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Was I being unreasonable - echeck-in/room type change -- walk?

Was I being unreasonable - echeck-in/room type change -- walk?

Old Mar 15, 2019, 5:09 am
  #16  
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You were not being unreasonable. FDA #1's response was completely unacceptable. That person should not be in a cs position.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 5:57 am
  #17  
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Thanks for everyone on both sides for your thoughts.

As several of you noted, while the root cause was not getting the reserved room type, the thing that ruffled my feathers was the FDA's tone and word choice to condescendingly call me a liar. "Oops, I'm sorry..."/"Half our rooms flooded and this is the best we can do..." (perhaps with something else small to make up for it) would have gone a long way.

I'm not going to pull the Diamond Desk into it (I'm not looking for points, etc.; an apology would be nice) but I did drop a short note to the GM that this may be a learning opportunity re: how guests may perceive language and tone.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 6:18 am
  #18  
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You have to separate the two issues:

1. OP's question as to whether it is unreasonable to consider not being assigned the requested room type a "walk"
2. Whether the staff conduct was acceptable.

#1 - No. Bed configuration is expressly not guaranteed.
#2 - Yes, Staff conduct was unacceptable.

The proper response here was either to simply apologize and point to the need to sometimes rearrange assignments as well as possibly the policy or to simply say that there were no Kings available and apologize for any inconvenience. Whether OP changed his mind or the system screwed up or there was some other reason is a red herring. This is about the ability to solve or not solve a problem.

I would make a 2-3 sentence complaint to the property about the conduct. The underlying reason and your preferences are irrelevant as is the property's lack of a King room. This is all about tone and treatment.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 6:32 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Often1
You have to separate the two issues...
This. OP's complaint hopelessly commingles the king-bed preference with the issue of the rude, lying employee. The screwup on the first is the very definition of a first-world problem; it won't kill most of us to sleep in a double instead of a king. Preferences on record (aisle seat, king bed, full-size rental car) get scrambled or go undelivered all the time; they are called "preferences," not "requirements" or "promises," for good reasons.

A jerk of a desk clerk is a different story and while I would not walk out over such a thing, I would have a word with the manager, make clear why I'm not bringing future business to the property, and blow up the post-stay corporate survey.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 11:46 am
  #20  
 
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My 2 cents...
Having had a work colleague in the past who was 6'6'' and quite large, he needed a King bed in order to sleep reasonably well. So, his approach was book rooms/hotels where they good gaurantee him a King. Now, we all know that there is no such thing as 100%... stuff happens. And when it did, I saw him first ask politely to be re-accomodated, and then if there really was nothing that could be done he often accepted what the hotel had.

In the case of the OP, there is no doubt that the hotel had a serious CS failure. That was fairly quickly rectified by the MOD. Was the OP unreasonable? Not sure... not really enough to go on. I would have been pissed only because of the FDA's behavior.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 12:11 pm
  #21  
 
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I disagree respectfully on both counts, forcefully on the first.

Originally Posted by BearX220
it won't kill most of us to sleep in a double instead of a king. Preferences on record (aisle seat, king bed, full-size rental car) get scrambled or go undelivered all the time; they are called "preferences," not "requirements" or "promises," for good reasons.
If I book a King room, having possibly paid a higher rate to get more space & a longer bed, then I expect a King room, and hotels usually deliver with no issues. The lack of guarantee of bed type is basically legalese, covering the property's behind. Absolutely there's a complaint to be had when the room type book (not preferred - booked) is not delivered.

It's the soft bigotry of low expectations to say "it won't kill" us to sleep in a double bed.

Originally Posted by BearX220
A jerk of a desk clerk is a different story
I'd have agreed with you 2 years ago, but being a more seasoned traveler now, I'd say the front desk is not the time to sort that out.

The manager on duty is not that powerful.

I write to the GM a letter using the sandwich method.
Mr or Ms. GM,

I had the pleasure of staying in your hotel last week. I was very impressed by [something]. Please pass along my compliments to that team.

I'm writing, however, to express a serious concern regarding the behavior of your front desk staff. [Dispassionate description.]

I know as a member of the Hilton family you hold your property to a high standard and I hope I have the opportunity to experience that on my next visit. I appreciate your consideration.

Warmest regards,
davie355
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 1:05 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by smmrfld
Of all the things that can happen when you travel, this is near the bottom of the list IMO. No guarantees, and its hard to believe you gave this more than a moment's thought. Move on...lifes short and you still had a bed (two of them, in fact).
See, this, this is the type of response I don't get.

The whole attitude of trivializing another's concern with statements like "move on" "life's short" etc etc.

No, the whole point of booking particular cities, hotel chains, hotels, rooms is because there is a product or experience you want. I would be miserable to sleep in a double bed when I had selected a king. Maybe you vertically challenged (short) and it doesn't bother you, but for people over 6 feet it is not a good experience to sleep in a double bed.

