Helpmeout

Am a platinum member.
Recently stayed at Ritz (rate around 850/night).
Hotel restaurant had a major snafu and failed to clean the seat from prior customer (they spilled soy sauce everywhere).
Basically blotted it. Cut to me sitting there 5 minutes later without warning resulting in my pants not only getting drenched, but also stained from the residual soy left behind.
Pants were from Cucinelli and cost around 700 bucks. Servers were apologetic (At time I didn't know my pants were ruined just obviously wet) and offered me a drink which I said ok.
Well they forgot to take this off bill and I was too tired to deal with when paying.

Realizing after my pants are ruined, I wrote a review when the hotel asked for feedback. I wasn't expecting any type of comp but the manager stated he was going to have points credited to my account. What would you deem appropriate? Given the price tag, etc. My expectations are min but curious as to if this has happened to anyone else?

Jon Maiman

When did you first notify the hotel that your pants had been ruined? In general, you should have reported the issue to the hotel while you were still on property and given them a chance to make it right. If you didn't discover they were ruined until after your stay (seems unlikely for this particular instance), then you should have called the hotel as soon as you did discover it.

Hard to tell from your post and apologies if I am wrong; however, I infer you only reported the ruined pants in response to a hotel review survey. If that is the case, then I would further infer it wasn't that big an issue for you.

To answer your original question, if the problem had been reported in a timely fashion, I would have expected the hotel to clean or pay to replace your pants if that wasn't possible. I would have also expected them to comp. the meal when the issue occurred.

--Jon

hotelboy

You are past the point of any meaningful compensation. This should have been reported while still on property. Once you leave property the value of comp goes down exponentially.

Helpmeout

basically after my dry cleaners said they could not remove. So one day after. At time I didn’t know they were ruined. Simply just drenched. Had I’d known prior to checking out I would have made a much bigger deal but I’m also not a dick as most of these higher end hotels have to deal with divas. Accidents happen but my pants are in the trash.

Jon Maiman

Okay, seems like you are taking a philosophical approach to the issue. If you wanted to push for compensation, then you should have called the property and spoken to manager immediately after your dry cleaners told you they couldn't remove the stain. To use your words, I applaud you for not being a "diva". Regardless if you had reported it immediately after getting the bad news from your dry cleaner, I think you would have had a very legitimate claim for compensation (at least the cost of replacing your pants). Time to move on which it appears you already have.

--Jon

Helpmeout

yea I mean I reported it as soon as I knew it was ruined (in hindsight I also informed front desk of incident prior to knowing they were gone). At any rate the server knew the manager on site that evening knew, so. What should be my tempered expectations with regards to points which they stated they will give?

cfischer

at an RC I would expect to make this right. Points sounds poor unless it is a LOT of points ... like 200k or so. I would let them know the cost of the pants and assuming they were not brand new (else show them a receipt) and maybe suggest something that may work for you and might not cost them that much ... perhaps a free 2-night weekend stay with them? On the Club Floor?

MSPeconomist

OP reported the incident when it occurred. He/she later was informed that the pants were ruined, after leaving the hotel. IMO OP should have contacted the hotel at that point rather than immediately writing the bad review, but since OP pointed out the problem at the time and the inadequate compensation (one drink for sitting in wet and stained pants during a nice dinner and then the embarrassment of walking through the property afterward wearing the wet and stained pants?) that was offered wasn't even credited to OP's bill, I can understand not wanting to deal with the hotel further. OP should contact the manager at this point and explain briefly what happened. It might be a good idea to propose a reimbursement amount (unlikely to be paid) and alternative number of points somewhat (but not unreasonably) beyond what OP expect to get. Having the receipt and date of purchase here is key as hotels (and dry cleaners) tend to reimburse based on depreciated value, which can be only 10% of the cost of clothing. OP could also research and document the replacement ent cost of the ruined pants. BTW, it OP still has the pants, I'd keep them until this is settled rather than disposing of them even though they are ruined.

cmd320

Anything less than a reimbursement for the pants and some sort of additional goodwill gesture is IMO unacceptable.

Wickersley

Difficult answer here.

Yes the hotel made a mistake.

Why should the hotel take a "hit" for $700 of "value" for the sake of the Brand?

Maybe the Hotel will be subject to a stern conversation with MR Corporate; however I expect that's as far as it go.

(Polite) "Things happen" & I'm sure as a Platinum member, you'll "never stay there again" - frankly; that's fine.

cmd320

Because the hotel was the one that ruined the guest's item?

If a waiter drops a bottle of wine on my iPhone 11 Pro Max and destroys it, the hotel doesn't get to simply replace my phone with a Nokia 3310 because at the end of the day they're both phones.

Wickersley

As I said In my post, it's clear that's what happened; however the question is the level of compensation.


However, that's not what happened. The guest accepted "recompense" at the time (the drink).

I cannot imagine any Bonvoy hotel providing this level of value to protect "the brand" unless it was a very regular guest in the actual hotel.

cmd320

Which was in the end not actually received. The extent of the damage was found out at a later time.

Wickersley

If had happened to me. I would have explained to the waiter, gone upstairs & changed.

Lets remember the OP said that their pants were "wet'

Having changed, I would have handed my pants to the front desk, explained the situation; having had that verified (by the waiter) & asked them to be dry cleaned.

That's reasonable.

Upon checking out, the remedy is simple.

I'm not blaming the "OP"; however I can see the hotels point of view "after the event"

craz

I wouldnt assume the drink was in lieu of full compensation (especially as it wasnt taken off the bill), more of a Oh No sorry about that, unless it was stated as such and I doubt the employee had any idea that the pants were ruined

The pants might cost $700 to replace but if they werent purchased very recently then their value is alot less. If Im involved in a car accident and my car is totaled the fact that a new costs $30K is useless if the book value on my 15 yr car is $1500, no ins company or court will give me the $30K to get a brand new car when what I had was worth $1500

As happens all too often in these cases the person damaged doesnt specify exactly what it is they are looking for to the other party, usually (maybe not in this case) in case the offer from teh other party would be more then what they would ask for, so when the other party low balls you you are now caught bet a rock and a hard place

OP if the pants are far from new or you dont have a receipt then I like the poster above who mentioned about getting a 2 night stay