Top hotels reusing dirty bed linens

[reader]

From South China Morning Post

 

Top hotels in Beijing accused of reusing dirty bedlinen, failing to wash bathtubs, basins

 

Consumer group uses hidden cameras, UV stamps to test hygiene standards at US$300-a-night rooms

 

The Beijing Tourism Association has said it will investigate claims made by a consumer rights group of poor hygiene standards at several five-star hotels in the city.

 

The association issued a statement on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent to Twitter, after being made aware of research carried out by the group, whose English name is “Better Choice, Better Life”.

 

The latter claimed in a video published via its Weibo account that W Hotel in Beijing, Intercontinental Hotel Beijing in Sanlitun, JW Marriott Beijing and Hilton Beijing had failed to change bedlinen between guest visits.

 

Using hidden cameras, the video shows the researchers checking in to rooms at the four hotels – and also at the Shangri-La – in the city. Once inside, they recorded themselves marking the bedlinen, wash basins, baths and other items with fluorescent stamps that are visible only under UV light.

 

After a short stay, during which they “messed up” the rooms a little, the researchers checked out. The following day, their colleagues checked in to the same rooms to record the findings.

By looking for the UV marks – which the group claimed would quickly disappear if wiped or washed – the researchers were able to determine how thoroughly the rooms had been cleaned.

 

In most cases, the rooms had been tidied, but much of the bedding had not been replaced or cleaned, the group said. The Shangri-La got the highest marks for cleanliness, with a researcher finding just one “dirty” pillowcase on the return visit.

 

The video also showed that bathtubs and toilet seats had not been properly cleaned, as was the case for several glass tumblers.

 

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2110187/top-hotels-beijing-accused-reusing-dirty-bedlinen-failing-wash

[vinapu]

that would be the shame although I have no doubt those findings are accurate as everybody is trying to cut costs. 

 

But this is a problem for those who are staying in 300 $ / night hotel , group I don't belong to.

 

For 50 $ I'd still expect to see fresh linens in newly checked-in room although I don't mind if they don't change bed daily as long as it's left in a decent   state after last night gymnastics. 

[NIrishGuy]

i'm guessing that this happens a lot all over the world anyway and WAY more than any of us would perhaps like to believe re the hotels we ALL stay in  - of every grade ! 

[Guest]

 

For 50 $ I'd still expect to see fresh linens in newly checked-in room although I don't mind if they don't change bed daily as long as it's left in a decent   state after last night gymnastics. 

 

For normal hotel occupancy, I think the key point is customers expect the linen to be changed after the previous occupant.  I certainly do.   The report implies the Chinese hotels are not doing that.

 

After I have checked in is a different matter.    I have no expectation for it to be changed every day.

[Alexx]

So, as a courtesy to the next guest getting your room after you, soil the linens to such a degree that the maid will have no other option than to change them.

[ChristianPFC]

Some things don't add up.

 

Why hidden camera? They checked in, then I assume closed the door and put the fluorescent stamps on various items. The report doesn't say they filmed the maid not changing bedlinen and not cleaning bathtub/toilet seat/glass (that would require hidden camera).

 

How do the other members of the team get the same room (that can be helped by asking for a particular view and floor).

 

-----

 

On a different note, I recently had the misadventure of staying in place (name of place withheld for legal reasons) that had a running water outage in my room and most other rooms. Can you imagine coming arriving after 4 hours of travel, checking into the room, going for dinner, then coming back, turning on the shower - nothing! Water tap - gargling sound! Water hose - nothing!

 

At the end, I used the water hose in the public toilet in ground floor to shower, and the following day the Thai manageress put a bucket of water in my bathroom.

 

She refused to give me a refund, but I contacted the Farang owner and will give me a discount on my next stay. In the meantime, a Farang friend stayed at the same place and reported the same (no running water, and Thai manageress refused to refund the money).

[NIrishGuy]

Well if you do choose to stay in places costing on average 300/400 baht a night what can you expect sometimes but a shit hole with zero customer care or them giving a fuck, you sound surprised about this ?

[vinapu]

Nirish has a point although  cheap places still charge money so at least basic things like clean bed ,  running water and flushing toilet should be delivered. 

 

Some better run properties still deliver even if charging modestly, never had issues with Nantra Silom or Le Cafe Royale, both under 1000

[faranglaw]

Nirish has a point although cheap places still charge money so at least basic things like clean bed , running water and flushing toilet should be delivered.