I completely agree with the OP. It is unreasonable for a property to change you to a room less than what you reserved. How would you feel if you reserved the presidential suite but were given a double bed facing the parking lot. Would you say "Move on...lifes short and you still had a bed (two of them, in fact)."
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 1:39 pm
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by Eujeanie
I think it's worse when it goes the other way...when you want 2 doubles and all they have are kings (traveling with a friend, etc.)
For sure. There are a number of stories of families showing up and being told there are only 1 King rooms left. What a mess. For the front desk, putting a 1 king reservation in a 2 Queen is a LOT less risky than moving a 2 Queen reservation into a 1 King room.

For the OP's question, I have to echo the comments right above mine: do not confuse the 2 issues.

As far as the reservation, I am a firm believer in "all's well that ends well." You asked the manager to intervene, and you got what you had reserved. Done. Happens to all of us. Since it got fixed, it's unworthy of even mentioning.

So the only real issue is the attitude of the front desk. Totally inappropriate. You are right to be infuriated, however, remember that you probably know a lot more about the Hilton app than the employees. I have seen two broad categories of availability. Some hotels seem to put up all rooms that aren't reserved for the next night. Rooms that may not be available at check in. Other hotels seem to only put rooms up when the room is actually ready for occupancy. With those hotels you can log in hour after hour and see a few rooms at a time appear/disappear, then more appear/disappear.

I have used the Hilton e check in many times, and yes, sometimes I don't get the right room. However, in my cases the employees have always been really nice about it, to the point of proactively leaving a note for me at the front desk apologizing for the inconvenience.

Also remember what it is like to work at the front desk: customers at their best and at their worst, so don't be surprised if the FDA gets defensive. (I know they shouldn't, but people are people.) Always try to keep a smile on your face when you have a complaint. It really helps. I recently had a conversation with a new FDA at a Hampton Inn, and when I asked her how she liked her job, she said: at least at Hampton Inn the guests don't spit on me (which had happened to her at La Quinta).
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 2:13 pm
  #24  
 
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I agree that the real issue is the agent's attitude and not the lack of a king.

From my own experience working front desk, I can tell you this is either a) just a bad egg, or b) the result of a general attitude/atmosphere created by a a bad front office manager. I definitely had bosses who had an infectious confrontational/derisive attitude towards guests. It's particularly ridiculous because it just results in aggravation for the agent as well as the guest. Counterproductive. Well worth a post-visit survey complaint (use names).

But dude, seriously--you can't sleep in a double bed? And the idea that they should WALK you because you couldn't get your preferred bed type--well, that's verging on DYKWIA territory.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 2:44 pm
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by hotturnip
But dude, seriously--you can't sleep in a double bed?
It is not that the guest can't sleep in a double bed, but that the guest booked a King, wants a King, and a King was available and the guest got it.

The real "seriously?" is why the process became so dramatic.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 5:51 pm
  #26  
 
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I am with the OP on both counts. A lot of posters in the thread say it's no big deal, 1st world problem, preferences not guaranteed etc, but a king room is normally (in my experience) more expensive than two twins. If you purchase a product at a price premium, then yes, this is a legitimate complaint. I create a royal stink whenever I pay for King and then get fobbed off with twins and it seems to be happening more theses days... I think hotels are putting in more twins at the expense of kings. The front desk staff sounds, by all accounts, to be completely useless and accusing a customer of lying in the face of irrefutable evidence to the contrary is grounds for a complaint and a re-training/re-assignment opportunity.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 6:34 pm
  #27  
 
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The frustrating thing is being told “you changed your mind” in the face of proof you did not. This agent has undoubtedly let earlier arrivals have whatever they wanted irregardless of what they booked. People will book whatever is cheapest and then show up and ask to change, leaving people who arrive later hanging to get what they actually booked. Another frustrating thing is the app that lets you pre select a room usually suggests to you not as nice a room location as is available and if you are not familiar with the hotel, you may well accept a room overlooking the roof with massive heating and air equipment on it. I refuse to use the app. If it really matters king or 2 beds, I email ahead or call the front desk to have them block in my room so that I don't get stuck with the leftovers.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 7:27 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by davie355
If I book a King room, having possibly paid a higher rate to get more space & a longer bed, then I expect a King room, and hotels usually deliver with no issues. The lack of guarantee of bed type is basically legalese, covering the property's behind. Absolutely there's a complaint to be had when the room type book (not preferred - booked) is not delivered.
And if there were a rate difference I'd expect a refund for that amount.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 7:36 pm
  #29  
 
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Ah, another reason why Hilton is the worst program. They do not even guarantee bed selection? Marriott does
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 9:12 pm
  #30  
 
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If the room is sold as a specific bed type and there are actually different rates, why wouldn’t that be guaranteed?
I can see when you express a preference but the price for a single queen, single king, or two doubles is identical and aren’t even defined as separate types of rooms to be booked.

However, the Hilton system regularly presents different pricing. I usually book the cheapest room type when it’s a work trip and that often is two beds at a Hampton Inn. I have no expectation of anything different.

However, if it was personal travel and I wanted a King and I paid for the higher rate of a king bed, why shouldn’t I be entitled to it? Why are people jumping all over the OP?
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