Awful experience and strange blowoff (mold in suites at Parker Meridien NYC)
Oct 21, 2009, 3:39 am
#16
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: INN
Programs: LH, KLM, BA
Posts: 566
I am not writing to vent but rather to ask for advice on what to do next.
Stayed at the Parker Meridien in NYC 10 days ago for several nights. Paid upgrade to corner suite. Bathroom was broken and extremely moldy with a strong mold smell, so bad that it permeated the whole suite and became the topic of conversation whenever friends stopped by.
I had to fight (really hard - harder then I have had to fight in recent years at hotels) just to get moved to the same room elsewhere in the hotel. I was told that mold is "normal" and "not all mold is dangerous" to which I greatly objected. The next room was not as moldy, but still some mold and cracking falling paint in the bathroom etc.. Calling downstairs for the manager always resulted in a total blowoff (he'll call you back, he's out of town till Monday, he just left) etc..
Gave up and called SPG number and opened a corporate complaint. I was told that the manager would have to call me back within 5 days. Now it's been 10 so I just called SPG again and (after a 15 minute hold) am being told that the hotel closed the complaint and noted that they had spoken to me and resolved it. However that's simply not true at all.
What do I do next?
Stayed at the Parker Meridien in NYC 10 days ago for several nights. Paid upgrade to corner suite. Bathroom was broken and extremely moldy with a strong mold smell, so bad that it permeated the whole suite and became the topic of conversation whenever friends stopped by.
I had to fight (really hard - harder then I have had to fight in recent years at hotels) just to get moved to the same room elsewhere in the hotel. I was told that mold is "normal" and "not all mold is dangerous" to which I greatly objected. The next room was not as moldy, but still some mold and cracking falling paint in the bathroom etc.. Calling downstairs for the manager always resulted in a total blowoff (he'll call you back, he's out of town till Monday, he just left) etc..
Gave up and called SPG number and opened a corporate complaint. I was told that the manager would have to call me back within 5 days. Now it's been 10 so I just called SPG again and (after a 15 minute hold) am being told that the hotel closed the complaint and noted that they had spoken to me and resolved it. However that's simply not true at all.
What do I do next?
Having seen the Lurkers in action here I think this will be professionally resolved, but the issue certainly goes beyond a room change query.
Oct 21, 2009, 7:07 am
#17
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Pasadena,Ca.,US.
Programs: AA, Delta, United, SPG plat, Hyatt dia
Posts: 7,140
This would have been a perfect case for face to face at the front desk and not leaving till you get a suitable resolution.
Having written that however something about this just does not smell right(hee hee)and I am thinking there is something being left out.
Having written that however something about this just does not smell right(hee hee)and I am thinking there is something being left out.
Oct 21, 2009, 7:26 am
#19
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
You're misunderstanding. I did not ask them to pay for my room at the other hotel. I simply asked them to send a bellman up to pick up my bags and to call a car service to transfer me over to the other hotel.
Given the options I was given (stay in your moldy room, mold is natural and safe), I had no option left other than to leave the hotel.
I made it very clear that all I wanted was for them to cancel the night and the rest of my stay and to assist in my departure and transfer. Transfer meaning physical move not "paid transfer". She completely understood my request and only then did she finally say she would move me to a different room without mold. If you understood how silly they were being (in rougly lecturing me about how safe and natural mold is) you would understand completely why I wanted to vacate the property.
Again - vacate meaning at my expense. Some things are worth more then money.
Given the options I was given (stay in your moldy room, mold is natural and safe), I had no option left other than to leave the hotel.
I made it very clear that all I wanted was for them to cancel the night and the rest of my stay and to assist in my departure and transfer. Transfer meaning physical move not "paid transfer". She completely understood my request and only then did she finally say she would move me to a different room without mold. If you understood how silly they were being (in rougly lecturing me about how safe and natural mold is) you would understand completely why I wanted to vacate the property.
Again - vacate meaning at my expense. Some things are worth more then money.
