What is appropriate compensation? Bad service at Park Hyatt Washington.
#46
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: Hyatt dia
Posts: 64
My room at the Hyatt Regency in Boston -- a suite -- was not cleaned when I returned to the room at 5:30 pm. We had to wait in the lobby and bar until near 7 pm before we could go back to the room and get ready for the evening. We were compensated 10K points, but I had to email Gold Passport to get it.
#47
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 212
Did you specifically ask to have the room cleaned? Cuz this type of thing happens to me pretty frequently lol. 10k points seems pretty generous regardless, I mean I'm pretty clean person so going a few days of housekeeping is no big deal. If I need new towels, bottled water or toiletries I just ask. I wouldn't think to call GP for compensation.
#48
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Did you specifically ask to have the room cleaned? Cuz this type of thing happens to me pretty frequently lol. 10k points seems pretty generous regardless, I mean I'm pretty clean person so going a few days of housekeeping is no big deal. If I need new towels, bottled water or toiletries I just ask. I wouldn't think to call GP for compensation.
#49
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott LTG, HHonors Diamond, Nat'l Exec
Posts: 3,581
I frankly prefer the hotels that slide a card under the door asking you to contact them when you're ready for Housekeeping -- preferably with service hours listed.
#50
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: AA PLT, DL GM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 241
An update:
I stayed here again recently for the first time since the experience detailed in this thread. After the previous stay and after Gold Passport Concierge had already reached out, the general manager emailed me apologizing, requesting "another opportunity to restore [my] faith in Park Hyatt Washington," and "offer[ing] my services, so that I may personally detail your reservation needs." A little over one month before I stayed, I gave the GM a heads-up that I would be staying again.
Good: In the two weeks before I arrived, rooms started disappearing from inventory. The hotel was nearly sold out when I arrived, and I was given a one-category upgrade from a Park Deluxe room to a Park Premier room. Not a terribly impressive upgrade on its own (though appreciated given the occupancy level), as I received the x31 room, which has been discussed in the review thread (see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...l#post12704185 and http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...l#post13216738). Service in BDT for breakfast was great (and I/Hyatt gave a tip to match).
The bad: A few hours after I arrived, the guest services manager offered a food and beverage amenity presumably as a gesture after my last stay (I wasn't asked to choose between the 1W and F&B amenity, but I did receive 1W when the stay posted). I would have appreciated the gesture had the service not caused more of an inconvenience than the benefit received. The amenity was a small cheese board with a half bottle of wine (Boxwood Topiary, which was quite bland and thin and served warm at room temperature). Where it went bad, though, was when the guy who brought it up insisted on opening the wine but couldn't find a corkscrew (which housekeeping had neglected to replace, as it is a standard accessory with the minibar). Okay, no corkscrew, no problem. The guy went to get it, which ordinarily shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Instead, it took about 20-25 minutes.
Later, on my way out, I asked the front desk to send up a bucket of ice and two champagne flutes at a specified time. When I came back a couple hours later and approximately 20 minutes after the specified time, nothing had been placed in my room. I had to call down and request they bring up what I had already requested. This also took about 5-10 minutes.
And if my room is a guide, the base-level rooms also are showing their age (wear, marks, damage, etc.) and will need a light refresh soon.
On a normal stay, my service issues wouldn't be worth detailing. But given that my previous stay was a great disappointment and that the GM and guest services manager both appeared to want to make my stay a better experience, it is quite disappointing and telling of the usual level of service that there were glaring service issues on my stay.
I stayed here again recently for the first time since the experience detailed in this thread. After the previous stay and after Gold Passport Concierge had already reached out, the general manager emailed me apologizing, requesting "another opportunity to restore [my] faith in Park Hyatt Washington," and "offer[ing] my services, so that I may personally detail your reservation needs." A little over one month before I stayed, I gave the GM a heads-up that I would be staying again.
Good: In the two weeks before I arrived, rooms started disappearing from inventory. The hotel was nearly sold out when I arrived, and I was given a one-category upgrade from a Park Deluxe room to a Park Premier room. Not a terribly impressive upgrade on its own (though appreciated given the occupancy level), as I received the x31 room, which has been discussed in the review thread (see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...l#post12704185 and http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...l#post13216738). Service in BDT for breakfast was great (and I/Hyatt gave a tip to match).
The bad: A few hours after I arrived, the guest services manager offered a food and beverage amenity presumably as a gesture after my last stay (I wasn't asked to choose between the 1W and F&B amenity, but I did receive 1W when the stay posted). I would have appreciated the gesture had the service not caused more of an inconvenience than the benefit received. The amenity was a small cheese board with a half bottle of wine (Boxwood Topiary, which was quite bland and thin and served warm at room temperature). Where it went bad, though, was when the guy who brought it up insisted on opening the wine but couldn't find a corkscrew (which housekeeping had neglected to replace, as it is a standard accessory with the minibar). Okay, no corkscrew, no problem. The guy went to get it, which ordinarily shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Instead, it took about 20-25 minutes.
Later, on my way out, I asked the front desk to send up a bucket of ice and two champagne flutes at a specified time. When I came back a couple hours later and approximately 20 minutes after the specified time, nothing had been placed in my room. I had to call down and request they bring up what I had already requested. This also took about 5-10 minutes.
And if my room is a guide, the base-level rooms also are showing their age (wear, marks, damage, etc.) and will need a light refresh soon.
