The quality of the hotel you are staying in can either make or break your trip. If your hotel is dirty, you can possibly get sick. Do you know what should you do in this case?
If the hotel room is dirty on arrival, then calm down and call or go to the front desk and report your issue as soon as possible. Do not wait until checkout to let the staff know that there was a problem. Be polite when discussing possible solutions, such as getting another room or upgrade.
In many cases, the hotel management will offer to give you another room. Though this may or may not solve the problem, it only shows that the hotel is willing to work with you.
Make sure to keep the communication between you and the hotel open. If you are unsatisfied with this, here is the step-by-step guide on how to report a hotel for unsanitary conditions.
How to Report Hotel’s Unsanitary Conditions
There are few experiences in life that can be as uncomfortable as walking into a hotel room and finding it dirty.
Whether the problem is bugs, dirt, body fluids, mold, and the likes, you will likely be upset.
If you had a bad experience like this, and want the hotel to be reported, there are ways on how you can file a report for infestation of the said hotel.
Report to the Hotel Manager
Report the state of the room to the hotel manager immediately upon arrival. The manager should move you to a new room or give you discounts and other vouchers to compensate for the inconvenience it has caused you.
When talking with hotel staff, remember to be polite but still firm. Staff is trained to deal with problems, and they will most likely offer a reasonable solution to your problem.
The more pleasant and respectful customers you are, the better chance you have at getting the problem resolved. If you made the first impression as too forceful, they may not be as motivated to help you.
Report to Hotel HQ
If you are getting nowhere with hotel staff, the next step is to call the corporate headquarters.
Look on the main website of the hotel’s chain and you will find the customer relations line.
Be calm, and explain the situation and your conversation with the staff. Calling corporate is not snitching on the hotel. It is letting the company know that something is not right at one of their locations. Hopefully, they can help in resolving the issue.
The corporate office has the ability to reimburse you in ways that the hotel by itself cannot, such as offering you a free night at another location for your inconvenience.
Document All Communications
If it seems that your conversation with the staff is going nowhere, it is now time to start documenting.
Every time you call or speak with someone, take down the time, date, and what you spoke about. In your case, if the room is dirty, take a picture or video of the problem.
It will serve as a piece of evidence, which will be very useful if you need to contact corporate and dispute charges on your credit card
Contact BBB
Contact the Better Business Bureau to report the state of your room, as well as how you were treated after bringing the room’s condition to the attention of the hotel management.
If you see blood or evidence of illegal activity, call the local authorities.
Leave Honest Review on the Hotel Web Site
If you had a horrible experience at the hotel, and neither the hotel management nor the corporate office wasn’t able to help you in your situation, it is time to warn your fellow travelers about the bad experience at the hotel.
Be honest about the review. When someone reads your review, they should be able to understand exactly why they should avoid the hotel.
Make sure to use the correct grammar and punctuation, so that the review is taken seriously by the reader. You may also email or call the local newspaper by sharing your experience with a reporter or an editor. They may launch an investigation of their own, so make sure to offer them your evidence (photos and videos) as well.
Report your experience to local TV stations, or even national stations if the hotel is famous.
Things You Can Ask In The Hotel For The Inconvenience
In every establishment, there will be a slightly different set of most common complaints based on the location, amenities, and training procedures. Therefore, hotels need to compensate for the convenience they have caused to their guests.
Here are some scenarios:
The room is not clean
Hotel rooms are expected to be spotless and clean for each new guest. An uncleanly room is a definition of a bad day. From hair in the tub, stains in the sheets, you have legitimate reasons for complaints about uncleanness.
As a guest, you can request a quick re-cleaning or a new room. Some hotels offer a complimentary meal in the restaurant or spa treatment while waiting for the re-cleaning to be done.
Too much noise in the room
When people book a hotel room, they want peace so that they can relax. Of course, the city and other guests do not always comply with this. While it is hard to control the source of the noise problem, here are some things you may request as a guest.
You can request a new room that is far away from the noise. If you don’t want to move, you can ask for complimentary earplugs.
The room is too hot or cold
Guest cannot relax and enjoy themselves, either they are sweating or shivering, which is why room temperature is also a common guest complaint.
If you experienced this, you can ask the hotel staff to adjust the temperature in the room AC unit or thermostat.
Who Regulates Hotels?
The business of keeping a hotel is related to the health and welfare of the public.
When the owner devotes private property to public use, except that it will be devoted to public regulation. The regulation of hotels is a matter that is concerned with the health, morals, and welfare of the public, which is within the police power of a state.
The one who conducts such an establishment accepts the duty of fulfilling the obligations imposed by the statutes. However, the regulations need to be valid and must be reasonable and not calculated to discriminate against particular classes or individuals.
