How to deal with poor mousekeeping?

[anonymousegirl]

I'm not trying to start a negative thread, but I have seen many comments on this and other WDW boards about poor mousekeeping (and I have seen plenty raving about how good they are too!).

I understand it is a hard and often unpleasant job for a small wage. I try to make it easier for housekeeping wherever I go.

I always tidy my room and the floor is free from stuff so it is easy to vacuum. The bathroom counter is clear and all my stuff is put away. I always tip, and if I need something replaced I leave a polite note.

All I really want is a clean bathroom, a made bed and empty garbage cans, with an occasional vacuum and sheet change. I don't need cutesy towel animals or whatnot, just a spotless tub/toilet/bathroom floor.

My question is what can one do when they encounter a poor mousekeeper. Some people have called to mousekeeping central but that does not always seem to work. I am of the catch-more-flies-with-honey school so I hate to lodge a complaint. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Allison]

Just keep calling or visiting the front desk until it gets taken care of. There isn't really much more you can do.

You also should be aware the Disney resorts have gone "green" meaning they don't change the sheets every day and leave towels that are left hanging on the racks in order to conserve resources. This doesn't mean the room is dirty but I think many people might not see the cards in the room explaining this and then don't realize why towels or sheets aren't replaced.

FYI, I have never had a problem with bad housekeeping and I have stayed at 8 different resorts.

 

[anonymousegirl]

yes, I always "go green." I don't need the sheets or towels changed daily--I don't at home so why do it on vacation?

 

[Allison]

Do you know where you will be staying?

 

[Miffy]

I've had nothing but excellent mousekeeping at all the Disney resorts where we've stayed--values, mods, and deluxes. If you have a problem at all (doubtful, but it happens, or you could just need extra towels, for example), call housekeeping services and they'll fix it for you, usually immediately.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I've always had excellent mousekeeping as well. OP keep in mind, that people tend to post complaints more often than compliments.

I have yet to see a "we had the best mousekeeping ever" thread

Our rooms have always been clean and tidy. Our mousekeepers usually tidy up for me. I tend to leave all our shopping bags in the corner and when I come back, they are magically in some type of organized chaos.

 

[disnut8]

I have yet to see a "we had the best mousekeeping ever" thread

I actually did that but with a twist. Some one posted about having their door slightly ajar when they got back from the parks and had people say they had the same thing happen. So I posted "I Didn't Have My Door Open When I Got Back!"

Anyway, to the OP - if there is something truly horrible in your room that you cannot absolutely deal with, call housekeeping. If the problem is not resolved, call the front desk. If it's still not resolved, call the front desk and ask to speak to the manager (I believe there is always one on duty).

For me, absolutely horrible would be a complete mess that we didn't leave in the room (like someone got sick in there). I know people go on vacation and expect to have everything perfect. But that's not life.

On our recent trip, we stayed at an off site hotel. We came back one evening and realized that we hadn't been left a second roll of toilet paper to replace the one on the hanger. I knew we'd need that for the evening. Quick phone call and we got a second roll. Was that poor housekeeping? No, that was a human who simply forgot to put it in the bathroom. I can't tell you how many times I have done that at home.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

DISNUT8 Am I stalking you or you me? We are right behind each other for the last 3-4 threads.....where to next?

 

[rt2dz]

When we stayed at BWI last year, we had horrible, horrible mousekeeping service. We go to WDW every year and have never experienced anything like that. And, I don’t mean no towel animals—we’ve never received any and I really don’t care.

I mean our tub was never cleaned. Our room was never vacuumed. I leave our room tidy. In addition, mousekeeping blocked the hallways with the cleaning cart so we couldn’t get through and were snotty about moving it—and we requested it nicely. Clean the bathroom (which I do daily at home) daily, vacuum the floor as needed, fresh towels (for the appropriate number of people in the room) and make the bed is all I require. And I would prefer it if you didn’t touch my kids toys (medical issues) because then I have to clean and sanitize them, again.

DS4’s medical issues requires him to have a clean towel daily and since we can’t distinguish one towel for another, I make sure mousekeeping is aware and then I place all used towels in the tub, which means they should be replaced. They just hung those towels back up—wet! We were also short towels, and despite many, many requests, we could not seem to get more. The one time we did get more towels (and my request was simply for one bath towel and one washcloth per person), they took them back the next day.

When we couldn’t get mousekeeping to respond numerous times, DH went to the front desk (in person). They were rude and unhelpful.

Now, I’m sure they don’t treat all guests this way. I’m sure we were just unlucky. We’ve never had this type of experience at any other Disney hotel either. But the thing is, it does happen. We certainly couldn’t figure out how to deal with it. We filled out the survey they sent. We wrote a letter of complaint that was never answered when we returned. For us the solution was to deal with it and just never go back to BWI again. It didn’t ruin our trip.

