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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be livid at this hotel stay

230 replies

Butternutter01 · 02/08/2020 01:00

Staying in hotel in Scotland. Single woman, travelling alone.

It’s gone midnight on a Saturday and I was fast asleep, only to have the door open and two men walk into my hotel room?!

Got dressed and went downstairs to reception as frankly I was concerned for my safety. The night manager is basically blaming this on me, saying he has no record of me being in the room, so apparently not his fault?! Yet they assigned me the key on Thursday night!

Went back up to my room, my key now doesn’t work. Back downstairs, oh it’s because we have no record of you. Yes but that’s not my fault?! Booked online weeks in advance, checked in fine AFAIK.

AIBU to be livid at this?

OP posts:
Ginfordinner · 02/08/2020 11:47

@Awwlookatmybabyspider

It goes without saying that that is completely and utterly unacceptable. Personally if it were me I'd be going to the press and making a Holy show of them.
And leaving a damning review on TripAdvisor.
Nocaloriesinchocolate · 02/08/2020 11:54

(Misses point of thread) - I know of one really good night manager - Tom Hiddleston

tankflybos · 02/08/2020 11:55

"Personally if it were me I'd be going to the press and making a Holy show of them."

With your take a break face on presumably Grin

It was a mistake, calm down. The OP has decided that she deserves 3 nights free B&B and has left the hotel without making payment. She now owes them money and hasn't even made a complaint to the hotel management. I doubt the large chain hotel are worried about being made a "holy show" of

lifesalongsong · 02/08/2020 11:55

@Awwlookatmybabyspider

It goes without saying that that is completely and utterly unacceptable. Personally if it were me I'd be going to the press and making a Holy show of them.
Is that a serious comment? Are you reading the thread, this is clearly a relatively common thing and I know that nowadays it's easy to get a sad face story in the online papers you'd be making yourself look ridiculous.

Sometimes mistakes happen, no was out to get the OP, someone stuffed up their job, no harm done and now we all know to build barricades behind hotel doors.

Are you prone to histronics?

LadyOfTheImprovisedBath · 02/08/2020 11:59

I'd take this further - write a complaint or something - it's unaccpetable.

I am pleased I read this thread now though as I wasn't aware door stops like that existed- when DD1 leaves home I'll get her one.

I've always put a case or something in front of the door if there was no chain - I've heard male colleagues stories of this happening - they found it bloody annoying -and while in hall at university I had someone try and get through my locked door - I'd worked late so was wake and it was scary- time before phones in rooms and mobiles were common.

elephantfeels · 02/08/2020 12:00

I'm confused OP...
So you saw no money had been taken so just left early?
Or they said that no money had been taken and then you left?

Jaxhog · 02/08/2020 12:02

Which chain was it? So I know never to stay there.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 02/08/2020 12:14

I know mistakes happen. It's their 'We don't give a shit attitude that would puss me off'... Also I'm not the only one who has said name and shame. I don't get why you're just coming for me.

SusieOwl4 · 02/08/2020 12:15

It may not appear on your card immediately. So leaving without checking out might be a bit premature .

Original poster
Butternutter01 · 02/08/2020 12:17

I needed to leave early and there was no one around near reception (contactless check out with a key postbox). I had to give my card details when I reserved the room so it will be interesting to see if they take payment.

OP posts:
Lacey2019 · 02/08/2020 12:20

I would be furious! This happened to me years ago with an estate agent doing a viewing...I was in the bath in my flat, door open on the bathroom and they walked right in!!!!😂😂😂 can’t believe the person didn’t go over the asking price

tankflybos · 02/08/2020 12:26

They'll take payment. You wouldn't have been checked into the hotel without a reservation.

I'm not sure what is so difficult to understand. The system the night porter is using told him that room was empty so he allowed another guest to check into it. That's not his fault, it is the fault of whoever didn't transfer your details to the night porters system (possibly a paper system).

Go to the press though by all means, I'm sure they'll give you £50 to put a sad face on for a non-story 😂

PerfidiousAlbion · 02/08/2020 12:30

Ive had housekeeping walk in on me twice, so now I always hang the ‘Do not disturb’ sign on the door and put my bag behind the door too, if theres no chain.

WeAllHaveWings · 02/08/2020 12:35

Mistakes happen, it wasn't nice being disturbed at night, I wouldn't have been bothered about the mistake or make it into more than it was, but if the night manager is blaming you that is not acceptable and I would complain.

