Furious, being walked by Cheval Blanc Randheli (Maldives)
Aug 24, 2017, 4:32 pm
#138
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
rather than focusing on the 1 night, any thoughts re board?
obviously costs a lot less for CBR to offer for 4 nights at CBR
can also ask re boat transfers using CBR boats
vs hotel > male > hotel using air provider
obviously costs a lot less for CBR to offer for 4 nights at CBR
vs hotel > male > hotel using air provider
Aug 24, 2017, 4:37 pm
#139
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
There is no way that a property would turn down the offer of being bought out. One can froth at the mouth as much as one wants, but don't kid yourself, this is going to happen if someone really does toss that much money at a property.
People can cross this place and the chain off their lists, but it won't be different at any other high-end property or chain (certainly not at a discount chain, but the people who buy those out are few).
There is a massive difference between what some people "think" ought to happen and what will happen.
Other than the inconvenience, OP is being made at least whole. That is all he is entitled to. He is also receiving some consequential expenses (such as the transfers) and the VIP service (whatever that is).
If OP turns this down and CBR tells him to p*s* off and simply refunds his money, OP has the choice of booking those other properties at his expense or tossing his tickets. Without seeing the exact terms of the booking, it's a good guess that the property has an "out" and its damages are limited, certainly consequential damages such as change fees.
If there is a lesson here, it is to have called the TA instantly and had the TA get involved. That is what TA's are paid to do, they know what the limits of what can be done are (although it is the customer's decision) and they get their calls returned.
In this case, it is lucky that there remains availability. There must have been many others who got the boot and waiting around as availability elsewhere dries up is a bad idea.
People can cross this place and the chain off their lists, but it won't be different at any other high-end property or chain (certainly not at a discount chain, but the people who buy those out are few).
There is a massive difference between what some people "think" ought to happen and what will happen.
Other than the inconvenience, OP is being made at least whole. That is all he is entitled to. He is also receiving some consequential expenses (such as the transfers) and the VIP service (whatever that is).
If OP turns this down and CBR tells him to p*s* off and simply refunds his money, OP has the choice of booking those other properties at his expense or tossing his tickets. Without seeing the exact terms of the booking, it's a good guess that the property has an "out" and its damages are limited, certainly consequential damages such as change fees.
If there is a lesson here, it is to have called the TA instantly and had the TA get involved. That is what TA's are paid to do, they know what the limits of what can be done are (although it is the customer's decision) and they get their calls returned.
In this case, it is lucky that there remains availability. There must have been many others who got the boot and waiting around as availability elsewhere dries up is a bad idea.
Aug 24, 2017, 5:49 pm
#140
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Body in Downtown YYZ, heart and mind elsewhere
Programs: UA 50K, refugee from AC E50K, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 5,132
Sorry for not being clear
1) Full refund of the prepaynment we paid
2) CBR will cover 7 night accomodation only in (Velaa or Jani or both depending villa availability)
3)4 night in CBR, and they are charging only for 1 night
4) Transfer cost between airport-resort-airport is covered by CBR
1) Full refund of the prepaynment we paid
2) CBR will cover 7 night accomodation only in (Velaa or Jani or both depending villa availability)
3)4 night in CBR, and they are charging only for 1 night
4) Transfer cost between airport-resort-airport is covered by CBR
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, CBR does when (if?) you do stay there.
Based on all this, Cheval Blanc is off my list.
Aug 24, 2017, 6:07 pm
#141
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New York
Programs: SPG Platinum, AA 2.0 MM, DL Plat, Hertz Plat, LY Gold
Posts: 1,602
I travel to Jerusalem a lot and both the David Citadel and King David often have last minute visits by Leaders of State or even high-ranking ministers that require full floors or the entire property.
Both times I've had to be relocated my stay was refunded and I was booked at a similar property on hotels dime (or possibly US taxpayers) without much fuss. They've also come through with nice upgrades etc on later stays as a result.
