When we went earlier in the year to the Costa Del Sol I emailed the hotel with a request, but we never got it, we was told eveyone wants the best rooms and they wouldn't budge, our room was acceptable but not located in a nice spot but never mind I thought.

I would always send my husband to ask for a change of room if we were put in an unacceptable one as I think a man is taken more seriously in these situations.
They usually try to fob you off with "we are full, maybe tomorrow"
Just keep asking politely, they might get fed up and change it.

When I was in Lanzarote about 10 years ago, it was a hotel complex and divided into blocks of which my son and I was on the ground floor end unit, which I thought was fine, until the next morning. Our room was next door to the room maids sgtore room/rest room where they all met and stupid o clock to collect their various mops and buckets and gthen gossip at the top of the voices. I put up with three days or more to the point very early - and went out and spoke in very bad spanish to stop I wanted to sleep, wo which gthey did and was stunned. I went to reception later and explained what had happened and the nodded and moved me instantly - this it seemed was a common problem for any guest that stayed in this particular room (why put people in there then).

We did move and the room was in a better position that the first so all was well,.

I do this all the time. My husband knows better than to unpack or even sit on the bed till I've had a good look round and made sure I like what we've been given.
I've only been refused when a hotel's been absolutely full, and normally get the option to move in a day or two.

HI bridd - So can you tell me your secret? How do you go about getting moved? I'm a novice to this as I'm normally not fussy about my room. Since we're hardly ever in it, all I'm concerned about is that it's clean, everything's in working order and not in a very noisy area.

It would definitely be me making the request as hubby's no good at this sort of thing (too nice)

Do you normally have to be persistent or do they move you after one polite request?
Thanks.

If we are not happy with the room I'm sent by Mrs Sunbear to if we can get moved. I've learnt over the years to to do this calmly and politely and it has always got us results. Early this month in Italy it was obvious that the air-conditioning was inadequate in the room - we had it on for a few hours and the room was still hot and stuffy. So I went and asked to be moved and we were no bother. The hotels must be well aware of the the failings of some rooms, some people will put up with them others will try to do something about it.

It depends. A smile and a polite request normally work if they have something else to offer. If there's a fault or problem with the room I won't budge though. We checked into a Scottish hotel once a few years back and the washbasin had a huge crack in it. We went straight back to reception with luggage and kids and were told they were full. We just told them it was unacceptable and we would wait while they sorted it out. Eventually they gave us a suite as it was all they had left.

Just a bit apprehensive in case I get a basement room

Shirley -only you would be worried about a room before even getting there

Mary usually goes. She usually just explains the problem politely and then if they say wait a day or two she will.
In spain once the room we got had an adjoining room on to it. First night there at about 3.30 am we were wakened by what we thought was a motorbike starting up, but then realised it was the guy next door snoring. Well i snore Mary has even tried to suffocate me before but nothing on this scale.
In the morning she told the rep who could see she was very tired and grumpy and we got moved within half an hour.
I think she might have murdered someone if they hadn't as she doesn't sleep well on holiday anyway (or at home for that matter).

Garry

Thanks for all your tips

Shirley -only you would be worried about a room before even getting there

Now I know I try to plan everything Helen but if you think about it, I really aren't fussy about hotel rooms am I? I've just heard of loads of people who've been put in a small basement room in the Karbel, which they are calling dungeons. Apparently they are really dark until you put a light on and only have a tiny window high up. Just worried about being claustrophobic.

I was in a similar situation in what was the Tenerife Princess Hotel in Las Americas some years ago. I booked what was called a suite - there was me, hubby and 2 kids and my mum, and I was assured this was a 2 (separate) bedroom arrangement with lounge area.

When we got there we were shown to a room which was below ground level which had 5 single beds in a row in a narrow dungeon like set up. No privacy for anyone!! There was a balcony/terrace which was surrounded by heavy vegetation so the room was incredibly dark. All the carpets in the corridor going to this room were wet and squelchy and the smell of damp was overpowering.

I had booked in the travel agent and felt so disappointed, and responsible for everyone else's disappointment. I didn't lose my temper -stayed calm and explained that this was not what we had booked, it was not acceptable, and we had to be moved. I spoke to the Thomsons rep, who was not great, but I persevered, an we didn't have to stay one night. We were moved to what I expected - 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms - i.e a suite! In the 2 weeks we were there we saw many new people taken to this awful room - and equally saw many of them complaining and being moved. The hotel is refurbished now, so I would hope these rooms don't exist, but I wouldn't go back.

I have also asked to change rooms in another hotel because I didn't like the view! Again, it was done, although we had to stay one night in the not so nice room. I am always polite, and ask nicely, and have been lucky I guess. Hope you wil be lucky too shirley, but if you are not happy then say so!

I've had to ask to be moved twice in Tunisia - once because the room I was put in didn't have the balcony that I'd booked and once because the room had obvously been last used by very heavy smokers. On each occasion I took what I regarded as a polite but firm stance and was asked each time to wait until morning - I regarded this as OK as I'd arrived very late on each both occasions. In each case when I went to reception the following morning I was sent away with a porter with a number of room keys to go and chose the one I preferred. So sorted very quickly.

I also requested a room change in the Gambia because of a broken pane of glass in a smal window next to the door onto the balcony - it actually looked as if someone had done it in the course of breaking into the room because it was the one right enxt to the door lock and as I was on my own it made me feel very insecure. This met with with less success in that every alternative that I was shown was even worse. In the end I agreed to stay in the room but only on condition that the window was fixed immediately and that a more secure lock was put on the door - to my surprise this was done and I stayed in in it.

On the whole I think that starting off politely rather than with all guns blazing does get the best results but I think that it is important to make it clear exactly what you want and why and that you aren't going to let it drop.

SM

The room/aspect is one of the most important things for me. When we check in, I always ask if we have a good room and sometimes just that is enough for the Receptionist to change it. The first thing I do when I get to the room is to open the curtains and walk onto the balcony and if the view and position is good, then I am happy but if not, I go down to Reception and politely ask if there is another room available and luckily, it has worked out well for us nearly every time.
We have never returned to a hotel where they haven't because I would not be prepared to be allocated some of the rooms we have seen there.eg Basement, overlooking a cemetry, main road, nightclub etc.
Some people don't seem to mind what room they are in and say "You only need the room to sleep in" but we aren't one of those people.