Hotel complaint/No refund.

Moonpixie

I'll make this brief, just wondered if anyone has any advice.

My mum went on a recent trip to Italy through easyjet and during her hotel stay, each morning she kept waking up with bites on her legs. Reception told her this was mosquitoes and actually gave her a can of repellent to spray the room with herself. She said the room felt damp but was denied to speak to the manager as was always "busy".

Bites continued, they gave her 8 cans of spray in total. She went to the local pharmacy who told her they were bed bug bites. She reported it to reception who were totally apathetic. It was only on the final night of her stay that she spoke to a manager (of the restaurant, room manager still unavailable) and she was finally given a different room.

On her journey home her foot really swelled and was painful. She visited the GP right away who gave antibiotics and also confirmed they were bed bug bites.

She made an official complaint to EJ with photos that I took when she was home and attached the GP's report, asking for a refund on the room as it really affected her holiday. Been a month since and just got a reply that because she did not make the 24hr duty office team know of any problems at the time they basically can't do anything about it.

They also passed her complaint to the hotel who, while acknowledging that they were aware of her original complaint basically dismissed it entirely saying there was no problem with the room at all and that the marks she showed them were old mosquito bites (that is rubbish as she has never been bitten by one and these were fresh, angry marks). They said there was no proof any bites came from their hotel.

Is there anything else that can be done? Or is it best to just leave it there?

Moto2

If they were bed bugs, there's a good chance she brought them home.

I'd be more concerned with checking that out thoroughly than chasing the hotel or Easyjet and trying to prove it.

hollydays

8 cans of spray ??!!
What is italian for bed bug?
Did tripadviser reviews not contain similar reports?

Sicard

It is difficult for hotels to control this type of rare incident as the little bighters travel around hidden in clothes and suitcases. They're hard to eradicate so the mattress and bed have to be destroyed.

The hotel's denial makes them out to be unconcerned with any level of customer service. If it was me I'd warn them I was going to give them negative feedback on TripAdviser unless they took some responsibility for being so uncaring. Their level of service demands some kind of accountability.

If this hotel is one of several there has to be an owner you could contact or an area manager.

I once stayed at a hotel in Tanzania and wrote a negative review on TA and the area manager saw this and action was taken.

hollydays

Who knows if the hotel staff actually understood what she was saying.

greenbee

As Moto2 says I'd be more concerned in making sure none of them hitched a lift home than chasing up a refund. Once they are established they can be difficult to shift. It's she has been home for a bit it isn't as simple as laundering everything and leaving the suitcase outside in the sun/until treated, so some research is needed.

A TA review would also be a kindness to those following her - both in terms of warning about bed bugs, and the correct process to follow.

Moonpixie

This is a really flashy hotel and she went with it due to it being recommended on the EJ webpage, the staff's English was very good, they knew exactly what she was saying.

She hasn't brought any home and got rid of towels and the suitcase when she got back.

She complained about the bed sheets being damp on the first night but but she was just given a fleece blanket and the sheets were not changed.

The hotel just seem to be implying she's making it up, unfortunately. It's one word against another. They also seem to be saying that she was trying to pass off old bite marks as new ones.

As for TA, well yes, it gets excellent reviews on the whole. That's why my mum chose it. However, when you look at the minority of negative complaints (things like mold, damp room, etc) they hotel always responds in a very dismissive way, basically calling people liars and what they are saying is untrue. Thing is, no complaints about bed bugs, though. Even though a local chemist, plus, funnily enough, an American medical student who was in the chemist at the time both said it was bed bugs, and then her own GP confirmed it.

ETA - I downloaded bed bug info for her to follow in terms of what to do in case you bring home. I assumed she did it, I know she just mentioned to me about getting rid of some stuff and I know she's had no further probs at home.

Westin

If your mum booked the hotel element via the easyjet website then the arrangements for the hotel are through Booking.com

If you mum booked a holiday (or rather Flight Plus) via easyjetholidays then the accommodation side of the holiday is via Hotelopia which is a Spanish business registered in Mallorca.

It might be worth looking at the T&Cs to establish if your mum's contract was with either of these organisations, or if they were acting as an Agent for the hotel. If the latter it then becomes more onerous to seek a resolution you might be happy with.

eDicky

Moto2 wrote: »

If they were bed bugs, there's a good chance she brought them home.

I'd be more concerned with checking that out thoroughly than chasing the hotel or Easyjet and trying to prove it.

This is important, especially if your mother ever left her bag or suitcase on the floor overnight - ask her.

In any hotel room anywhere it's wise to always keep bags up on a stand or chair, in case bed bugs are present, perhaps recently arrived and unknown to the management. They tend not to climb when retreating to a dark place towards morning.

eDicky

Moonpixie wrote: »

She hasn't brought any home and got rid of towels and the suitcase when she got back.

That's good, as long as it was done before the first night home. Its the seams and crevices of suitcase linings and such where they hide, more than in loose textiles. The presence of a couple of migrants may not be noticeable until they breed...

hollydays

Moonpixie wrote: »

This is a really flashy hotel and she went with it due to it being recommended on the EJ webpage, the staff's English was very good, they knew exactly what she was saying.

She hasn't brought any home and got rid of towels and the suitcase when she got back.

She complained about the bed sheets being damp on the first night but but she was just given a fleece blanket and the sheets were not changed.

The hotel just seem to be implying she's making it up, unfortunately. It's one word against another. They also seem to be saying that she was trying to pass off old bite marks as new ones.

As for TA, well yes, it gets excellent reviews on the whole. That's why my mum chose it. However, when you look at the minority of negative complaints (things like mold, damp room, etc) they hotel always responds in a very dismissive way, basically calling people liars and what they are saying is untrue. Thing is, no complaints about bed bugs, though. Even though a local chemist, plus, funnily enough, an American medical student who was in the chemist at the time both said it was bed bugs, and then her own GP confirmed it.

ETA - I downloaded bed bug info for her to follow in terms of what to do in case you bring home. I assumed she did it, I know she just mentioned to me about getting rid of some stuff and I know she's had no further probs at home.

It may be that the hotel are very practised at getting negative reviews removed, so, do not say" this hotel has bed bugs" directly, as strictly speaking, you can't prove this. It would be better to write your review stating you got bites ,etc etc and when you got home , the medical report said it was bed bugs. Be very careful not to directly write anything that they could get removed. That would be most helpful to other members.
What star rating was gone hotel given by reviews on tripadviser?