Francine B.
Google
Have you ever stayed at a hotel that asked you to “pay up” because you left blood on the sheets? If you’re a woman, I do not recommend you stay here. Period.
I was preparing to check out of Roseland House. The lady at reception insisted that she must inspect my room first.
So, I let her into my room. I knew she wouldn’t miss it, so I shamefully whispered to her that yes, a bit of blood got onto one of the sheets. “I didn’t know that my period started last night,” I admitted.
In response, she told me that I would have to pay 50 Rand for the damage, because the cleaning agents were allegedly expensive. I paid, but left the hotel disturbed. I am still disturbed.
Why? Because first, this policy is not normal. I have stayed at hotels in 28 countries. I have never, ever heard of such a policy. Whether a woman menstruates or an elderly person accidentally urinates or defecates, any potential loss of revenue from damaged sheets is typically figured into the costs the customer pays for the night’s stay. Such minor damage is not worth the potential loss of a customer’s business.
Moreover, this policy is unacceptable. The employee told me that my blood had caused damage to the sheets. However, countless times, my female friends and I have leaked menstrual blood onto our own clothes or sheets before we got a pad or tampon. This is unavoidable. Each time, we’ve succeeded in cleaning out the blotches. We didn’t need expensive cleaning agents…just ordinary household items.
But what I’m most worried about is that this policy sets a dangerous precedent for female travellers. Imagine that a teenage girl stays at Roseland House with her family, and she has her first period there. Then imagine the shame and embarrassment when, in front of her dad and brothers, she has to show the hotel employee her red spot on the sheets. “Sorry, that was me,” she timidly shares. This girl may never visit a hotel again! Menstruation has always been a normal biological function for healthy women, so hotels like Roseland House should not be another barrier.
In short, I will not be returning to Roseland House. As a customer, I deserve to be treated with goodwill and dignity. The hotel insisted that I made a mess, then squeezed more money out of me. In doing so, I argue that the hotel made its own mess. This review serves as testament to the damage done. To any potential customer, I implore you: stay somewhere else—at a place that respects you and your wallet.
