Starwood Preferred Guest - Sheraton Bal Harbour-Maimi/Conceirge made reservations at Pearl, not honored.

I stayed at this hotel to drive my brother to school in Miami. Met my dad and step mom there. On sunday, my dad made reservations through the concierge (Miguel) for Pearl at 8:00 p.m.

Arrived five minutes early, there were two groups in front of us. The were turned away by the bouncer, doorman. It is a restaurant but has a doorman/bouncer a la Studi 54 in the 70's.

Bouncer said we were not on the list, and told us to leave. We called conceirge, he confirmed with hostess inside. Gave bouncer name of hostess who confirmed with conceirge, and asked to call hostess. He said no, and told us to leave. Dad tried to slip him a fifty, did not take it, and asked us to leave.

We were dressed nice, and my dad and step mom have been there twice before without a problem.

Group behind us stated reservations, not on list, asked to leave. The about 10 pretty young girls walk up, no reservation, let in.

Why allow reservations and then deny entrance. Also, this restaurant will go broke. young girls usually do not have the money to eat and drink in this place. My dad would have easily dropped $500 or more.

We were out a cab fare of $45, and emabarrassed.

Help me boycott this restaurant.

I posted it here since the starwood hotel made the confirmed reservation and it was not honored.

Please leave it here for maximum exposure.

I'd prob go to this restaurant knowing they let hot girls in :-)

some LA places like south beach are just as strict bout wanting a certain clientele to fit the place image.

I used to work for a restaurant called Seniors which is now closed. Why? Cause the young clientele grew old, and only older people ate there. The younger people avoided the place in droves and it died a slow death.

This is really outrageous. I am certain that you took the time to alert the concierge of your bad experience. The hotel should absolutely not book anyone else there ever again until the situation changes. Wow. I can see managing your crowd to be ultra hip and chic, but you cannot simultaneously accept reservations nilly willy that you will not honor once folks grab a limo for 20 minutes to get to your place! Outrageous. Sorry you had such a bad experience. This may well be the first negative posting regarding anything at the Sheraton BH that I've come across (and, it was not their fault!).

Pearl sounds dreadful.

i would certainly hope you alerted the concierges of your experience, as noted earlier.

yuck.

[This message has been edited by fly co to see the yanks (edited 09-03-2003).]

No problem with Bal Harbour. The nicest sheraton I have ever stayed at. They upgraded me from the cheapest room to the penthouse floor into a suite which was about 1800 sq. feet with balcony. I am plat.

Conceirge applogized. He had just been at a diner with other conceirges invited. He is very mad, and told us he will talk to the owners and black ball.

By the way, I do not look like a bum (only on saturday when I watch football or work around the yard). I am young (35), and well off for my age. I have my own law practice and drive a really nice car. My step mom is hot, my brother looks like a lineman. In fact, he is asked almost every day who he plays for. He is in Miami to attend chef's school. He is 21.

My dad dresses nice but casual, and is overly nice to people. He tried to BS the guy and then bribe him. The bouncer would tell him to leave, he is blocking the ropes.

I understand why they want chic people, but we had confirmed reservations.

Thanks

Freddie III

This just might be the funniest thread EVER in the Starwood forum. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I'm pretty amused by it.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1005:
This just might be the funniest thread EVER in the Starwood forum. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif</font>

it certainly is a stretch. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Couldn't help but notice: ..."Conceirge [sic] applogized [sic]".

What law school did you say again ?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by coplatsat:
Bouncer said we were not on the list, and told us to leave. We called conceirge, he confirmed with hostess inside. Gave bouncer name of hostess who confirmed with conceirge, and asked to call hostess. He said no, and told us to leave.</font>

Hmm. The "A" answer here, if really wanted to sample whatever overpriced Spiced Dust they are serving there these days, flows through Miguel, the Concierge Dewd. Restaurants normally go out of their way to emanate Happiness, Warmth and Love toward hotel concierges. More on that in a moment.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by coplatsat:
The about 10 pretty young girls walk up, no reservation, let in.</font>

Ah, yes....Survival of the Prettiest (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385479425/002-5424640-4024831?v=glance).

I sympathize, b/c I look like I break legs for a living, which is nice when I want to intimidate someone, but sux when cruising chix. I have a rather dramatically built female friend whom I take out 1-2 times a month for a meal. We are universally ushered to the Hollywood Spot in the front of the restaurant. This has everything to do with her being hot. Does it matter that I'm ugly? No, because ain't no one gonna be lookin' at me.

