Appropriate compensation for in room lamp explosion?
Feb 14, 2019, 4:10 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
Appropriate compensation for in room lamp explosion?
Just checked into the Holiday Inn Hangzhou CBD and went to try to figure out how to turn on the desk lamp. I moved it literally an inch and heard a loud bang and a bright explosion, leaving the lamp broken and a black charred spot about 2 inches in diameter where the explosion occurred on the desk. I immediately called the front desk who says they don't know how it happened but they'll get another one.....not sure if I trust it though.
What should I do? Move hotels? Ask for comped night, free food, discount, points? What would you consider appropriate service recovery for this pretty scary incident?
(PS got a pretty nice upgrade but probably won't be staying here again after this)
What should I do? Move hotels? Ask for comped night, free food, discount, points? What would you consider appropriate service recovery for this pretty scary incident?
(PS got a pretty nice upgrade but probably won't be staying here again after this)
Feb 14, 2019, 4:30 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Cologne
Programs: FB Plat, IHG RA Spire, TK Elite+, HH Diamond, LH SEN, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 972
Just checked into the Holiday Inn Hangzhou CBD and went to try to figure out how to turn on the desk lamp. I moved it literally an inch and heard a loud bang and a bright explosion, leaving the lamp broken and a black charred spot about 2 inches in diameter where the explosion occurred on the desk. I immediately called the front desk who says they don't know how it happened but they'll get another one.....not sure if I trust it though.
What should I do? Move hotels? Ask for comped night, free food, discount, points? What would you consider appropriate service recovery for this pretty scary incident?
(PS got a pretty nice upgrade but probably won't be staying here again after this)
What should I do? Move hotels? Ask for comped night, free food, discount, points? What would you consider appropriate service recovery for this pretty scary incident?
(PS got a pretty nice upgrade but probably won't be staying here again after this)
Only an apology and a replaced lamp.
Best case scenario a free drink in the bar.
I don't see why you should get anything else... in my opinion!
Feb 14, 2019, 4:52 am
#3
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
You were not hurt, received a shock, nor in danger. I have had bulbs, chairs, glass table tops break over my 20plus years in hotels. I would not expect compo for flawed item breaking (or maybe mistreated by prev guests item breaking), and in same vein not expect to be charged to replace such items.
Just report to frontdesk asking for a replacement. No need to worry about a repeat or changing hotel. I'd put it down to lamp being abused by a prev guest.
No compo due, you should not even be considering you should get something. Based on your location (SFO) I'd say you are jumping on the current USA compo entitlement culture at slightest chance.
Just report to frontdesk asking for a replacement. No need to worry about a repeat or changing hotel. I'd put it down to lamp being abused by a prev guest.
No compo due, you should not even be considering you should get something. Based on your location (SFO) I'd say you are jumping on the current USA compo entitlement culture at slightest chance.
Feb 14, 2019, 5:35 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
Well...this is China where skimping on maintenance is the norm....although one would hope that a western branded hotel wouldn't have such issues.
It was clearly maintenance, not previous guest abuse, as the whole set of outlets on the panel where the lamp was plugged in could no longer be used after the explosion and I had to move rooms.
I think I won't say anything for now but complain to the service center because they need to know if this hotel is skimping on maintenance.
It was clearly maintenance, not previous guest abuse, as the whole set of outlets on the panel where the lamp was plugged in could no longer be used after the explosion and I had to move rooms.
I think I won't say anything for now but complain to the service center because they need to know if this hotel is skimping on maintenance.
Feb 14, 2019, 5:45 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Cologne
Programs: FB Plat, IHG RA Spire, TK Elite+, HH Diamond, LH SEN, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 972
Ahhh... classic... we can’t keep up with this mindset or entitlement to handouts over nothing.
Feb 14, 2019, 5:45 am
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
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Posts: 50,262
Submit your medical bills, a calculation of the days of work missed as a result, and any other relevant expenses and ask that they be paid in lieu of having to file a lawsuit to recover your losses.@:-)
Feb 14, 2019, 7:35 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 2,862
Submit an itemized bill for losses incurred due to lamp downtime
Feb 14, 2019, 7:46 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,107
I don’t get these “I’ll never stay here again” comments when it’s a minor hiccup. B double O, H double O. 
Feb 14, 2019, 7:50 am
#9
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Posts: 50,262
In the "room preferences" section, make sure you include a note asking for a room without an exploding desk lamp. Properties are in the hospitality business and room assigners try to accommodate customer preferences.
Feb 14, 2019, 7:54 am
#10
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Was the nice upgrade before or after the lamp explosion?
My concern would have been shattered glass fragments in the room and having housekeeping really clean the mess well, but if you switched rooms, all should be good.
My concern would have been shattered glass fragments in the room and having housekeeping really clean the mess well, but if you switched rooms, all should be good.
Feb 14, 2019, 8:28 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Bounding Around The Good 'Ole USA In My Chevrolet
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 381
Just checked into the Holiday Inn Hangzhou CBD and went to try to figure out how to turn on the desk lamp. I moved it literally an inch and heard a loud bang and a bright explosion, leaving the lamp broken and a black charred spot about 2 inches in diameter where the explosion occurred on the desk. I immediately called the front desk who says they don't know how it happened but they'll get another one.....not sure if I trust it though.
What should I do? Move hotels? Ask for comped night, free food, discount, points? What would you consider appropriate service recovery for this pretty scary incident?
(PS got a pretty nice upgrade but probably won't be staying here again after this)
What should I do? Move hotels? Ask for comped night, free food, discount, points? What would you consider appropriate service recovery for this pretty scary incident?
(PS got a pretty nice upgrade but probably won't be staying here again after this)
Feb 14, 2019, 8:47 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
so any tine anything ever happens at a hotel or a plane (other other places too) why is it that some people are all about asking for compensation?
no injury , nothing happened to Op but hey I need to made whole? from what?
no injury , nothing happened to Op but hey I need to made whole? from what?
Feb 14, 2019, 9:27 am
#14
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: ORD (formerly SAN)
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Posts: 1,929
If you got an upgrade as a result of the lamp/room change and you did not suffer any injuries, then it seems like a good outcome and customer service measure to me. Thank goodness you were not hurt - then you'd be entitled to comp, but not being injured seems like a better outcome overall.
Feb 14, 2019, 9:28 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Israel/United States
Posts: 1,234
Compensation is defined as,”something, typically money, awarded to someone as a recompense for loss, injury, or suffering”. Can you explain what loss, injury or suffering you went through. The outlets being unusable after the explosion doesn’t mean they were problematic before. It means they were damaged in the incident