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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you have asked for a late check out refund?

28 replies

Patienceisntvirtuous · 17/08/2022 22:55

Stayed with my partner at a bog-standard hotel chain at the weekend. Booked and paid for a late check out time as we're both night owls, I have a sleep disorder, and the event we were going to would have us back early hours of morning.

Partner nudging me the next day at the 'normal' check out time. 'Someone's at the door!' I got up and answered and a housekeeper is there informing me that It's check out time.

I told her we'd booked for a later check out and she said something like (I was half asleep) there's no late check out!

I told her it was confirmed when we checked in and she said 'Just give me two seconds!' and disappeared.

I daren't go back to sleep in case she returned and I was awake by this point anyway having had to get up and have a conversation.

As said above, I don't sleep well, never have but I was having a lovely sleep, was out for the count, before this.

Was so tired for the rest of the day.

I wanted to ask for our late check out fee to be returned. DP disagreed. What would you have done?

OP posts:
TheFlis12345 · 17/08/2022 22:58

Why on earth didn’t your partner get up and open the door rather than waking you up
if you don’t sleep well?

LimeTwists · 17/08/2022 22:58

You absolutely should ask. You were disturbed while sleeping and asked to clear off before the time you’d paid to stay until! They have been poor communicators with their cleaning staff. I’m

Original poster
Patienceisntvirtuous · 17/08/2022 22:58

Forgot to add, she never did return, and when we did go to leave she'd shoved a post it note under the door apologising! I wish I'd have just ignored the door and stayed in bed OR DP hadn't bloody woken me

OP posts:
Original poster
Patienceisntvirtuous · 17/08/2022 22:59

@TheFlis12345 she'd forgotten to bring sleepwear and was naked! I was annoyed about this to be honest, too.

OP posts:
DrFoxtrot · 17/08/2022 22:59

YANBU I would ask.

TheFlis12345 · 17/08/2022 23:23

She could have answered the door wrapped in a towel or sheet? Or even talked through the door and asked who it was and why they were knocking. Them knocking was an annoying mix up but your partner made it far worse than it needed to be for you.

Original poster
Patienceisntvirtuous · 17/08/2022 23:29

@TheFlis12345 I did say all this once the housekeeper had shuffled off :(

DP said she'd shouted out 'who is it?' a few times but no response.

OP posts:
Skinnermarink · 17/08/2022 23:31

Err yeah, you didn’t get the service you paid for.

TooManyPJs · 17/08/2022 23:32

I would definitely ask for a refund. You paid for the late check out so you could sleep in which you weren't able to do as you were disturbed by the staff insisting that you should have left the room and there was no late check out. Not the cleaner's fault but the hotel should ensure that it's communicates better with its staff and manages its late check outs properly. Poor management.

Original poster
Patienceisntvirtuous · 17/08/2022 23:33

@Skinnermarink we sort of did, I mean they didnt make us leave the room. Just woke us up

They apologised when we were leaving, seemed genuinely sorry.
Thanks all-nice to know others would have felt the same!

OP posts:
KermitlovesKeyLimePie · 17/08/2022 23:34

What time did you leave? Was it after the normal check out time?

Skinnermarink · 17/08/2022 23:35

No they sort of didn’t really- there was a miscommunication and you were disturbed. Definitely grounds for refund.

Original poster
Patienceisntvirtuous · 17/08/2022 23:36

@KermitlovesKeyLimePie we left just before our late check out time, after the 'normal' time. So we got to keep the room longer.

OP posts:
mattressspring · 17/08/2022 23:42

I think you are unlikely to get a refund for something you had.

HoneyFlowers · 17/08/2022 23:47

How much did you pay for it?

KermitlovesKeyLimePie · 17/08/2022 23:51

Then you are not entitled to a refund.

You pay for the room not a lie in.

Bit late now but I would have got up (you were up anyway) and checked out at the normal time then asked for a refund.

mrsfollowill · 17/08/2022 23:55

I often book a late check out if available so I would complain and ask for a refund of the fee. It totally defeats the object of booking one if you are woken up- so what if you could stay in the room later? - they have very much screwed up by waking you up so should refund. Doesn't help much as the moment is gone but you shouldn't have to pay for a service you did not receive.

