To Ask For Compensation - Hotel Incident?

[Mummadeze]

Not sure what to do here. Am staying two nights in a hotel with my DD who is 17 and has anxiety and OCD. She is on medication but is easily triggered, especially when hearing arguing. Last night the guests in the room opposite us were being very loud, singing, partying, playing music and smoking. We didn’t complain as we could hear it but could have slept through but the hotel management received several complaints from other guests. The manager came to talk to them, which we could hear clearly (every word) and asked them to pack it in and asked for the guests who weren’t staying in that specific room to return to their room. They were a bit argumentative but apologised and said they would tone it down etc. Anyway, some time later at 11pm ish, the noise levels were the same and the manager came back to tell them off again. We were actually asleep but it was the manager knocking on their door and the argument that ensued that disturbed us and woke us up. This time, they were drunker and abusive to the manager, swearing a lot, arguing nonsensically. My DD got in bed with me and was visibly distressed. To be honest, I didn’t like it either as it sounded like one of the men was going to be physically violent to the hotel manager and it was a bit scary. The manager went away in the end and they went quiet. Although it was unpleasant I think they decided to finally go to sleep. However, past midnight, the police arrived and knocked on the door, waking us up again and it all kicked off with arguing going on for at least 40 minutes whilst they packed up their stuff. At least one of them was arrested and they were all kicked out. Anyway, sorry for the long post but my question is should i complain or ask for some compensation even though it was the guests who were at fault and not the hotel mostly? The experience did ruin our nice night in the hotel. I also think if the police hadn’t been called, it would have been less disruptive in the end, but I do understand why they called them. I feel guilty complaining when it was a horrible experience for the poor manager, but on the other hand, maybe it is my right to given our experience was affected too?

Every day Mumsnet gets this sort of post from some entitled nightmare who decides she’s more important than everyone else and should be paid or get a freebie for some spurious reason.

I wonder what’s going on. Surely there can’t be this many different people who want a free Amazon order/restaurant meal/night in a hotel this badly that they come on here to whinge about it?

I would only ask for compensation if the hotel had itself been at fault, or if I had suffered a cost because of an incident (e.g. damage to property).

I don't see why it would be reasonable to ask a hotel to pay you just because you had a bad time due to guest behaviour that they did all they could to control.

And how would money make things better for you? If you were angry with the hotel for wronging you, then money would seem like a gratifying revenge. But that isn't the situation here.

I’d give it a go if it’s a big corporate chain. If a small independent i’d let it go. Sounds horrible. Poor DD.

This could actually be a great prevention strategy... I've booked to stay at campsites that take "noise" deposits (refunded at the end of the stay as long as guests have respected the policy), it's brilliant for ensuring you get a quiet and peaceful evening. Perhaps hotels should do the same...

The only time I have received a refund in hotel, was when fire alarm went off & evacuated outside.

The hotel dealt with it as effectively as they could. Did you ask to move rooms away from the disturbance? Was there any kind of good sleep guarantee in the terms and conditions?

This.

Don't give it headspace.

I would have been annoyed by this, but it wasn't the hotel's fault and it sounds like they dealt with it reasonably well. I think something like a free breakfast would be appropriate.

It's certainly not the hotel's fault that your daughter has anxiety and OCD, so those factors are not really relevant.

Brilliant policy!

All accompanied by folded arms and compo face in the Daily Mail. 😉

It sounds like a pretty minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, sorry. Rather than asking for any kind of refund, I’d be praising the manager for standing up to the other guests and doing the right thing by calling the police.

We got refunded for a night on a campsite last year - we were totally unaware of the disturbance (music, shouting, fighting apparently) because we were in our campervan, but the other campers in tents got limited sleep. The rowdy group got evicted - no idea how they moved to another campsite bearing in mind they had all been drinking - and everyone got their night's stay refunded. We refused to take the money because we weren't affected by it but it was a nice gesture by the campsite owners - a small working farm in Shropshire with only 12 spaces.

Under the circumstances described by the OP, I wouldn't be seeking a refund, it sounds like the hotel were proactive in getting the issue resolved.

Why didn't you complain at the time?

Thanks everyone! I decided to leave it. Am not someone who generally complains about anything, hence why I asked for opinions on here rather than marching down to the front desk! I don’t know if compensation was the right word, I was thinking maybe a discount on our stay. But as I said, I have decided against it.

You didn’t make the effort to speak to the hotel at the time so I think asking for compensation is a bit rich. You could have asked to move rooms and they may have accommodated you.

The hotel can’t know if a guest will be trouble from a booking, and it sounds like rhey were prompt in managing it, it happens in hotels, I also don’t think this is something to be compensated for, so think it’s the right decision to leave it,

I once was travelling on my own and had a room with a connecting door, a very drunk Italian man in the wee smalls hours was trying to get in, shouting, kicking the door, rattling the handle etc, and it scared me a little, it went on for a good twenty mins, it didn’t occur to me I should ask for compensation, in fact I didn’t even call reception , but was on the point of doing so when it stopped, I didn’t as I knew he couldn’t get in,

I’ve had numerous disruptions in hotels, from people partying to having loud sex,or making lots of noise as they come down the corridor drunk, shouting etc,

there is no hotel in the world that can guarantee no guest will disrupt you,the only thing the hotel can do is manage it when it happens, which they did, it is simply not something that can be predicted or prevented, even by the people doing it,

Yes!

It would have been nice if they offered a discount or free breakfast, because your stay was spoiled although it wasn't their fault. It is good customer service to apologise for things that go wrong and try to leave the customer happy.

This.

Did you request to be moved? If not, why?

The hotel couldn’t win either way - if they allowed the partying to continue, people would have complained about that. They got into a confrontation with the loud guests and asked them to leave, now you’re complaining about that too 🤷🏻‍♀️

They can’t be expected to refund the entire hotel.

you'd spend the time more wisely working on your daughter's anxiety and OCD. She's nearly an adult and will not be able to cope in the world if this doesn't get addressed. It's not normal for a 17 year old to climb into her mummy's bed ffs.

I don’t think you are entitled to anything, but I do understand why you’d want compensation. I’d ask nicely and hope they offer a free meal or something, even though it wasn’t their fault and they have dealt with it as necessary, they might acknowledge that you were disturbed and a gesture would be nice.

I don't think it would be U to ask for a discount or refund on your stay. You've paid x amount of money in expectation of a comfortable night's sleep and that wasn't received.
50% off the bill, a free night at a later date, free breakfast, late checkout, use of pool or something to make the overall experience seem more positive than negative.

I would ask the hotel. They might give you a voucher or something as a PR marketing type thing. Can’t hurt to ask!

I got a free afternoon tea voucher when something similar happened - nice hotel in London. Lovely afternoon tea.

I've also claimed successfully on the Premier Inn good night guarantee when the people next door were rowdy.

I think it's worth asking. But just explain that you had a disrupted night's sleep fairly simply.

You should only really complain about a service if you have a clear idea of what they did wrong and what should have done differently.
If you can't list those things then you're wasting your time, because they will simply respond that it was out of their control and they did everything possible.