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)

So you’d be happy having a poo in full view of someone you’ve not even spent the night with?
How very progressive of you.

We had one of these set ups in one of the hotels on our honeymoon. We didn't mind, and nowadays in our late 30s/early 40s it would just be 'oh, okay'. But I can absolutely see why others would mind and there my absolutely be a way of blocking it. I'd definitely be pushing for some kind of refund, partly for the situation and partly for the way it was handled.

My DH has seen me deliver 3 babies. I have used toilets in front of those 3 babies and now in front of grandchildren. I have accompanied other adults to the toilet and assisted them with clothing. I'm still not going to pay for a hotel room where the bathroom is not as private as it is supposed to be. The hotel's attitude was unreasonable.

no thanks!!

If this a common fault then I’d expect maintenance to hold that part in their stock.

sounds horrendous.

Why? Who wants to see their partner poop

That's good for you come back to me when you're in your 40's and had to deal with burying your child then your mother in law a few months later and then your beloved 12 year old pet in quick succession add to that severely hemmoraging 3 days after giving birth to 1 of your kids and nearly dying. If I had not let my partner see me to help me I would not still be alive that puts all the rest of the minor inconveniences into perspective.

Your situation is entirely different. This is the first time that the OP has spent the night together with her boyfriend. It's totally understandable that she would want some privacy in the bathroom. I certainly didn't want to open my bowels in full view of my now DH when we first spent the night together.

Op

here is an AI complaint letter for the matter, I had no idea it didn't meet the consumer act? is that correct?

[Your Address]
[Your Phone Number/Email]
[Date]
[Hotel Manager's Name (if known, otherwise "Hotel Manager")]
[Hotel Name]
[Hotel Address]
Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Room [Number] – Privacy and Maintenance Issues
Dear [Manager's Name or Sir/Madam],
I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction with the accommodation provided during my stay from [Check-in Date] to [Check-out Date] in room [Number].
Specifically, the frosted glass partition/door in the bathroom did not function as intended. Instead of providing the necessary privacy, the glass remained [transparent / insufficiently opaque / clear at the bottom], which resulted in a significant and uncomfortable invasion of privacy for the duration of the stay.
This issue was reported to [Staff Name] at the front desk on [Date/Time], but [it was not rectified / no alternative room was provided]. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, services must be provided with reasonable care and skill. A bathroom that lacks basic visual privacy fails to meet the standard of quality reasonably expected from a hotel of your caliber.
The lack of privacy caused considerable [distress / embarrassment / inconvenience] to my [family/partner/self], detracting from the enjoyment of our stay.
To resolve this matter, I am seeking [choose one: a partial refund of XX% / a voucher for a future stay / a full refund for one night] as compensation for the substandard facilities.
I look forward to your response and a proposed resolution within 14 days.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]

So you let that ruin your first night together .......I do get it but surely you could have said please turn the other way so I can use the toilet if that was your concern.......showering or bathing together would have been romantic

I have been married for 20 years. At home, everything goes, and we have seen EVERYTHING there is to see. However, in a fledgling relationship, specifically the first hotel stay, ESPECIALLY on Valentine’s Day, no. Absolutely not.

That's fair enough but the OP still had a bit of an over reaction in my opinion. What did she want the outcome to be seeing as the hotel was fully booked and no other rooms spare? The OP's options are to stay put and the hotel should offer some form of compensation which at the time they did they offered free drinks vouchers obviously the OP wasn't happy with that. The other option for OP was try and see if they can get lucky and see if any other hotels in the area have any rooms free. There was no need for a big drama and making a song and dance about it. Lastly if the OP would have read all the the reviews and not just the shiny new ones at the top she could have then know upfront about this problem by the sounds of it seeing as she has found a review to do with this problem of only they'd have seen this before booking.

no she isn’t!

I’ve lived with my OH almost 10 years and not a chance in hell I’m shitting or pissing in front of him.

@Catcooper25uki feel that you are missing the point.

Most of us will have had to go through things where we didn’t have much dignity. Whether that’s through illness, childbirth or whatever else. Often there is no other choice with these things.

That doesn’t mean that we aren’t perfectly reasonable to want privacy to go to the toilet.

If anything, for me having been through all of those things has only made me appreciate privacy even more.

People don’t pay lots of money to go to a nice hotel to not even have a bathroom door.

@Catcooper25uk I'm so sorry to hear that your child died.

What’s ridiculous is expecting people to still pay for a room where you have to watch each other have a shite because of a design fault

Aside from couples who might not care (I would), hotel rooms aren’t just for couples. Are you telling me you’d be happy to be able to see your mate or nan having a poo in your peripheral vision?

I am sorry you have been through that but you have no idea what I have been through myself or with my partner, ive been seriously unwell too and my partner had to wipe my bottom for 3 weeks as I was basically disabled. Now I am well, I need privacy for going to the toilet and would really struggle without it

why not do this blah blah blah?
How about the hotel provides hay they’ve said they’re going to provide? I’d hate the roll tbh and would’ve left.
First tile of being away together and you’re supposed to bare all?!

@Letthembewrong I agree with you. My DH has helped me through all sorts of illnesses, and three labours, and seen me at my absolutely worst. If I have a choice, I'm absolutely not choosing to use the toilet in front of him. And I'd find it very humiliating not to have the choice.

My husbands seen this too. He’s also cleaned up after 5 miscarriages. He’s seen everything there is to see. I still wouldn’t have wanted to shit and piss in front of him on our first romantic night away.

Totally agree, 36 years together here and no thanks!

Why’s everyone acting like it’s ok for OPs romantic weekend (that I imagine wasn’t cheap) to be ruined by a hotel’s dodgy technology and badly planned design that thinks making people shit in full vision of their companions Is acceptable?

Shhh this was the only comment they could think of to belittle OP and you’re ruining it!

She should get a refund because the product they were supplying her with was not as described. Duh.

A private bathroom, hope that answers your question. I’m guessing you’ve figured out the daylight issue by now. 😊

Because they get off on belittling people.