Programs: UA 1k, AA Plt 2MM, HH Gold, *wood Gold, assorted junk memberships, Amex Centurion
Posts: 295
Quality Inn Vancouver Airport - Stay Report & Warning
On a day trip on Sunday Oct. 4 I missed the last ferry going back to Vancouver Island, called my wife who made a reservation for me at the "Quality Inn Vancouver Airport" (the one on Marine Drive). I had not stayed there before and I certainly will not stay there again. Here are my experiences.
Almost missed the place on arrival, as the hotel signage was dark. Exterior of the building is extremely dingy, lobby OK. Checked in and got a parking pass. I was instructed to drive around the building and "honk" when I arrived in front of the gate. Not a problem for me, but what about the residents across the street? Parked the car, garage and corridors were filthy.
Got to my room on the third floor. HOT, all the baseboard heaters were on, the thermostat was broken - had to turn on the air conditioner (loud). Holes in the upholstery of a filthy, filthy chair and even filthier ottoman. Chipped furniture, chipped door frames, chipped everything. Filty curtains, filthy beadspread. Remote control for the TV broken (scotch tape to hold it together).
Finally, small black bugs crawling over the pillow. At that point I returned to the reception, asking for another room in polite but certain terms.
Clerk told me she gave me an upgraded room, on the sixth floor. Only problem would be that her key-coder was broken and she could not make a key for the room. She suggested that an employee would let me into the room and they would slip the key under the door later. I agreed to this, grabbed my stuff in the old room and went to the sixth floor, were a Sikh gentleman was waiting for me. Without comment, he sat down in front of the door to my new room and began to fumble around with some kind of keyhole on the underside of the locking mechanism. After about five minutes, in which the whole situation started to feel more and more surreal, he managed to get the door open.
My new room: even smaller than the first one (what upgrade?). HOT, with a thermostat that did nothing to control the HOT baseboard heaters. I had to run the airconditioner again. Holes in the upholstery of two somewhat filthy chairs, chipped furniture, chipped door frame, chipped everything. Filthy curtains, dubious beadspread.
After a long, detailed inspection revealed no bugs in the bed - just an old issue of Penthouse under the mattress - I decided to spend the night (I was tired and just wanted to sleep). Needless to say that no key was ever delivered for the room.
Next morning: no sign or indication of the continental breakfast that was supposed to come with the room. Not that I had any confidence in whatever would be served in this place. Indifferent clerk at checkout, she would not hear any complaints.
When trying to exit the parking garage, I found out that one of the two exit gates was not working. Why was I not surprised.
If you feel comfortable in staying at that place, I would like to hear from you...
One question: is there an email address for Clarion / Quality Inn customer relations? I really don't feel like filling out the online form, which is probably going to /dev/nul anyway - and from the looks of the place, the general manager would probably not care about any comments.
Programs: Call me cheap: Airtran Elite, Choice Hotels Diamond.
Posts: 164
Quote:
Originally Posted by colonius
is there an email address for Clarion / Quality Inn customer relations? I really don't feel like filling out the online form, which is probably going to /dev/nul anyway
I'd also be interested in knowing if such a customer relations email address exists, but unfortunately I don't know of one.
Good move getting away from the bugs, though. Whatever hassle it may have entailed, staying would have been worse.
For example, at the Comfort Suites in Elkridge, Maryland last year, I woke up covered with a couple dozen bedbugs. I had so many itchy bites for weeks, it looked like a skin condition. And, I had to be extremely careful not to bring any home.
Management didn't seem to care; didn't even comp me the night.
I filled in the online form. I think you're right about it going to the bit bucket. I never heard a peep of reply from Choice. This is definitely a weakness in their program.
I filled in the online form. I think you're right about it going to the bit bucket. I never heard a peep of reply from Choice. This is definitely a weakness in their program.
Hmmh...they should respond. However, Choice Guest Relations does little other than "make note of your complaint" and "forward your complaint to the General Manager for review".
