'I'd had enough': What's the etiquette around noise in hotels?
Updated . First published at
"Boom. Boom. Boom."
It was at a level where it wasn't exactly shaking the room, but it was unmistakable.
Music. And it was coming through the wall from next door.
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Portrait of Asian young couple lying down on bed covered with blanket, Men wearing sleeping mask and and sleep, Women covering her ears with hands while man snoring in bedroom at home, Sleep Apnea and Relationship Difficulties Getty
Now, usually, when I stay in a hotel I don't plan on sending too much time in the room.
And also, it was only early evening so it wasn't interrupting our sleep.
But this particular stay was at a small, apartment-style hotel in the countryside.
The only sounds were birds twittering.
And now it was interjected with somebody's Spotify playlist.
(I know it was a playlist as I could see it because we were connected to the same WiFi. I even tried to 'join their jam' but it didn't work.)
I tried to ignore it, as we snacked on cheese and wine, read our books and scrolled.
But two hours later, with the tunes still going, I'd had enough. I decided to message the owner.
The countryside quiet was disturbed by noisy music. Getty
They said they'd check on the source... but then replied to say they couldn't get hold of the culprits.
They deduced they'd likely 'gone out' and left the music on... I say they just refused to answer the door.
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Anyway, the music continued until after we'd gone to bed.
I put it down to just one of those annoying things you have to handle while travelling.
However the next morning I got an uncomfortable shock.
As we bade farewell to our friendly hosts outside, a bloke in a singlet stomped out of the apartment next door.
He beckoned the owner over, and from what I could gather, was ranting about having his music complained about. By us.
"Get in the car!" I hissed at my 80-year old mother. This man did not look very nice.
Sarah Swain says noise is a part of travelling. Supplied
We hurriedly drove off, which was a bit of an anxiety-inducing ending to a relaxing retreat.
(He then made a big noisy show of moving his Ute into our vacant parking spot as we were driving away...)
So, what should you do about noise from other guests in your accommodation?
Some hotels such as the Crown Plaza chain have 'quiet zones' with stricter rules on noise.
Others may ask guests to maintain 'quiet hours'.
But really there are no set rules.
Wotif's Hotel Etiquette Guide found playing music in common areas was a big no-no- but had little to say about doing that in a room.
Handing noise complains is also hot topic on the Askhotels Subreddit.
One worker said they had been snubbed when asking a noisy guest to tone it down and asked for traveller's takes.
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Noisy hotel rooms can be a big pain Getty Images/iStockphoto
"Regardless of the time of day, people should still be respectful of others and remember that it's not their home," one commenter said.
"Any event that disturbs other guests should be treated as such regardless of the time, people pay good money for their stay," said another.
"Any unreasonable noise that bothers other guests at any time is enough for eviction," one thought.
Obviously all you can do is can contact reception to complain, and let them handle things.
Etiquette expert Julie Lamberg-Burnet from Sydney School of Protocol says loud noise is "unacceptable for both the hotel and guests."
"The way we extend courtesies and share the space with other paying guestsreflects our respect for each other and how courteous to others around us –remember to elevate your self-awareness both as a hotel guest and towardshotel staff," she tells nine.com.au.
How to get a quiet hotel room
As a regular traveller, I've got to know how to try and head off any noise issues.
Asking for a room at the end of a corridor should men fewer noisy folk wandering past.
Also requesting to be away from any lifts can help ensure a good night's sleep.
Higher floors can also help reduce any noise from people or traffic (I gave up on sleeping on the third floor of a hotel in NYC recently due to constant garbage trucks; it was a big mistake not asking for a higher floor).
Noise cancelling headphones and earplugs are also an option if it comes to that.
If you want to be able to lie down properly, headband versions can be ideal.
And avoiding hotels which might have any potentially noisy events such as weddings could also help if you struggle with sleeping.