If the new hotel was a block away I would have taken my bags over by myself
That said it does seem that they did drop the ball and in a big way from the way they handled this
Last edited by craz; Oct 21, 2009 at 9:20 am
Oct 21, 2009, 8:01 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Canada
Programs: AA LT Platinum, AX Cent so...Delta Plat, SPG Gold, etc..
Posts: 504
You are correct in that I could have just walked it but I had a lot of baggage due to "party favors" (this was a 20 year high school reunion and I brought a bunch of memorabilia) and thus it would have been 2 trips by foot.
I had it all booked in a classicly complicated way; first night 24k starpoints plus $300 for upgrade to corner suite. Next two nights $1k for the pair plus $300/night for upgrades. Before I arrived I had paid the concierge a $50 or 70 service charge plus costs in advance to pre-stock the fridge with food and beer (I'm Vegan so I do this sometimes). I explained that to the Conc and requested that utensils to eat the aformentioned food and plates be in the room. The Amex Centurion conc also followed up with the hotel to reconfirm that everything would be set and ready. The hotel forgot the utensils and plates, when I called downstairs they argued with me and fought very hard (as seems to be their m.o.) to charge me a $10 service charge to bring up the forgotten items. While $10 isn't much, it was principally wrong to charge it to me for their own omission. It just wasn't a good stay overall.
I had it all booked in a classicly complicated way; first night 24k starpoints plus $300 for upgrade to corner suite. Next two nights $1k for the pair plus $300/night for upgrades. Before I arrived I had paid the concierge a $50 or 70 service charge plus costs in advance to pre-stock the fridge with food and beer (I'm Vegan so I do this sometimes). I explained that to the Conc and requested that utensils to eat the aformentioned food and plates be in the room. The Amex Centurion conc also followed up with the hotel to reconfirm that everything would be set and ready. The hotel forgot the utensils and plates, when I called downstairs they argued with me and fought very hard (as seems to be their m.o.) to charge me a $10 service charge to bring up the forgotten items. While $10 isn't much, it was principally wrong to charge it to me for their own omission. It just wasn't a good stay overall.
Oct 21, 2009, 9:05 am
#21
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
You are correct in that I could have just walked it but I had a lot of baggage due to "party favors" (this was a 20 year high school reunion and I brought a bunch of memorabilia) and thus it would have been 2 trips by foot.
I had it all booked in a classicly complicated way; first night 24k starpoints plus $300 for upgrade to corner suite. Next two nights $1k for the pair plus $300/night for upgrades. Before I arrived I had paid the concierge a $50 or 70 service charge plus costs in advance to pre-stock the fridge with food and beer (I'm Vegan so I do this sometimes). I explained that to the Conc and requested that utensils to eat the aformentioned food and plates be in the room. The Amex Centurion conc also followed up with the hotel to reconfirm that everything would be set and ready. The hotel forgot the utensils and plates, when I called downstairs they argued with me and fought very hard (as seems to be their m.o.) to charge me a $10 service charge to bring up the forgotten items. While $10 isn't much, it was principally wrong to charge it to me for their own omission. It just wasn't a good stay overall.
I had it all booked in a classicly complicated way; first night 24k starpoints plus $300 for upgrade to corner suite. Next two nights $1k for the pair plus $300/night for upgrades. Before I arrived I had paid the concierge a $50 or 70 service charge plus costs in advance to pre-stock the fridge with food and beer (I'm Vegan so I do this sometimes). I explained that to the Conc and requested that utensils to eat the aformentioned food and plates be in the room. The Amex Centurion conc also followed up with the hotel to reconfirm that everything would be set and ready. The hotel forgot the utensils and plates, when I called downstairs they argued with me and fought very hard (as seems to be their m.o.) to charge me a $10 service charge to bring up the forgotten items. While $10 isn't much, it was principally wrong to charge it to me for their own omission. It just wasn't a good stay overall.
why was it 24k, the PLM is a Cat5 which is 12k?
still no reason for the Hotel to have dropped the ball as they did, but if I have a number of Special Requests and I usually stay in a certain Hotel, then thats where Id be found, its hard for a Hotel to get it Right on the SRs the 1st time around.
