jabbered

Ritz folks can spend $2000, without any questions asked if fixing a problem. I doubt it covers theft accusations.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsol...rvice-secrets/



Claims of theft are or should be referred to law enforcement and from the hotel side to either a claims/insurance department and counsel before anything is done.

MissVacation

Three years ago, our room was broken in, it happened in a 5* property! There was no damage to the door, we suspected hackers hacked the electronic lock. From surveillance cameras at the front lobby, we were followed into the elevator. It was that scary! However, there were no cameras in the hallways so the hotel said no proof their system at fault so no apology nothing! We stupidly stored all our valuables in the room safe and guess what, it was the first thing thieves get to. And the hotel is not liable for things in the room safe...Everything gone after we came back from dinner! We called the police, filed the report, made numerous calls with the GM, and ended up filing with our home insurance for the loss. It was a big lesson learned for us! I know how bad you must be feeling but at least your lesson cost $400, if things don't work out after few tries, just move on and be happy!

Aventine

It's an expensive lesson learned. Always carry your valuables on you. Less petty crime happens in North Asia but it still exists...

MSPeconomist

Wow and to think that I was impressed with how the Peninsula in Hong Kong handled it when a housekeeper broke my travel alarm clock (and admitted it to management before I returned to the room, so there was no question of blame).

JAX Flier

Wife bought something very expensive that she lied about buying or lost the money gambling. Then told husband it was stolen from her bag. She forgot that there would be cameras in the luggage room. But easier to blame others!

Don't know if this is what happened but seems more likely than a supposedly smart, well-heeled individual stupidly leaving $400 in a purse in a hotel baggage room.

I call BS to the whole thing!

rbAA

That's quite a first post. Based upon the response, I'm guessing the OP will go back to lurking. Almost every jurisdiction/country has laws about a hotel's liability for theft from the room. If it's not in the hotel safe, it isn't safe, nor covered. As the saying goes, we learn from our mistakes, though there is no rehab for stupid.

MikeFromTokyo

Hopefully the OP will learn from this ecperience. Anyway, there is no recourse now - SOL this time.

DHalltheway

Please always be careful of your valuables no matter how high end the hotel because management tend to side with hotel staff before the hotel guest's.

Be it the Ritz Carlton, Raffles, PH, St Regis, etc, I've heard enough claims and stories from friends about theft no matter how high end the hotel is.

Just imagine for a second you are in the hotel's shoes. A guest says $400 went missing from their bags which you kept in the bag check area.

How trust worthy is this guest, that the claims are real?
How do you know it is $400, not $40?
How often can you "search" staff before they quit? (would you want to work in such an environment?)

Because of this, I find it highly unlikely that the hotel would reimburse you the money.

If Gold Passport Concierge (GPC) does compensate you close to $400, it would be refreshing because in my experience, as it is with some here, GPC is inept at handling major issues.

In this instance, if you are a courtesy card hold it would help your cause I believe. In my experience, Diamond doesn't hold any weight.

thucanhho

I accidentally left my safe open with cash, cards and valuables inside. While cleaning, the housekeeper noticed it and immediately notified management, who immediately notified me. Made me realize and feel badly for hotel staff since it appears that false accusations are not uncommon. This is not an accusation that OP is making false claim.

TerryK

Cash is a whole different story. Can anyone come up with an incidence where lost cash was reimbursed by hotel?

DHalltheway

GHT housekeeping broke my mom's magnified mirror and procured a replacement within the same day.

A high end hotel in Asia, I had a high status in the loyalty program, once upgraded me in a suite my following stay because during my prior stay I was placed me in a room with a horrible view. I was planning never to stay at that hotel again after the incident. The thing which amazed me most is that I only informed the hotel of via the customer satisfaction survey, which most hotel do not bother to read / follow up on.

An Asian airline once gave me an SWU because there was a used tooth pick in a compartment of my J class seat.

These are example of excellent service recovery of high end organizations I experienced first hand. I didn't request for any of these. They were the initiative of the hotels/airline and that, in my opinion, is how a high end hotel should treat it's customers.

The hotels/airline have my unwavering loyalty because of their actions.

They may still make mistakes every now and then, but because they treat me right I will continue to be a customer.

rkrn

Wow, didn't expect to see this thread blow up so quickly.

Thanks, will do.

My wife and I are Silicon Valley stereotypes. Her idea of a handbag is a worn $50 thing to serve as extra storage for a sketchpad and some snacks in it.

A friend came to pick us up; he parked in the garage.

We wanted to save the 10-15 minutes going back up and down. The friend who picked us up had agreed to meet us at the front desk, so we didn't want to have him wait as we went back to our room.

Sorry I wasn't clear - the person who was supposed to pick us up was late.

Just for context, I rounded up because the cash was in another currency. I didn't specify the currency because that possibly identify the property and I didn't want to make this a complaint post about a specific property.

Sure, anything is plausible which is why I'm not pointing fingers at anyone and just wanted a sincere investigation of the incident. That said - my wife only makes a modest amount - however I think it is sufficient that she doesn't have to lie about $400 to support her choice of lifestyle.

I wish I could show this to my wife! :shrugs: I was more shocked to find out that she had left money in a vulnerable position than to find out that she lost her money. Hopefully this incident is going to help her avoid costlier errors in the future.

xSTRIKEx6864

Lesson learned: Don't leave valuables / cash in bags that are going to be out of your possession.

Now for the OP: The hotel should compensate them as the theft occurred while the bag was under their storage. This may not be required under the law, but in the interest of maintaining a good reputation and service, they should do it.

RTW1

Don't be naive, there's not a shred of proof that something was actually taken. Not to mention anyone can claim any unsubstantiated amount.

NJUPINTHEAIR

+1 BILLION. ^

The idiocy of some people being free with another's money is breathtaking.

It is only matched by those who put $400 in cash in a handbag in storage and then don't believe the hotel when they say that nothing untoward was captured on their videotape, but they then assert that the hotel must be wrong or worse and that they should be compensated.

Let the blame fall squarely where it should lie -- on the OP's wife for being so stupid and take responsibility for her own actions. @:-)

Edited to add --

Ahh, I see that the OP now has a good grasp of the matter:


So are we all. @:-)