I can see him saying the reason it happened was because you were not checked in properly, it is unprofessional for him to say it is not his fault as he is representing the hotel and it is the hotels fault. Did he actually say it was your fault, as that doesn't make sense, or are you jumping to conclusions this is what he meant?

HuggedTheRedwoods · 02/08/2020 12:37

@Aridane

I always barricade the door when I stay in hotel rooms alone. My contraptions can become quite complex because I try to use something that will make a lot of noise if pushed, like an ironing board against a tall metal lamp!

Do people really do this sort of thing?

I dont necessarily set up contraptions but certainly try to put something weighty / rickety behind the door (desk chair, the suitcase holder thing etc) that would alert me if someone was trying to come in as well as using the chain of course and a little door stop if I've remembered to pack one.

I travel solo quite a lot for both business and leisure so it just feels sensible to me. I was once given a key to someone elses room and I think it must happen quite a lot.

LaGoulueRevenue · 02/08/2020 12:38

If you booked/made your reservation on a well known hotel booking app, then you usually give your card details then pay in cash when you get there. There has obviously been some confusion as the payment hasn't been processed so they didn't think you had turned up.
Even so, had you paid, you'd have deserved a full refund at the very least.

LadyOfTheImprovisedBath · 02/08/2020 12:42

I suspect a system failure - but that's why I'd complain so upper management know there's an issue.

If it's a one off they might just need to remind staff of their current system and issue reminders or training - if it's a common issue that puts people off booking there they may need to do more.

If no-one complains and just puts up with it then I expect nothing will change, because no-one senior enough to do anything will know, and somone else will have OP experience.

If I was OP I'd buy a door stop for future hotel visits so it's not a problem again.

safariboot · 02/08/2020 13:02

There was a mix up.

As some others have mentioned, the issue isn't the mistake. Mistakes and errors happen. The issue is how the night manager responded to the mistake.

canigooutyet · 02/08/2020 13:15

Having unmanned desks in the morning is normal at the moment in hotels. They've got signs up saying to drop the keys in the box provided.

For these cock ups to be rectified they need to be raised. Op was lucky and they were decent guys. Cock ups like this get talked about locally btw. It might have been a one off, but then again it could be a common occurence just people aren't reporting.

I'm amazed that more people aren't suggesting sending an email to them, considering how many advice log it with police when there's someone "normal" knocking on their door. And no I am not suggesting log it with police.

Yea I've wedged the door even when I haven't been alone. Not all hotels even in the UK are nice and secure.

CharityDingle · 02/08/2020 13:28

I dont necessarily set up contraptions but certainly try to put something weighty / rickety behind the door (desk chair, the suitcase holder thing etc) that would alert me if someone was trying to come in as well as using the chain of course and a little door stop if I've remembered to pack one.

I travel solo quite a lot for both business and leisure so it just feels sensible to me. I was once given a key to someone elses room and I think it must happen quite a lot.

Same here. I place something at the door, so that I would be alerted if anyone did try to enter. I travel solo for work.

Once, years ago, was given a room that was already occupied, but thankfully nobody was in, and I returned immediately to reception without entering the room.

OP, I would be annoyed and would take the matter up with hotel management, by email or by phone.

Nottherealslimshady · 02/08/2020 13:29

That's horrifying! I always wedge something under the door and balance a glass on the handle so if someone presses it down the glass falls. I also sleep with a small pocket knife ... I have an anxiety disorder though so... 🤷‍♀️

NancyPickford · 02/08/2020 13:32

I have stayed alone in hotel rooms for decades, and there's either a chain or you can lock the door by turning the door knob round until you hear the click as the bolt (or whatever mechanism it is inside the door frame) slots into place. I've never felt the need to barricade myself in. But I can imagine the fright one would get waking up to find two strange men in the room.

Blueuggboots · 02/08/2020 13:33

This is why you should always travel with an old fashioned rubber door stop in your luggage. If you put a door stop under the door, people can't open your door unless you let them.

Original poster
Butternutter01 · 02/08/2020 13:42

@tankflybos where did I say I was going to be the press?

The night manager simply kept repeating he had none of my details on the system, and that no booking had been made. So he couldn’t understand how I had a key. No apology made and then to lock me out of the room was very bizarre!

OP posts:
imaflutteringkite · 02/08/2020 13:52

The night manager locked you out and then let you back in? This is all very strange. Either it was a big deal and it needs reporting this morning to the management or someone there, or it's no big deal and you accept it was just a mistake. It seems like you can't decide which it is