To be so upset about hot tub not working

[LookWhosInsideAgain]

I booked, fairly last minute, away for half term with DC as we’ve all had a bit of a rough time lately. Staying in a lodge with a hot tub and it was £1,500 for Mon-Fri in a 2 bedroom lodge 😱. It’s really expensive but there’s loads of free, outside stuff to do around here and loads of cycling/ walking routes which dc actually love plus whenever we’re back at the lodge I knew they’d be in the hot tub as they have been when we’ve previously stayed at places with hot tubs. There were loads of AirBnBs around that were around £800-£1000 for a full week rather than Mon-fri but none had a hot tub so, after discussing with dc, we decided to stay at the hot tub lodge.

Arrive on Monday (having paid an extra £30 for hour earlier check in) to be told hot tub is cold at the moment but will be warming up throughout today so will be ready to use Tuesday morning. Really disappointed as so looking forward to getting in it but suck it up as everyone in the ale boat apparently. Stick my hand in it Tuesday morning and it’s tepid, clearly been warming up but not warm enough to sit on. DC too excited so get in it anyway and get out after 10 minutes shivering and needing hot showers. I ask at reception and they claim it takes until midday on Tuesday to reach full temperature but it will now take longer as we’ve taken the cover off. We go out for the day, back in the evening. Hot tub then feels fairly warm and we manage 15 minutes before shivering, dc2’s lips turned blue 🥶. Reception is closed by this point so I can’t do anything.

This morning I go up as soon as reception is open as tell them hot tub is still not hot. She says she’ll send someone round. We go out for the morning. Come back at lunchtime and it’s still not hot. Go to reception again. She says that someone has been round and confirmed that it’s been checked, there’s nothing wrong with it, that it’s at the maximum temperature of 38.9. I don’t know what hot tub temperatures normally are but it simply isn’t warm enough to sit in. Reception has just sent another person round who has looked at it and said that it’s set to 38.9, can’t do it any higher, it probably just feels cold because of the outside temperature (it’s overcast but not cold here today). No one has an external thermometer to check it’s the temperature that the hot tub claims it is. Last hot tub person put their hand in and said that it definitely wasn’t cold but it didn’t feel like it was as hot as it should be, probably because I kept lifting the lid to feel it and letting the heat out 🤔

There’s nothing they can do, as far as they are concerned the hot tub is working fine. I had envisioned evenings sitting reading in the tub once dc were in bed with a glass of wine and instead I’m having to sit in the tiny bath doing it, which would be more comfortable at home. I’m so upset that I’ve spent this money on this holiday and that I’m being told that there’s nothing wrong with it. I know the hot tub is only a small part of most people’s holidays but it’s the sole reason I spent this amount of money on a shorter holiday.

AIBU? Should I continue to complain or will I seem like I’m overreacting?

They are completely gaslighting you! I'm so angry on your behalf. A 38 degree horrible is completely obviously hot, not luke warm.

I’m looking forward to you taking them on and winning. Good luck!

At 38 degrees there should be steam coming out when you wave your hand in the water. When it's 39 I feel a bit dizzy when exiting as it's such a temp shock to get back in the cold. No way is yours at the right temperature.

Love a hot tub in a holiday property and would be very disappointed if one wasn’t working during a stay.

I usually have to lower hot tubs to 37 /38 so the kids can use them and not get too hot so yours defo isn’t getting to that temperature, there must be something wrong.

We’ve arrived at properties and there has been notices saying the temperature may not be fully up upon arrival as it was emptied earlier in the day, but it’s never actually been an issue I’ve just assumed they do it to cover themselves.

I’d defo be complaining asking for an alternative lodge (probably none available though) and if they can’t do that big discount.

It's a hot tub, not a tepid tub. Did any of the staff put their hands in the water to test the temperature? Surely they would notice by "feel" that the guage is not registering the correct temp.

I hope you get some redress, or the tub fixed.

I’d ask the lodge next to you if you can feel the temperature of their water.
You’ll be able to tell straight away if it’s vastly different.

If it is I’ll be demanding you move lodges and getting a partial refund because the reason you paid extra was to have the hot tub.

