People looking round our hotel room?

[Randomchat]

Staying in a lovely 5* hotel for 2 nights. Total treat, it's lovely.

Yesterday we went out for the day. Came back around 3pm and there were hotel staff in our room showing people around. They wanted to book the place for a wedding. They were right in the room, the woman was in the bathroom looking around. The man had opened the wardrobe.

I asked them immediately to leave and they did but they took their time about it, actually standing by the door commenting on how the room was a bit small. I nearly had to push them out and close the door.

We spoke to the reception staff later and they said it's common to let people look around occupied hotel rooms.

Really? Is this common? Right in the room opening wardrobes, not just putting their heads round the door for a quick look?

We got offered a free drink to compensate.

It's still bugging me this morning. I want to go to reception and make clear to them that no-one is to go in our room. Dh says I'm making a fuss. Cleaners go in there every day so this is no different.

I'm interested to hear if this is indeed normal and I'm over-reacting by being bothered by it?

I'll be wondering all day if someone is looking round our bedroom.

I would be furious and wouldn’t settle for less than a refund. I would be also be furious if it happened in a Premier Inn, but you would think 5* establishments would seek to attract people for whom privacy might be a particular consideration like minor (or not) celebs or business people where information gathered from entering a room could be pretty valuable.

Thats appalling and it remotely standard practice

I’d be furious. It’s a major breach of security and privacy. I can’t understand why you’re protecting the hotel by not naming them though. Especially as breaches of hotel security have been in the press recently.

Absolutely not acceptable

I worked in a hotel and no way would this ever be allowed
also just a bit weird, if you wanted to show off a room surely you’d show off a clean and tidy and empty one not one with the risk of someone else’s stuff everywhere (OP might well have nice taste, but it’s not the point)

I am seething on your behalf OP!

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a five star hotel or a premier inn - you’ve paid for a private room and didn’t get it. At the very least I’d want every penny of my stay refunded, and compensation for the shock, worry and stress you have endured…on top of which you’d have had no recourse if something had been stolen. The hotel have shown a lack of duty of care and indeed basic common sense.

I once had a disturbed night in a four star (not that the rating matters). Like you OP, I then endured an attempted fob off the following morning. I took it to the general manager who immediately withdrew any charge for both my room and my friend’s separate room. My friend was delighted as she’d been in a separate part of the hotel which was disturbance free!

Refund one night due to the hotel being responsible for the stress involved on discovering strangers in the room you have paid for.

Well done for finding another manager to talk to about it op!

I would have hated this too!

I would make sure to put in a written complaint. Also ask for the name and contact details of the regional manager so that you can let them know what happened and make a formal complaint. The cheek of them. At the very least they should offer you a voucher for another stay. BTW, keep using the term 'Formal Complaint' as that freaks folks out for some reason. Hope the manager has spoken to you by now.

I would be fuming! Yes cleaners do go in but they are employed by the hotel to do a specific job, thats totally different. When we go away (as we are next week for 10 nights) we expect, other than the staff, for that room to be our private space while we're there- thats what you pay for! I would feel really disrespected by the hotel if this was me and then also to be told its common practice...!No thankyou!

No I would react very badly to someone being shown around my room when I was not there. Many personal things- underwear, business papers or anything else could have been on display. I would complain in writing.

It has spoilt the whole stay so the whole stay should be refunded.

We spoke to the reception staff later and they said it's common to let people look around occupied hotel rooms.

I worked in a hotel when I was younger and believe me, it's really not!

When I looked around our wedding venue, we couldn’t look at the wedding suite as someone was staying there so they showed me their pre prepared photo album of it. It is not common practice, at all. I’d be furious.

I remember once, I can’t remember why, asking to see the rooms in the hotel. I was told that they were all occupied so we couldn’t go. Completely fair enough.

The receptionist was probably involved in allowing it so was seeking to minimise it.

Former front desk manager, 5* hotels, 17 years service checking in! Absolutely not normal, they 100% should not be doing this.

I’d be irritated more than livid/ annoyed, it’s not like your home where you’re likely to have personal effects thrown about, if you’re only there a day or two you’ve minimal stuff. It’s silly they wouldn’t show them an unoccupied, pristine room though!!

Sounds like it was unauthorised and maybe a rogue employee with a side hustle?

So glad that the other manager was horrified and has said it’s not usual. Bloody outrageous!! Surely this is what photos and floor plans are for?

The hotel AND the visitor taking bloody liberties there!

100% refund,nothing less

I find it very odd that a person would even contemplate going into an occupied room to see if it met their requirements. Could be accused of all sorts, not to mention the sheer brazenness of doing such a thing. But the bottom line is with the hotel.

I'd look for a refund for that day's stay at the very least.

If that manager has any sense he'll comp you a free 2x night stay, to ensure good customer service and feedback.

Fuck! That’s a MASSIVE security breach. How dare they? Obviously anything could have been stolen, but also what if they have hidden cameras or trackers? Be very careful about using WiFi or Bluetooth in this room. I wouldn’t do any banking, that’s for sure.

Well done for not just accepting it. That's totally beyond what is acceptable, even if it was a Premier Inn.

Most people keep valuables, and often very private items inside their hotel rooms while they are out for the day. Nobody other than a cleaner or essential maintenance should be entering that room. I'm interested to see what the manager responds with.