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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Holiday let with inadequate curtains, AIBU?

316 replies

MyMarmite · 08/05/2023 08:00

We’ve paid £1,000 for 7 nights in a holiday let. The master bedroom has no curtains or blinds in about 4ft of window and so I am awake early as it’s bright. diagram attached.

it’s an awkward window but I still think it’s unreasonable not to cover it if you’re letting it. This is a professional holiday let.

There are 2 other double bedrooms but dh is in one of them and they are 2 floors down, deliberately, as I snore. So I can’t use the other one as then he won’t sleep because of my snoring.

I’d rather go home than not sleep all week. It’s 2.5 hours away. AIBU?

Holiday let with inadequate curtains, AIBU?
OP posts:
InsertUsernameHere · 08/05/2023 08:11

Tin foil also makes an excellent temporary blackout blind - light in bedrooms is very personal. It looks like a velux/ attic window from your drawing and description - so do double check there isn’t a clever built in blind. It also means it probably not over looked - so if the owners are the part of the population that isn’t bothered by light - it might not have occurred to them it is a issue for the dark room sleepers amongst us.

Gtsr443 · 08/05/2023 08:12

Personally, I don't know anyone who has curtains who isn't over the age of 76. It's not considered the thing to have in your house.

This is the stupidest thing I've ever read on this forum and that's saying something.
And ageist. Ffs.

Fedupofdiets · 08/05/2023 08:12

SayOrPay · 08/05/2023 08:03

You can't expect the rooms to be furnished to your taste. You should have looked at the photos.
Personally, I don't know anyone who has curtains who isn't over the age of 76. It's not considered the thing to have in your house.
Buy an eye mask like they used to give out on aeroplanes.

Lol

Gymmum82 · 08/05/2023 08:13

We used to tape bin bags over windows when the kids were little before we got a gro blind. Just do that. You can’t sack off a grands worth of holiday for a missing curtain. I would complain to the owners so they can rectify for future holidaymakers

Bax765 · 08/05/2023 08:14

Use an eye mask?

GiraffeLaSophie · 08/05/2023 08:14

Is your husband as bothered by the light as you are, would he swap with you? Or could you buy him some earplugs and try sleeping in one of the other double rooms?

SisterMaryLoquacious · 08/05/2023 08:16

I can see why that might be difficult. Tin foil is a brilliant solution, (I'd have thought of bin bags or Kraft paper) if you can't get on with eye masks.

Going home rather than enacting one of the dozen obvious practical solutions would be completely ludicrous behaviour.

Exhausteddog · 08/05/2023 08:18

Personally, I don't know anyone who has curtains who isn't over the age of 76. It's not considered the thing to have in your house.

That's so random! 🤣
I couldn't sleep without curtains and I bought curtains with blackout lining for my DC when they were young.
Every time I see a house on grand designs with acres of window I think about
a) privacy (although they are normally in the middle of nowhere) and
b) that I would wake up at 4am in the summer. (Sometimes I do even with curtains!)

aramox1 · 08/05/2023 08:19

SayOrPay · 08/05/2023 08:03

You can't expect the rooms to be furnished to your taste. You should have looked at the photos.
Personally, I don't know anyone who has curtains who isn't over the age of 76. It's not considered the thing to have in your house.
Buy an eye mask like they used to give out on aeroplanes.

One of the funniest things I've ever read on mn. Who doesn't have window covers of some kind?!

JMSA · 08/05/2023 08:19

Tin foil apparently makes a good blackout 'blind'.
I do think you're overreacting though. And £1000 is cheap for 7 nights!

JMSA · 08/05/2023 08:19

An eye mask is the obvious alternative solution.

blinkbonny · 08/05/2023 08:21

We had this once - we contacted the owners and found that there was a clever custom integrated blind in the window that you could lower with a remote that we had not found. Could there be anything like that?

Failing that, agree eye mask or swap with DH if he is ok with the light. Hope you have a nice holiday!

