AIBU - shouldn’t be woken up by hotel staff at dawn every day?

[ICantGetNoSleepHere]

Name changed for this. I work away from home twice a month and generally use one particular hotel chain, which over the years I’ve found to offer comfortable beds and security for a lone female traveller at decent prices (if booked in advance). I’ve paid £185.a night of that is relevant.

I’m staying in one I haven’t stayed in before - this is my third night. On each night, at 4:20am one of the bedroom doors near me has slammed shut. (You know how most hotel rooms now have those auto close features and this one has heavy doors.). It’s very loud and has woken me. It takes me ages to get back to sleep. (I can’t wear earplugs as they cause me to get ear infections.)

The first time it happened I just figured it was a careless guest leaving for a flight but when it happened again last night I figured it must be a staff member, most likely their breakfast chef. I mentioned it to reception, who initially denied it but eventually admitted that their breakfast chef sleeps in for the first part of the week. I asked them to ask them to be/ bit more careful with letting their door slam as it must disturb a number of guests.

It’s just happened for the third time. WIBU to email the manager in hopes they can resolve it? I’m due to stay here again in a fortnight as it’s near a conference I am attending but I honestly feel sick at having had so little sleep during this stay. (I have a demanding job and didn’t get back to the hotel till about 11:30pm last night. I closed my door very carefully so as not to disturb other guests so I know it is possible to come and go with very little noise at all.). I can’t remember the last time I had to complain at a hotel and this isn’t about compensation or anything like that, but for this amount of my employer’s money per night I feel that I should be able to expect the kitchen staff not to wake me at dawn! AIBU?

I wouldn't stay there again if you think the staff may be being petty with you after your complaint. Cancel and find another hotel.

Where did you leave your hair stuff?

On the desk, but the tools were put neatly and the bottles were all standing when I left.

YANBU - it's literally like 5 seconds out of their day to ensure the door closes quietly.

Honestly, I think your belongings being interfered with and left in a mess is worse than the door slamming.
I think this hotel employs some petty, childish staff.

Really does not matter where you stay, there can be noise and inconsistant room service.
Even leaving a polite note does not always work as staff may not be native/local language speakers.
Does not matter if the hotel costs €50 or €500 a night.

Stay elsewhere next time.

Would a room change help OP? Maybe demand this

Agree.

Hotel noise was an almost constant problem in the airline world - bins being rattled/collected at back of hotel in the early hours, service doors banging etc.

It was sometimes possible for Unions to veto use of certain floors (e.g near street level), veto use of rooms near lift doors etc, sadly a solo traveller doesn't have that leverage.

You have more problems than a door being slammed shut.
I would not return if my stuff is being deliberately messed with.

Get your employer to pay for staying somewhere else.

Cost is irrelevant, if they are doing things because of revenge at a complaint, that is completely unacceptable.

Don’t eat breakfast…

This is shockingly petty. I would not stay here again!

Travel for work too OP and I would not be staying here again.

Definitely complain to the staff and most definitely leave a review on Google, maybe show that picture. They are being wankers.

As an ongoing user of this hotel chain contact head office. I would certainly cancel any upcoming trips (through head office, without charge) and demand a full refund as every night of your trip was disturbed this time.

Either use another chain/sister nearby, or switch scheme and use your points on your next holiday.

I think it’s my third or fourth time of saying this, but that was my last night here.

I choose the hotel. I usually stay in a couple of others but needed to be on the other side of town.

If this is a chain hotel can you find a different hotel in the chain to stay at? That way you still get the benefits without having to deal with such petty childish behaviour from the staff.

Edited you posted that you do this usually but need to be in that area this time.

Hotel doors have to be fire doors by law and that means they must have a self closing mechanism which will close and latch the door from any angle. (Also useful for security when you leave the room. Not so useful if you’re locked out!)

BUT there is no need for them to slam to latch reliably. With they have the wrong size closer or a badly adjusted closer in it.

Doors can also be better acoustically sealed.

Badly designed doors are a pet (and a professional) peeve of mine in case you didn’t notice. I’m a very fascinating woman!

Definitely ask to move rooms when you next book/check in. I normally ask for a quiet room, which often means higher floors and being tucked away at the end of a corridor.

Assume you travel with ear plugs? If not, keep some handy.

And I feel for you. Work travel is not glamorous, sleep is never as good as at home, rooms with very little natural daylight and poor lighting drive me nuts (clearly all hotel designers are male and never have to do makeup first thing), and food options mixed depending on where you are located.

Humans are also capable of using the door handle to close the door silently - I did it myself last night. Just takes a tiny bit of car. Someone that stays in the hotel weekly knows the doors are noisy if they close independently. It’s arsehole behaviour.

I’m on the top floor in a corner.

I did say in the OP that I can’t wear ear plugs, unfortunately. I do sometimes sleep with background sound on but it won’t cover a noise like a door slamming.

I’d be choosing a different hotel! Not acceptable for your personal belongings to be meddled with by anyone! Very unprofessional way to run a business IMO!

Absolutely no way would I stay there again after my belongings were tampered with.
Staff that petty will have likely looked up your upcoming bookings and remember you next time too.
I second the toothbrush change.