SallyL
Oct 31, 02, 9:03 am
I just returned from the following trip: BPT-IAH-DFW-YVR-HKG-SYD-HKG-LAX-DFW-IAH-BPT. The trip included 7 stays at Starwood hotels for a total of 23 nights.
Oct 4: Sheraton North Houston at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Overall the stay was excellent. I was upgraded to a nice suite. The airport shuttle was timely. The staff were very courteous and friendly. The only problem was that the 500 pt. platinum amenity bonus has still not posted.
October 5-11: Westin Grand Vancouver. I arrived at 2:30 PM. The room they had selected for me was not ready. They gave me a room that was across from the elevator and ice machine. I complained and was given a very acceptable room. This is an all suite hotel. On the 4th day
C$18+ minibar charges sppeared on my account. I had not touched minibar. I complained and the charge was removed. The 5th day a long distance phone charge appeared. It was posted around 5 AM when I was asleep. I again complained and the charge was removed. The 6th night two long distance charges were posted at 5 AM. I again complained and the charges were removed. Human error was blamed for the minibar charge and the computer was blamed for the phone charges.
Oct. 12-17 Sheraton Hong Kong. I was upgraded to a suite that looked down on a courtyard. I had hoped for a harbor view, but was told the noise from 9 AM to 6 PM due to hotel renovations would be very bad. The stay included complimentary continental breakfast at The Cafe or The Oyster and Wine Bar. The Cafe charged me. Reception removed the charge. Billing at checkout was correct and received plat. 500 pts.
Oct. 18-25 Four Points Sydney Australia. I arrived before 8 AM. I was upgraded to a nice suite with a view of Darling Harbor. I was very pleased to have my room ready so early in the morning. I had one room rate for the first two days and a different rate for the last 5 when I made the reservation. After the 3rd night I checked my account status and was being charged AU$10 more than I was supposed to be. One phone call to reception corrected this problem.
Oct. 25-26. I went back to the Hong Kong Sheraton for one night. I arrived at 5 PM and was given a newly renovated harbor view room. The construction noise was really bad, but it did stop at 6 PM. The room was extremely small. I thought the modern bathroom was just plain freakish. The new Sony TV in the room was wonderful and so was the mattress. The plat. 500 points have not posted. The first stay's 500 points posted promptly.
Oct. 26-28 Four Points LAX. At checkin I was given an upgrade to a junior suite. I was very tired after long flight from HKG. My key would not open door. The maid said the room had not been cleaned. I was given another room at the back of the hotel. I was dragging my very heavy bag all this time. This room looked out on the LAX runways and a freeway. I had requested a quiet room. I asked for the manager. She got me a room that was directly above the original room. It was acceptable. I was not able to check account status on TV. When the paper bill was put under my door. I was overcharged on the room rate. I called Starwood plat. line and was transferred to Corporate Services. They called reception and had the problem resolved in short order. I called plat line because I was tired of complaining to reception.
Oct. 28-29. I was back at the Sheraton North Houston. I told reception I had not received points from Oct. 4 stay. They promised to look into it. Points still have not posted. I was given an ordinary room but told I could have continental breakfast on club floor. They had wrong room rate which was corrected. The next morning I attempted to go to club floor but my key would not work in elevator. I had to go down to reception to get a key that would work. Bill was correct at checkout, but today a charge that was $22.83 greater was posted to my AMEX account. I did not touch the minibar or phone and had no meals. I called and was transferred to Corporate Services.
Corporate Services has given me 3 references numbers for the North Houston Sheraton over charge, and the missing points at North Houston and Hong Kong.I am supposed to hear from hotels within 10 days.
Overall the stays were very good, but I am very upset with all the petty billing errors. I do not like to complain, and I was forced into complaining too many times.
[This message has been edited by SallyL (edited 10-31-2002).]
[This message has been edited by SallyL (edited 10-31-2002).]
[This message has been edited by SallyL (edited 10-31-2002).]
Oct 4: Sheraton North Houston at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Overall the stay was excellent. I was upgraded to a nice suite. The airport shuttle was timely. The staff were very courteous and friendly. The only problem was that the 500 pt. platinum amenity bonus has still not posted.
October 5-11: Westin Grand Vancouver. I arrived at 2:30 PM. The room they had selected for me was not ready. They gave me a room that was across from the elevator and ice machine. I complained and was given a very acceptable room. This is an all suite hotel. On the 4th day
C$18+ minibar charges sppeared on my account. I had not touched minibar. I complained and the charge was removed. The 5th day a long distance phone charge appeared. It was posted around 5 AM when I was asleep. I again complained and the charge was removed. The 6th night two long distance charges were posted at 5 AM. I again complained and the charges were removed. Human error was blamed for the minibar charge and the computer was blamed for the phone charges.
Oct. 12-17 Sheraton Hong Kong. I was upgraded to a suite that looked down on a courtyard. I had hoped for a harbor view, but was told the noise from 9 AM to 6 PM due to hotel renovations would be very bad. The stay included complimentary continental breakfast at The Cafe or The Oyster and Wine Bar. The Cafe charged me. Reception removed the charge. Billing at checkout was correct and received plat. 500 pts.
Oct. 18-25 Four Points Sydney Australia. I arrived before 8 AM. I was upgraded to a nice suite with a view of Darling Harbor. I was very pleased to have my room ready so early in the morning. I had one room rate for the first two days and a different rate for the last 5 when I made the reservation. After the 3rd night I checked my account status and was being charged AU$10 more than I was supposed to be. One phone call to reception corrected this problem.
Oct. 25-26. I went back to the Hong Kong Sheraton for one night. I arrived at 5 PM and was given a newly renovated harbor view room. The construction noise was really bad, but it did stop at 6 PM. The room was extremely small. I thought the modern bathroom was just plain freakish. The new Sony TV in the room was wonderful and so was the mattress. The plat. 500 points have not posted. The first stay's 500 points posted promptly.
Oct. 26-28 Four Points LAX. At checkin I was given an upgrade to a junior suite. I was very tired after long flight from HKG. My key would not open door. The maid said the room had not been cleaned. I was given another room at the back of the hotel. I was dragging my very heavy bag all this time. This room looked out on the LAX runways and a freeway. I had requested a quiet room. I asked for the manager. She got me a room that was directly above the original room. It was acceptable. I was not able to check account status on TV. When the paper bill was put under my door. I was overcharged on the room rate. I called Starwood plat. line and was transferred to Corporate Services. They called reception and had the problem resolved in short order. I called plat line because I was tired of complaining to reception.
Oct. 28-29. I was back at the Sheraton North Houston. I told reception I had not received points from Oct. 4 stay. They promised to look into it. Points still have not posted. I was given an ordinary room but told I could have continental breakfast on club floor. They had wrong room rate which was corrected. The next morning I attempted to go to club floor but my key would not work in elevator. I had to go down to reception to get a key that would work. Bill was correct at checkout, but today a charge that was $22.83 greater was posted to my AMEX account. I did not touch the minibar or phone and had no meals. I called and was transferred to Corporate Services.
Corporate Services has given me 3 references numbers for the North Houston Sheraton over charge, and the missing points at North Houston and Hong Kong.I am supposed to hear from hotels within 10 days.
Overall the stays were very good, but I am very upset with all the petty billing errors. I do not like to complain, and I was forced into complaining too many times.
[This message has been edited by SallyL (edited 10-31-2002).]
[This message has been edited by SallyL (edited 10-31-2002).]
[This message has been edited by SallyL (edited 10-31-2002).]