Fairfield Bismarck North - bad check-in experience
May 7, 2007, 4:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Plymouth, MI USA (DTW)
Programs: NWA, Spirit, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 161
Fairfield Bismarck North - bad check-in experience
My email to the GM and Elite Services....
Dear Ms XXXXX,
I want to make you aware of an serious issue that my co-worker and I
experienced at your hotel late Sunday/early Monday.
We arrived at the hotel shortly after midnight to find that the front
desk was unattended. When we attempted to use the phone in the
vestibule to make contact with the night clerk we received a busy
signal. After knocking on the front door, loudly, for several minutes
we decided to call the hotel's main number directly. That call went
unanswered.
About this time another guest (already checked in - room XXX as I
discovered later) approached the front door and said that he'd been
trying to call the desk for several minutes and was also getting a busy
signal. Deeming us and our bags as trustworthy, the other guest let us
into the lobby where the three of us began calling and knocking on the
various office doors that we could find, including checking the bathroom
behind the lobby.
At this point, we had been at the hotel for approximately 20 minutes
without any sight of the clerk. Deciding that things couldn't get
worse, I climbed over the front counter so that I could reach the door
behind the desk, an area we weren't sure that we had been able to reach
from the outside halls. After entering the laundry area, I found XXXXXX
sound asleep on the counter. Once awakened he handled our check-in.
I'm sure you find this incident to be unacceptable, as do I and Ms
XXXXXX. Neither of us has ever experienced a situation like this at any
hotel and find it extremely unsettling at a Marriott property. Since
reducing the amount paid for our stay does not provide any benefit to
ourselves, I am asking that each of our Rewards accounts be credited for
an additional 14000 points, the equivalent of two nights stay at your
property.
I look forward to your response and an acceptable resolution to this
incident.
Sincerely,
jefrank
The GM's response...
Dear Mr. XXXXX and Ms. XXXXXX,
Please accept my sincere apologies for the incident you experienced last
night. This is unacceptable! I just spoke with Daniel and please be assured
the appropriate measures have been taken to prevent this from happening
again. Also, XXXXXXX sends his sincere apologies. Each of your Marriott
Reward accounts will be credited in the amount of 14000 points.
Again, I am truly sorry for what happened.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay with us!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
General Manager
Fairfield Inn by Marriott Bismarck North
I shoulda asked for more!
Seriously though, I'm fairly impressed with the manager's response. She gave me what I asked for without question. We'll see what happens if the same clerk happens to be working tonight when we get back to the room.
Dear Ms XXXXX,
I want to make you aware of an serious issue that my co-worker and I
experienced at your hotel late Sunday/early Monday.
We arrived at the hotel shortly after midnight to find that the front
desk was unattended. When we attempted to use the phone in the
vestibule to make contact with the night clerk we received a busy
signal. After knocking on the front door, loudly, for several minutes
we decided to call the hotel's main number directly. That call went
unanswered.
About this time another guest (already checked in - room XXX as I
discovered later) approached the front door and said that he'd been
trying to call the desk for several minutes and was also getting a busy
signal. Deeming us and our bags as trustworthy, the other guest let us
into the lobby where the three of us began calling and knocking on the
various office doors that we could find, including checking the bathroom
behind the lobby.
At this point, we had been at the hotel for approximately 20 minutes
without any sight of the clerk. Deciding that things couldn't get
worse, I climbed over the front counter so that I could reach the door
behind the desk, an area we weren't sure that we had been able to reach
from the outside halls. After entering the laundry area, I found XXXXXX
sound asleep on the counter. Once awakened he handled our check-in.
I'm sure you find this incident to be unacceptable, as do I and Ms
XXXXXX. Neither of us has ever experienced a situation like this at any
hotel and find it extremely unsettling at a Marriott property. Since
reducing the amount paid for our stay does not provide any benefit to
ourselves, I am asking that each of our Rewards accounts be credited for
an additional 14000 points, the equivalent of two nights stay at your
property.
I look forward to your response and an acceptable resolution to this
incident.
Sincerely,
jefrank
The GM's response...
Dear Mr. XXXXX and Ms. XXXXXX,
Please accept my sincere apologies for the incident you experienced last
night. This is unacceptable! I just spoke with Daniel and please be assured
the appropriate measures have been taken to prevent this from happening
again. Also, XXXXXXX sends his sincere apologies. Each of your Marriott
Reward accounts will be credited in the amount of 14000 points.
Again, I am truly sorry for what happened.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay with us!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
General Manager
Fairfield Inn by Marriott Bismarck North
I shoulda asked for more!
Seriously though, I'm fairly impressed with the manager's response. She gave me what I asked for without question. We'll see what happens if the same clerk happens to be working tonight when we get back to the room.
May 7, 2007, 5:51 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: Marriott Platinum Premier, AAdvantage Platinum (1MM Lifetime Gold), Avis First
Posts: 524
Stay away from Fairfield Inns, they are the Super 8 of Marriotts
May 7, 2007, 10:01 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Plymouth, MI USA (DTW)
Programs: NWA, Spirit, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 161
Wasn't my first choice, but there are only 2 Marriott properties in Bismarck. Both are Fairfield's run by the same franchisee. Hilton doesn't have any properties here, nor does Starwood. Was down to a Radisson, where I seldom stay and have few points or use for points and second tier chains - Comfort, et al. For a state capital this place is barren of real hotels.
May 8, 2007, 5:55 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Suburban Philadelphia
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,392
May 8, 2007, 2:31 pm
#5
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Posts: 1,310
Hampton is more comparable to Courtyard rather than Fairfield. I used to stay at Fairfields way back in the early 90's late 80's when they were first opening. But I ended my relationship with Fairfields in the mid 90's when they were really starting to get tired and dumpy...After a bad experience with the Fairfield near the Atlanta airport (no one answering the hotel's incoming line to get a shuttle ride, no remote for the TV in my room) that was my last Fairfield Inn stay. Since you can now typically get a much nicer hotel for less than a Fairfield rate, I see no reason to go back, even to save money..
May 9, 2007, 8:37 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Reading, PA USA (RDG)
Programs: US Gold, Avis CHM, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Silver
Posts: 463
I actually had nearly the same experience at a Hampton Inn in Columbia, MD on a Saturday afternoon at 4:00 PM. Waited about 25 minutes in total.
I did all of the other stuff, including calling the hotel number and searching high and low for ANY hotel employee. I eventually called Hilton Customer Service who tried to contact the hotel through other numbers with no success. They were within minutes of calling the Police when the desk clerk showed up. Said he was in the bathroom. And had an attitude too.
I complained to Hilton but did not get ANY compensation.
I did all of the other stuff, including calling the hotel number and searching high and low for ANY hotel employee. I eventually called Hilton Customer Service who tried to contact the hotel through other numbers with no success. They were within minutes of calling the Police when the desk clerk showed up. Said he was in the bathroom. And had an attitude too.
I complained to Hilton but did not get ANY compensation.