Items missing after hotel room was cleaned

ireland.man

A few weeks ago I stayed for two nights in a Dublin hotel. Unfortunately on the second day I discovered the cleaners not only cleaned the room but took some small items from the bed including a camera case containing a strap, etc, - presumably they threw these out in their haste to clean quickly.

I called the head person on the desk who said they would search for the items but they couldn't find them. In an email a few days later I asked if they could replace the items (relatively cheaply, about 30 euros) and they replied saying they'd have a second look in their bins and would get back to me within a day. A few days later and with no contact from them, I emailed the hotel asking for an update and have heard nothing since from them.

Should I accept that since I didn't put a notice up saying 'do not disturb' for the cleaners that therefore it's my responsibility? Maybe I'm being unreasonable for such a 'small' amount of money but it was a new camera I bought for a wedding that week so I'm frustrated!

Any opinions appreciated!

Yawns

You're not being unreasonable at all. When I was working in a hotel, the cleaners had a room or 2 on each floor for supplies etc. In those rooms were boxes for lost & found stuff and a clipboard for them to detail the items such as room found, day etc. If they knew the items were expensive or jewellery etc, they'd bring it down to the reception and it would be put in the safe. Basically if anyone rang up even a few weeks later, there'd be a trail.

Unfortunately if someone stole anything from a room, we'd be stuck as you'd imagine and relying on corridor cctv etc. But point is, the hotel should not be ignoring you and at least try to help. Replacing it or compensating you might not happen but for such a low value it very well might. The fact that you brought it up straight away they should have tried there and then to track it down.

JimsAlterEgo

Could be door was left open while cleaning and an opportunist saw what they thought was a camera and grabbed it

ireland.man

JimsAlterEgo wrote: »

Could be door was left open while cleaning and an opportunist saw what they thought was a camera and grabbed it

I suppose it's possible but I think it's unlikely. The camera case is not expensive and it was in the middle of the bed on top of other bits and pieces. It most likely was simply picked up with plastic wrapping rubbish and bits of cardboard and thrown away.

I've emailed them one last time asking to be reimbursed and we'll see how they respond. It's such short-sighted behaviour on their part... you'd think they'd want to avoid negative reviews, especially about missing items and unfriendly staff!

ireland.man

Well we received a reply after contacting the hotel again and it was the usual terse, unfriendly type of communication they've been giving us since we entered the hotel. They say because the cleaners never logged out items in the lost and found that therefore there's nothing they can do. I guess that's it, I'll just have to leave a bad review!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Is a negative review justified because you left a small cloth case among detris on the bed and cleaners accidentally picked it up with the trash?

ireland.man

Raylee Important Sickbed wrote: »

Is a negative review justified because you left a small cloth case among detris on the bed and cleaners accidentally picked it up with the trash?

Genuinely, I don't know. I think a rude attitude and not returning phone calls or emails over a few weeks are probably more significant than a little mistake. The value of the missing items was around 30 euros, not a small sum either so it warranted at least some platitudes!

salmocab

Ring the hotel and demand to speak to the manager then give him an earful, I had a problem a few years ago with a hotel charging my credit card twice for a room for a wedding and when my wife rang they wanted her to send on details and a copy of the bill so they could investigate, so I rang them and said they have all details as they would have my money twice and my receipt on their system the manager said there was nothing he could do, so I told him that his hotel stole my money and I would be down in 90 minutes to sort it out at his reception desk when suddenly he was able to issue the refund along with a voucher as an apology. Its sad but the service industry has gone to sh1t and unfortunately a lot of hotels won't do anything for their customers unless you kick up a sh1t storm.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

salmocab wrote: »

Ring the hotel and demand to speak to the manager then give him an earful, I had a problem a few years ago with a hotel charging my credit card twice for a room for a wedding and when my wife rang they wanted her to send on details and a copy of the bill so they could investigate, so I rang them and said they have all details as they would have my money twice and my receipt on their system the manager said there was nothing he could do, so I told him that his hotel stole my money and I would be down in 90 minutes to sort it out at his reception desk when suddenly he was able to issue the refund along with a voucher as an apology. Its sad but the service industry has gone to sh1t and unfortunately a lot of hotels won't do anything for their customers unless you kick up a sh1t storm.

Hardly a comparable scenario.

salmocab

Raylee Important Sickbed wrote: »

Hardly a comparable scenario.

Not the scenario but the last line sums it up, the hotels don't do the right thing until you make some noise its not right but its the way it is sadly.