My review of Hampton Inn ...and it's not all good...



Disclaimer: I know with all the problems in the world right now, and worries in my own life, this is not even on the list...Still, having said that, here this is...I'd really like to know if you have heard of this...maybe it's common place right now...maybe it's not.


10 years ago Dennis and I stayed in a Hampton Inn in West Covina. We thought it was okay until the next day when I asked for an extra hour of stay. Den was late getting back from working there (back in the days when he was still with LAPD) They said no, check out was noon, no exceptions. I even asked to let me pay for an extra hour. Still no. They said the best they could do was let me take my luggage and wait in the lobby for him.

We checked Hampton Inn off our list. 

Then last night we decided when the Marriott was full in Bakersfield, we would give Hampton Inn another try. After all, it had been 10 years. Surely they had gotten better. Or so we thought.


Walking in I was encouraged by this sign mounted into their granite counter:


 So we thought, okay, this time they are going to be more accommodating. They even said, "Check out time is noon, but if you need extra time we can let you stay till 2pm if you need to."  Wow.


Not only that, but they offered us bagels, muffins, juices, and toast...as soon as we arrived. I've never had a hotel do that before. We were impressed.


And our room was comfy and clean and nice.


So what was the problem? Well listen to this.

Last night as we were in bed  I decided to get up and check the thermostat...to make sure it was on a good setting for the night. We all do that in a hotel room, right? 

It really didn't make sense to me...it had no cooling or heating tab, and when I pressed the up and down buttons odd unrelated numbers came up. So I called the office and here was our conversation:

"I can't figure out the thermostat. Could you please explain it to me?

"I can send a maintenance man up to your room to help you."

"We're already in bed and we don't want anyone coming in, so could you just tell me over the phone how to work it?"

"Well I don't know what kind you have."

"I'm sure it's the same one you have in every room, right?"

"Uh...yeah...
Well you can't really program those because they are run by a sensor."

"A sensor? So are you telling me we can't control the thermostat in our room?"

"It will continue working as long as there is movement in the room. But once you go to sleep, it stops."

"So we can't have any cooling or heating while we sleep? Only when we are up and about the room?"

"Yes that's how it works, yes. It will work for, uh....about 30 minutes after you go to bed and then it shuts down, unless someone gets up in the night...then it will last another 30 minutes."

"This is so odd."
(a pause and he doesn't say anything, so I ask:)
"Don't you think this is really odd?"

(Finally I hear him again)
"uh, yes it is, but I can't do anything about it. Only our maintenance man can override the sensor and he won't be in until 8am."

(Didn't he just say a few moments ago that he would send the maintenance man up...now suddenly he says he is not coming in until 8am?)

So I thanked him for his help (it wasn't his fault and he was honest with me...well sort of)...and then we went on to have an interesting night.


When it became quite warm, one of us would get up for a moment, and sure enough the a/c would click on again for 30 minutes. Oh, and we also had a small continual sensor light flashing on the ceiling and one on the wall going on and off, all night long.

It was an adventure. Yes, then early this morning we were awakened by a barking dog in the room next to us. That's when we learned they accept pets. 


No, we didn't ask for our money back. It was a really nice room and otherwise we were happy. But a hotel controlling your thermostat? They should tell people that, and have it mounted into the granite, right beside the 100% Hampton Guarantee. 

So long Hampton Inn. Farewell. It was nice. Except for the sleeping part.

So here's my question for you:   
Would it have bothered you if your hotel controlled the temp in the room while you were sleeping?
 Or would you have felt more like Dennis, in that it was not that big of a deal? 
I really do wish I could be more like him, but I'm not.


More later on why we were in Bakersfield. Just in case you want to know. Or even if you don't.
Sorry this post was so long.

17 comments:

Eileen said...

Oh, YES, it would bother me not to be able to control the temperature in the room, and I know it would drive my husband insane, he loves it COLD at night and he can't sleep if it's too warm. So I guess he'd be getting up out of bed every thirty minutes if we stayed at the Hampton Inn!
I wonder if it's the policy of that particular Hampton Inn or is it the policy of all Hampton Inns?
I'm going to write and ask them.
I know we stay at a lot of hotels like that on our way to and from Florida, and when we take trips to Mystic, Conn. I'll have to ask Ray if we've ever stayed at the Hampton Inn and if he remembers any problems with the thermostat (before I write to the company).
The room really was nice, thanks for sharing those photos and thanks for the information!
Looking forward to you posting about more of your trip.
Love and Prayers,
Eileen

Karen Mortensen said...

That is odd. It wouldn't be too big of a deal unless it was 110 outside.
But, if I knew they allowed pets, I wouldn't stay there.

Scrapally said...

you can make your posts as long as you want, I always enjoy reading them! We are getting ready for a trip and will be staying in two different hotels. I am going to have to take notes and pictures! thanks for the heads up on what I should look for. :) And of course we want to hear what you were in Bakersfield for and want to see all the pictures you took! :) Happy trails...

