a free night.

they really are bastards taking advantage of a young woman like that.

Definitely Google and Trip advisor review. Twitter as well.
Suspect I know which chain. I stayed one night in a branch and was inundated with emails from them offering opportunities to get points towards another stay.
I think 100% refund is appropriate and would probably would approach c.v card company or bank to process it as she did not get what she purchased.

I would expect a full refund...

Just had a thought- can she (threaten to) report to some kind of regulatory office. Trading standards or something??

Definitely full refund plus some additional perk. Doesn’t matter whether she used room or not. When you pay for hotel you expect at least have basic comforts. If they failed they need to refund and also give some extra.
Your mistake was not to ask for full refund in your first email. But I suggest you write as many complaints as needed to get the money back (and not points, why would you what to stay there again?).
Don’t give up. If they are not doing anything write to the CEO of chain.

@notangelinajolie
Guess it depends on if you want to have a shower in the morning or not.

It was not just no hot water - she did not have any water!
As a PP said, when you stay at hotels is usually for some special activity, whether social or work related - I'd be devastated/livid if I didn't have water to clean myself in the morning!

She did stay the night and benefit from full facilities for the majority of her stay

How about if she stayed the night but had to share the bed with cockroaches?

This should a full refund, or very very close to that!

Which chain was it? I got a full refund from Hilton Manchester when no water.

It wasn't Hilton.

Did she pay with a credit card?

She paid with a debit card.

It seems like there's quite a consensus that the points aren't adequate which is helpful to know because it didn't feel like a reasonable response to someone being left without a basic like water.

I get what people are saying about letting them know at the time but the receptionist was already aware so I can't see that it would have changed anything.

I will help her to write again using some of the useful comments from here.

If they don't respond with something significantly better, I'll suggest she tweets them.

Why will you not name the hotel chain??? Please name and shame. I want to make sure I never stay there and I do travel a lot for work!!!!!

Why will you not name the hotel chain???

I don't want to cause any issues for MNHQ. Not certain that it would but just in case.

I'll happily tell you by pm if you want to message me.

My guess, based on previous experience, is Best Western. They have a truly amateurish approach to running hotels, IME.

Not them either. I hadn't realised there were so many big hotel chains!

I'd stop messing around and just tweet them now. Thy won't care about a letter and there's no harm in tweeting.

It annoys me when hotels treat guests badly. Yes she used the room - but she might have booked elsewhere if she knew they were not going to have water! She used the room thinking she could have a shower in the morning.