 

Some better run properties still deliver even if charging modestly, never had issues with Nantra Silom or Le Cafe Royale, both under 1000

Two perfectly good hotels on Suan Phlu near Soi 3--My Bed and another yellow building I can't remember the name. Nice if you want to be a bit away from the Silom action in a vibrant neighborhood. Easy walk to Babylon. 850/night as of last winter.

[reader]

There's another service commercial laundries confidentially offer hoteliers.  Instead of the full cleaning service (wash, rinse and press) they'll offer a discount of about 30% where sheets are only sent through rinse cycle and pressed.  They look fine.  However, sheets regularly not exposed to soap and bleach eventually (especially in a hot, humid climate) take on a faint to no-so-faint "body" odor about them.

 

When checking into any hotel room, I usually take a few minutes to check the bed by pulling back cover sheet and check for body hairs, stains or odors before lifting bottom sheet off mattress and check for evidence of bedbugs. I sniff pillows for freshness. I then check bathroom and give shower curtain the sniff test (if it has a bad odor, I request housekeeping to change it).

 

Last thing I do is use hand sanitizer to clean remote, usually the germiest thing in the room.

 

How do the other members of the team get the same room (that can be helped by asking for a particular view and floor).

 

 

It's not uncommon for guest, when making reservation, to request a particular room he has a preference for. In this case, the person who first checked in would only need to notify follow-up team member of room number.  The other method would be for first person to make reservation (and pay for) for two night and explain upon registering that  he would be staying just one night and that a colleague would be occupying the room on the next night.

 

 

[Guest]

The other method would be for first person to make reservation (and pay for) for two night and explain upon registering that  he would be staying just one night and that a colleague would be occupying the room on the next night.

Arguably that would invalidate the experiment.

 

Separate bookings should generate a list which requires the cleaner to change the linen.    One booking should not.

[reader]

 

Separate bookings should generate a list which requires the cleaner to change the linen.    One booking should not.

 

Can't agree.

 

We're talking about major hotels with international branding.  Don't recall visiting a hotel of that caliber that didn't routinely change bed linens daily.  Exception is if a different policy is posted (and that's usually limited to serviced apartments) or when you are requested to place a card on your bed to indicate that you want (or don't want) linens changed.

[Guest]

We can disagree.    I doubt many of us change our home bed linen daily.

 

Any hotel not changing the bed linen when the guest changes is very naughty & this would not meet normal hygiene expectations.

That's deserving of sting operations to expose the practice.

 

Changing linen on a daily basis with no change of occupant is more of a refinement than a fundamental need.

[vinapu]

 

 

Changing linen on a daily basis with no change of occupant is more of a refinement than a fundamental need.

and often pure waste of water , detergent , energy and effiort

[reader]

I doubt many of us change our home bed linen daily.

 

 

That's true. At home, unfortunately, my sheets don't get the same workout they do on vacation!

 

 

and often pure waste of water , detergent , energy and effiort

 

That's also true.  When the hotel offers me the choice with the card system, I usually opt not to change them. But I appreciate being the one who decides.

 

A few years ago a boy, who had a fairly fresh tattoo on his butt, left a multi-colored impression of sorts on the bottom sheet.  I approached the maid the next morning in hallway and invited her into room to view my embarrassing predicament. She just waived me away with "my pen rai." I left her particularly generous tip.

[ChristianPFC]

Well if you do choose to stay in places costing on average 300/400 baht a night what can you expect sometimes but a shit hole with zero customer care or them giving a fuck, you sound surprised about this ?

 

500 THB in this case. I stayed there many times. Even in places that cost 150 THB (when I'm alone in hotel, I don't need aircon or hot water for shower), I never had problems with running water.

 

But that's not the point, even at 150 THB I expect running water.

 

But you were talking about attitude of the Thai manageress, I can only confirm: stupid and brazen. (Stupid I derive from her checking every room on the same floor for water, and then rooms on the floor below, an wondering that the floor below has water like it is a miracle - but I know it's basic physics.)

 

But then, when I travel in the provinces where I pay between 150 and 500 for hotel room (depending on various factors), I never encountered such attitude.

[PeterRS]

Changing linen on a daily basis with no change of occupant is more of a refinement than a fundamental need.

 

Very few hotels even at the top end of the range now routinely change bed linen and towels every day. I have stayed at quite a few Marriotts, Intercons and Hiltons etc. Each now has a notice either on the bed or by the bedside advising it is hotel policy to change bed linen every third day of a guest's stay. If the guest wishes daily changing, that will be done if the card is left by the pillow. Towels are replaced if they are put into a basket or left on the bathroom floor. Those left on the towel racks are not changed. Not chainging linens and towels after a guest checks out is a last warning offence.

