Hotel etiquette

I had reason to stay in a hotel in the last few days and because this isn't something I regularly do, I'm interested in anyone else's comments about what is usual and expected practice.

There were one or two borderline things I'm unsure about:
I presume it's reasonable to expect a full set of towels to be provided; there were no face cloths.
I thought rooms were usually serviced if you were staying more than one night, to make beds, replace used towels etc. (I know lots of hotels now have the option of reusing towels, but as a hotel is a huge treat in my life, I usually go the whole hog and have as many clean ones as I can get away with.)

The things which were unacceptable were these:
The mixer tap in the basin would only run a tiny stream of hot water if you waited several minutes, so really there was no functional hot water there for the non-existent face-cloth to be wetted. When I spoke to the owner (?) she said, oh yes, we're waiting for parts. In my book you either don't let that room out or you check with your guest if they mind that it doesn't work! Get a bloody plumber!!!
I have never seen wall-mounted soap dispensers in a hotel room before. I can see they'd be very efficient and save a lot of waste in having to provide new toiletries for each new guest but it didn't quite fit with the "luxury treat" idea of staying in a hotel. To add injury to insult, the dispensers were empty. There was no soap, no shampoo. I went down to reception and the young woman on duty was new to the job and didn't know where to find soap, nor how to replace the one refill dispenser container she found. Fortunately there were some hand-made (?) soaps for sale in a cabinet in the foyer, which I'd spotted while waiting. I suggested I could have one of those. The woman told me I'd have to buy one at the stated price. I did so, since a shower without soap is a miserable thing.

When I checked out after the second night, I told the owner that I'd seen on her trip advisor reviews that the soap issue had occurred before, but assumed from her engaged replies to those criticisms that she'd have fixed the problem and not allow it to recur. She said the cleaners must not have checked. I said that shouldn't have become my problem. Besides which, nobody had rectified it during the day before my second night! I suggested she buy me the soap I'd been forced to purchase from her foyer display but she said they sold on behalf and she couldn't. Yeah, course not honey, $8 is far more than you would pay to avoid another poor review.

I was pretty ready to be pleased by my experience so not even too pissed off about the stupid omissions - the hotel was quite convenient to where I needed to be and not as expensive as I'd thought I'd have to pay in Remuera. But after her replies to my clear expression of dissatisfaction, I left feeling rather less generous.

It's sort of entertaining, a bit. There was a cured jersey-cross cow skin on the floor and a stuffed fawn on the mantel. Weird. The strangest place I've stayed for a long time.

I'd say that was unacceptable. I've stayed at places with soap and shampoo dispensers, usually pretty basic motels but no soap is not normal. Interesting that is a recurring problem and they just happen to have expensive soap available to buy

If they're part of a chain or rating system then complain to the appropriate body as well as leaving a bad review.

Good motels should not be forced to compete with bad ones.

A hotel with soap dispensers on the wall is usually of the level where soap, towels, amenities, keys or privacy is not part of the package. Thats about the level of a backpackers. I am sorry to say. I have learnt that when in Auckland somewhere decent is about the same price as somewhere dodgy, whatever you do dont stay at an airport hotel in Auckland unless its really upmarket.

I would pay only a reduced bill with that reduced service. I'd expect them to refill the dispensers on demand when called by an annoyed person trying to shower. Yes, I would expect a facecloth, and yes, a daily room servicing, with all towels that are used and not rehung, changed. Dispensers are acceptable, but only if kept full. With the mixer tap problem, I would be asking for a change in room.

Slam them on as many review sites as you can find, copy and paste is a great thing

I have had reason to overnight in several hotels over the last 8 months and used hotel review sites to check out a property before making a booking. As such I feel its my obligation to leave an opinion of my stay with the view to helping others spend wisely parting with their well earned dollars.

I would not be happy with your experience and would write a review on tripadvisor or some such site to let others know of the repeat experiences. It also gives more credence to those who have written before you as some reviewers are just outright whingers too.

Personally I wouldn't log in with your facebook profile, but start an independent profile.

Ruth,
your hotel resembles a back packers. None of the points you raised are acceptable.
My experience, domestic and international is that face flannels can be found about 50% of the time so I always take one with me.
Have just returned from two separate resorts on Tahiti. one had a flannel the other didn't. ($250 per night/no meals) The other did have flannels. Both resorts made beds and change towels etc daily. Pearl resort turned down the beds each night and a present was delivered to our room daily. (flowers/fruit/bottle of wine.
My biggest gripe when staying in our major cities or tourist areas is that the staff are predominantly foreign. Spent some time recently with an American couple who did a package tour of NZ hot spots. Loved the scenery but wondered where all the New Zealanders were?
Whenever we travel internationally I try to stay at an Accor Hotel chain. Have never been let down.

I have stayed in many hotels in my time of various different standards. One where I was staying 5 months in I bought bleach and cleaned the black mold off the bathroom tiles and cleaned the toilet. (mind you that was Poland not long after communism had gone and cleaning products were expensive). I have also stayed in high end business hotels in Sweden and they had soap and shampoo dispensers, however they dispensed very good quality stuff and it being Sweden it was for environmental reasons - less packaging. It was also quite nice, as once I knew they had changed to dispensers as they used the same brand of shampoo that I did normally and I erm the next couple of visits took my bottle to refill - naughty I know....
I would expect soap in even a cheap motel, shampoo not always and not always a flannel either.

