Would you stay in a hotel you'd had bad service in?

lufcgirl

I'll try and explain

Over a week ago, me and OH stayed in a hotel for three nights. Upon booking, we used the hotels website and used a credit card assuming the amount had been paid in full for the hotel as we had a booking confirmation number. So OH travels over, we go to check in at the hotel and ask if theres any outstanding balance to pay as we do not wish to leave card details. There was a balance of 79.00 which we paid in cash straight away, checking to make sure everything else was paid for, the guy said yes.

When we go to check out, the girl at reception says to hang on and that theres an outstanding balance of over £100 to pay. We asked how this was so, and she explained that we'd only paid for one nights stay when checking in. So we asked how this had come about when we asked if everything was paid in full and it was. She said the guy had made a mistake and that it had to be paid. OH asked to speak to a manager. And then a girl comes out who states the same thing, it needs to be paid or else we'll call the police. No apology for the mistake and there we were being threatened. At no point did we say we wouldn't pay we just said that we wanted a reason as to why it wasn't paid and an opportunity to call OH's credit card company to be sure it wasn't paid before paying again. They refused to allow us to use their phone. OH pulled out their laser card (which is Irish) and was told the hotel doesn't accept this and I had no cards on me.

They wouldn't allow us to leave the hotel to go and draw money out so I asked if I could return after taking OH to airport and bring the cash in a few hours. The second woman said yes this was fine as long as they could take my address. So OH wanted the actual manager of the hotel, the woman went to find them and found they had gone home...at 11am! So out comes the finance manager, who said I couldn't return later with the money, the first girl said I was lying when I said she'd just told me this and that we had to pay now or the police would be called.

So we weren't allowed to leave the hotel and threatened. In the end OH had to call her sister and pay with her credit card, even then they were arguing over taking a third party payment. They eventually took it.

I was in tears over the thought of police being called (even though we'd done nothing wrong, we were trying to pay but they wouldn't let us go and draw cash out) and extremely distressed.

I wrote a letter of complaint which read the following...

Dear .....

Allow me to in the first instance acknowledge your dissatisfaction which you have registered with our Customer Service Department, and to thank you for the feedback received.

On arrival, the error of the mis quoted value I would want to apologise. The Receptionist concerned was spoken with, and also was apologetic of the situation which had been created from the mistake which he had made. If clarity had been given at this point, then the further journey of events would not have been one for you to encounter and myself to begin to explain.

The follow on at departure, I shall not offer any excuses just an apology for how it was handled. It is difficult due to the distance of how to “make it right”, but allow me in the first instance to extend a complimentary night as my guest.

The situation is unacceptable which you have experienced, and not reflective of the level of customer service which I would want you to remember us for.

I await your reply

Kindest Regards

So they admit that they were completely wrong in the way they treat us, but all I want is for that staff member who lied to be dealt with, I don't even want a free night. Why would I stay there knowing the way they'd just treat us!

Would you just leave it at that, that apparently the people have been dealt with, or escalate it further?

sporedude

lufcgirl wrote: »

I'll try and explain

Over a week ago, me and OH stayed in a hotel for three nights. Upon booking, we used the hotels website and used a credit card assuming the amount had been paid in full for the hotel as we had a booking confirmation number. So OH travels over, we go to check in at the hotel and ask if theres any outstanding balance to pay as we do not wish to leave card details. There was a balance of 79.00 which we paid in cash straight away, checking to make sure everything else was paid for, the guy said yes.

When we go to check out, the girl at reception says to hang on and that theres an outstanding balance of over £100 to pay. We asked how this was so, and she explained that we'd only paid for one nights stay when checking in. So we asked how this had come about when we asked if everything was paid in full and it was. She said the guy had made a mistake and that it had to be paid. OH asked to speak to a manager. And then a girl comes out who states the same thing, it needs to be paid or else we'll call the police. No apology for the mistake and there we were being threatened. At no point did we say we wouldn't pay we just said that we wanted a reason as to why it wasn't paid and an opportunity to call OH's credit card company to be sure it wasn't paid before paying again. They refused to allow us to use their phone. OH pulled out their laser card (which is Irish) and was told the hotel doesn't accept this and I had no cards on me.

They wouldn't allow us to leave the hotel to go and draw money out so I asked if I could return after taking OH to airport and bring the cash in a few hours. The second woman said yes this was fine as long as they could take my address. So OH wanted the actual manager of the hotel, the woman went to find them and found they had gone home...at 11am! So out comes the finance manager, who said I couldn't return later with the money, the first girl said I was lying when I said she'd just told me this and that we had to pay now or the police would be called.

So we weren't allowed to leave the hotel and threatened. In the end OH had to call her sister and pay with her credit card, even then they were arguing over taking a third party payment. They eventually took it.

I was in tears over the thought of police being called (even though we'd done nothing wrong, we were trying to pay but they wouldn't let us go and draw cash out) and extremely distressed.

I wrote a letter of complaint which read the following...



So they admit that they were completely wrong in the way they treat us, but all I want is for that staff member who lied to be dealt with, I don't even want a free night. Why would I stay there knowing the way they'd just treat us!

Would you just leave it at that, that apparently the people have been dealt with, or escalate it further?

You wont get any information about how the employee was dealt with as this is confidential information between them and the company.

maggie111

Tell them you'll have the complimentary free night, and get one day's fee back on your 3 night stay!

lufcgirl

The only way I'd take one nights stay is if it's in a different hotel! I'm going to be in Dublin next weekend so if they do that then maybe, and one nights stay back.

This was my reply anyway

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply to my complaint. I have discussed the chain of events with my partner, who is still in a great deal of distress (a week later) from the way in which we were treated like criminals and also threatened and spoken to by your members of staff. We both came to the conclusion that we would never stay at your hotel again due to the staff present and also knowing we would have to encounter them again. The girl on reception, who was 'front of house manager', I'm sorry I do not have her name but remember her having blonde hair, was the rudest of a bad bunch in my opinion, especially in lying once challenged by your finance manager on what she has previously told us.



As a result of this I have also personally contacted two local newspapers and wrote to the letters section with my complaint and distress received on because of your company. I do not feel a nights complimentary stay is in any way viable or something we would look to be taking you up on.



I shall await your response.

Got an email back asking what I wanted and said exactly as Maggie said...except in a hotel in Dublin instead. Doubt they'll do it, but it was a horrible experience.

oldone_2

Can you name the hotel so we can all avoid it like the plague.;)

ilnf

Can't see why one of you couldn't stay at the hotel while the other went to the cash machine. Seems silly to demand that both of you stay there!

lufcgirl

The hotel is Radisson SAS in Durham.

They've said they will speak to Dublin now and it looks like that and a nights stay refund is going to be settlement for it.
They wouldn't let one of us leave as they said we might not come back! We offered to leave our luggage but they were having none of yet. Yet five minutes earlier they were willing to let me come back and pay in a few hours time.

ilnf

But there is no difference between one of you staying behind or two! Pathetic!

lufcgirl

Oh believe me, we tried arguing that point! They didn't seem to grasp what we were saying, OH couldn't do a runner as she wouldn't leave me for a start and also she was relying me on me to get her to the airport! And I wouldn't have left her on her own and did a runner, she had a flight to catch!

Lavendyr

Their response is in shocking English!

lufcgirl

Whose was? If it was mine then I'm sorry...it was probably because I was still angry when writing so worded everything the wrong way around!