To think the hotel were out of order with valentines stay/room?

[Hotelhorror]

I had a night away booked with my boyfriend on Saturday (the first time we had stayed overnight with each other).

It was a modern hotel with a glass window to the bathroom which was supposed to turn opaque when a button was selected. It was apparent this wasn’t working.

We went downstairs to reception to ask for it to be fixed, receptionist said they’d send someone to take a look. Maintenance man came up and said it was a common issue but he didn’t have the part needed (and wouldn’t have it until midweek) so he accompanied us back to reception again saying they’d give us another room.

The receptionist said there was no alternative rooms available as the hotel was full due to valentines and when this happens, couples have ‘seen it all before so just laugh about it’ and enjoy their stay.

I said this wasn’t acceptable and asked for the manager - who did appear from the back office but basically doubled down and said there was nothing they could do. She did offer us a voucher for a drink each in the bar (really!!) as a ‘goodwill gesture’.

As we had traveled some distance we decided to stay, and used the communal loos in the reception area whenever there was a need (luckily there was no need to in the night).

I found them thoroughly dismissive and am awaiting a response to my formal complaint to head office.

AIBU to find these customer service standards appalling?

Image attached of what I mean (this isn’t mine but from another review of same hotel of people unhappy with the set up)

I've been with my husband for over 30 years. He's had to sit in the bathroom when I had a very severe IBS attack as I was passing out. But, that was an emergency and there is no way on God's green earth would I be OK with using the loo in a glass box!!

This. People do all sorts , whilst having sex, involving various orifices (I won't go into details) yet this is a problem? 😂😂😂😂 FFS, close your eyes... Millennials jeezo...

That’s fine if you’ve got a little sitting area! Many hotel rooms don’t.
DH and I have been together for 20 years so I wouldn’t be overly fussed about the opaque glass not working, but on a first night away with a new partner I’d absolutely be using the reception toilets rather than shitting where they could see me through the glass 🤷🏻‍♀️

Exactly this, 💯 %

i was just trying to offer an alternative solution given she couldn’t change her room I didn’t say it was acceptable

I'd be very annoyed. Whether I was staying with a partner or a friend. A hotel is a treat. And privacy is a basic expectation in a bathroom. The whole point of en suites is not having to traipse along the corridor to the bathroom. And you pay for that convenience. Which you only partially got.

Gen X, actually, and judging by some of the responses here, I'm not the only one. Besides, I'm not sure a desire for privacy is necessarily age dependent. 🤔

if you paid by credit card you could contact them for a charge back for the fully price as room was not as described, it had a fault that couldn’t be fixed and no alternative was offered.

The very least they could do is provide some kind of temporary solution. Even taping some paper over it would be better than nothing.
YANBU

Nope, been married going on for 40yrs and I really don't want to see my husband wiping his bum and I'm sure he doesn't want to see me either.

@ThiagoJones That’s fine if you’ve got a little sitting area! Many hotel rooms don’t

I have already explained this to another poster. We were not childish enough to race to the sorting area and look out the window (at external view), everyone someone went into bathroom, be it for toilet or shower. Our bed was right next to bathroom window, as in only tight space to get out that side to exit bed.

So, if sitting in bed, and you even glanced slightly to right you would have seen person in bathroom. Again, we were not childish enough to vacate laying on bed and race to sitting area every time someone used bathroom, we simply solved it by not looking that way until the person reappeared from the bathroom. Sure, you could see peripheral movement out of right side of eye, but unless you turned your head further to the right, that’s all it was, some perception of peripheral movement, not visual detail. So, we didn’t turn our heads accordingly. It was astonishingly easy, and really zero imposition. I just can’t see how we could have turned this into a big deal.

Not quite the same scenario, but I booked a hotel knowing some of the bathrooms didn't have a fully closing bathroom door and just slid across.. I got one of those rooms instead of one with an actual bathroom door I'd been hoping for... Valentine's trip away with partner of about 10 months. I didn't go for a poo until we got home the next day 😂😂😂

No, I would feel exactly the same while sharing a room with my husband. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want the privacy you’ve paid for when having a night away with a new partner for the very first time though.

To be honest it wouldn't really bother me.

They also have these in the twin rooms - not ideal when sharing! I don't need to see and hear a parent or a friend on the loo!

This is something that should be mentioned on the hotel thread running just now

It wouldn't bother me particularly, except inasmuch as I've not got what I paid for.

Having said that, I understand it would bother some people a great deal. And let's be honest, even in a long relationships, there's a difference between: 'I've seen it all before' and 'I'm sure keen to see it again on a romantic weekend away'!

I've been married for over two decades, and DH has seen me poo when I gave birth.

I still have NO desire to that in front of him in a hotel. Or at home.

And most definitely NOT on a romantic getaway.

Sorry if this has already been posted, but I love this woman. She's my hero!

https://www.instagram.com/bring_back_doors/

We had a different issue with a Village hotel. Staff at the time in the hotel were unhelpful to the point of disinterest. However, I complained again afterwards and explained how it affected our stay and got a full refund and offer of another free night on a different date (didn't take them up on this as had no desire to stay there again). So definitely worth a follow up complaint.

Im.in the NO camp as well!
Next week we are staying in a hotel, me, DH and teen son in the same room. Thankfully weve been to the hotel before and I know it has proper doors on the bathroom. I dont want to see anyone else going for a poo, or them see me.

I cant see what the rationale behind it is?
Many many married people or in ltr dont want to see their partner going about their business....but as has been said previously hotel rooms are often shared with friends, colleagues, siblings, parent and child....most of which would be completely inappropriate and an invasion of privacy.

I wouldn't like this but at the end of the day what do you expect the hotel staff to do. They were unable to repair it. They also couldn't give you a other room as the hotel was fully booked. Are you expecting them to evict other guests to give you another room.

By alleans pursue a refund but that's the best you can hope for.

Who would design this bonkers set up? Why does the toilet wall need to ever become non-opaque!

it’s giving prison vibes. not luxury valentines at all yanbu!

YANBU. The glass door into the bathroom is ridiculous for a start, and if for some reason they must build it like that, why not make it out of the most opaque glass? And why couldn't someone in the hotel nip up with some wallpaper and a role of sellotape to cover it up? And why not have the respect to believe a customer when they say that the situation is upsetting, rather than laughing at them?
I feel this is the sort of unpleasant experience that money cannot compensate for, and I doubt that you can force them to pay compensation, but writing a few bad reviews might help you let it go.

I went to a lovely hotel recently which also had a glass window looking into the bathroom!! Thankfully there were blinds I was able to put down. I don't care whether it's a new partner or someone I've been with 10 years.. privacy matters. Not quite sure what the designers are thinking!
I would be complaining too although I understand if there are no other rooms available there isn't much they can do.

No I wouldn’t be happy either and my relationship is anything but new! I wouldn’t mind a pee but for anything else the other would need to leave the room…but I can’t imagine at the start of the relationship saying you will need to go a walk I need a poop…all these years later I don’t care he knows but it’s not a show and would still be inconvenient