I expect beds to be made and rubbish to be removed every day. Problems do occur with rooms but I expect them to be either remedied or if not possible and it is serious offered a replacement room. One hotel I stayed in in London the air con was not working and it did not get cleaned. I complained. It turned out the room had been marked as out of action, but someone had put me in there by mistake, so they found another and sent someone to carry my bags there for me.

There can be faults with any hotel, it is how it solves the problem that makes it a good or bad hotel.

I would be putting your complaints in writing to the manager as they may not be aware of some of the problems and at very least ask them to refund the cost of the soap that you had to buy. They have to have soap somewhere, else it is a hygiene issue for their staff.

The worst place I stayed in was in Rotorua. It was filthy. I wish I had complained, but it was not until we were heading to bed and having a shower that we realised how filthy it was. We also paid extra for a view of the geyser, but we had to go outside and walk across some grass in order to see it. When we got home I googled the reviews and read that everyone was saying the same, so now before I book online I always read the reviews.

Have a look at this photo. This was at my last stay and 2nd time staying with the property. Manawatu region, February so not a lot of air movement anywhere, no fans and no air cond (usually not a problem but in case.....) . 2 bedroom motel ''unit'' $240 per night. This was where my daughter was sleeping, single bed each side of this window.

There wasn't a leak but extremely noticeable smell. Enough to keep her window closed the entire visit. We had to keep the bathroom window open (the next window along) and then my bedroom window which mostly had to be kept closed. After the first night I asked for the loan of a fan.

I had a migraine attack at 2am the 2nd morning, upon checkout the owner told me they had to ''vent'' the area and knew about the smell......

So the photo made it to my review on TA. Took a couple of days before TA posted it up, but hopefully the review/photo and along with my recommendation not to stay on the ground floor level, has encouraged the property owners to organise that vent pronto.

My room was not one you'd want to stay in if you were vegan. Cow skin on the floor, stuffed fawn on the mantel ... Weird. It was quirky and would have been fun if the owner hadn't been so insensitive and determined not to hear my dissatisfaction with her responses.

I have never experienced no flannels. A very nice place I stay in Napier has soaps and a liquid shower soap dispenser as well and fresh towels every day. A hotel I stayed at in Dunedin said 'If' you want fresh towels every day to leave them on the floor. They also vacuumed when nessesary. Vacuuming is something I am noticing is not done daily even when I have been there 5 days in some hotels or motels.

My husband and I both stay away a lot for work but have definite favourite places in each city/town now.
I would absolutely expect there to be soap of some kind - dispenser is fine but it should be full so that it doesn't seem like you are using someone's leftovers.
I would normally also expect shampoo. Other bits and pieces on top of this vary vastly.
I would also expect a face cloth as well and would be asking for one if it wasn't provided.
In general rooms are always serviced daily and have a little note in regards to using towels more than once if you want.
Definitely feel free to review.

It is a treat to stay away from home (normally) so I can understand being disappointed.
Unfortunately there is a massive range in the quality in this country and the stars often have very little to do with it!

rider1803 wrote: Unfortunately there is a massive range in the quality in this country and the stars often have very little to do with it!

Excellent point and I would like to give another experience on this issue..... from time to time my Hubby is on call so the teenager and I cater for ourselves.

Being rural its nice to be able to source any sort of home delivery service and last year the local Indian restaurant started to deliver to our rural area. All done through Menulog.

We both noticed a decrease in the quantity of the meals ordered than had we eaten in the restaurant. I would prefer to pay more for the delivery aspect.

Anyhow a nearby neighbour also orders home delivery from the same restaurant but puts the spin on her orders with ''my husband is a Chef''...... yeah he is sort of, is part of one of the food contractor groups to one international airline.

So one particular night we both ordered and because our house is before theirs and I went outside to see the incoming car, I saw them drop the food orders that rested between the passenger's feet in the front. Fell totally onto our driveway but somewhat contained in the packaging.

I emailed the neighbour and asked if they were expecting a delivery. By the time her reply came back, they had received it and were upset with how it presented but ate it all the same. they wondered what had happened.

A day later she posted a new review on the restaurant. 100% total satisfaction and how fabulous they are etc etc. No mention of her comments to me or what they actually experienced. The delivery guys were well aware they were delivering to ''my neighbour who is a chef'' and I know they went straight around to make the delivery. Nothing changed. Shortly after she dropped me as a friend on FB when I questioned her reasoning for posting such a high rating for the delivery and food and in contrast to what they experienced.

I dont think you have a migraine attack, more like carbon monoxide poisoning

Clearly the hotel owner is cutting costs and pocketing the profits. I have worked as a room attendant in several hotels, and it really annoyed me that the cleaners are always blamed! Its their fault the wall paper is hanging off, or the taps don't work, etc. Usually items such as soap should be there, but cant be replaced if not stocked by management. Same as the face cloths and towels. Its easier for her to blame others and not fix the problem. Give the worst review you can I say!