Top 10 Hotel Hates

What’s your top hate when you check in to a British hotel?

Researchers from the leading UK Mystery Shopping company Retail Active monitor standards in hundreds of hotels every year.

They’ve compiled the top ten pet hates – based on their extensive findings:


1. DIRTY ROOM : linen, carpets, bedding , other peoples belongings etc
2. NOISE : roads, banging doors, antisocial guests
3. UNWELCOMING CHECK IN : knowledgeable, miserable, uncaring staff
4. BEDROOM HEATING : too hot or too cold
5. BROKEN EQUPMENT : remote controls, hair dryers, mini-bar fridges
6. POOR FOOD : cold, not as described, poorly prepared, low quality
7. PARKING : dirty, poorly illuminated, unsafe/ not secure, away from the hotel
8. UNCOMFORABLE BEDS & PILLOWS
9. QUEUES, checkout and restaurants
10. POOR VALUE FOR MONEY

And just for good measure there’s a close runner-up at number 11 -
Leisure facilities being closed for maintenance or due to no staff cover

Retail Active’s director, Julian Chamberlain said: “With the British hotel industry poised to enjoy its biggest boom in home-grown tourism for many years – there are still too many examples of poor service.

“The standard is generally high – but our agents still come back with some horror stories.

“There is no excuse for some of the examples in our top ten hates and they dent the reputation of the whole industry.”

“Our job is to help companies improve their service to customers. The British hotel industry needs to root out these poor performers and give stay-at-home holidaymakers the welcome they deserve.”

Retail Active is based in Oxford and has a growing list of prestige clients.