 

I find that Report not just highly suspicious. I suspect it was faked. How is it that only western managed chain hotels were targeted? What about the Chinese hotels - like the huge Beijing hotel? I agree with Christian. 999 times out of 1000 it is absolutely impossible to get the same room as a friend stayed in at least 24 hours earlier. With the exception of a few regular guests, rooms are allocated by reception staff as and when they become available after check-out of the previous guest and cleaning. How come they checked out presumably by noon one day and then were able to get exactly the same room on check in presumably around 2:00pm the next? It beggars belief. The only way I know to guarantee the same room is not in fact to check out at all but just to hand the key over to a friend. He then goes to the room a day later where the first guy only stayed one night, it is perfectly natural that linens and towels would not be changed as the hotel cleaning staff assumed it would be the same guy staying for two nights and had not requested linen and towel changes.

 

The possibility of the cleaning staff making a mistake in such high end hotels is also difficult to believe. If you go into a room to clean it and find no luggage, nothing in the bathroom, nothing on the desk, nothing in the wardrobe, nothing to indicate there might be a guest coming back, either the room would be completely cleaned or at least the cleaner would check with reception.

[reader]

I find that Report not just highly suspicious. I suspect it was faked.

 

Well, you certainly wouldn't be the first person to label a news report they disagreed with as "fake news."

[ChristianPFC]

I once stayed in a hotel that had a comforter/duvet with a pattern and color that looked like puke+shit+blood+cum. You wouldn't notice any real stain. A bit like camouflage, where real stains from mud or green leaves will go un-noticed.

[Guest]

Christian's comments remind me of the time when I booked an appartment in Pattaya Centre Condos that had the most disgusting duvet I have ever seen.   

After assessing the situation, I rapidly found a hotel & did not stay in the apartment for a single night.   

 

As for the Chinese hotel thing, well I expect large professional hotels have procedures for cleaning.  The question is what steps do they take to stop their staff cutting corners just to make life easy ?

[vinapu]

I once stayed in a hotel that had a comforter/duvet with a pattern and color that looked like puke+shit+blood+cum. You wouldn't notice any real stain. A bit like camouflage, where real stains from mud or green leaves will go un-noticed.

thank you for  a good laugh

[vinapu]

 I expect large professional hotels have procedures for cleaning.  The question is what steps do they take to stop their staff cutting corners just to make life easy ?

being large and professional should include follow-up procedures and I have family member who actually made gainful employment out of being such follow-upper and she  did not even work for a chain hotel 

[PeterRS]

As for the Chinese hotel thing, well I expect large professional hotels have procedures for cleaning.  The question is what steps do they take to stop their staff cutting corners just to make life easy ?

Correct. Its not just the cleaning staff. High end hotels have room supervisors who check virtually all rooms daily. Several times I have been in a room when a supervisor has knocked at the door to check that everything is in order and the room has been cleaned to my satisfaction. When rooms are empty, they do the checks themselves.

 

 

Of course there can always be the odd cleaner who cuts corners because these guys _ strange its often guys in China - only have a certain number of minutes to clean each room. But it is almost impossible for a traveller who can afford to stay in such hotels not to notice if bed linen is fresh or has the odd little wrinkles to show it was used before. The only scam I can see working for lesser quality hotels is the one reader mentioned earlier with pressing and ironing only instead of a full wash.

[reader]

Excerpts from The Beijinger

 

Beijing officials have initiated a city-wide investigation after a scandal has implicated a number of local five-star hotels for lax hygiene standards.

 

The Beijing Health and Family Planning Commission announced Tuesday that they will investigate all five-star hotels in the city a day after an undercover report revealed local luxury hotels didn't clean their guest room, reusing bed linen and not cleaning their toilets.

 

Chinese public hygiene regulations demand hotel operators adhere to a "one customer, one-time use" policy in which facilities are freshly cleaned for every new client. Additionally, Chinese hospitality regulations say bed linen and pillows must be changed for each customer.

 

Serendipitously, the Beijing Health and Family Planning Commission released its summer inspection report on the city's 691 hotels just one day after the scandal broke. Forty-six Beijing hotels failed to meet city standards, 35 of which were punished.

 

https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2017/09/07/city-wide-investigation-launched-beijing-5-star-hotels-exposed-reusing-dirty-linen

 

[stijntje]

i'm guessing that this happens a lot all over the world anyway and WAY more than any of us would perhaps like to believe re the hotels we ALL stay in  - of every grade ! 

I think so too