The power to regulate hotels and similar establishments may be delegated to administrative agencies like the state board of health.
Hotels are not public utilities, and may not be subject to the regulations of a public service commission unless they are acting as agents for public utility. The general requirement for state regulations on hotels is “reasonableness”.
Most states require hotel owners to apply for and receive a license to operate such facilities. The licensing regulations must not be arbitrary, unreasonable, or discriminatory to be valid.
Generally, there is a mutual relationship implied between the guest and the owners consisting of reciprocal obligations and duties.
The owner is responsible to furnish proper accommodations and exercising proper care for the safety of the guest. The guest must exercise due care to refrain him or her from any boisterous, distrustful, or offensive conduct.
Additional duty of the innkeeper is to receive and entertain all guests unless he or she has some reasonable grounds for refusal. Owners are prohibited from refusing to entertain persons on account of their race, color, religion, or ethnicity.
Hotels are governed by Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code as far as the services they render.
Best Travel Pillows To Be Used In Hotels
Are you afraid of staining the hotel’s pillows, bedsheets, and other beddings?
To avoid such incidents, make sure to bring your own pillow and use it instead.
Just in case the hotel charges a fee if you accidentally stain the hotel’s bedding, you may bring your own pillows and bedsheets.
Klymit Drift Pillow
The new Klymit Drift is a pillow that is stuffed with shredded memory foam. It is surrounded by a gel fiber core. If you compare it to a solid memory foam pillow, the padding is lofter, without being as squishy as a down pillow.
The case is reversible and comes with a hardy ripstop polyester on one side and soft jersey cotton on the other. As you can notice, the polyester side is waterproof and repels dirt, which is convenient when traveling.
The Drift can be packed down by folding into a built-in stuff sack. However, it’s still a bit bulky when packed. The foam creases when stored for a long time, but it quickly reverts in shape once you fluff the pillow and let it sit for a few minutes.
This pillow is available in two sizes, the regular size measures 5.5 inches tall and can fit in most sleeping bag hoods. The large size is best paired with a hoodless sleeping system that can provide more surface area and an extra inch of height. The Drift pillow is more suited for traveling. Because of this purpose, it remains the one to beat.
What I Liked:
- It is waterproof and durable
- It has a reversible cover
- It is a soft yet supportive memory foam
What I Didn’t Like:
- It becomes bulky when packed
Nemo Fillo
Are you looking for a pillow that is great for camping or backpacking, the NEMO Fillo is your best bet because of its inflatable but cushioned design.
It comes with a layer of foam on top of the air pocket that makes it feel like a regular pillow that you can use at home. Inflation can provide up to four inches of depth. If used overnight, the pillow is still fluffy and full.
The pillow is found to be more superior to other inflatable backpacking pillows. It is because of its push-and-pull nozzle, instead of a twist valve. This prevents air from escaping as you’re blowing it up. Moreover, it takes only about three breaths to fully inflate the pillow.
This pillow measures only 17 inches long and 11 inches wide, the Fillo can fit into the hood of most mummy-style sleeping bags. Though it looks like the largest pillow on this list, it can also be packed into the smallest stuff sack.
The pack is integrated into a soft and washable microsuede cover. The pillow can be stuffed into the 6-by-4-inch case, which is certainly manageable. To make it less space-consuming, you can fluff the pillow when you have arrived at your destination.
What I Liked:
- It is inflatable with foam cushioning
- It comes with an integrated stuff sack
What I Didn’t Like:
- It is too thick for stomach sleepers
COOP Home Goods Adjustable Travel Pillow
Many people love Coop Home Goods’s regular bed pillows because of their balance and supportive memory foam and microfiber fill.
The standard pillow of Coop Home Goods is perfect for travelers because it is fluffy, not bulky, and easy to inflate when ready to use. Despite being smaller in size, this version is the best choice to support side sleepers and other types of sleeping positions.
It can hold its shape for a long time with minimal fluffing necessary night after night of use. However, if you need to deflate it a bit, it will plump right back up after tumbling in the dryer for about 10 minutes.
Although it’s one of the thicker pillows out there, the pillow is easy to roll up to fit into its included travel bag. The straps that come with the pillow will help compress it a bit more, though the packed size version is still bulkier than others.
However, we think its support can outweigh the extra couple inches of space it may consume in the car. If you plan to use this pillow a lot outdoors, I suggest purchasing the water- and dirt-proof cover separately, or you may prefer the removable cover that comes with it because it is softer and less slippery.
The pillow is stylish and comfortable enough to use as a throw pillow in the bed or couch when not traveling. Instead, you need to store it properly when not in use to keep its excellent condition.
What I Liked:
- It is almost like a standard bed pillow
- It can maintain its shape well
What I Didn’t Like:
- A bit large in the travel bag
