FAA1996

Was just "walked from the Four Seasons Mexico City to a mediocre hotel across the street, the Marquis Reforma, and I am really disappointed with the hotel's handling of the situation, anyone else have any experience? They offered us a dinner at their restaurant which basically doesn't cost them anything and refused to refund the difference in rates between hotels. As an example, tomorrow night the Four Seasons is charging $295 vs $154 at the Marquis Reforma I told them $100 per room per night would be acceptable. Here is my TripAdvisor review which has a bit more details:

Second time at this property. We pre-paid for 3 rooms, four nights, at the Four Seasons Mexico City, this past weekend. Upon arrival at the hotel we were informed that they had sold our rooms to someone else and they were walking us to another similar property. Imagine our disappointment after they took us to a mediocre property across the street and expected us to be happy with the change. You can look up the pictures of the Marquis Reforma and make up your own mind as to whether this is a similar property or not. They offered us a dinner at their restaurant and refused to reimburse us for the difference in price between the properties.
So keep this in mind, the Four Seasons considers the Marquis Reforma to be "the same quality as their resort" so next time you come to CDMX, consider saving yourself a bunch of money by booking your rooms across the street. By the way, I have that in writing from my travel agency, so the management really does think both properties are "the same quality as their resort so they are not offering any additional compensation for your stay." We did move back to the Four Season for the last 3 nights of our trip. However, it's very uncmfortable going back for the last 3 nights at a hotel that didn't want our business and if I was traveling by myself I would have gone somewhere else, but didnt want to inconvenience my traveling companions any more than they already were.
In the end, the hotel could've done some recovery by refunding the difference in price bewteen the properties which are definitely not the same quality, and offering something like the dinner in their restaurant, which they did offer, as a good-will gesture. Instead we are unhappy campers and will never come back to this property and may never go to another Four Seasons property again. Many other properties in town to choose from. Caveat emptor...

MSPeconomist

FAA1996

Booked it through AAVacations together with our airfare, used my Citi Aadvantage MC. I find it funny that the hotel would refuse to refund $100 per room ($300 total for 3 rooms). I would have considered the dinner they offered us as a customer service gesture for the inconvenience of being walked for one night. Left a really bad taste in my mouth. Aavacations said the hotel thought the Marquis Reforma was similar enough to not warrant anyhting else more than a dinner. I'm upset at both AAvacataions and the hotel.

GetSetJetSet

How is the 4S MEX and how is the Marquis Reforma (LHW property right?). Weighing my options for a June trip to MEX. If you have prior experience with the Intercon would be interested in hearing about that as well, thx!

Aventine

I would write to the FS Senior VP in charge of the Americas. They handled your booking in the worst possible way.

That Marquis Reforma looks like a 4 star hotel and definitely reflects the difference in price.

jp-mco

IAD_flyer

Have you considered a CC chargeback? May not work but should make the hotel more willing to offer a partial refund.

CanuckFlyHigh

The st regis is literally across the street, and IMO better than 4S. I would have demanded STR

FAA1996

As far as tg e facilities are concerned, there is no comparison between the properties as the Marquis Reforma is half the price. Rooms are tiny and the decoration is a bit gaudy with sculptures all over the place, TVs on all the time in their restaurant, and outdated 90s decor. However, I feel that the service at the 4S is abysmal based on how they treated us, I would try the St. Regis, the JW Marriott, or the Luxury Colection Property next time. Not familiar with the intercontinetal, but it should be nicer than the Marquis Reforma.

FAA1996

I guess I could do this, but by his point, I dont think there is anyhting they can do, they failed to ameliorate the problem while they could and now the damage is done, I can live without the $300 and simply want nothing more to do with this property and the chain in general.

FAA1996

I spoke to the night manager when we checked in, his first offar was to put us in the Marquis Reforma for all 4 nights as he said it was a similar property. He walked us over and I told him it was ridiculous he thought we would be mollified with getting that property while we had paid for the 4S. At this point they agreed to move us back for our last 3 nights and provide a good will gesture for our troubles but I also asked for a refund for the difference in price for the first night.
the second day when we moved over, the GM, or acting GM came out and told us that a dinner would be what's they could offer and nothing else. That's when I wrote my travel agency AAVacations and requested the difference in price from them. They apologized and looked in to it, but then came back and said that the 4S gave them this reply: "compensation offered of dinner Sunday night for everyone including margaritas. Carelli also expressed they had given you transportation to and from the resort as well and felt the property is the same quality as their resort so they are not offering any additional compensation for your stay." We dont reLly drink, so the margaritas are irrelevant, also the "transportation to and from the resort" they gave us was to the other hotel and back for us and our bags. I find it funny that management itself thinks both properties are of the same quality, yet the 4S can charge 2x the price for it.

FAA1996

I will consider this if the travel agent, AAVacations fails to do the right thing. Hey are the ones we paid with our CC.

FAA1996

I looked up hotels late at night when the Manager was telling us what they were doing, the St. Regis was sold out and not available. My first reaction was to book another hotel for our 4 nights and then deal with getting our money refunded, but it was late at night and we were tired from traveling in, and no hotels within this area had any availability for the first night at least. I will definitely try the St. Regis next time as we've vowed never to come back to this or any one 4S in the future. Luckily our travels for the rest of the year include no 4S properties, just Oberois and Taj Palaces in India, the Peninsula in Paris, the Langham in London, and several Ritz Carltons cross the US.

Aventine

GM deserves to be put on blast to FS higher ups for acting like the GM of a 3* motel. I think this FS walking a guest says everything we need to know about the property. No commitment to the Golden rule, creating a memorable experience or making a guest feel welcome or at home.
If FS corporate is fine with the property response and compensation then the brand is pretty much doomed. An absolute disgrace. I hope you choose to take this further than AAvacations!

flyme2

It's unfortunate that this franchisee appears to be more focused on gleaning a higher margin than maintaining the brand standard. The fact that the OP was walked at all tells me that they were able to earn more revenue from the guest they allowed to stay than from the OP. I think the TA review was a good move. It will most likely not sway the franchisee (read: property owner), but it may get the attention of the franchisor and/or its principals, all men well known in the business world. I would send a copy of the TA review to the FS corporate offices in Toronto, just to ensure that they are aware of the practices of this particular franchisee.