Dad and Susan said...

We would want control over the temperature. The company should know about your having to keep getting up to activate the A/C. THAT is not a restful sleeping environment.

The hotel where we took our dog only had about 5-6 rooms that accepted dogs and those units were separated from all the other units. If you heard a dog next door perhaps they had an illegal dog.

The pictures of your room did not look like a room that would accommodate pets. Ours did not have carpets, but very nice hardwood floors. I think it was a sneaked-in-dog.

We do want to know why Bakersfield?

Love, Dad and Susan

grandmapeg said...

It would bother both Craig and me if we couldn't control the temperature. We had one experience with a hotel in Denver in December where the control wasn't working right and we were cold most of the night. Craig reported it to the desk clerk when we checked out the next morning and a couple of weeks later we received a card with a discount for his next stay there which was nice of them to do. Your room looked pretty nice. I think we've only stayed in a Hamptom Inn once or twice and didn't have any problems so maybe it is just this particular one that you stayed in. I'm looking forward to your post about your Bakersfield trip.

Grandma Honey said...

Susan~ As we woke up to this dog barking we kept thinking...where is it?? We finally decided it must be very close, and the owner probably left him in his room while he was having breakfast...because the barking would not let up. So as we went for breakfast later, the room next door was being cleaned so it was opened. Sure enough, there was a large dog cage in the middle of that room. Mystery solved. :)

Richard said...

I suggest you post your "review" on the Hampton Inn website...

the Rich girl said...

I absolutely have to be able to control the temperature of my room. I sleep so much better when it's cool in the room. In fact, if it get too warm, I can't sleep at all.

In fact, a big part of falling asleep has to do with your body temperature cooling down, and if it doesn't cool down enough you'll have a much harder time falling asleep.

Grandma Honey said...

Karen~ We have a rule at our house concerning the thermostat...pregnant guests are in charge of it. Seriously. And especially when she is carrying our grandchild.

Richard~ I just did what you suggested. I'll let you know if I hear back from them.

grandmapeg~ You are far more easy going than I am...I doubt you have a problem anywhere.

scrapally~ Very much looking forward to your hotel reviews!

Karen~ I did wonder what the hotel would do when it gets really hot outside. But I'm too afraid to give them another chance and find out.

Eileen~ Yes please do come back here and let us know if you find out anything about Hampton's policy. I do wonder if it's a nature wide thing.

Rebecca said...

I would HATE not controlling the temp in my room. It would make me a very bit annoyed. I am not a fan of Hampton Inn. We stayed at one of their hotels that was only 2 weeks old. When we got home, that next day I checked my Visa charges online and saw that they had added a 150.00 charge to our room. I called them and the manager said it was because we were "smoking in the room, and smoking was NOT allowed and this is a cleaning charge for smoking". I was trying really hard not to laugh. I told him we did NOT smoke, never had, never will, it is against our religion and our health beliefs as well as I am alergic to smoke. He still insisted we were smoking. Then he said "oh I see here you had teenagers with you, it must have been them smoking". I assured him that Jake was 13 and he did NOT smoke. He insisted we were smoking and would NOT remove the charges. I called my sister who lives in the town we where the hotel was, she called them and they did take the charge off. But ever since, I am not a big Hampton fan, and I still do not SMOKE!!!

Grandmotherfairy said...

I was so glad to read your "review". I would hate to stay in a room where they allow pets...and I have to have control of the temperature...that would drive me crazy!

Susan Anderson said...

I think it's ridiculous to have to get up every time you want to change your temperature in the room, and I would NOT like it at all.

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Annette said...

YES it is odd.. never ever had that happen before. I try to not stay in Hilton Hotels... I don't like their beds. I stayed almost a whole week at Marriott Residents Inn and everything was great! Bed was amazing and I also got free breakfast, of eggs and meat and other stuff. And during the week they serve dinner too. I do Marriott's anytime and every time. Oh and I would have said... YES send him up right away. And I would have said something to them upon checking out! That is just not right.

Anonymous said...

Were you part of 'Candid Camera' or 'Punked' shows?!! This policy is insane.

Fisher Family Fun said...

Interesting. Richard would have blown a fuse and gone down to the desk and chew them out. He likes the room cold at night, too hot and he can not sleep.

Unknown said...

I stayed at a Hampton Inn with my sister-in-law!! We got our room free and breakfast to boot, she woke up uncomfortable and called them at 3 am to tell them and they gave us the room free !! No one messes with my SIL !! If I need something done or returned I have her do it !! She bought one Lazy Boy recliner with a life time guarantee and they recovered the chair several times !! And sent men to fix the workings many times !! eventually they gave her a new chair free !!

I would def write the company and tell them you are not satisified at the very least they should refund your money !!

kelly said...

I'm getting really sick off all the eco friendly/go green stuff. I'm sorry but I can't sleep if it's too warm or stuffy. I read the reply though and that was impressive, I'll have to remember the whole override thing next time we stay in a hotel.

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