I was once booked in a suite at the St. Regis in Singapore and got an email from them day before that they had to downgrade due to a certain Royal Family from the Gulf arriving last minute and needing my suite for their Imam. Was a bit of a negotiation, but they ultimately re-booked us in a nice room and refunded the stay. They also threw in some F&B and Spa credits but don't recall the exact amount.
Both times I've had to be relocated my stay was refunded and I was booked at a similar property on hotels dime (or possibly US taxpayers) without much fuss. They've also come through with nice upgrades etc on later stays as a result.
I was once booked in a suite at the St. Regis in Singapore and got an email from them day before that they had to downgrade due to a certain Royal Family from the Gulf arriving last minute and needing my suite for their Imam. Was a bit of a negotiation, but they ultimately re-booked us in a nice room and refunded the stay. They also threw in some F&B and Spa credits but don't recall the exact amount.
Aug 24, 2017, 6:35 pm
#142
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I travel to Jerusalem a lot and both the David Citadel and King David often have last minute visits by Leaders of State or even high-ranking ministers that require full floors or the entire property.
Both times I've had to be relocated my stay was refunded and I was booked at a similar property on hotels dime (or possibly US taxpayers) without much fuss. They've also come through with nice upgrades etc on later stays as a result.
I was once booked in a suite at the St. Regis in Singapore and got an email from them day before that they had to downgrade due to a certain Royal Family from the Gulf arriving last minute and needing my suite for their Imam. Was a bit of a negotiation, but they ultimately re-booked us in a nice room and refunded the stay. They also threw in some F&B and Spa credits but don't recall the exact amount.
Both times I've had to be relocated my stay was refunded and I was booked at a similar property on hotels dime (or possibly US taxpayers) without much fuss. They've also come through with nice upgrades etc on later stays as a result.
I was once booked in a suite at the St. Regis in Singapore and got an email from them day before that they had to downgrade due to a certain Royal Family from the Gulf arriving last minute and needing my suite for their Imam. Was a bit of a negotiation, but they ultimately re-booked us in a nice room and refunded the stay. They also threw in some F&B and Spa credits but don't recall the exact amount.
No matter how you slice it, the CBR management bungled this, and they continue to bungle it by behaving like cheapskates. People who expect less often get and deserve less. That isn't me. Fortunately, that also doesn't seem to be the OP.
One is truly tested only when things go awry. In this case, the CBR utterly failed. If it's this bad in this circumstance, it makes you lack confidence in how they might deal with other service problems and issues in the future. No thanks.
Aug 24, 2017, 6:42 pm
#143
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
There is no way that a property would turn down the offer of being bought out. One can froth at the mouth as much as one wants, but don't kid yourself, this is going to happen if someone really does toss that much money at a property.
People can cross this place and the chain off their lists, but it won't be different at any other high-end property or chain (certainly not at a discount chain, but the people who buy those out are few).
There is a massive difference between what some people "think" ought to happen and what will happen.
Other than the inconvenience, OP is being made at least whole. That is all he is entitled to. He is also receiving some consequential expenses (such as the transfers) and the VIP service (whatever that is).
If OP turns this down and CBR tells him to p*s* off and simply refunds his money, OP has the choice of booking those other properties at his expense or tossing his tickets. Without seeing the exact terms of the booking, it's a good guess that the property has an "out" and its damages are limited, certainly consequential damages such as change fees.
If there is a lesson here, it is to have called the TA instantly and had the TA get involved. That is what TA's are paid to do, they know what the limits of what can be done are (although it is the customer's decision) and they get their calls returned.
In this case, it is lucky that there remains availability. There must have been many others who got the boot and waiting around as availability elsewhere dries up is a bad idea.
People can cross this place and the chain off their lists, but it won't be different at any other high-end property or chain (certainly not at a discount chain, but the people who buy those out are few).
There is a massive difference between what some people "think" ought to happen and what will happen.
Other than the inconvenience, OP is being made at least whole. That is all he is entitled to. He is also receiving some consequential expenses (such as the transfers) and the VIP service (whatever that is).