Maverickess · 17/08/2022 23:55

I would have offered you the late check out fee back if this happened where I work,as you did stay past normal check out time so that part of the deal was technically fulfilled, but you were disturbed by staff who got it wrong, housekeeping should have known who was on a late check out, and shouldn't have disturbed someone on a late check out, though with the best will in the world, mistakes are going to happen because people who work in hotels are humans with all the flaws all humans have, it's how you deal with or rectify those mistakes as and when they happen that makes the difference.

Or if you were a regular guest I'd offer another early check in/late check out for free on your next visit.

Original poster
Patienceisntvirtuous · 17/08/2022 23:56

@KermitlovesKeyLimePie We'd not have been able to do that, as they knocked dead on the normal check out time, by the time we were showered/dressed/everything packed up we'd have been at least half an hour late anyway.

Thanks again for all the input. First world problem, I realise!

OP posts:
WomanStanleyWoman2 · 18/08/2022 00:18

I wanted to ask for our late check out fee to be returned. DP disagreed. What would you have done?

You didn’t get what you asked for. Why would you pay?

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 18/08/2022 00:22

KermitlovesKeyLimePie · 17/08/2022 23:51

Then you are not entitled to a refund.

You pay for the room not a lie in.

Bit late now but I would have got up (you were up anyway) and checked out at the normal time then asked for a refund.

But the whole point of a check-out time, late or otherwise, is that you have the use of the room until that time to do whatever you choose. If standard check-out is at 11, would you expect to have to get out of the way for the housekeeping staff at 9? Of course you wouldn’t.

The housekeeping staff shouldn’t have been anywhere near OP’s room. I’m not saying it’s their fault personally - it’s most likely they were given the wrong information - but ultimately the hotel has failed.

Original poster
Patienceisntvirtuous · 18/08/2022 03:48

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 18/08/2022 00:22

But the whole point of a check-out time, late or otherwise, is that you have the use of the room until that time to do whatever you choose. If standard check-out is at 11, would you expect to have to get out of the way for the housekeeping staff at 9? Of course you wouldn’t.

The housekeeping staff shouldn’t have been anywhere near OP’s room. I’m not saying it’s their fault personally - it’s most likely they were given the wrong information - but ultimately the hotel has failed.

Show quote history

That is a good point isn't it! We paid for a new checkout time but, it is the equivalent of being disturbed two hours before the 'normal' checkout time, which would also be totally unacceptable. You relatively 'hire' the room for the time you've paid for, the reason you're in the room using it doesn't and shouldn't matter.

I think the housekeeper must have known she had woken me up, my eyes were barely open!

@Maverickess thank you, that would have been a nice gesture. I can't remember without checking my bank but it wasn't a lot we paid-not really the point however.

They were great in other ways too-beyond expectation in fact. We only needed the room as a base due to the event we were attending, didn't need anything particularly plush but it was a very nice room for the price and the staff were lovely. This just spoilt it a bit for us (more for me to be honest)!

OP posts:
DangerouslyBored · 18/08/2022 05:02

Yes, you should request a refund. Your rest was disturbed due to a lack of communication between staff at the hotel. No one pays extra for a late check out for the hell of it, it’s because they want to use the extra time to sleep.

bcc89 · 18/08/2022 07:16

The moment has passed now, really. Why do people always wait until they've left the place to complain?

Original poster
Patienceisntvirtuous · 18/08/2022 07:21

bcc89 · 18/08/2022 07:16

The moment has passed now, really. Why do people always wait until they've left the place to complain?

I hear you on that, I usually don't, I never complain unless It's warranted but I do usually complain at the time if I am going to at all.

It was DP who really didn't want me to at the time, as she was so impressed with the level of service generally. I'd made peace with it, but I was curious to know what others would have done in these circumstances.

I am irked that DP woke me up instead of managing the situation herself but that's something I can manage in future! I guess also that some people who sleep for England do not appreciate how precious sleep is, for those of us who don't. :)

OP posts:
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