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Hotel standards fall as bashful Brits fail to complain

Hotel standards fall as bashful Brits fail to complain

Over half (54 per cent) of British guests fail to complain about hotel cleanliness issues, according to new research from CheckSafetyFirst.com. The health and safety expert warns that hotels are allowing standards to slip because British guests, often stereotyped as reluctant grumblers, don’t complain to staff when they experience issues. Now the company is calling on both guests and hotels to raise expectations of what is acceptable in order to limit dangerous hygiene risks.

According to Which? figures, only a quarter of UK hotels score top marks (5 stars) for cleanliness, proving there is a large number of high profile hotels in the UK that aren’t doing enough to keep guests safe. In light of the new research results, CheckSafetyFirst.com is urging bashful Brits to put hotels under constant pressure to ensure rooms are kept spotless.

Steve Tate, chairman of CheckSafetyFirst.com, says consumers can drive high standards through the power of complaint, “The internet is a powerful tool for travellers because people can read reviews or ask questions of hotels before they arrive. That said, often these gripes aren’t picked up by hotel staff. If you have an issue with a hotel, it’s vital to communicate the problem to a member of staff so it can be dealt with quickly.

“Even the most basic issues, if left untreated, can manifest into a cause for concern in terms of hygiene. While hotels should be monitoring standards carefully, if this is not being done correctly, it is up to travellers to demand this.

“Often people feel embarrassed to complain about issues they have, especially if they haven’t paid a massive amount for a hotel room, but it shouldn’t matter how much money has been spent. If you are a guest in a hotel then your room should be spotless and maintained to a high standard. If not, what can seem like a trivial issue at first can lead to more severe problems such as an injury or illness,” Tate concludes.

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