If OP turns this down and CBR tells him to p*s* off and simply refunds his money, OP has the choice of booking those other properties at his expense or tossing his tickets. Without seeing the exact terms of the booking, it's a good guess that the property has an "out" and its damages are limited, certainly consequential damages such as change fees.
If there is a lesson here, it is to have called the TA instantly and had the TA get involved. That is what TA's are paid to do, they know what the limits of what can be done are (although it is the customer's decision) and they get their calls returned.
In this case, it is lucky that there remains availability. There must have been many others who got the boot and waiting around as availability elsewhere dries up is a bad idea.
There have been plenty of examples provided of how luxury hotels might handle such buyouts or walks, not to mention one so last-minute. None are even close to what the CBR has done...and continues to do.
The TA here might have been helpful or not; it is impossible to tell from this discussion. But I strongly beg to differ with your acceptance of the hotel's behavior, I'm sorry to say.
I think CBR is slowly realizing that it massively screwed up in the lame and cheap manner in which it responded...and continues to respond. They talk the talk about high end service, but they have been exposed as not walking the walk.
In the luxury hotel segment, I'd say that CBR has handled this as poorly as United handled kicking off a passenger. And CBR appropriately stands to lose respect and business as people in this forum see it for what it is.
Last edited by bhrubin; Aug 24, 2017 at 7:03 pm
Aug 24, 2017, 6:52 pm
#144
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Sure. But, if you are wrong and that is the end of it, where does that leave OP?
This is all about risk tolerance. If you are prepared to sleep in a parking lot because the availability is gone and you have to figh to get your money back from the property, that is fine. On the other hand, if you want a luxury vacation assured, that is what is on offer and you should grab it.
You have made it plain that risk if in your profile. Is it in OP's?
This is all about risk tolerance. If you are prepared to sleep in a parking lot because the availability is gone and you have to figh to get your money back from the property, that is fine. On the other hand, if you want a luxury vacation assured, that is what is on offer and you should grab it.
You have made it plain that risk if in your profile. Is it in OP's?
Aug 24, 2017, 7:08 pm
#146
Was sydakllon
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: Virtuoso, Rosewood Elite, FSPP, Bellini, Dorchester, MO Fan Club, Oetker Pearl, etc.
Posts: 709
I'd be happy with that offer. Business is business and buyouts happen. Yes, you could have had a better service experience from the start, but you certaining turned it around pretty quickly to a very favourable result IMO.
Aug 24, 2017, 7:44 pm
#148
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
ADDED: I find the demand that the OP pay for one night to be a bit odd, almost as if someone wants to be able to claim that they didn't make it a free stay for the OP, even though the expense of the air transfers could exceed the cost of a single night's stay.
I'd still like to know more about what the Virtuoso agent did or did not do. My impression is that the luxury travel agent didn't do much and should be "fired" by the OP. I'm also a bit curious about how the OP found this Virtuoso agent and how the person may have handled the OP's business in the past.
A lot of the final evaluation of how CBR handled this in the end (at the beginning it was beyond abysmal) depends on what sort of "VIP" experience the OP has during those four nights at the property--and also whether CBR does anything to ensure special treatment at the two (?) substitute resorts versus just booking and paying for a room for the OP during this period.
Last edited by MSPeconomist; Aug 24, 2017 at 8:08 pm
Aug 24, 2017, 10:11 pm
#150
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
At what price? Are they planning to treat it as a new booking at rack rate?
ADDED: I find the demand that the OP pay for one night to be a bit odd, almost as if someone wants to be able to claim that they didn't make it a free stay for the OP, even though the expense of the air transfers could exceed the cost of a single night's stay.
ADDED: I find the demand that the OP pay for one night to be a bit odd, almost as if someone wants to be able to claim that they didn't make it a free stay for the OP, even though the expense of the air transfers could exceed the cost of a single night's stay.
I'd still like to know more about what the Virtuoso agent did or did not do. My impression is that the luxury travel agent didn't do much and should be "fired" by the OP. I'm also a bit curious about how the OP found this Virtuoso agent and how the person may have handled the OP's business in the past.