Staff take no action in almost a third (29 per cent) of cases when a guest has complained about their hotel room, according to new research from hotel health and safety specialists at CheckSafetyFirst.com. This is worrying news for the hotel industry given that 68 per cent of travellers view room hygiene as the most influential factor of brand image.
The research included guest experiences that have been so bad visitors have refused to stay despite having pre-paid with no chance of a refund. And to make matters worse for hotel managers, disgruntled travellers commented on several health and safety issues including the presence of mould/ damp, broken furniture and dirty bathrooms, putting far more than brand reputation at stake.
Respondents reported noticeably dirty sheets as well as cases of strong or funny smells in bedrooms. One traveller stated, "On a family trip abroad, my wife and I found the sheets in our room were markedly dirty on arrival. Despite complaining to hotel staff, who claimed they would ‘look into the issue', an unacceptably little amount of action was taken to rectify the situation."
Another anonymous respondent commented, "On numerous different trips I have had to contact the reception desk immediately upon entering my hotel room, because the room has just been disgusting."
"We are shocked to learn that so many customer complaints are being ignored by hotels around the world," says Steve Tate, chairman at CheckSafetyFirst.com. "Many hotel bookings are paid for in advance, meaning guests have little leverage when complaining. But it still goes without saying that customer satisfaction should be the primary focus of every hotel.
"This survey shows that basic cleanliness and hygiene issues are being ignored by hotel staff. Hotel managers must emphasise checking standards regularly to ensure they keep customers happy, and above all safe, by taking a proactive approach to monitoring health and safety criteria. Measureable checks set against an objective standard are essential to improving quality.
"With the amount of information that is available over the internet, travellers have more opportunities than ever to share their experiences – be they good or bad. Guests need to do their homework and use the online tools available to them to check that a hotel is meeting international standards for cleanliness and hygiene; not doing so will risk their enjoyment of a holiday or worse, compromise their health and safety," Tate concludes.
* The research by Checksafetyfirst.com was conducted independently with 100 participants, all of whom are British travellers.