I went to a lodge in March and the tub was 38. Went in it the first night and stayed in until it switched off automatically and the temperature only dropped two degrees. So their spiel about you taking the cover off doesn't ring true.
As it gets dark you should see steam coming off the water if you lift the cover at 38.9.

@lunchNstuff she put her hand in and said that it wasn’t cold. I said I knew it wasn’t cold but it also wasn’t hot. She claimed that was because I’d kept lifting the lid to check the temperature and that was stopping it from getting to 38 degrees.

Staying at Forest of Dean.

Did you get a thermometer OP?

Sorry posted that too soon - to be fair the staff are all trying to be as helpful as they can. As far as they’re concerned there’s nothing wrong though and I’m making a fuss about nothing.

Annoyingly the local pharmacy only had electric thermometers. There’s a building supply shop too they might have thermometers (?), I’ll give it a go tomorrow. It’s still not hot. It’s not cold either though. I’d say it’s like sitting in a town lido kind of temperature - there is obviously some heating going on but it’s not comfortable to sit in.

Have you thought about tweeting about it? That often gets their attention...

I would go and ask one of the neighbours if you can check theirs. If yours is different I would complain again.

We stayed in a Forest Holidays lodge last winter and we were warned when we arrived mid-afternoon that the hot-tub might not be up to temperature until later that evening. We went in after dinner and it was hot! A bit too hot in fact, and there was no way to turn it down. It snowed that week and we were in and out it often and it maintained its slightly too hot temperature the whole time. It definitely sounds like yours is faulty. I would visit reception, ask to speak to the manager and not go away until they've agreed to find a thermometer to verify the temperature. Even if they manage to fix it tomorrow I would still be demanding a partial refund. You've paid a premium price for a lodge with a hot tub and you've been given a tepid tub. There's some useful advice from Citizens Advice on their advice pages: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/holiday-cancellations-and-compensation/claim-compensation-for-a-holiday/

Sorry but the staff are not doing their best to help you! They’re bare face lying about it being warm! I can’t believe you’re not more cross over this. I would be raising hell until they moved me to another lodge.

My PIL's set there to 38 and it feels like a warm bath. There's is outside. Definitely sounds broken if you can't stay in for more than 15 minutes

I know, I’m such a pushover. They’re all really young though and I feel mean going on about it when I can see that they’re going through their checklist and as far as they can see it’s not an issue. I’d like to ask them to sit in it and see if they find it a pleasant experience where they’d be happy to spend an evening.

Honestly, just ask to move. At least try and salvage what’s left of your break.

Forest of Dean? That was the home of the cummy cushions and no refund.

I know it doesn't help you now but we went to a caravan and then a lodge on the Hoburne Park Holiday Park near Highcliffe/Mudeford on the south coast earlier this year that had hot tubs outside some caravans and in the gardens of the lodges and it was amazing. Not the same amount of activities but the beach is walking distance and the caravan prices are really reasonable (the lodges are more expensive!).

I would recommend it if you are looking to book another holiday! You can drive to the new forest for activities etc

@LookWhosInsideAgain oh, I've been there several times and never experienced bad service.
Definitely try and speak to a manager and make a complaint. Hopefully you'll get a refund cause they aren't cheap to stay in and one of the draws is definitely a hot tub

I thought this would be Forest Holidays. We hired an inflatable hot tub at home last weekend. Filled it with cold water on Wednesday evening and it was an enjoyable 38degrees by Thursday evening. It was pleasant to be in and none of us felt cold. It sounds like yours may well be set to the appropriate temperature on the controls but it can't be reaching it if your child's lips are blue. Personally I'd be asking for the General Manager to come and feel the water / bring a thermometer with them to test the temperature themselves rather than saying what it is set to. Taking the lid of briefly will not cause the temperature to plummet. Also get on twitter / Facebook to complain, this approach tends to result in quicker action in my experience.

Go to the other hot-tub lodges and ask if you can feel the temperature in theirs.

Buy a thermometer at pharmacy.

Post on Tripadvisor that the hot tub is unusable cold, with the dates.

Don't buy a thermometer. Ask to use theirs.

Have you asked to speak to the duty manager? I would insist on speaking to them tomorrow as otherwise it will be too late. Get them to put their hand in and honestly say if it feels like 37.5 degrees. Tell them the hot tub is unusable and you expect a 50% refund.