 

[GirlfromTN]

Unfortunately I had a bad experience with mousekeeping too, last July while staying at the Yacht Club. Two different times, we came back to the room at night to find food and trash in the room (bathroom and night table next to bed, and on carpet) that was NOT our food. There was a half-eaten muffin once, and the other time some food wrappers that were not ours. I don't know if the mousekeepers were eating while in the room or if somehow someone else's trash got moved into our room, but I was really upset that it happened two times. The first time it happened, we called the front desk, and they sent someone up BUT it was almost midnight at this point, so we had to wait around and not go to bed. Also the woman who came to clean up was NOT nice about picking up the trash; she probably thought it was my trash and I was lying! The second time I just picked up the trash (half-eaten muffin) myself, but I felt like that was pretty gross since I didn't know where it had come from! Still had a great overall stay but my point is that I am not sure the best way to address this. I guess you can just clean up yourself; if it is late at night it is not a great option to wait for someone to come up to your room, and they might even have a bad attitute!
BTW I am happily booking my next trip to Disney and hoping this is a one-time problem not to be repeated! We tip a few dollars every day too; hopefully that will help.

 

[audrey2580]

Wow GirlfromTN! I would have been furious. You handled this much better than I would have. I would have walked to the front desk and spoke with the general manager for the hotel.

Edited to say: Dirty towels I can live with but someone elses 1/2 eaten food is where I draw the line

 

[GirlfromTN]

Wow GirlfromTN! I would have been furious. You handled this much better than I would have. I would have walked to the front desk and spoke with the general manager for the hotel.

Edited to say: Dirty towels I can live with but someone elses 1/2 eaten food is where I draw the line

Haha well you can be sure I spoke with the GM before checking out. Just wasn't possible at midnight when we found out about the problem!
Also called Disney after I got home. Really don't understand what happened there.

 

[MickeyNicki]

If you have any issues when you check in or during your stay just call Housekeeping until they correct it

 

[Harmony]

If you have any issues when you check in or during your stay just call Housekeeping until they correct it

But what if they don't correct it?

Does anyone know what the recourse would be at that point? Who do we call?

I'd hate to have bad service and then have to wait till I got home to write a letter that may or may not get read. I'd much prefer to "fix" it then and there.

 

[suzimar57]

that's when you go to the front desk in person and ask to see a manager, supervisor - whoever is in charge at that moment

 

[skipperkim]

that's when you go to the front desk in person and ask to see a manager, supervisor - whoever is in charge at that moment

Yep, I'd take pictures with my cell or digital camera too.

Thankfully, I've always had very good service.

 

[eliza61]

I've been pretty lucky with mousekeeping. I did have one trip where they kept forgetting to give me fresh towels. I would just call room service and get new ones and leave the dirty ones outside the door. I did ask for a customer survey card at the front desk upon check out, when the cm asked me if there was a problem I told her about the towels. She apologized profusely and said she would make sure the manager of housekeeping was made aware of the problem. Thats all I really wanted anyway.

 

[MickeyNicki]

But what if they don't correct it?

Does anyone know what the recourse would be at that point? Who do we call?

I'd hate to have bad service and then have to wait till I got home to write a letter that may or may not get read. I'd much prefer to "fix" it then and there.

I cannot imagine Housekeeping or Management not taking care of an issue. You just have to stay persistant with them. If my room is not made up by 4 pm I call Housekeeping, if it is not made up by the time we get back from dinner you can bet your bippy that I am going to someone an earful until it is taken care of (BTW this has NEVER happened). If I checked in and the blankets or bedspreads are dirty I would insist on new linens right away (again never happened before).

You cannot go to WDW (or anywhere) for that matter with a negative mind, think positive or you will worry yourself into an ulcer!

 

[debsays]

We just returned from a 10 night stay at Pop Century and I can't say enough about our Mousekeeper. She was excellent! However, I will say that I did laundry twice and the second time someone took a pair of my new shorts and NEVER returned them. I called the front desk and still haven't heard from them. I think I may have to write a letter to the manager. Looks like I may be out of a pair of shorts. Bummer, they were brand new only wore them down there. I still can't believe that someone would go and take someone's clothes. Guess I need to sit/watch my wash/dry next time.

 

[noahdove]

I agree, take care of the problem then, not later. They get paid, and they know what their pay per hour is, so if it's not enough, then find another job where it will be..I can over look some things, but not the dirty towels hung back up...other people's trash...just doens't cut it..I am paying for the service so I expect it.