Are Hotels Cutting Costs with Laundry?

[AngieP]

Stayed in Melbourne over the weekend with my sister who was departing for the USA on Sunday and youngest daughter. Booked into popular hotel in the city centre - all fine - nice queen suite. Later that night when getting ready for bed I thought the pillow looked a little crumpled - so being a bit of clean freak I checked the sheets. Yes, you guessed it - they had obviously not been changed since the last occupant checked out! Horror of horrors! Phoned manager who immediately upgraded us with many apologies and nice room service breakfast gratis the next morning. Being the forgiving type and accidents do happen - episode over - so I thought. Sister leaves on Sunday for USA - emails me on Monday - guess what - checked into hotel and sheets had not been changed! Again, a 4 or 5 star hotel - not a cheapie. Now - is this a trend or just a coincidence? Have other FFs experienced this in their travels? Is it a trend?

 

[tuapekastar]

Stayed in Melbourne over the weekend with my sister who was departing for the USA on Sunday and youngest daughter. Booked into popular hotel in the city centre - all fine - nice queen suite. Later that night when getting ready for bed I thought the pillow looked a little crumpled - so being a bit of clean freak I checked the sheets. Yes, you guessed it - they had obviously not been changed since the last occupant checked out! Horror of horrors! Phoned manager who immediately upgraded us with many apologies and nice room service breakfast gratis the next morning. Being the forgiving type and accidents do happen - episode over - so I thought. Sister leaves on Sunday for USA - emails me on Monday - guess what - checked into hotel and sheets had not been changed! Again, a 4 or 5 star hotel - not a cheapie. Now - is this a trend or just a coincidence? Have other FFs experienced this in their travels? Is it a trend?

Myself and SO spent a week in Hong Kong recently under a 'long term stay' deal with the hotel (7 nights - 14 and 21 also available), and sheets were only changed every 2 days under the deal (wouldn't have known unless we asked). No problems at all with this, but same sheets/different guests? Yecch! Not on your nellie! Never noticed this before but after your post I may just scrutinise the bedding a little more closely.

I suspect coincidence...at a 'good' hotel it'd usually be reasonably clear if sheets hadn't been changed.

 

[littl_flier]

Wow, this is disgusting. :shock: Twice in the last six months I've requested sheets to be changed using the cards on the beds and not had them changed but at least I knew I'd slept in the them the night before.

Maybe this is a way of solving the water crisis. Lots of caring and sharing.

 

[zig]

No, have never experienced anything other than crisp, pristine clean sheets upon checkin. (except for one experience at a Hilton Hotel with a particularly nasty valance - but that's another story) Like others, during a long stay in most hotels the sheets are often only changed every 2nd day, but I don't have a problem with this as I'm the only person who has slept in them.

 

[Alanslegal]

Stayed many nights in various 3*,4*,5* properties in 2007 and all properties I stayed at, the sheets appeared fresh & new............ so maybe it was definitely coincidental and very bad luck to have used sheets.

Even a 1 nighter in a 2.5* cheapie which I got for $35USD in California had clean nice sheets......

However when I do have longer stays I generally am quite conscious of my usage and would often advise front desk that I don't require new sheets, towels etc daily as I'm more than happy to re-use and reduce laundering services impact upon the environment.....

 

[creeno]

We had a shocker at a Gold Coast apartment hotel in March 07....had a 2 bedroom apartment, and problems included assorted bodily fluids on all bed sheets, dental floss on the floor, rubbish in the bins, used towels on the rack, a screwed up face washer in the shower - I could go on and on (picked up about 17 problems!!!!).

We were a late check-in, so called the after hours number at 11pm, and was told there wasn't a lot they could do right then - I insisted on clean sheets and towels and we made the beds ourselves....housekeeping finally came to sort the rest out the following day approx 2pm....

Management were very apologetic, and refunded 2 nights accom and supplied several bottles of champagne. So whilst the initial experience was rather unpleasant, I was satisfied with how they handled it.....ah, the joys!

 

[sully]

No, have never experienced anything other than crisp, pristine clean sheets upon checkin.

So did they do all the administrative stuff for you while you were in bed? Wow, that's real service!

My only bad experience was in Hong Kong in the slightly mis-named Charterhouse hotel. A ----house it was.

The bed was clearly re-made and pubic hairs on the bathroom floor made the stay an interesting one. All I got, despite my protestations, was a new room of equal standard. I checked out the next day.

 

[JohnK]

It happened to me once in a 2-3 star hotel in Thailand. I arrived late at night/morning and just crashed out on the bed. Woke up the next day and noticed that the bin in the bathroom was not cleaned from previous occupant. Checked the rest of the room and noticed that the sheets were also not fresh. Called management and they immediately sent housekeeping to the room to rectify the situation.

Not sure if it has happened any other time as a lot of times I just crash on the bed. I have noticed that sometimes the towels, bedsheets and pillowcases have not been washed properly. Is this caused by the hotel or the laundry?

I met a lady from the USA on my recent Cosmos tour who brought along her own towels, bedsheets and pillowcases. I guess this problem must more common than we think. Either that or she was very obsessive....

 

[codash1099]

I met a lady from the USA on my recent Cosmos tour who brought along her own towels, bedsheets and pillowcases. I guess this problem must more common than we think. Either that or she was very obsessive....

USA? Obsessive? Surely not both at the same time

 

[Warks]

Year ago I had a SYD-TSV flight cancelled one evening so QF put us up in the Airport Sheraton. On check-in the bed hadn't been made and there was a full ashtray sitting on the table. Of course I didn't even put my bag down but went straight back to reception and got another room. They were very apologetic and I'm sure it was just a mistake.

About a year ago I was staying in some very flash serviced apartments near Perth airport. I'd check-in in but gone out straight away without looking too closely at the bed. I got back from my dinner close to midnight and when I pulled back the sheet I saw stray hairs and I was certain it had been slept in.
However I really couldn't have been bothered at that hour and I ended up sleeping on the other side of the bed - which didn't look to have been slept it. Yecch I know but I wasn't up to being up for another minute let alone having a debate with the manager.

I had an early flight and had to leave early so I didn't complain at reception. When I got back I wrote a letter and received a reply a few days later where the manager denied it could have happened as he had asked the relevant staff member whether they'd made the bed! As if they were going to say they skipped that bed! Didn't pursue it as I have bigger things to worry about but it shows that I probably would have got a lot more action if I'd whinged and moaned and stamped my feet at the time. Evidence is everything.

 

[Travel Guru]

I met a lady from the USA on my recent Cosmos tour who brought along her own towels, bedsheets and pillowcases. I guess this problem must more common than we think. Either that or she was very obsessive....

I take my own pillow everywhere I travel...you never know who's heads been on those hotel ones, and its amazing how much better I sleep with my own pillow.

TG

 

[sully]

I take my own pillow everywhere I travel...you never know who's heads been on those hotel ones, and its amazing how much better I sleep with my own pillow.

TG

Why not just a pillow slip? I know a lot of people say they need their own pillow for a sound sleep but if it is just a matter of hygiene surely that is a bulky and unneccessary addition to your luggage.

 

[Travel Guru]

Why not just a pillow slip? I know a lot of people say they need their own pillow for a sound sleep but if it is just a matter of hygiene surely that is a bulky and unneccessary addition to your luggage.

Its slightly bulky, but being a full down pillow, once you get the air out it quite compact.

TG

 

[sully]

Its slightly bulky, but being a full down pillow, once you get the air out it quite compact.

TG

I see! So when you take it out of your bag it absorbs all of the air borne antigens in the room so you can have a concentrated burst of nasties assaulting your senses all night!:evil: :evil: