GUWonder

Hotels can't legally do whatever they want when it comes to legal contracts and other legal obligations.

Brand-owning hotel companies don't always choose to "read [the hotel property] the riot act" even when the hotel property violates a legal obligation that comes under the contracts between the hotel property owner/manager and brand owner. They know where their bread and butter comes from.

I find it interesting that some people assume they are dealing with a liar even in the absence of proof of such on this matter.

What is it that makes someone like this hotel and its FOM so that they take sides no matter what against the OP for being critical of the hotel/FOM for the rude approach directed at hotel customer that even interrupted the vacation of a professional colleague who works elsewhere?

GUWonder

"Presumably consequences for the benefactor"? Scare-mongering as usual.

About the name issue:

craz

never mind

GUWonder

Wrong guess.

You presuppose things as going the way you would do them maybe if entitled to the rate (which you said you were not entitled to use?). But in the real world the diverse course of actions within the range of normal also include not doing all as you would do -- even for those of us entitled to use the rate.

craz

never mind

GUWonder

Mr S__ K__, the hotel front desk manager, isn't likely to be "put in his place" for even well deserved customer complaints. He's hard to get meaningfully disciplined -- or even terminated -- from employment at this hotel.

But if wanting to push a string, if in such situation where entitled to the rate, your choice. Just don't expect it to be very fruitful in terms of a timely resolution in your favor.

craz

never mind

GUWonder

People have different priorities when it comes to how -- or for how long -- to deal with a wrongful denial of benefits/performance or to beat a dead horse.

I've been faced with some very obnoxious hotel employee attitudes at times; but I don't have the time or interest to always pursue such incidents up and up and up -- not even when I've got the facts recorded on my side and even have available to me personal contact with upper management personnel.

For some people, an online forum complaint may be sufficient to satisfy an interest to inform others about the matter.

Often1

You have managed to overlook the point that the consequence is for the "friend" who chose not to acknowledge knowing OP when contacted. For OP, the sole consequence is losing the rate.

It's also of note that Carlson which could easily have made good on the rate when OP complained, clearly investigated, reviewed the facts and came down squarely on the property and employee's "side". It could just as easily have done so, but come back with one of those standard, "but as a one-time courtesy for a valued customer" lines which can be used to finesse difficult situations.

GUWonder

I overlooked no such thing.

What consequence for the OP's employee contact? No such thing is evident, as much as scare-mongering types may imagine it to be or want it to be.

Clearly investigated? ROTFLOL . It sounds more like Corp did nothing more than contact the hotel and take the FOM's word as gospel; if Corp even did anything beside merely respond to the OP.

craz

I wish to apologize to the OP and this thread. My bad for some reason I didnt take note that in fact the OP did contact Corp and the OP posted as such in their 1st post.

That said seems corp went along with Kim and felt theres nothing wrong with a hotel wanting the employee to call and confirm that the person using F&F is entitled to. The OP didnt want to bother their friend during that weekend . But once the employee said I dont know that person (for whatever reason) there goes the F&F res, even if you are entitled to be using it. If Kim has caught several folks I dont see the employee being called again and asked btw do you (nickname).

Im still with the hotel and see nothing wrong with wanting to be sure any discount is being used properly. It seems for this hotel an 80 Euro rate is way below what their reg rate is maybe 2/3 off. Im not sure they would go to the mat if it was a much smaller % like 10%. Or they may have had very high % of F&F reses and decided to make sure they are legit = asking that the employee call them or that they call the employee

If Kim is nasty in general that isnt good, but mgmt might not care if in fact he's preventing alot of folks who arent entitled to be using F&F or whatever from being to stay and pay those rates.

adpucci

sorry, been travelling for work, I was travelling at the time the reservation was jeopardized by the unexpected email from Mr (indeed, a man) Kim, so I replied the following from my phone but then when I was about to add something I unexpectedly sent it, so THEN I immediately called the hotel since I would be catching a flight in about 3 hours' time, and I had had no time even to add regards:

================

hi there,

the rule is that I need to have the name and work location of my friend (in this case it is not a family member) at check-in - and not that I get someone to email you.


FEATURES:
- Please note - employee name and work location will be required at time of check-in.
- Discounted rate for family & friends of Carlson employees globally
- Guest will be charged equivalent of EUR 80
- Please note that currency exchange rates are subject to change
- Room type / Bed type / Smoking preference confirmed
- 25% discount on food and beverage (excluding alcohol) in the all day restaurant
- Buffet breakfast, VAT and applicable taxes included

=========================

on the phone, Mr. Kim was not available, so I spoke to someone in reservations, explained that I had inadvertently hit the SEND button, that my friend (who indeed does not know my full legal name, but only my nickname - and by the way I am a woman) was away for the weekend and therefore I was not sure how to get them an email confirmation.

I then told them my friend's name so they could check that he is in fact an employee of the Carlson group - and told them his work location.

by the time I checked my email again, after the lengthy phone call, the rude 3 emails from Mr. Kim had arrived (I posted the jist of them), and my reply was as follows (did I not post it before?):

==================================
Hi there (this is a standard POLITE greeting in English for a person of whom you do not know the gender),

I think there is a misunderstanding:

my name, as you know from my reservation, is XXXXXX (and since you know my gender you may call me Ms. XXXXXX)
I made a reservation with the Carlson Friends and Family discount rate - the CURRENT rules (not dating back to June 2014) are that you need the employee's name and work location AT CHECK-IN
this notwithstanding, since I hit the "send" button too quickly, I called and spoke to the Service Manager, clarified the misunderstanding, and even told her of the name (and location) of my friend, who incidentally works for Carlson but not for Rezidor - although this was not necessary today since, as you will know once you look at the current rules, the name and location are all that is required AT CHECK-I [sic]


I attach for your information a screenshot taken a few seconds ago of the current rules relating to the Friends and Family Rate.

I am sorry to say that I frankly am astonished and upset at the tone used by a Front Office Manager towards a customer, and I really think this is unworthy of such a nice hotel chain.

Regards,

================================

as I said, this post was and is all about the rudeness of the Front Office Manager.

Incidentally, once I read the last email Mr. Kim sent, I called again and was finally able to speak to him, and he was rude over the phone. When I told him I wished to make a complaint about his poor attitude he laughed and told me that tough luck, he was his own boss. No really, he did.

then he wrote another rude email (see below) and when I called back he had left for the day.

I wrote the following email to the hotel's GM:

======================

Dear Ms. Hallre,

I am writing to complain about the treatment I received via email, from your Front Office Manager, Kim Soo.

I attach the chain of emails, in order for you to be able to take any steps you feel necessary.

I find it frankly incredible that I, a customer, should be treated like this by a person working in a customer-facing position in a hospitality establishment: I am leaving the UK tomorrow morning and I will be arriving in Copenhagen at lunchtime with no idea if you will honour my reservation, so I have just now made another reservation at a more inconvenient hotel.

The Friends and Family Rate is only available when the availability is practically wide open, so driving customers away is unbelievable even from a revenue management point of view - I am very upset and I do not think there is any possible excuse for the following sentence from you colleague: "regardless who you are and your position is, your response is not appreciated at all".

I did not appreciate his response at all, nor the fact that he seems to have hit the "send" button on his email just a minute before leaving for the day, having frankly ruined my evening by his rudeness, and left me with a great worry about what otherwise would have been a great brief break in your normally friendly and usually very polite city.

I look forward to your very earliest reply and comments.

==============================

not that it matters in the least, but I spend an average 200 nights in various hotels worldwide for business (therefore always on a good (corporate) but lucrative rate for the hotels); this was supposed to be a weekend away visiting friends.

craz

OP, thx for the above post.

Im not making amends for Kim but 1- We have no idea how many F&Fs this hotel gets and how many they find to be fraudulant, where the Employee and Friend really dont know each other.So if its a high % we have to understand that the hotel wants 100% confirmation from the Employee.

2- If I was Kim and the employee denied knowing the friend I would have CXed the res as well, Im sure you would have as well

3- I had gotten your reply it smacks of someone telling me my job and saying I must accept what is on the list and sort of How dare you ask for something not on the list and I wont comply as CC doesnt require me to. Result the hotel calls your Friend who denied knowing you, due to it seems knowing you by your nickname but to Kim its not important all that counts is they asked the employee if they know you via the name on the res and they said no. For me thats good enough reason to CX the res and warn the other CC hotels that this person may try and make a F&F res and scam you

4- You have to see things from then hotels side as well. Sure Kim should have phrased it better, but to them it seemed that they caught you red handed using F&F when you werent entitlled. I fully understand you not wanting to contact your friend when you knew they were away then maybe you should have simply CXed the res once the hotel had asked you to have the employee contact them. I also understand that you felt they had no right to require the employee to contact them but it does seem Corp disagrees with that

adschnei

Wow, this seems like a nightmare of a hotel to deal with! Apologies to the OP, this would be a major buzzkill on a vacation.

I was going to use my F&F rate either at CPH Royal or CPH Falconer, but based on this customer service, I am not sure I want to even bother with the Royal. Someone tell me they are a little nicer at Falconer :/

RTW1

If you have an actual Carlson friend who knows you, there will be no problem....