To request my complimentary stay after all these years

[ElsieandMavis]

I had a really disappointing stay at a hotel about 10 years ago. When I complained to the manager, she was really apologetic and offered me a complimentary 3 night stay as a gesture of goodwill and to give them the opportunity to show me the usual quality of their product.

For various reasons, I never went back to her to arrange the complimentary stay.

AIBU to contact her now after 10 years to redeem my freebie? If so, how should I word the email request? I’ve checked that the same manager is still in charge at the hotel.

What do you mean by that?

i mean how do people live such sheltered lives that they think this is ok. Or normal. Or reasonable.

I’m embarrassed for you.

We've had a pandemic which paused plans for ages. Throw in kids/work commitments and yeah time passes

the pandemic started 6 years after her stay…

I think you got the wrong thread, OP, I think you wanted the "what's the cheekiest thing... " thread. You didn't need to start a new one. 😂

Reply to the email saying you didn't want to take them up on their offer too soon in case they hadn't had time to improve the service.

"I feel that you've now had time to make the changes that were needed, and I'd like to take you up on your kind offer of a complimentary stay"

Go for it. If by some miracle you get this, you’ll be extremely famous within the hotel. All staff will know you. You won’t ever have to tell them your room number or name as they will automatically know both.

It will be like being properly famous, but without any of the kudos or benefits.

You haven’t been interested until now, so why bother asking now?

Be honest and say something like:
I was given a complimentary stay (etc) in 2014 (and explain a bit) For various reasons I've been unable to take it up, so I'm now going to to be very cheeky and ask if I can still claim it.

Please do this! I once had a mum at school reply to a party invite message a whole year later, what’s another nine? 😀
Im quite invested in this now and really hope you get your stay.

Only way I can see this happening is for you to email that you’re intending to visit the hotel in any case, and you remembered their kind offer. Simply ask what they can do for you? You might get a good deal and save face too.

😂😂😂

If it was a birthday party presumably she just timed it for the next one 🤣

Definitely do it op. If you didn’t have it in writing that would be a completely different matter. Enjoy

...but....

I think that must have been the plan!

Can we all stop standing around musing over this and get that email sent. I've had such a crap day, I could do with a laugh.

In that case offer to pay the difference in price from what it was 10 years ago

I'm still holding a grudge against the Foley Arms in Great Malvern after they fucked up our wedding night. Said they'd send us a case of wine as a sorry. Still waiting for that wine 43 years later... 😂

(I've only named them because I did a drive by last year and saw they were now a Spoons so nothing to do with them anymore)

Dear Hotel,

I refer you to the email below. Ten years ago I had a life-changing experience in your hotel. As you probably know, it’s been the subject of several books, podcasts and a short TV pilot.

The long campaign for my release having been successful, I’m now finally in a position to put right all that was wrong, so many years ago. I’d like to finally take up the complementary stay. This will be a shock I know, and I hope you can take this in the spirit in which it is meant.

There is nothing to fear. I arrive on 7th August.

What happened first time around that was so bad it warranted a complimentary three night stay?

You might as well ask…perhaps they may give you 1 night as a goodwill gesture, or maybe they’ll give you nothing but I’m sure they could do with a laugh too 😂

I feel invested now!

interesting dilemma!

It’s the kind of thing that would make the local paper or potentially go slightly viral on social media, so I smart hotel manager would go for it.

You kind of have nothing to lose by asking. If they agree, tip lavishly!

I think you would need to either have been in a coma or abducted by aliens for ten years to not sound like a cheeky fucker tbh.

You are Alan Partridge and you want to go back to the Linton Travel Tavern for your freebie after the head receptionist biffed you in utter frustration.