bhrubin

Your Virtuoso agent should be on this immediately (already) and very soon (almost immediately under the circumstances) have an answer for you. If not, your agent is a problem, I'm sorry to say.

Kagehitokiri

while lies are not uncommon, incompetence also possible

just looking at jani website
(numbers refer to bedrooms)
10 - 1/2 water + 4 island/water
11 - 1 slide + 4 island
12 - 1 slide + 4 island + 2 water
13 - 1 slide + 4 island [showed 2 hours ago, now different]
14 - 1 slide + 4 island + 2/3 water
15 - 1 slide + 4 island + 2/3/4 water + 2 slide
16 - 1 slide + 4 island + 2/4 water
17 - 1 slide + 4 island + 2 water
18 - 1 slide + 2 water
19 - 1 slide
20 - 1/3 water + 4 island
9 nights - 1 slide (there are ten of these)
8+1 nights - 4 island (there is only one)

above 2 hours ago, other CBR guests may be booking

often hotels do not pay rack rate at nearby hotels
some here commented on deals between owners
(and jani was selling some villas as residences)

id suggest talking to jani over phone

reigndrop

This happened to me at Qasr al Sarab this year when I booked two rooms right after New Years. They didn't alert me until the day prior when I tried to book desert activities...

I was furious but after some and forth, they comped separate stays for the two rooms booked. If I had to guess, this was some government buyout similar to what happened to me.

Kagehitokiri

comp on top of refund?

Aventine

Toronto Star and other local rags might run with it. LVMH doesn't really have their claws in there.

I'd ask for the same that you did. Not totally unreasonable but these don't seem to be reasonable people.

Aventine

I have to agree about this. It seems like we're more proactive and rallying the troops than your agent. That person should have contingencies for contingencies!

Kagehitokiri

most agents do not. while expectations for luxury agent can be higher, $100K a year in spend is only $10K a year in income or less.

id be curious to hear really vague/general comments from agents here re their experiences re cancellations/walking.

Aventine

True, but I wouldn't use an agent who left me high and dry like this. I think it's a bad omen that OP posted about it before posting any actions by his Rep. Shouldn't expect to get commission AND future business if the stay goes like this one.

I don't expect my agent to hold my hand for every little stay detail but I would expect them to DO something...

MSPeconomist

Absolutely. The agent should have already offered several possible substitutes and be working to find other better ones, depending on what the OP wants to do.

And the agent should already be all over the hotel to do something.

If the agent is employed by a travel agency, the owner should also have been pulled in to help, as well as any other agents who might have good connections with the property or Cheval Blanc in general. This is where the Virtuoso network is supposes do to do wonders, but nothing like this seems to be happening for the OP.

luxtrvlwrks

Let's put aside the agent flamethrowers until we know what has actually gone on by that person in an attempt to rectify the situation. It is not the agent's fault that Cheval Blanc canceled the OP's reservation.

Time differences and language barriers can all impact the speed at which things can be resolved. Negotiations can be further challenged when agents are trying to work their professional channels, and clients are simultaneously contacting people on their own. Firing offer nasty emails is understandable given the circumstances, but not entirely helpful.

Finding availability at smaller hotels can also take time, as they usually pull back inventory when it is getting low (or they may remove rooms from inventory for maintenance or other reasons) and therefore direct communication is required - and not with a res agent on the toll free number, but with someone who actually has authority to make things happen. While many agents may work nights and weekends as needed, it is not always true of hotel staff.

To me past precedent is less important than what will actually make this okay for the OP. It might be different for different people, depending on their flexibility with vacation scheduling, purpose for traveling, etc. That's why it's important to clearly define what you want when things go off the rails and communicate that to everyone consistently. If nothing will be sufficient, then admitting that is useful too.

What has happened is horrible for the OP and I sincerely hope it is resolved to his satisfaction.

loofa133

We have been walked from two Amans. I must say they handed everything very well.

Once were were re-accommodated at another Aman and the trip and all food/drink incidentals were covered by the person who bought out the property and we were refunded all amounts we paid as deposits. The other time we were accommodated at other hotels at no cost and refunded all deposits. Also since we had some transfers and tours included on this stay, they fully provided those with Aman persons at the other accommodation.

I think you can ask for a lot here and it is completely fair. They usually build the cost to cover guests they need to relocate into the prices the people pay with buyouts.

erik123

The Saudi royals do this quite frequently. There are times they buy out several properties (which earlier included CBR) - so this is not new.

It would be difficult to say no to such a request, but I am surprised that don't have proper recovery in place as this is not the first time.

mumum17

My god, I would be furious too. Reading this thread has be boiling.

I don't care what the situation is...if compensation is not offered appropriately (like mentioned here) and the resorts explanations can be found faulty...I would put them on the never to go list. There are soo many other choices, really, there are...you deserve respect and what the premium you are shelling out deserve.
Everything you have asked as compensation seems very appropriate, especially after reading some of the compensations that folks received here from other mishaps. Lets see how they respond now.
Personally, I would not want to visit a place that has been so shabby in their response.

Sealink

Haven't read the entire thread but it's not fraud.
Hotels overbook.
They've taken what I think is a terrible decision, but a strangely understandable one: to take business which includes booking every room in the resort, and walk the existing guests.
Vote with your feet. Virtuoso is fierce but the hotel would already have factored that in when making the decision.
It's not the agent's fault that this has happened. And you should not be expecting miracles from them. However Virtuoso agents are good, and I can almost guarantee that it has gone to the top for compensation to be arranged.

bhrubin

It wasn't an overbooking; it was a late buyout. In this case, it might help you to read the thread to know what actually happened.

The hotel is ignoring its prior booking to permit the buyout and get all that cash, but is then ignoring its responsibility to the prior booking by not generously compensating for the change/cancellation. The hotel wants it both ways and is behaving shamelessly. This GM and the CB/LVMH brands should be embarrassed.