travelodge and microwave

damino

I am staying in central london. Travelodge don't have microwaves in their rooms, and their policy is against allowing use of any staff microwave and against plugging things in that they haven't tested so I can't really rely on being able to walk into the hotel with a microwave in my hands either.

But I want to warm food up. What are my options? Is there anywhere where I can rent a microwave?

Delree

Why not book another hotel? If you stay in a hostel they often have loads of cooking facilities , plus you'll save a bit, probably enough to enable you to go out and buy food. Catch 22.

~Chameleon~

No reason you can't plug things in. I regularly use laptop, phone charger and hair straighteners in Travelodge rooms. I also use the kettle to heat food up

Delree

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

No reason you can't plug things in. I regularly use laptop, phone charger and hair straighteners in Travelodge rooms. I also use the kettle to heat food up

That's a good point, I'm forever plugging my own stuff in when staying at hotels, my phone would die quick otherwise!

They probably have a kettle, pot noodle?

damino

Regarding a hostel, I do not want to stay in a place with a shared bathroom, I like having my own room ensuite.

Regarding bringing in a microwave. I said, their policy is that you can't plug things in that aren't PET tested. So, sure you can bring little things in and plug them in and they won't think about it much. But carrying in a microwave, it's a huge object, and they may stop me, so if I went through that method suggested, then to be on the safe side, i'd need a way to smuggle it in, it's not easy. Suppose I disguised it by wrapping it in brown paper. The problem is, that in the current climate, walking in with a big box, even wrapped in brown paper, there's a security guy at the door, he might think it's a bomb, then he'll open it up, find out it's a microwave, and a staff member may say, "sorry not allowed to use it here".

I called up a bunch of travelodges, like five of them, and four said I can't, one said I can. And the one that said yes, (that's one person at one branch when I called) and they had a foreign accent and maybe didn't know and just assumed. And one of the branches wasn't sure and asked somebody and came back with a "no", "they haven't pet tested it". I then called the line for booking, and they said "You can't" too, and they said that it's a general policy, covers all branches. So i'm not going to go trying to tell them they should be consistent and ban plugging in of any devices or allow all devices. They could just tell me they ban plugging in of any devices but they don't advertise it and don't always enforce it. It's not easy for them to ignore a microwave. Very visibly brought in.

And if I did what is suggested - bringing it in, then to get it through with more ciertainty they'd have to not know it was electrical.. perhaps one would have to disguise it, and it's not easy for me to disguise the microwave like wrapping it up, without the security guy getting suspicious thinking it's a bomb maybe looking at it and seeing it's not a bomb but it's electrical and plugs in , and then there's no guarantee they'll be ok with me bringing it in.

Furthermore i'm sure nobody here would want to suggest breaking their rules in a post on a public forum

Justicia

damino wrote: »

their policy is that you can't plug things in that aren't PET tested.

Think that you mean "PAT" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_appliance_testing

Although I do like your version better - sounds more interesting

damino wrote: »

without the security guy getting suspicious thinking it's a bomb

Haven't ever stayed in a Travelodge with a security person guarding/patrolling it! In fact, sitting in one now in Birmingham, and there is definitely not one that I have seen here

damino

maybe the staff/employees are giving me wrong info then.

because it looks like PAT testing applies to a business and its employees, so that the employees are safe(presumably from the businesses's equipment).

It doesn't apply to a customer plugging something in.

I don't know if it applies to if an employee wants to bring in his own thing.

And, suppose a business gets PAT testing once a year.. if they get a new piece of equipment the next day, maybe that's legal. One business owner I spoke to said he only had to get it done once a year.

But anyhow. Staff have told me that electrical items need to be PAT tested.. And the fact that staff could/can -and usually- say that if asked, means it is an issue! (unless I know somebody higher up the chain than the other staff, who knows his stuff, who will correct the staff and OK it)

Own_My_Own

Have you thought about renting a holiday flat.

http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p1009050

~Chameleon~

Justicia wrote: »

Haven't ever stayed in a Travelodge with a security person guarding/patrolling it! In fact, sitting in one now in Birmingham, and there is definitely not one that I have seen here

I've stayed in numerous Travelodges around the country too, including many of the London ones but have never seen a security guard.

damino

Own_My_Own wrote: »

Have you thought about renting a holiday flat.

http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p1009050

Any ensuite room If it wasn't more than the travelodge.

That flat, while I appreciate that it's even nicer than a travelodge room, is about twice the price of the travelodge. the travelodge offer I got was £50. That's £95.

Owain_Moneysaver

damino wrote: »

Regarding a hostel, I do not want to stay in a place with a shared bathroom, I like having my own room ensuite.

Some hostels have private rooms with ensuite showers.