Legally speaking, they covered their behinds. In the Hotels.com description (in a not so-clear place) it stated there was construction “nearby.” I only noticed this after I had already fallen into the trap and arrived at the hotel. I quickly realized that their careful use of the word “nearby” was on the point. “Nearby” could mean a hundred meters away, ten meters away, or literally right outside your window. On the hotel’s own website, they mentioned there was construction but claimed it wouldn’t be “disruptive.” And again, I think that as long as your ears don’t bleed, apparently it’s not considered disruptive. One of the loud construction “thuds” even startled one of the hotel’s employees. But let’s start from the beginning.
I arrived at the hotel in the afternoon after a five-hour trip for a three-day business stay, hoping to get some rest. That’s when I first heard the construction noise. They moved me to another room, but it was even worse. I was woken up by the sounds of hammers, chisels, drills, and even loud music right outside my window. The “nearby” construction was, in reality, zero inches from my window.
Their solution? They offered for me to leave within less than an hour and find another hotel. They would give me 75 CAD, and take the rest of the 480 CAD I am paying. They also told me I was in the wrong because their “guests” usually leave during the day (when construction starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.). I refused their “generous” offer. I had a meeting