Programs: UA 1k, AA Plt 2MM, HH Gold, *wood Gold, assorted junk memberships, Amex Centurion
Posts: 295
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeInMass
Good move getting away from the bugs, though. Whatever hassle it may have entailed, staying would have been worse.
For example, at the Comfort Suites in Elkridge, Maryland last year, I woke up covered with a couple dozen bedbugs. I had so many itchy bites for weeks, it looked like a skin condition. And, I had to be extremely careful not to bring any home.
Management didn't seem to care; didn't even comp me the night.
I filled in the online form. I think you're right about it going to the bit bucket. I never heard a peep of reply from Choice. This is definitely a weakness in their program.
Yikes! That is exactly what I was afraid of when I decided that I would not share my room with any bugs (I cannot be sure they were bedbugs, but who wants to find out the hard way).
In my opinion, you should have reported a case as bad as that (bodily injury) to the local health department - and considered a lawyer, if you should have felt vindictive.
Programs: UA 1k, AA Plt 2MM, HH Gold, *wood Gold, assorted junk memberships, Amex Centurion
Posts: 295
Quote:
Originally Posted by soitgoes
Hmmh...they should respond. However, Choice Guest Relations does little other than "make note of your complaint" and "forward your complaint to the General Manager for review".
If the form has mixed results and there is no email address - is there a snail mail address that might do some good?
I am a hotelier and I have visited the call center where the Guest Relations department is operated. I have listened in on calls, and seen how the program is set-up / run. I can assure you that these people do care about guest satisfaction and hotels are required to by Choice to do something. Choice will require the manager to contact you and if they don't, you can call back and the hotel will receive penalties for being non-responsive. The Guest Relations rep has the ability to directly award you points or vouchers, etc, in order to make it right between you and Choice. Any hotel that is consistently in the lowest quarter on their Guest Relations Response survey is in jeopardy of being dropped or penalized by Choice.
If you call, they will want to give the hotel a chance to help you/contact you and fix the problem. If they do not, you can call back and the Guest Relations folks will be able to handle it.
I am a hotelier and I have visited the call center where the Guest Relations department is operated. I have listened in on calls, and seen how the program is set-up / run. I can assure you that these people do care about guest satisfaction and hotels are required to by Choice to do something. Choice will require the manager to contact you and if they don't, you can call back and the hotel will receive penalties for being non-responsive. The Guest Relations rep has the ability to directly award you points or vouchers, etc, in order to make it right between you and Choice. Any hotel that is consistently in the lowest quarter on their Guest Relations Response survey is in jeopardy of being dropped or penalized by Choice.
If you call, they will want to give the hotel a chance to help you/contact you and fix the problem. If they do not, you can call back and the Guest Relations folks will be able to handle it.
Maybe things have gotten better, then. I haven't filed a Guest Relations complaint with Choice in maybe five years or so. Back then, all they did was send a letter saying the GM was notified and that Choice made note of the complaint for their records.
Maybe things have gotten better, then. I haven't filed a Guest Relations complaint with Choice in maybe five years or so. Back then, all they did was send a letter saying the GM was notified and that Choice made note of the complaint for their records.
My visit was less than 6 months ago. I have only been working at a Choice property for about 2 years but I know that they have been making strides at expecting compliance out of their franchisees and stepping up their game. It's in the best interest of all of us for them to do this. A person unhappy with them is a person unhappy with all of us who are affiliated with them.
*You must advise the front desk of a problem right away and give them an opportunity to correct the situation. If the hotel staff is unable to satisfy you, they may credit you up to one night's free stay. Not all international hotels participate in this program.
**At most locations
Good luck!
David
__________________
If Pavlov were still around, he could dispense with the dog and just collect data from FT.
Yeah I got caught in this fiasco. I already knew that this place is a dump but now they want to go from $80 a night to $400. I am going to allow choice hotels a chance to accommodate me and i am going to check with my credit card company since it was a guaranteed reservation but as the article mentioned class action and it might come down to that.
