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General Hotel Discussion

My experience at the Chessington Premier Inn was more like @Kraken27 's. The fire alarm went off at midnight (turned out somebody was smoking). The following day I mentioned it in passing but I didn't actually want or expect anything as it was beyond the hotel's control, but they still instantly refunded it. No quibble at all.

The comments I've read on TripAdvisor and Facebook for the Alton Towers hotels have suggested a very different approach is taken. Almost a no refunds at any cost policy, a shrugging of shoulders at any reported issues. A shame that it's lost its way over the years.
 
I've also had an instant refund from a premier Inn

The bathroom fan came on and wouldn't go off in the middle of the night so I turned it off from the fuse box

Mentioned it next morning as I was staying another night and they refunded one nights payment
 
Must be luck of the draw. Room didn’t dip below 29C and the guy on reception flat out refused to acknowledge the good night guarantee existed
 
We always had good luck with Premier Inn/Travelodge. In fact, I don't think I've stayed at a bad hostel or hotel yet. Either I have low standards or am in for a shock soon o_O

EDIT: Actually, "Hanting Hotel" in China cancelled my booking because I didn't check in before 6pm (I went through booking.com and this was stated, but I didn't notice until it was too late). They then proceeded to charge me the on the day rate for a new room and they their machine wouldn't work with my debit card. Bunch of losers.
 
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Heya. Some of ya may remember me from days gone by but thought i'd pop up again for old time sake :)

On the hotels we stay numerious times each year, especially now we like in Blackpool, and we have come up with a few problems this year. But every time they have been resolved. The first was we were staying in a moon voyager room and none of the lighting would come on, someone came up and couldn't resolve why so we were moved to a suite in cbbies hotel, this wouldn't of been out first choice of room but it was all that was left and it was a £500 a night room but they sorted out to what they could do, and we were offered a refund but we wanted a second day on park so accepted the room move. The second problem we had was Christmas last year, and this wasn't the hotels fault but the parks, we had rang ahead to see if we could get into the Xmas event with our annual passes as day guests as my daughter wanted to see towers street at Christmas and were assured that we couldn't. as a result we booked the hotel, which is all well and good, however when we got to the park there was a number of guests being let in with annual passes who were not staying in the hotel. After asking the admissions staff they had been briefed to allow annual passes access to the park, hence as we were due to visit my gran in Stafford the next day we would of stayed there for the night instead of booking the hotel if we had been given this information. After visiting the box office and hotel reception we were again moved rooms (upgraded to a suite), as we had already promised my daughter she could stay. Also when we got home we got a nice surprise email from the park saying that they were in the wrong (first time I've ever heard towers say that!) and offered us a free night later in the year! So as you can tell from this I've never had any problem with the way the hotel sort problems out!

On the travelodge/premier inn topic we were staying in a travelodge in Nottingham for goose weekend and the boiler failed in the hotel, resulting in no hot water. At check out without any prompting the staff were refunding the night and had arranged with a hotel next door that you could use some facility in there if you wish!! Again above and beyond!
 
Made the unfortunate mistake of staying in Splash a couple of years back. Kids running up and down the corridors until 2am, unbearable heat in the rooms, breakfast a joke etc etc. Complained but just got a blank look and was told that it was all out of their control !

Don't think Merlin believe that people vote with their feet. I wouldn't stay again even if it was free. We still do the theme park each year but their accommodation will never see a £ from us again.
 
The last 2 times I’ve been to AT I’ve stayed in some of their partner accommodation rather than the onsite hotels, so you can still book it through the AT site but they just partner up with local b and bs, hotels etc.

Anyway, recently I stayed at the White Hart and it was absolutely brilliant. Great food, great room (was massive) and it’s just at the bottom of the big hill leading up to AT so it is actually walkable if you don’t mind a bit of exercise. They also do a great Thai dinner Thursday to Sunday. Really friendly; great atmosphere in the bar. Thoroughly recommend it.
 
We stay at the Chained Oak every time now. Beautiful setting, decent freshly cooked breakfast of your choice, quiet and 10 minutes walk from the plaza entrance. You can order in takeaway or head down to the Alton Bridge hotel for food in the evening.

Yes it probably costs more than a hotel/theme park package deal but personally I don't mind paying a bit more for peace and quiet, a goods nights sleep and a decent breakfast.
 
I think a lot of it is down to knowing your rights but also if your complaint is justify

If the room is either not as described or is not inhabitable then you have a case for the resort to resolve the problem first before you ask for a refund (full/partial)

If your room is respectable, but you find that they missed a small spot of dirt, then you will probably won't have much of a leg to stand on.