On a normal stay, my service issues wouldn't be worth detailing. But given that my previous stay was a great disappointment and that the GM and guest services manager both appeared to want to make my stay a better experience, it is quite disappointing and telling of the usual level of service that there were glaring service issues on my stay.
#53
Moderator: GLBT Travelers & Hyatt Gold Passport
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: CVG
Posts: 15,300
#57
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
The bad: A few hours after I arrived, the guest services manager offered a food and beverage amenity presumably as a gesture after my last stay (I wasn't asked to choose between the 1W and F&B amenity, but I did receive 1W when the stay posted). I would have appreciated the gesture had the service not caused more of an inconvenience than the benefit received. The amenity was a small cheese board with a half bottle of wine (Boxwood Topiary, which was quite bland and thin and served warm at room temperature). Where it went bad, though, was when the guy who brought it up insisted on opening the wine but couldn't find a corkscrew (which housekeeping had neglected to replace, as it is a standard accessory with the minibar). Okay, no corkscrew, no problem. The guy went to get it, which ordinarily shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Instead, it took about 20-25 minutes.
Later, on my way out, I asked the front desk to send up a bucket of ice and two champagne flutes at a specified time. When I came back a couple hours later and approximately 20 minutes after the specified time, nothing had been placed in my room. I had to call down and request they bring up what I had already requested. This also took about 5-10 minutes.
And if my room is a guide, the base-level rooms also are showing their age (wear, marks, damage, etc.) and will need a light refresh soon.
On a normal stay, my service issues wouldn't be worth detailing. But given that my previous stay was a great disappointment and that the GM and guest services manager both appeared to want to make my stay a better experience, it is quite disappointing and telling of the usual level of service that there were glaring service issues on my stay.
Later, on my way out, I asked the front desk to send up a bucket of ice and two champagne flutes at a specified time. When I came back a couple hours later and approximately 20 minutes after the specified time, nothing had been placed in my room. I had to call down and request they bring up what I had already requested. This also took about 5-10 minutes.
And if my room is a guide, the base-level rooms also are showing their age (wear, marks, damage, etc.) and will need a light refresh soon.
On a normal stay, my service issues wouldn't be worth detailing. But given that my previous stay was a great disappointment and that the GM and guest services manager both appeared to want to make my stay a better experience, it is quite disappointing and telling of the usual level of service that there were glaring service issues on my stay.
This is not PH Tokyo, Milan, or Paris-Vendome; so service expectations should be more realistic. PH Washington is more of a second-tier property in D.C. - it isn't the Four Seasons. I consider it a four star hotel.
#58
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: AA PLT, DL GM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 241
I filled out the survey and got a response from the F&B manager. It was the standard, form-like "we're sorry, we've talked with the staff to make sure this doesn't happen again, please come back so we can prove ourselves and contact me if you do." Almost the same as what I received from the GM after my last stay (with substitutions with the issues experienced). I wrote back expressing my displeasure and how I could not imagine staying there again if what I experienced is how they prove themselves. I got another reply back with a more sincere apology and a very generous offer of removing the night's accommodations charge.
I'm happy to take the refund, but it definitely wasn't expected or necessary. If he had replied in the first instance with something more concrete (come back again and we'll credit you part of your room charge, dinner for 2, etc.), I probably wouldn't have bothered writing back. But it was a little hard to accept essentially the same apology and "offer" two stays in a row.
I don't think it's too hard to deliver something close to on time when given over two hours' notice. And if you're going to bring up some wine, it's not too hard to either bring a corkscrew just in case the room doesn't have one or to keep additional ones in a housekeeping closet on the floor. Even if he had to go downstairs to grab one, it shouldn't have taken more than 5-10 minutes. It's not like there isn't a fine dining restaurant a mere ten feet away from the elevators. I would have been fine with the service flaws had this been a regular stay. But since this was a return stay after a previous negative experience and after contacting the GM in advance as he had offered, I expected at least reasonably timely and helpful service.
I'm happy to take the refund, but it definitely wasn't expected or necessary. If he had replied in the first instance with something more concrete (come back again and we'll credit you part of your room charge, dinner for 2, etc.), I probably wouldn't have bothered writing back. But it was a little hard to accept essentially the same apology and "offer" two stays in a row.
I suspect the OP's expectations for this property are a bit too high based on comments about the quality of the free wine amenity, as well as the timeliness of the ice bucket and champagne glass delivery. Hint: there is a big difference in service level that should be expected if ordering (paying for) a bottle of Champagne from room service versus asking for an ice bucket and glasses to be delivered. OP should not have waited twenty minutes to call and ask again for ice bucket if timing was such an issue.
This is not PH Tokyo, Milan, or Paris-Vendome; so service expectations should be more realistic. PH Washington is more of a second-tier property in D.C. - it isn't the Four Seasons. I consider it a four star hotel.
This is not PH Tokyo, Milan, or Paris-Vendome; so service expectations should be more realistic. PH Washington is more of a second-tier property in D.C. - it isn't the Four Seasons. I consider it a four star hotel.
Last edited by lawyertalk; Jul 14, 2014 at 12:05 pm
#60
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,598
I don't think his/her expectations were blown out of proportion. Just look at Park Hyatts current ad campaign 'Luxury is personal'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc2OLnBcqZk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc2OLnBcqZk