Last edited by craz; Oct 21, 2009 at 9:21 am
Oct 21, 2009, 9:12 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Canada
Programs: AA LT Platinum, AX Cent so...Delta Plat, SPG Gold, etc..
Posts: 504
You're right, it is difficult the first time around for them to get special requests right which is why I had my Amex conc call and reverify. I have them do that on first stays when possible just to be safe and have a greater chance of everything being perfect.
The reason it was 24k is that a room is 12k, then upgrade to a suite is another 12k, then upgrade to a corner suite is $300. Corner suite is basically the same thing as a suite except you get a mini kitchen. I learned that during my stay. Still - even for $300 it's worth it for me as I really do want some way to eat in-room. I've been at hotel restaurants where I say "I'm a vegan" and they say "wow I really like Star Trek too". It was funny the first time but not the second or third....
Note that I had to stay at this hotel b/c it was where all of the out of town guests were staying. I hadn't seen many of these people in 15-20 years and didn't want to be a few blocks away from them. However given the choice of "mold or a few blocks" I'd pick the latter.
The reason it was 24k is that a room is 12k, then upgrade to a suite is another 12k, then upgrade to a corner suite is $300. Corner suite is basically the same thing as a suite except you get a mini kitchen. I learned that during my stay. Still - even for $300 it's worth it for me as I really do want some way to eat in-room. I've been at hotel restaurants where I say "I'm a vegan" and they say "wow I really like Star Trek too". It was funny the first time but not the second or third....
Note that I had to stay at this hotel b/c it was where all of the out of town guests were staying. I hadn't seen many of these people in 15-20 years and didn't want to be a few blocks away from them. However given the choice of "mold or a few blocks" I'd pick the latter.
Last edited by dfyant; Oct 21, 2009 at 9:20 am Reason: added note about why that hotel..
Oct 21, 2009, 9:13 am
#23
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,377
1- I wasnt so concerned about your dismay about having to move your bags as I was at Your expecting the Hotel to send someone up to pack your bags for You. Unless its a service that either the Hotel or occuping a certain type of room has as its benefits, but I know most Hotels that do offer 'Butler Service' its usually from paying $$ for the Room and not from simply having gotten that type of room assigned.
2- why was it 24k, the PLM is a Cat5 which is 12k?
still no reason for the Hotel to have dropped the ball as they did, but if I have a number of Special Requests and I usually stay in a certain Hotel, then thats where Id be found, its hard for a Hotel to get it Right on the SRs teh 1st time around.
2- why was it 24k, the PLM is a Cat5 which is 12k?
still no reason for the Hotel to have dropped the ball as they did, but if I have a number of Special Requests and I usually stay in a certain Hotel, then thats where Id be found, its hard for a Hotel to get it Right on the SRs teh 1st time around.
Oct 21, 2009, 10:59 am
#25
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SPG-Plat, Hilton-Diamond, Club Carlson-Silver, Cathay-Diamond, Virgin-Gold
Posts: 2,183
I have to say I can understand the frustration! I recently has a stay at Parker New York and while had different issues I ran into similar problems with trying to get anyone to resolve them!
I have not posted anything on here as yet as I have been waiting to see how it turned out in the end which it finally did on Friday! When I was there early September I had various issues with the checkin process and more importantly the person checking me in and then issues with being told incorrect information, housekeeping issues and finding any member of staff who was actually capable or willing to help!
With the help of SPG contacting the hotel for me things did improve during the stay, but at the time they seemed to lack any sort of follow through either during the stay or afterwards! I am lucky enough to have an Ambassador who had similar issues talking to the hotel and after a lot of work at their end I actually did get a call from the GM on Friday who to be fair was very helpful and took my comments on board and I did get the impression he was concerned with the issues and maybe there is more they could do in training the staff to trying and resolve customer issues onsite and the follow through of them.