*shrugs*

In other cases, it's enough to have Bling, or be a regular, or (best) to have established relationships.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by coplatsat:
Why allow reservations and then deny entrance.</font>

Oh, I dunno...does one of you have a Second, Evil Head? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif Anyone committing a Fashion Crime? If not, then you were suffering the vagaries of fate/communication failure.

Contemplate the following, which you may consider Good Advices from a Former Doorman:

I. "Will the Last American Leaving Miami Please Bring the Flag?" You are in SoBe, and the normal rules that apply in North America do not apply in what is, in essence, the Capital of the Caribbean, and home of what I like to call the "Miami Squeeze". It is how it is, as we say in NY. You gotta Play the Game by da' Rulz.

II. Don't try and negotiate with Magilla Gorilla. You can try it you want, but most times, it isn't going to work, and we will have to aim for higher on the food chain. I am inferring from your post that you were probably there during Prime Time. If that was the case, and if the bouncer...er, I mean "doorman" had orders that stated, "Only the Sexy People", then that's who gets in. Gen'l Grant? Well. He's just not Sexy---Although, I must admit, in my feckless youth, I would sometimes pay in crisp, new $100 bills. There's a certain drama to it...and, hey, there's a reason the Trophy was wearing a low-cut dress. ;-D

III. What to do, what to do? Well, you *can* try pressing the doorman. As I noted, this is not a high success strategy, as you discovered. If you take this path, it must be done firmly, but gently, and it's better if you already know the name of the hostess/manager/whoever. You then go from being just Some Guy to being Somebody Who Just Might Know Somebody. Life is about relationships, even if you just Know a Guy Who Knows a Guy (never underestimate the value of that. I've got a big account in the Favor Bank, b/c, more often than not, I know a guy.) Under no circumstances should you bluster or get "abrupt"--Hitters don't lose their cool, and neither do you.

IV. Let's Go Over The Game Film.

What You Did Right: Called Miguel.

What You Did Wrong: Took Miguel out of the Equation.

V. "If by some misfortune an honest man like yourself made enemies, they would become my enemies…and then, believe me, they would fear you."

Who's your friend when things get rough? No, not H.R. Puff'n'stuff---MIGUEL!

You don't call Miguel to get a name to tell the Doorman, you call Miguel to have him call the restaurant. (Hmm....it turns out you *do* know a guy who knows a guy, after all). The first rule of negotiations is to negotiate with someone who has authority; that ain't the doorman.

More on Happiness, Warmth and Love: Miguel, my friend, is your Key to the Kingdom. Miguel wants you to Be Happy, b/c you are a MegaSuperDuperPlatinumSPGDewd guest at a *wood hotel, and you are also the guy who is going to tip him for a job well done (translation: Miguel thinks Gen'l Grant is one of the Sexy People).

Now, follow the Bouncing Ball, and sing along:

A. You call Miguel, brief him on situation--apparently there is some mix-up with your reservation (the one he made for you. You don't have to remind him, though. He knows). Perhaps the best way to resolve said mix-up is for HIM to call His Contact at the restaurant. He will?! What a Swell Guy! And I bet he'll do it immediately.

B. Miguel then calls the restaurant, and explains who he is, and that there seems to be a problem with a reservation He Made for one of his guests, who is is at the drawbridge of the castle RIGHT NOW, with some hungry relatives in tow. Let's tune in: "...yes, not good...could you not go out, apologize for the mix-up, collect them, and escort them past Magilla the Moat Monster and to their table?" [Translation: Do NOT disrespect me in front of my guests, or you can expect to be included OUT of the Reindeer Games.]

C. Now, one of two things will happen. The most likely is that, within minutes, (or as soon as is practicable thereafter) you will find yourself--as if by magic--greeted and seated by a very apologetic host/hostess. If, for some reason, this doesn't happen (a possibility. Miami is NOT famous as a "service" town, and sometimes the people who only have a single functioning brain cell aren't just working the door...) If that happens, it's Miguel's responsibility to procure substitute performance (as it were).

Better luck with your next restaurant experience.

O/H



[This message has been edited by Occupationalhazard (edited 09-04-2003).]

thanks occupational hazard. You learn every day. I was the small buck in the crowd, since my dad was with me. HE was simply impatient, and by the time that Miguel called us back the second time, we were already at another restaurant.

I went to a good law school, I just have never taken typing, and I am to lazy to go back and correct. I do not think it would be proper to dictate my post through a legal assistant.

The folks at Pearl march to the beat of a far different drummer. This is not the first story of "lack of accomodation". Luckily, there are a lot of other great places in Miami and miami Beach.

So now I know how it works. Doh!

Should have let the GM at the W New Orleans make that call to Emerils that he offered to make. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com