Upsets in the hotel: The biggest no-goes for hotel guests

The hotel industry is all about creating a smooth and memorable customer experience. To ensure this, hoteliers need to address their guests' complaints and understand how to fix these problems. In our article, we therefore present the biggest no-go's for hotel guests.

These are 5 of the most common complaints from hotel guests

1. No or slow wifi

Let's start with a no-go that must be avoided at all costs in these days: no working wifi. Whether your guests want to watch Netflix in their rooms after a day of excursions or use your accommodation on a business trip, they all expect fast wifi.

Make it as easy as possible for your visitors to use your internet access:

• Have the necessary login details ready for your guests upon arrival.
• Provide free WLAN
• Regularly test the speed of your internet line and increase it if necessary.

2. Sagging mattresses & small beds

Uncomfortable or too small beds as well as sagging mattresses - a complaint often voiced by business travellers and families. If the latter is the case, you can simply change the mattress. If the guest would like to change rooms, you should accommodate them if there are free rooms available. Likewise, the comfort of a bed can be increased by adding extra pillows and blankets.

Tip: Indicate the bed size on your website as well as in flyers in order to prevent such guest complaints. If visitors are still dissatisfied with the sleeping comfort, you can kindly point out to them that they have chosen such a room. You can also offer them another room with larger beds for an extra charge.

3. Insufficient cleanliness of the rooms

A high standard of hygiene is essential for a successful hotel stay. Your guests want to be assured that they are staying in a clean and safe environment. From spotless bed linen to disinfected surfaces, every detail counts here.

Whether it's hair in the bathtub or a stain on the bedspread, a hotel that draws attention to itself with such problems will quickly be discredited. Fortunately, such difficulties can be quickly remedied. Simply ensure that your employees clean regularly according to the correct hotel standards. If complaints do arise, apologise to your guests and, if possible, offer them a new room.

4. Unfriendly staff

Hotels of all kinds have to deal with complaints from guests about the unfriendly or disrespectful behaviour of staff. It is not uncommon for employees to make thoughtless remarks or show little willingness to help.

Your guests look forward to their stay all year long and want to escape the stress of their everyday life. What they don't need are unfriendly hotel employees who make them feel uncomfortable. Therefore, make sure that your staff are properly trained and do their job with full conviction.

5. Noisy neighbours

No matter what type of accommodation you run, at some point you will have to deal with guests complaining about noisy neighbours. This may be due to the celebratory frenzy of some guests, for example, or simply due to thin walls. If the former is the case, you should politely ask the noisy guests to lower the volume a little.

However, remember that the noisy neighbours are still guests in your hotel and should be treated with appropriate respect. Likewise, you can offer the affected guests another room surrounded by quieter neighbours. After all, your guests have paid good money for their stay in your hotel and getting some peace and silence should not be too much to ask for.

Other no-go's that hoteliers should keep in mind:

• Room temperatures too high or too low
• Accommodation is not pet-friendly
• No hot water available
• Very strict hotel rules
• Insects and vermin
• Hotel does not correspond to the website or brochure
• Unexpected extra charges
• Defective electronics and furnishings
• Staff ignores the "do not disturb" sign