[ot] fire alarms in commericial premises

[Stephen]

Hello,

Are there any regulations saying what type of fire alarm must be installed in shops, hotels, etc.?

I ask because I have been to hotels that have signs such as "keep bathroom door closed when using shower to prevent activating fire alarm".

Is the steam from the shower triggering an ion/optical alarm because the alarm thinks it is smoke, or is the temperature of the steam activating a heat alarm?

Or perhaps it depends on the hotel which they have installed?

I have to stay at a Travellodge next week and was wondering if I could take a George Foreman grill to cook some breakfast or whether that might lead to the hotel being evacuated!

[The Medway Handyman]

FFS. If you're going to stay in a hotel, put your hand in your pocket & pay for breakfast.

Have a thought for the next person to use the room. It will stink like a cheap cafe.

[Nightjar]

SFAIK, there is nothing stating which type of alarm must be used.

No idea, but it happens. A couple of years ago I got woken up by the fire alarm at one hotel when somebody decided to take a hot shower at

6:00 am without closing the bathroom door.

It might end up with you being charged for extra cleaning to remove the odour, as some hotels do if people smoke in non-smoking rooms.

[Broadback]

I may be wrong but I thought Steve's comment was TIC.

[Nightjar]

Have you seen what breakfast costs in hotels these days? It is not unusual for breakfast for two people to cost a quarter of what you are paying for the room. Unless I get a breakfast included deal or the hotel is well placed for cafes, I always take something cold to eat for breakfast.

In any case, I don't think that Travellodge offer breakfasts, although there is usually something like a Little Chef or Burger King on the same site.

And a cleaning charge may be made to remove the smell.

[spuorgelgoog]

Steam and optical.

Exacerbated by the usual decision to place the detector just inside the bedroom door, which also happens to be just outside the bathroom door.

Owain

[Tim Watts]

That'll set the fire alarm off.

[Stephen]

It was, sorry - should have used a smilie :)

I agree I would not want to stay in a greasy, smelly room, but I think it must be possible to have a low odour cooked breakfast. If not, perhaps you have to cook on the car park!

[Andrew Gabriel]

Yes, someone at work did this. It's not just the cleaning cost, but also included 2 nights rental for the room not being usable. Pleased to say, work refused to reimburse that expense, which was around £500.

Heard of the same thing happening when someone stayed with their dog in the room. If they had booked the dog in, it would just have been the standard pet cleaning charge as the cleaning gets pre-booked by the hotel to happen between guests departing and arriving, but as they didn't, it also cost a nights rental by the time the hotel had managed to get the room pet cleaned without advanced notice.

[Dave Liquorice]

Quite probably, which in Premier Inn may lead to a "fine" donno about Travel Lodge(*) and the smell from the grill may also lead to a cleaning charge.

OP doesn't say what time he needs Breakfast. Last week I had to be on site at 0900 and was 2 hours from site. Being a Saturday breakfast didn't start until 0730. Pick a closer hotel? Well I didn't get away from previous location until 2000 and drove 1 1/2 hours to get to this hotel...

They do an "in your room" continental breakfast but it's well over a fiver for stuff you can get for £2 in any supermarket...

(*) Travel Lodge went seriously downhill a few years back, no soap (and may be towels FFS!), poor maintenance and cleaning. They are recovering slowly with a refurb programme and the return of soap/towels.

[Peter Johnson]

Never stayed in a Travelodge that didn't have soap or towels. They have reduced the number of towels but I guess most were used by most guests and the soap is now liquid, which must be more economical than a small tablet in a wrapper that was only used once.

[Chris French]

Most hotels seem to include it anyway, not that we stay in many. At a Premier inn it is normally about £7 for an all you can eat one which is reasonable. (good for families, which is when we normally stay as kids a re free )

They used to on lots of their sites - or give a voucher for the Little Chef, but they seem to dropping them, goign by the last time I booked, hardly anywhere did breakfasts.

>

[Mr Pounder]

I rather think Travelodge will take a dim view of you creating a fire hazard........... which you are. Show some respect for the nice clean room you slept in. Show some respect for Travelodge and the next guests. The breakfasts in the pubs/Little Chefs are expensive and shit. Get in your pikeymobile and find a cafe.

[Mr Pounder]

Never stayed in a Travelodge that didn't have soap or towels. They

Yup, they all have towels and liquid soap. I am a bastard for nit picking and look for dust etc..... failed. I have only ever found one room with a blown light bulb. Having stopped in numerous s**te hotels and B&Bs I'll pick a Travelodge anytime.

[Andrew Gabriel]

A room rate which includes breakfast is much cheaper than buying it separately. If you didn't manage to get that, buying it as soon as you arrive can still be cheaper than just turning up for it in the morning as an optional extra.

[Bob Eager]

On many occasions (but not recently) I've booked from 'down the road' using a 'city break' or similar from one of the resellers. I remember (long ago) getting dinner, bed and breakfast for £42, but the bare room rack rate (which I observed ten minutes later at the desk) was £65.

[Dave Liquorice]

Did you stay in a period of several years before Aug 2013?

They do NOW but that only returned in late

2013:

everyday_low_prices/

"Everything you need and nothing you don't * Our hotels are equipped with everything you need for a good night's sleep. * Unlike other hotel companies we don't provide a trouser press, chocolates on pillows, toiletries or other unnecessary items."

common_room_questions/

In between about 2010 and late 2013?

"Poor maintenace" was chipped paint work on door frames, worn carpets, etc

Like I said they are getting better with the refurb and image shift program started in late 2013.

Before then you wouldn't want to stay in near a weekend as they would be full of stag/hen/birthday party goers, come club chucking out time sleep would be impossible as hordes of pissed up party goers returned.

BTDTGTTS

I'm starting to look at Travel Lodge again but generally find a better deal at Premier Inn or Holiday Inn Express provided I'm not going to be out before they start breakfast as the rate includes breakfast at HIE's.

[alan_m]

Cold curry purchased the evening before makes a good hotel breakfast

[The Medway Handyman]

People do actually do that in Travel Inns etc. They also cook evening meals.

[The Medway Handyman]

I'd never use Travel Lodge. Travel Inn are much better.