FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Four Points Bakersfield, CA [Master Thread]
Old Apr 2, 2012 | 2:29 pm
  #19  
chrisdeaner
All eyes on you!
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Marin County, CA
Programs: Marriott LT-TE, United Gold
Posts: 472
Stayed here for a weekend along with several other family members for a mini family reunion nd it was a nightmare. I'll summarize a very long and detailed email I sent to my Plat Ambassador to forward on to the GM who so far has responded by sending a short apology note about my reservation to my uncle who had been checked into my reservation by them...

- Came to the hotel and was told their computer system was down for checking in but they had "a way to do it in the back". Took my ID and credit card and disappeared for ~5-10min. Came back and they asked if I could've booked it under a different name, told them no, it was definitely my name from my account with my points (C&P res). Disappeared again and came back and told me it wasn't my reservation but my father's (same last name). Had to again show them my confirmation email with my name, my SPG account etc... They then came and said they had checked him into my reservation and I had to point out that he/they had checked in the night before so unless they had given him an extra night on my reservation it wasn't possible. Finally (over 20min of this) a different employee came out, got on the front computer (wasn't the system down?) and gave us room keys. Nothing about plat benefits, breakfast, anything besides circling our room on a map.

- Got to the room, walls are paper thin and we could hear the people's TV next door to us very loudly (~10pm at this point). Called the front desk was told the only available room was an accessible room with 2 double beds, otherwise they were sold out (wasn't I just issued a room on a new reservation since they had botched mine?). I think the people heard my phone call (did I mention the walls are paper thin?) and turned the TV down so we said forget it and went to bed.

- Next morning woke up to a folio under my door for one night in my father's name with his info on it. Let's see here...no one in our group is checking out that day (I was checking out the day after and my family and my uncle's family the day after that) and you've given me a folio with someone else's personal information on it (granted it was my dad but that's besides the point). My uncle also received a folio, but with my name and info on it. Went to the front desk, asked for a mgr but was told "she was out" but whomever I was speaking to was the supervisor. I explained the situation we had to deal with the night before and that we were not checking out today since my reservation was clearly for two nights (again had to show the conf email). She basically acted like she was doing me a favor and extended the reservation. No apology, no "let me try to make this better". At least it was better than what my uncle had to deal with when he came down with the same issue. They refused to extend his reservation on the C&P rate and said he'd have to pay the full rack rate until he showed them his conf email with the check in/out dates and the C&P rate. Only then did they extend him...

- Finally, when we were leaving I realized I had used my corp AMEX to check in (force of habit) and went and switched it to my personal card, surprisingly with no incident given my track record at the front desk this stay. Saw a charge come through a few days later so figured it was over. However, went to do my expenses today and found another charge on the AMEX for a different amount (within ~$3 of the amount charged to my personal card so assuming it's a room rate charge).

My ambassador is still working on all this for me. I guess my uncle's reservation ended up getting totally screwed up after we left so now they're all intertwined and she's trying to work with the GM to sort it out but she (the GM) has been fairly unresponsive so who knows what's going to happen. We'll definitely avoid this property next time we're in the area to visit my grandparents. Plenty of other properties (non-SPG unfortunately) to choose from down here that would appreciate business from multiple family members instead of acting like we caused them a headache by staying there.

Oh quickly on the amenities:
- Gym is decent with up to date equipment and a full set of dumbbells up to the usual 50#. Good amount of space to workout in.
- Didn't visit the pool but looked nice enough from what we saw of it
- Breakfast is in the hotel's restaurant but since we were worried about a similar hassle there after our check in experience we opted for the points and ate elsewhere so can't comment on it.
- Rooms are typical for a four points although, as mentioned, the walls are paper thin so hope for quiet neighbors and/or bring earplugs
- They have decent coffee in the lobby in the morning, way better than the room stuff.
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