Barking Dog Policy?
 

I'm staying at a Residence Inn. One of my neighbors has a dog unattended in the room. It has been barking for several hours. I phoned the front desk a few hours ago; they said they'd contact the owner to solve the problem. 2+ hours later nothing has happened. The dog is still barking. I called the front desk again, and again they promised they would try calling the owner.

I'm curious, what standard policies does RI have for dealing with dogs? Is leaving a dog unattended in the room for hours at a time okay? What happens when there's a nuisance barking situation like this one?

Maybe you should post which RI it is. Wouldn't it be cool if a few hundred FTers called the front desk to complain about the barking dog? Alternative: ask the FDC to connect you to the property GM, who may be more interested in resolving the problem than the FDC.

The dilemma for dog owners is that they can either watch their dog or they can go out and have dinner or enjoy the sites. Dogs that are well-behaved at home may be scared in a strange setting. The owner could be thinking that the dog is behaving as well as it behaves at home. I agree that incessant barking should not happen- anywhere! Many hotels require you to sign a pledge not to leave the dog alone in the room. But it's hardly practical for the dog owner. I am sympathetic to the dog, so please be as patient as possible!

After 5 communications with the front desk I have now been informed that my only choice is to move. All requests for compensation refused.

I have countered that if I move, it will be to another hotel.

That is ridiculous. I seem to recall from an older thread they had a policy aobut barking dogs and contacting the owners.

get the stay comped. Go via Marriott corporate if needed and I'd ask to speak to the GM. This is insane.

Tell the FD that you are concerned about the animal's well-being and are calling the police. Hate to have uniformed officers running around disturbing guests, but if that's what the FD wants....

BTW - What's the point of not identifying the property?

As others note, tell the FD if the property won't comp the stay, you'll simply deal with corporate and use the FD clerk's name. I would definitely move because clearly the property isn't going to solve your problem so you're just punishing yourself.

Update: I have left the property and moved to another hotel.

I began calling the front desk around 2pm local time with persistent barking from an unattended dog in the room across the hall. FDC stated he would "work on contacting the guest to calm the dog."

I called back around 4pm as the barking continued. FDC again stated he would "work on contacting the guest to calm the dog."

I went to the front desk in person at 5pm and again 5:30pm as still nothing had been done. FDC explained that the guest was not answering his/her cell phone and nothing could be done.

"Where's the manager?" I asked. "I would like to speak to him or her about compensation in the form of reduced room rate or bonus points."

FDC explained that the manager is off property and he's had trouble contacting her. She is not answering her phone or responding promptly to texts. He sympathized with my request for compensation and assured me he was "working on it".

At 6:15 the FDC called my room to tell me the manager had instructed him there would be no compensation. I was welcome to move to a different room, but there would be no reduction to room rate or bonus of points. I told him if I had to move without compensation I would leave the property. He didn't care. I asked again to speak to the manager. He gave me her email address. I pointed out, "If she can't even return your repeated phone calls for 4 hours, what's the chance she's going to respond to my email? Call her again and tell her I'm leaving in 15 minutes if she doesn't address this problem to my satisfaction."

At 6:30pm the FDC was still polite but ineffective, and the GM was still hiding behind voicemail and email. I checked out, paying for the previous night's stay.

At this point I do not wish to name the hotel because I am still seeking compensation-- first, from the GM if she has the decency to actually answer my complaint, and later, from Marriott Guest Services if she does not.

Advice from others on how to effectively pursue corrective action in this case is appreciated.

Given the track record, I'd involve Marriott corporate now instead of later. The few times I have needed them they have been effective in helping reach a resolution.

First, name the property. Two reasons. This is a community. You are asking others for advice but unwilling to help them out by warning them off. Why should anyone help you? Second, it helps you if there is pressure on the property. If this is a troubled property, others can tell you that. Neither Marriott nor the property are going to tell you that. Social media is a good thing, but only if you use it. As it stands, you are helping them out. Facebook? Twitter? TripAdvisor? Properties care about this stuff. It may help you a lot.

Second, As soon as you issued your threat to leave, you make yourself look like a chump by continuing the dialog. Be clear and unequivocal. "If you don't do something in 10 minutes, I am leaving and I will deal with the room charges through corporate or a chargeback."

Third, call the cops. Dog alone barking may be a distress call. What do you know about the people who left the dog? Make it plain to the police that this has been going on for hours and that you are worried that the animal is in distress. Don't make this about your personal comfort. The fact that uniformed officers show up to deal with the issue, means that the FD likely has to track down the GM for real.

Fourth, If you leave. Leave. Call when you get checked into the new property and tell them that you've left. Send an email immediately to Marriott letting them know what happened and asking them to credit (comp is not a good word to use) the stay and send the same to the property.

What's the risk? Marriott might not help you out and you might get stuck paying for two rooms. A chargeback might fail and then you really are stuck. Is this worth not moving to a new room? That's a decision only you can make. Might you negotiate for a better room and then deal with the credit/comp issue when the GM is on site the next day?

A perfect response-thank you for your clarity,as I believe this kind of advice helps everyone, in addition to the OP.

Too late now, but whenever I have an issue at a hotel - I call the Marriott Elite Guest Services line. Without fail, they will call the hotel while I am on the line and get the issue resolved.
Without that, you only have your version of what they are saying versus their's.
After your second call, my next would have been to Marriott.

I would have recorded the whole thing (dog barking for several hours, phone conversations etc) and posted it to youtube. E-mail the manager with the youtube link. If no action is taken, post the link to web forums.

I would have put a call into the local PD. There are barking dog ordinances that are enforced regardless of house, apartment, hotel.

And beyond the issue of the dog being in distress, if the owner of the dog is not answering cell phone calls, possibly the owner is in the room and also in distress. If the owner is lying on the floor unconscious or dead, it could be why the dog is barking so incessantly and for so long.