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)

YANBU and they have no business dictating the intimate affairs of your relationship and advising you what you shoukd and should not do regarding intimacy.

Before anyone comes at me - seeing another person go to the toilet is intimate.

They should have offered to tape up the glass with opaque sheeting, profusely apologised and paid for your dinner.

Who the hell thought this would be a good idea? Any hotel with stupid features like this wouldnt get my money even in a regular room. What's wrong with a proper separate room for the bathroom?

Why should you have to?

ha, was just going to say this (about the article). I really hate this stupid loo-in-room trend.

I agree, who wants to see your partner shit? Even if it was something you are comfortable doing as a couple, the specifics actually don't matter - they booked a room with a specific set up, part of it was broken = the hotel didn't deliver on their promise. It doesn't really matter if it was the loo lights, the tv or minibar, the hotel didn't deliver what they advertised.

Saying that, if there wasn't a room free there wasn't much they could do, but they should have been a bit more apologetic and essentially given OP the option to either stay with a fairly significant reduction/free stay at another date, or tell them if they didn't want to stay they'd get a full refund. From a reputation and financial POV (how likely were they to sell the room again that night if OP didn't stay?) the first option would be more beneficial for everyone.

I can’t believe the first few posters on here.

im no prude but talk about a massive turn off. Yes we all poo but there’s no need bring it to the forefront of your partners mind…. Or vision for that matter. New or established partner.

expecting privacy in the bathroom is non negotiable in my opinion. I’d have been weirded out by glass anyway. Even if no one’s in there who needs to see an unoccupied toilet from any living space.

i would still be demanding a full refund. Else write a very factual review on their website / google. Keep emotions out of it.

I don't think you're being unreasonable either. What a weird concept, I've never seen or heard of it. I've been with my partner 9 years, there's no part of each other we haven't seen but I don't want him to watch me on the toilet, or vice versa.

Total no no from me too. My other half would have insisted on our money back!

Full refund needed. They were useless in trying to compensate you with free drinks wtaf?!

Off topic sorry OP-those of you who actively avoid these rooms, how do you do this? Tripadvisor reviews I assume? I have only stayed in old inns or premier inns recently but for future I want to be able to fully avoid anything like this!?

I stayed in a hotel with a bathroom like this, but the toilet was in it's own cubicle, which makes more sense. I would also be asking for a refund

I don't see what else they could have done at the time if no rooms were available, but I would have expected a significant refund.

Ridiculous response from the hotel, they should be refunding you in full. I remember arriving at a hotel with a fairly new partner and the shower, bath and sink were all in the bedroom. Fortunately the toilet was fully enclosed or we would have been asking to move rooms. It seems such an odd set up and is unfortunately becoming more common.

Meh, I don’t really know what you want if the hotel is full, a full refund mentioned above seems excessive and it’s kind of up to you what you made of the night away rather than letting the toilet spoil things.

Personally, I couldn’t care. When (now) DH and I went on our first holiday we both got hit with dodgy stomachs at some point so spent a lot of time in the bathroom, which meant that one wonderful day I had to stand and pee in the shower next to him as he couldn’t get off the toilet to let me pee. 20
years on it’s not done us any harm.

They should’ve offered you more compensation than a drink, but if the hotel was full they just couldn’t move you.

YANBU. I absolutely hate this bizarre trend in hotels. I work in travel and was once chatting to one hotel manager lamenting that they’d lost all their corporate business overnight when some genius at head office approved glass box bathrooms during a refurb. Colleagues at big conferences typically shared rooms, and of all the many many people you don’t want to see shower / take a shit, a colleague has to be close to the top of the list!

This is a fresh hell to be considered when sharing a hotel room. I try to avoid any mention of glass bathroom walls (I'm single so if I'm sharing it will be with a DD or a friend) but the thought of the opaque-button not working fills me with utter horror.

Surely these can't be cheaper to fit than, say, a wall and door?

You are not wrong OP. If they couldn't fix the opacity then the HOTEL should have suggested a work-around to suit you, whether that's sticking something over the window or finding a screen to block the view.

Awful, awful trend.

I agree.

Married, but absolutely no want to see or be seen on the toilet.

There was an article on my newspage (can't remember which newspaper) about this being common now. I realise it probably means the hotel can save money but I would have thought pretty much everyone would hate it. Even the rooms with a bath stuck in the middle with no divide aren't great-not all people who share a room are in a romantic relationship. And I'd have got i a lot of trouble if I'd been so dismissive of a guest (when I worked as a receptionist years ago).

Urgh, this would be a nightmare scenario. YWNBU to complain and I suggest you take it up with them re their poor response.

YANBU. DH and I have been together for 15 years. He's seen me give birth and helped me in the aftermath so yes he definitely has seen it all before but still, no I don't want him to have a window seat to me using the loo.

I'd be asking for a refund.

Why do hotels do this? I’ve stayed in a number recently. One had a glass door, the other had no door - you couldn’t see in from the room but could hear noises, another had a gap around the bathroom door so it didn’t close properly. If I book the hotel I always give it a bad review if there’s any of this nonsense.

I can't see the loo in there? But I wouldn't be keen on a set up where one is using the toilet with an audience. The shower wouldn't bother me as presumably we've seen eachother nude. But not in the act of doing a poo?!

The website Bring Back Doors is compiling a list of hotels that are safe, and those that are bad, in this respect

I was in a good hotel in Belgrade for a wedding in July. Fortunately, I was on my own. The loo in the room was very similar to that, but with no way of making the glass opaque.

The maintenance man's response was unacceptable, that to me is the real issue, a lack of diplomacy at best. I'm sure the hotel was full.

My non-legal opinion is that I have no idea whether you could argue lack of expected privacy as reason say for a refund. I am sure the hotel if they have twin rooms have people stay who share but are not in any kind of relationship.