Appropriate compensation for no hot water
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: STL
Posts: 1,546
Appropriate compensation for no hot water
I had 2 rooms booked on reward points for one night each last night at a HI Express, and this morning there was no hot water due to a gas leak. I was compensated with free parking ($15 value) and 2,000 points, not much compared to the 40,000 points I spent on the two rooms. It's hard to put a value on points, but the equivalent would be $15 plus a 5% discount had I paid for the rooms.
Does this seem like fair comp or should I pursue it further, and by accepting the front desk's offer, have I essentially agreed to drop the case?
Does this seem like fair comp or should I pursue it further, and by accepting the front desk's offer, have I essentially agreed to drop the case?
#2
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL PM - IC RA - HHonors Gold - Hertz Gold - AA - US - CO - Choice Privileges
Posts: 1,596
Status? The noted compensation is $15 + $14 (2 X $7 for the points) and well within the authority of the desk clerk. A refund of the 20,000 points for the full day would be better addressed via hotel management or IHG customer service. Frankly a gas leak is an "act of god" type of situations so the noted compensation seems fair to me.
#4
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
I had 2 rooms booked on reward points for one night each last night at a HI Express, and this morning there was no hot water due to a gas leak. I was compensated with free parking ($15 value) and 2,000 points, not much compared to the 40,000 points I spent on the two rooms. It's hard to put a value on points, but the equivalent would be $15 plus a 5% discount had I paid for the rooms.
Does this seem like fair comp or should I pursue it further, and by accepting the front desk's offer, have I essentially agreed to drop the case?
Does this seem like fair comp or should I pursue it further, and by accepting the front desk's offer, have I essentially agreed to drop the case?
Really it is different for each guest, you can always boil the kettle for hot water to wash/shave, so what value can you put on what is after all just a missed shower for which you can substitute all over wash with flannel+soap? If you had a nice room, good sleep, then you had most of the value needed from your stay, so it would not be fair/realistic to expect 50% or 100% of rate back.
If you had not parked a car, then yes 2k points would be a lowball offer, not much hotel can offer as freebies as HIE is breakfast inclusive. Looks like hotel offered you the only freebie they could ++ they gave a notional 1k points per room too.
#5
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: UA GOLD MM,WN CP A+list, HH Gold,MR LT Titanium
Posts: 2,184
I had 2 rooms booked on reward points for one night each last night at a HI Express, and this morning there was no hot water due to a gas leak. I was compensated with free parking ($15 value) and 2,000 points, not much compared to the 40,000 points I spent on the two rooms. It's hard to put a value on points, but the equivalent would be $15 plus a 5% discount had I paid for the rooms.
Does this seem like fair comp or should I pursue it further, and by accepting the front desk's offer, have I essentially agreed to drop the case?
Does this seem like fair comp or should I pursue it further, and by accepting the front desk's offer, have I essentially agreed to drop the case?
To me , with the exception of the lack of a bed to sleep on, hot water is a necessity to be provided by a property, regardless of the method of payment.
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2003
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I'm almost in the 100% refund camp. It's not like the guest had a choice and could just walk away.
Regardless of who's fault the water issue is - it IS a maintenance issue that falls on mgmt. If they have to hand out a few refunds, that's the cost of doing business. Hopefully it isn't an issue on a regular basis.
#10
Flyertalk Evangelist and Moderator: Coupon Connection and Travel Products
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Milton, GA USA
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum Elite, Hyatt Discoverist, Radisson Elite
Posts: 19,027
I am not sure a hotel should be blamed for bad maintenance for a gas leak.
Personally, if you had an enjoyable stay other than this inconvenience I would be ok with the compensation. I assume you accepted it, correct? If you were not happy, you should not have accepted the offer.
Of course, you might get more if you write in and complain.
Personally, if you had an enjoyable stay other than this inconvenience I would be ok with the compensation. I assume you accepted it, correct? If you were not happy, you should not have accepted the offer.
Of course, you might get more if you write in and complain.
#11
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 233
How long was the hot water out? - It appears just this morning, not last night based on the OP.
What time did you get up? What time is checkout?
Did you do anything this morning that would require a shower?
It sounds like it's not something in the control of the hotel. I might have pushed for 5,000 points per room, but that would be it for me. I'd likely have taken what they offered.
What time did you get up? What time is checkout?
Did you do anything this morning that would require a shower?
It sounds like it's not something in the control of the hotel. I might have pushed for 5,000 points per room, but that would be it for me. I'd likely have taken what they offered.
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,163
Status? The noted compensation is $15 + $14 (2 X $7 for the points) and well within the authority of the desk clerk. A refund of the 20,000 points for the full day would be better addressed via hotel management or IHG customer service. Frankly a gas leak is an "act of god" type of situations so the noted compensation seems fair to me.
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: STL
Posts: 1,546
What time did you get up?
What time is checkout?
Did you do anything this morning that would require a shower?
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,426
Count me in on that. Heat/ac. Hot water. A decent, non-contaminated bed. If a hotel can't deliver on any of the above, they shouldn't open their doors / rent the room.
I'm almost in the 100% refund camp. It's not like the guest had a choice and could just walk away.
Regardless of who's fault the water issue is - it IS a maintenance issue that falls on mgmt. If they have to hand out a few refunds, that's the cost of doing business. Hopefully it isn't an issue on a regular basis.
I'm almost in the 100% refund camp. It's not like the guest had a choice and could just walk away.
Regardless of who's fault the water issue is - it IS a maintenance issue that falls on mgmt. If they have to hand out a few refunds, that's the cost of doing business. Hopefully it isn't an issue on a regular basis.
#15
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Posts: 33,857
Last year I was at a Hilton Garden Inn with no hot water. It was in Phoenix during the summer so my rate was something like $56. They offered me a discount of $25 which came to just under 50%. I think something like that is fair. When I book a room I'm paying for a bed, a hot shower, and wifi. If any of those three aren't satisfactory I don't want to pay for that portion.