Originally Posted by LemonThrower
I think any customer, let alone a Diamond, deserves some sort of explanation/apology. The 80K points is generous but is besides the point.
If you did not stay at the property, then you shouldn't pay the credit card charges. Financially, if you had to pay more elsewhere, the HGI should compensate you for that. If they want to give you 80K in lieu of an apology and explanation, that is their business, but they shouldn't charge you for something they didn't provide and points after the fact are not cash and they should reimburse your cost for staying elsewhere.
In addition, what the hotel did in charging your card may be illegal. Afterall, they are taking your property without providing the service they claimed to have provided. Since they refused to admit you, and your circumstances were foremost on their mind, I find the chance of this being an accident (and therefore intentional theft) particularly unlikely. From their actions, it seems like the people who run this hotel prefer to avoid personal confrontations, so it might be prudent that you bring your concerns about this crime to an independent party, such as the police.
Unfortunately, that's not a correct statement of the law. In most jurisdictions, if the hotel choose not to admit you because they have a credible belief that you pose a danger to the hotel, its staff, or guests, they have the right to refuse entry and may charge for lodging consistent with a no-show. So if a no-show gets charged one night, they can still charge one night. If its a non-refundable rate, they can charge for the entire stay. It sux, but that's the law.
As Mike learned the hard way, it is nearly impossible to win a fight with the desk clerk. The best thing to do is to walk away and come back later when another clerk is on duty.
My only recommendation is that Mike dispense with this e-mail nonsense and send regular letters, preferably on stationary. I had a minor incident with a Hilton in Northern Califorina. A fax on my legal stationary brought me a personal call from the general manager that afternoon with an apology and a free upgrade on my next stay. And at that time, I didn't even have any elite status.