24252627a · 08/05/2023 08:21

Absolutely unacceptable. I would phone the owner and explain the issue.
They should either locate an eye mask for you (Amazon? Same day delivery perhaps?) or boots for a Less effective one.

cardboard boxes are very effective and are easy to push into the shape of windows (depending on the style)

frankgu · 08/05/2023 08:21

Personally, I don't know anyone who has curtains who isn't over the age of 76. It's not considered the thing to have in your house.

🤣🤣 wtf!

Original poster
MyMarmite · 08/05/2023 08:25

Thanks for all the thoughts.

I’m going to call their housekeeper and ask if they can do something - it’s a high window so we can’t easily reach it to cover it - as my(admittedly crap) diagram shows, it’s 6ft high with blinds, then the uncovered bit is about 4ft.

Can’t swap with DH as he’s an insomniac so definitely won’t sleep up here.

I can’t sleep with an eye mask, I’ve tried in the past.

It’s not overlooked

I agree, £1k is cheap for a week

OP posts:
FusionChefGeoff · 08/05/2023 08:25

Ohalpro · 08/05/2023 08:10

Tin foil is amazing for this situation. Stick it to the window with a bit of water and some tape at the edges. Let the holiday company know what you are doing and why.

This! You usually have tin foil in a holiday let or bring it with you. Damp the window then wallpaper it with foil. Works a treat and leaves no marks

Original poster
MyMarmite · 08/05/2023 08:26

Also, nobody under 70 has curtains or blinds in their bedroom?! Really?! WTAF? I am under 73 btw

OP posts:
Original poster
MyMarmite · 08/05/2023 08:27

blinkbonny · 08/05/2023 08:21

We had this once - we contacted the owners and found that there was a clever custom integrated blind in the window that you could lower with a remote that we had not found. Could there be anything like that?

Failing that, agree eye mask or swap with DH if he is ok with the light. Hope you have a nice holiday!

Pretty sure not but I will check, thanks

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 08/05/2023 08:29

Personally, I don't know anyone who has curtains who isn't over the age of 76. It's not considered the thing to have in your house.

What rubbish 😂

Chuckydidit · 08/05/2023 08:31

Just shove your head under the cover, & sort that snoring out.

Ihaveshitfriends · 08/05/2023 08:32

Op I’m 36 and have curtains in every room in my house barring the kitchen and bathroom. Is there a way of opening the window and putting a sheets over it and then closing it again?

drpet49 · 08/05/2023 08:33

CindersAgain · 08/05/2023 08:06

Really? I don’t know anyone with bare windows. It’s usually the case that the more expensive the hotel, the better blackout the curtains are. And expensive hotels aren’t catering much to elderly people.

Show quote history

This. Blackout curtains are standard in hotels

DarrellRiversCriminalBehaviourOrder · 08/05/2023 08:33

SayOrPay · 08/05/2023 08:03

You can't expect the rooms to be furnished to your taste. You should have looked at the photos.
Personally, I don't know anyone who has curtains who isn't over the age of 76. It's not considered the thing to have in your house.
Buy an eye mask like they used to give out on aeroplanes.

I don't know anyone who has curtains who isn't over the age of 76.

Where do you live? In a care home?

Sandsnake · 08/05/2023 08:34

You’re definitely not overreacting! Being woken up that early on holiday is clearly not ok. Some people are more sensitive to the light than others, think it’s just how you are. I get very easily woken by morning light and am obsessed with curtains, but DH is fine to sleep through it and doesn’t get it.

Remember once when we were at a B&B in the Highlands at the end of May. Beautiful sunny weather but the room had two large skylights without blinds or curtains. The room was basically in complete daylight from 0330 😬. I was like a zombie, but luckily only stayed there for two nights. Hope you get it sorted!

Justalittlebitduckling · 08/05/2023 08:34

SayOrPay · 08/05/2023 08:03

You can't expect the rooms to be furnished to your taste. You should have looked at the photos.
Personally, I don't know anyone who has curtains who isn't over the age of 76. It's not considered the thing to have in your house.
Buy an eye mask like they used to give out on aeroplanes.

Whaaaaaaat?! 30s here and we have curtains. So do all our friends’ houses. And so do my parents who are also considerably below the age of 76 😂