Hotel housekeeping should keep a supply of sanitary products.

[HappyDaze23]

I’m at a nice hotel (4*) on a work trip. Mix of mostly corporate and a few holiday clients. Got up for a wee in the night and was surprised to find I’d started my period a few days early and of course I hadn’t packed my moon cup. As I don’t use tampons I’m out of the habit of carrying spares.

I checked the hotel room info: ‘housekeeping are here to provide for your every comfort’. If you need a shaving or dental kit etc and a few things were listed. So I called them. First I had to repeatedly explain what I was looking for to the chap at reception- sanitary products, ladies sanitary products, tampax/tampons and then suggested that he asked a female colleague as they would explain. The poor guy then called back to explain they don’t typically have any but they did have some left over from a wedding guest basket that I could have. He brought them up and of course I really appreciated him doing that but AIBU to think that if they can produce a shaving kit (for a man, I think we can reasonably assume) then really they should consider having tampons/towels available for when a female guest has an emergency?

Weirdly my DH ends up using the sewing kit a lot.

I’ve only used it once at a friend’s wedding. The brides dress zipper was gaping (the little flap that covered the zipper) so I tacked it down with a few stitches.

😁
"The Hyatt is proud to protect you"

Has anyone ever used the sewing kit?

Strangely, I was travelling last month and needed one! I asked reception (Travelodge) and the woman looked at me sideways. I explained I was aware they weren't in the rooms, but wasn't sure if they kept any at reception. She directed me to the shop around the corner. Fair enough I thought.

HA ! I think it could catch on you know someone should tell lord sugar feature it in the apprentice 😃

I agree OP especially when like you say it's possi to get a shaving kit. That's not an essential but sano is.

I always intend to replace my bag stash but every now and then I forget. A few weeks ago I have one pad to DD then the next day the second one I had to a student before and exam (I'm an invigilator). Intended to restock my bag and this thread has reminded me I hadn't!

I'd have thought most of the female staff would be able to "help out" in an emergency.

The only time I was ever caught shortbwas when ds had annemergency admission to hospital and my period started unexpectedly. I went to the nursing station for help and was met with "I guess you might be able to get one from maternity, they're in the other wing". I had a distressed 6 year old who would have been very upset if I'd not been there if he woke.

To this day I find it incomprehensible that not not one of six nurses was able to be helpful and check their handbag, locker for me. They were definitely not overworked as they had been squealing at the desk about "stuff" for at least an hour. In similar circumstances I'd have proactively helped another woman in an emergency even if it wasn't on my job description.

Another way you may be caught short is you have a few in your bag for emergencies ... when away n a hotel you experience heavy period flooding for the first time in many years and use those 2/3 pads up over a few hours - then what do you do?

Jesus cut women some slack

I'm surprised! It's happened to me a few times mostly at conference hotels, and front desk normally have them. They normally have toothbrushes too. I've never asked about spare underpants or deodorants though, that's a step too far. Can you tell I'm a bit scatty?

Christ on a bike. A woman occasionally forgets san pro and it's because we need a better system apparently

I'm just wondering how on earth women coped a couple hundred years ago maybe having to go a whole day without changing the rag they used to use . I mean some of them used to work from morning to night , it must have been awful .

Was there not a dispenser in any of the bathrooms near reception

Don't you think the receptionist might have mentioned it if there was?

You do need a better system. Then you won't forget things!

How the heck does someone occasionally forget something for something that happens (on average) once a month?

Christ on a bike indeed.

As I said above, this thread has served to remind me to pack stuff for a trip next week. I haven't had a period for 10 months, so yes, it might still happen please no but it's really not something I think about a great deal these days.

I run a holiday let and always make sure there are tampons & pads in the bathroom cupboard. Sometimes nature throws you a curve ball at 1am, not a nice predicament to find yourself in.

@Scalottia
I'm peri menopause and have periods only occasionally now and as explained and in common with many things in life , while I'm prepared 99% of the time sometimes it catches me out of I've forgotten to replenish my purse.

However if over the course of our menstruating years all women (c. 50% of the population) are occasionally caught out then I think if hotels can supply men with a razor it won't cost much to also supply the occasional tampon.

I'm much in awe of yourself however and the fact that are prepared for any of life's eventualities all of the time. Go you.

I'm much in awe of yourself however and the fact that are prepared for any of life's eventualities all of the time.

I have a friend like this. She takes a large backpack for even the shortest outing.
I am more of a "don't panic they have shops in xyz" because I am NOT organised and leave things to the last minute (I do good stuff under pressure though), so I am thankful to venues for kindly thinking that people might get caught short. It must be common otherwise there would be no market for vending machines in loos.

@Scalottia I plan ahead effectively 99.9% of the time. I travel extensively, and this hasn’t ever happened to me before in a 20 year professional career and 44 years on this planet, on holiday or at home. Usually it’s possible to pop to a shop etc but on this one occasion, I had no options available to me. Things can catch us all out every now and again when we’re busy, active people juggling a full and hectic life!

My career has been built on planning and executing extremely detailed and complex projects. I promise you I’m competent at it!

Completely agree!
If they can stock shaving kits, they can stock sanitary products too!

I stayed in a very posh 5* hotel in the middle of nowhere about 15 years ago because I was attending an event there. I had a nightmare period and soaked through all the sanpro I'd packed (and I'd packed plenty). At midnight I asked reception if they had anything I could buy/use. They couldn't help and said there was nowhere they could think of to buy any. I felt very sorry for the housekeeping staff who had to change the room.

Sanpro isn't just for the woman - it's protects the furnishings of any business that you need to spend time in. If a man is unable to shave then the only impact is on him. If a hotel can't provide sanpro then they have to live with the consequences. It's a stupid business decision not to have it available.

The hotel either considers how they can help their guests, who might be caught short or forgotten things ie tooth brush, toothpaste, shaving kit, sanitary products etc

And so "considers their every comfort "

Or they don't.
And they take the @Scalottia approach where everyone needs a better system and should take more personal responsibility and not expect the hotel to "bail them out".
And thus they would provide nothing at all.

What they're doing here, is ONLY " providing for the comfort" of menz. Doing a half and half job. And frankly I'd rather improvise on cleaning my teeth or have an unshaven companion than not have period protection if I needed it.

Clearly it's been designed and run by a man. Who hasn't even got the where withall to realise that the sanitary protection actually protects, cough, the hotel's mattresses and sheets. So they are doing themselves a favour.

So how are razors and shaving cream a man only product?

I always kept a few in my wash bag. They might not have got used, but they remained in my wash bag, along with a toothbrush and toothpaste in between trips.
That way, they never got forgotten and they were there if needed.

My daughter had similar in New York. Hotel advised if you’ve forgotten anything just give us a call - mentioned shaving kit and toothpaste but had no towels or tampons. Was especially difficult as apparently only drug store sell them in US - not like here where every corner shop or 24hour garage would have a least a small selection. Receptionist managed to find something from a member of staff, but I thought the same - I am sure a man could miss shaving for a night or two but no thought for women who might have a untimely period