What are your thoughts on this?

[Miss.September]

DH has just walked away from doing a job at a boutique hotel. He had about a days worth of work there, in each of the guest rooms. When he got there, he went to the first room with the owner; she knocked on the door and then when there was no response, opened the door with the key and showed him where to get started.

Problem with it is that in each of the guest rooms he was supposed to work in, there were guests that have paid for the use of them! She wanted him to work around them, if he found someone in the room, he was to explain he needed to work in there. He said he didn't think it was fair that people on holidays had paid for the exclusive use of the room, to have a tradie walk in to commence noisy work. He explained that it was his company advertised on his shirt and he just didn't feel right about it. She eventually understood, but I think she's a bit miffed about if from what he's told me.

What would you have expected as a paying guest? I understand her point of view - she can't afford to have empty rooms, but having a booked out hotel and expecting a tradie to work in each of the rooms seems a bit unfair on the people staying there. And she was happy for him to work in rooms where people's belongings were there, even if they weren't. I think he's done the right thing by saying no (and rescheduling) but what do you think?

[HotI]

i don't think it is the tradies role to tell the guest he has to do work. the guest has a contract with the hotel, and if the contract has to be modified (a tradie has to do some work) then the motel people should discuss that with the guest before the tradie rocks up.

[LuluHB]

I would hit the roof if I was expected to make room for a tradie in my hotel room. Understandable if its emergency repairs for something that has been broken while I'm staying there, but not for scheduled maintenance. Its just part of the business that while not ideal, if you need work done to the rooms then you don't sell them for that period. I agree with HotI that its not your DH's obligation to tell the guest, but I think he did the right thing.

[mrscricket]

I think he totally did the right thing too! What if the guest had booked the room to have 2 days worth of nookie with her husband Or what if something went missing from the room, and the guest said "Well, there was a tradie here". Ekk!

What an awkward situation for your DH to have been put it.

[Ginger]

i think thats really wrong. my dh actually does the same work as your dh, and when he does work at retail stores/restaurants etc. it is always when they are not open.

[Miss.September]

What if the guest had booked the room to have 2 days worth of nookie with her husband

LOL, I think that's what he was secretly most worried about!!!!

[Nai]

She should book the trade when for when the rooms are vacant. That's ridiculous to expect guests to have work done while they are in the room!

[Lenny]

Unless it's urgent unforseen work, then I'd be really annoyed as a hotel guest.

I really feel for your DH. What an awful spot to be put in. And if something got broken or went missing...aaarghhh, can you imagine how tricky the whole thing could get?

At least he could reschedule. He did the right thing.

[surprised]

Would not be happy if I was a guest. He did the right thing.

[peanutter]

we had rented an apartment at the beach once, and got a note while we were there saying that their annual bug people were going to be coming around on day x to fumigate the place, so we would need to be aware that tradies would be coming in and out that morning/arvo to do so, or we could just pop out and they'd let the tradies in and out, in our absence ...

we told them that no, they wouldn't be, as we'd rented the place for the week, we were going to be using the place for the week, and our use of the place absolutely did not include noisy intrusive work being done (not that we think the people working were going to be prying or being intentionally loud or steal stuff, etc) - we'd paid for private and quiet enjoyment of the place, and they can do their blessed fumigation some time when we're not paying to be there.

(not to mention the fact that there's no way on God's great earth that DH and I were going to stay somewhere with my son, and while I was pregnant, which had just been fumigated!!)

I think your DH did the right thing too ... I hope he gets the work all back and more

[Trillian]

I would hit the roof if I was expected to make room for a tradie in my hotel room. Understandable if its emergency repairs for something that has been broken while I'm staying there, but not for scheduled maintenance. Its just part of the business that while not ideal, if you need work done to the rooms then you don't sell them for that period. I agree with HotI that its not your DH's obligation to tell the guest, but I think he did the right thing.

Totally agree! Unfortunately it does cost them money to have empty rooms, but it will cost more to their reputation by doing it that way kwim? You can't risk getting people offside these days because not only will they not return, they will post it to FB or a blog about the **** time they had.

[OceanPrincess]

As a pregnant woman and parent of two little kids, I'd be furious and I'd be saying "no, you are not. I'm sorry. Back off and do not mess with the pregnant emotional woman."

[LionsandBears]

I think your DH is more professional than the hotel owner

[Mak]

Agree with L&B - lucky for her and the occupants that it was your DH. Imagine if it had been someone who was a little dishonest etc.

[Miss.September]

Glad I'm not the only one that thought he did the right thing! I know I'd be peeved if that was me who had booked the room. Thanks

[Rivlas]

The is plenty of time between 10 and 2 to have work done. You have to be out by 10 and most places you are not allowed in before 2. That is 4 hours when the rooms are free from anyone but hotel staff so they should schedule the work to be done then.

When I stay in a place I have paid for then I expect it to be mine apart from cleaning. We hardly go away so would be very annoyed it this happened.

Make sure your DH reports what happened to his boss so others won't be caught out. I wonder if it was the owner or the manager who wanted this done. If I was the owner i would not be impressed that my manager was doing this to guests.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Couldn't he arrange to do it between check out and check in? That way there's no-one in the room, and she's not stuck with empty rooms overnight. Although it's totally not his responsibility to have organised that. If it's a boutique hotel, she'll get a lot of bad press for stuffing people around when I'm sure they've paid top dollar

[Miss.September]

Rivlas - The woman who owns it runs it. Sort of a one woman show. DH is the boss (self employed) so it took him a lot to walk away because it means no pay for yesterday.

Keike - There's extensive work to be done to each room, so not enough time between check in/check out unfortunately. Plus she wants it done all in one hit. With any luck when he goes back next week, he'll have a day of empty rooms.