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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Hotel lost my children in booking

133 replies

Itsalwaysmeyaknow · 11/03/2025 16:18

AIBU or should they apologise properly? Long I know but it has all the facts…
as a family we recently visited a moderately priced hotel chain near London for 3 nights… booked as 2 adults, 2 children. All booked, double checked the confirmation email, all good. I called weeks ahead to enquire about car park to be told it would be sorted on arrival. Well we didn’t arrive until just before midnight (5 hour drive for us) and car park was locked (fair enough) but a well weathered sign over the intercom saying car park full… panicking a bit I called the hotel, they said they’d check and hung up. A bit confused I called again where they hung up again… a couple of minutes of waiting a member of staff arrived complaining we hadn’t pre booked parking, I explained what I was told previously but he looked annoyed. He checked the car park and let us in (loads of space I might add) and said quite sternly I must pay for parking right away. QR code located to pay for car parking, it would let you progress so far… then error. Tried again, error. So headed to check in where I mentioned the car park as to where another employee pulled out his phone, bought up the app, waved it at me saying what was my problem? It works! I explained you had to progress further through the booking in to which he realised I was actually in fact correct and backed down. Eventually the original staff member then processed my car park manually through the computer. Next problem, booking in seemed to take ages… bear in mind it was now after midnight, a very tired hubby and children, all hanging around in the lobby. Finally got our key, top floor, headed up, no children’s bed or bedding. So back down 10 floors to the lobby and asked the staff why my children’s beds weren’t set up and no bedding, to which his reply was “you only booked a room for 2 adults madam”. Being on the ball I whipped out my phone and showed him my email clearly showing 2 adults and 2 children. He analysed it and then backed down and said he would get some bedding. So at 12.30 am I’m in our hotel room pulling out a sofa bed and making up beds for my kids who were at this point absolutely shattered. Had a weak apology from the staff member who was helping but still felt like he thought I was trying to diddle them. This problem then arose every morning at breakfast and we were being eyeballed for having two children with us when the booking was for only two adult breakfasts. I did question the booking again midway through our break because I was fed up of getting embarrassed in front of staff and other guests having to prove each time that this was not our error, and was told it was a technical glitch. The response from the hotel was extremely limited and offered us preferential accommodation and breakfast on our next visit (this was a once in a blue moon thing for us, definitely no more trips planned for a while)…. But that’s not what I want.. I just want an actual apology for being made to feel the way my family did whilst there. AIBU?

OP posts:
LongDarkTeatime · 15/03/2025 13:44

@Itsalwaysmeyaknow thats appalling
Would anyone on this thread know how to official report Novotel Wembley for breach of fire regulations?
Yes am typing Novotel Wembley name a few times to increase the chance of this thread appearing on searches for reviews
Are you on any social media platforms where you could tag them in an account of what happened?

Itsalwaysmeyaknow · 15/03/2025 13:51

LongDarkTeatime · 15/03/2025 13:44

@Itsalwaysmeyaknow thats appalling
Would anyone on this thread know how to official report Novotel Wembley for breach of fire regulations?
Yes am typing Novotel Wembley name a few times to increase the chance of this thread appearing on searches for reviews
Are you on any social media platforms where you could tag them in an account of what happened?

I feel like they really couldn’t give a fig. I do have fb, and Instagram but private accounts.

OP posts:
LongDarkTeatime · 15/03/2025 14:05

Itsalwaysmeyaknow · 15/03/2025 13:51

I feel like they really couldn’t give a fig. I do have fb, and Instagram but private accounts.

Quick Google turned up this page, may be worth reporting this Novotel Wembley process error you have highlighted to them but they have not reponded appropriately to as it leads to ongoing serious issue undercounting occupants. Critically child occupants.
https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/tell-us-about-a-health-and-safety-issue.htm

It would be polite to email the Novotel CEO to let her/him know as they don’t seem to understand how serious this is you’ve officially reported it. Could also let her/him know that as you again don’t get a direct response about this systemic issue you’ll try and contact them via social media (they don’t know what you do/don’t have).

Tell us about a health and safety issue - Contact HSE

Tell us about a health and safety issue in your workplace, another workplace or a public space.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/tell-us-about-a-health-and-safety-issue.htm

LongDarkTeatime · 15/03/2025 14:07

(can you tell I’m taking no atm? A garage recently risked my life with a mistake and I went all out on them)

ConnieSlow · 15/03/2025 14:10

That’s awful op! Just had a look and they have pretty bad reviews too.

menopausalfart · 15/03/2025 14:15

They're quite highly rated on Tripadvisor. I'd definitely leave a review on there.

AnSolas · 15/03/2025 14:27

LongDarkTeatime · 15/03/2025 13:44

@Itsalwaysmeyaknow thats appalling
Would anyone on this thread know how to official report Novotel Wembley for breach of fire regulations?
Yes am typing Novotel Wembley name a few times to increase the chance of this thread appearing on searches for reviews
Are you on any social media platforms where you could tag them in an account of what happened?

The local fire brigade usually have the power to force closure on unsafe business.
I would expect that they would be a little cross if the hotel has no way of producing a registered guest list. But given the nature of the business they could not rely on it as a guest could bring multiple others into their room.

Shroedy · 15/03/2025 14:41

The health and safety / fire requirements seem like a bit of a red herring. Hotels are not obliged to and could not know who is in the hotel at any given moment - guests are not required to state they are going out, no one would know if a guest is back from dinner / a night out or in bed and you are not required to sign someone coming to visit a hotel guest in and out. There are requirements that a hotel must know they are not over occupancy for fire safety reasons (there will be an overall max number of hotel guests) but a) it can almost be guaranteed that even if every room was occupied at its maximum (including eg additional child beds) it would not breach the maximum allowed and b) although it’s evident that the system used by the breakfast team was not updated following check in it may just not have flowed through and it does not guarantee their core systems did not register the extra two guests once they checked in (it may not but the evidence is not there as it stands).

To be clear, the hotel has provided seriously under par service and the complaint is totally warranted but I wouldn’t be going in all guns blazing on health and safety / fire safety - if there is a breach it is most likely a minor one and focusing that way may just derail the complaint.

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