Compensation for no wakeup call?
 

I spent the night at an airport CY in order to catch an early morning flight home the next am. I was up until 3am working and had scheduled a 7am wakeup call to get me to the airport.

The next morning I opened my eyes at 11am (long week) and needless to say my flight was long gone. I spoke to the manager and she honestly admitted that they recorded my request for a wakeup call but one was not made.

She offered to give me a gift certificate for one night stay at any Courtyard, plus pay for any fees I incurred in getting home. AA charged me only $100 to change my flights but I arrived home at 8pm instead of 1:30pm! Not the way I wanted to spend my Friday night.

Any suggestions on resonable compensation? I thought only covering my hotel and flight costs was a little weak.

Let me know what I should ask for.

Thanks.

Welcome to FT,

I think it is an honest compensation. I would accept that from them and write to Marriott also to be sure that something similar doesn't happen again.

Welcome to FT!

I think the compensation you got was enough. If there is anything I think they short-changed you on was the gift certificate -- only 1 night. They paid for the costs incurred for getting home. Write Marriott and see what they say.

I never understood the reasoning behind asking for a wakeup call in a hotel that provides a clock radio in every room. I'd much rather be in control of when and how I wake up than trust a stranger.

A certificate for a free night's stay seems entirely adequate as compensation for something you could've guaranteed yourself with 30 seconds' additional effort.

I think you were very richly compensated. As indicated earlier, there is a clock in the room. If it is really important to get up early, request a wake-up call and set the alarm. Belt and suspenders.

I concur. You got more from them then I would have given. Unless the clock in the room was inoperative, you really only have yourself to blame.

Agreed. If you need to wake up for something that important, you should just buy a clock with an alarm.

Come on, the mistake is still from the hotel, why providing a wake-up call if they don't do it? I think the compensation is enough but it is not the fault of the OP.

Rule No. 1: if you have to get up early for something important (like an early- AM flight), have at least 2 means to wake you up. Just last month my husband and I left a 5:30 AM wakeup call with the front desk at our hotel so we could catch our flight hime from EDI. They didn't call. Our cheap wind-up alarm came through loud and clear. In the US I set my cell phone alarm as a backup.

I agree that that's no excuse for the hotel making a mistake- but at least they admitted it and offered compensation.

Take what they gave you and run. Nice that they admitted their mistake and seem pretty honorable in their offer. As stated previously, the ol' alarm clock backup is a must!

I agree, and if you really ned to wake up, set your alarm on your cell as a third back-up.

I usually do: 1) cell phone, 2) clock radio, and 3) wake up call. The cell phone seems to be the only 100% reliable alarm clock - clock radios fail about 25% of the time, and the front desk fails about 5% of the time.

Glad to see the hotel compensated you, but I just don't trust reminders that I don't have control of.

I carry my own $15 digital alarm from Radio Shack. The cell phone doesn't always work for me because when I'm really tired I risk getting the time zones wrong. I don't have the patience to figure out the clock radio (except the Hampton Inn ones). And I don't trust the front desk to wake me. I really think guests are responsible for themselves and the compensation described is excellent.

I also set the alarm clock and request a wake-up call, but I also ask for and record the name of the person taking my information, which seems to surprise most of them -- but I can't recall the last time my wake-up call didn't come through!

I agree. My cell phone is the only thing I trust.
This hotel was extremely generous. I would be glad I got home that same day to sleep on MY bed.