Like in my link above, if you decide to stay in the room for the night, then you have accepted that the room is acceptable. It's a bit like if you got to a restaurant and complain about the food once you have completely eaten the whole plate. The sooner you complain the better.

dstone_uk said:
Heya. Some of ya may remember me from days gone by but thought i'd pop up again for old time sake :)

On the hotels we stay numerious times each year, especially now we like in Blackpool, and we have come up with a few problems this year. But every time they have been resolved. The first was we were staying in a moon voyager room and none of the lighting would come on, someone came up and couldn't resolve why so we were moved to a suite in cbbies hotel, this wouldn't of been out first choice of room but it was all that was left and it was a £500 a night room but they sorted out to what they could do, and we were offered a refund but we wanted a second day on park so accepted the room move. The second problem we had was Christmas last year, and this wasn't the hotels fault but the parks, we had rang ahead to see if we could get into the Xmas event with our annual passes as day guests as my daughter wanted to see towers street at Christmas and were assured that we couldn't. as a result we booked the hotel, which is all well and good, however when we got to the park there was a number of guests being let in with annual passes who were not staying in the hotel. After asking the admissions staff they had been briefed to allow annual passes access to the park, hence as we were due to visit my gran in Stafford the next day we would of stayed there for the night instead of booking the hotel if we had been given this information. After visiting the box office and hotel reception we were again moved rooms (upgraded to a suite), as we had already promised my daughter she could stay. Also when we got home we got a nice surprise email from the park saying that they were in the wrong (first time I've ever heard towers say that!) and offered us a free night later in the year! So as you can tell from this I've never had any problem with the way the hotel sort problems out!

On the travelodge/premier inn topic we were staying in a travelodge in Nottingham for goose weekend and the boiler failed in the hotel, resulting in no hot water. At check out without any prompting the staff were refunding the night and had arranged with a hotel next door that you could use some facility in there if you wish!! Again above and beyond!
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum mate, it's always great to bump into you.
 
If nothing else, the fact that so many people appear to have experienced so many issues (and the majority appear to have had no satisfactory resolution), demonstrates the poor quality and service levels the hotels now operate at.
 
venny said:
If nothing else, the fact that so many people appear to have experienced so many issues (and the majority appear to have had no satisfactory resolution), demonstrates the poor quality and service levels the hotels now operate at.
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I’ve not had any significant issues with the room. Only bar service.

You will generally hear the bad experiences louder than the good ones.
 
Internally, Alton Towers are well aware that the standard of the older rooms across ATH and many of those in Splash Landings are in urgent need of refurbishment. They just cannot get them all up to scratch as rapidly as they would like.
 
jon81uk said:
I’ve not had any significant issues with the room. Only bar service.

You will generally hear the bad experiences louder than the good ones.
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It’s all part of the over all experience though. Yes I totally understand there will be a (large) premium for staying at the resort and I have no problem paying it, but I also expect the service and facilities to be up to standard for the prices charged.
 
AstroDan said:
Internally, Alton Towers are well aware that the standard of the older rooms across ATH and many of those in Splash Landings are in urgent need of refurbishment. They just cannot get them all up to scratch as rapidly as they would like.
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This infers that the speed of refurbishment of the rooms is beyond Merlin’s control.

However, the rooms haven’t suddenly become tired and dated, they’ve been like that for several years. The opportunity to refurbish them in a managed programme has been available to them for a long time. They just haven’t done anything about it.

What seems to have happened is that someone in the business either doesn’t want to make the capital outlay required and/or doesn’t want to take the rooms out of inventory. Either reason would appear to focus on short term revenue, at the expense of long term reputation and guest satisfaction.

Everyone’s a loser, except the people whose bonuses depend on that short term profit bump.

Perhaps a cynical view, but I can’t see many other legitimate explanations.
 
venny said:
What seems to have happened is that someone in the business either doesn’t want to make the capital outlay required and/or doesn’t want to take the rooms out of inventory. Either reason would appear to focus on short term revenue, at the expense of long term reputation and guest satisfaction.
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The Splash Landings rooms have been taken out of inventory for large parts of the year anyway...

I think they know that new styles of accommodation can be advertised, that's why the rooms at ATH that have got refurbished also got new themes (Artic Explorer, Moon Voyager) as they can be sold as a new option.
Refurbishing to the same theme is obviously seen as less of a priority.

Personally the only thing that felt significantly old and dated in our standard ATH explorer room was the lack of plug sockets, I guess back in 1996 mobile phone batteries lasted a week and therefore you didn't need to charge them in your room. The rest of the room was fine, particularly as the bathroom has been refurbished in the last 4 years.
 
Also by refurbishing them as moon rooms or arctic rooms mean they can add a premium to them as they are new!

However the original moon rooms were completed ripped out and started again, the later moon rooms have certainly been more budget. And the Arctic rooms are basically just redecorated ATH rooms.

They certainly have the time to re do the rooms if they wanted, as splash spends half the season closed. And there’s plenty of the season to do ATH if they wanted.

The issue they will have is that by the time the last ATH rooms are done to the new style, the first set of moon rooms will then need doing!


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I think the amount of time taken to refurbish rooms is being overestimated. There is nothing in the way of major structural modifications required, it’s purely a cosmetic refurbishment with air con.

There’s no reason that an entire floor’s wing couldn’t be completed over a few weeks. The reason for not doing it is simple, money.
 
venny said:
I think the amount of time taken to refurbish rooms is being overestimated. There is nothing in the way of major structural modifications required, it’s purely a cosmetic refurbishment with air con.

There’s no reason that an entire floor’s wing couldn’t be completed over a few weeks. The reason for not doing it is simple, money.
Click to expand...

They managed to do the moon rooms and arctic rooms in only a few weeks, so it’s definitely a matter of money rather than time.


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