In the end while the stay was not a good one by any stretch of the imagination I was happy with his responses and consider the issue resolved and probably will take him up on his offer to return next time we are in New York!
I have not posted anything on here as yet as I have been waiting to see how it turned out in the end which it finally did on Friday! When I was there early September I had various issues with the checkin process and more importantly the person checking me in and then issues with being told incorrect information, housekeeping issues and finding any member of staff who was actually capable or willing to help!
With the help of SPG contacting the hotel for me things did improve during the stay, but at the time they seemed to lack any sort of follow through either during the stay or afterwards! I am lucky enough to have an Ambassador who had similar issues talking to the hotel and after a lot of work at their end I actually did get a call from the GM on Friday who to be fair was very helpful and took my comments on board and I did get the impression he was concerned with the issues and maybe there is more they could do in training the staff to trying and resolve customer issues onsite and the follow through of them.
In the end while the stay was not a good one by any stretch of the imagination I was happy with his responses and consider the issue resolved and probably will take him up on his offer to return next time we are in New York!
Oct 21, 2009, 5:51 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Canada
Programs: AA LT Platinum, AX Cent so...Delta Plat, SPG Gold, etc..
Posts: 504
Just an update that although I was promised to receive a phone call from the hotel manager or my SPG corporate contact by 2:30 pm no call nor contact was made.
I assume the Manager re-closed the file again. There must be something really wrong at the Parker Meridien.
I don't usually stay at Starwood hotels - is this the sort of service they normally give?
I assume the Manager re-closed the file again. There must be something really wrong at the Parker Meridien.
I don't usually stay at Starwood hotels - is this the sort of service they normally give?
Oct 21, 2009, 6:01 pm
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Canada
Programs: AA LT Platinum, AX Cent so...Delta Plat, SPG Gold, etc..
Posts: 504
Ugggggggggggg it gets worse.
My controller just brought to my attention that the Parker charged an extra $500.00 even onto my card after my departure. I assume this was the deposit on the room or something like that. It does not match any of the bills and is clearly an error.
I'm calling Centurion now to open a dispute.
OK - Amex called SPG and got Rachel on the phone. Rachel said that the $500 charge was for "smoking in the room" because a cigar was left behind in the room. I explained that I sell tobacco products for a living and I'm sure the cigar left behind was unopened and still in it's cello. She said they have a policy of charging $500 if any tobacco is left in the room even if it's brand new in cellophane.
This is really over-the-top and Amex promises they will assist me in this issue.
My controller just brought to my attention that the Parker charged an extra $500.00 even onto my card after my departure. I assume this was the deposit on the room or something like that. It does not match any of the bills and is clearly an error.
I'm calling Centurion now to open a dispute.
OK - Amex called SPG and got Rachel on the phone. Rachel said that the $500 charge was for "smoking in the room" because a cigar was left behind in the room. I explained that I sell tobacco products for a living and I'm sure the cigar left behind was unopened and still in it's cello. She said they have a policy of charging $500 if any tobacco is left in the room even if it's brand new in cellophane.
This is really over-the-top and Amex promises they will assist me in this issue.
Last edited by dfyant; Oct 21, 2009 at 6:12 pm Reason: Updated
Oct 21, 2009, 6:09 pm
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Ugggggggggggg it gets worse.
My controller just brought to my attention that the Parker charged an extra $500.00 even onto my card after my departure. I assume this was the deposit on the room or something like that. It does not match any of the bills and is clearly an error.
I'm calling Centurion now to open a dispute.
My controller just brought to my attention that the Parker charged an extra $500.00 even onto my card after my departure. I assume this was the deposit on the room or something like that. It does not match any of the bills and is clearly an error.
I'm calling Centurion now to open a dispute.
Sounds like you should be getting back All your pts, Im just glad the Westin in Venice didnt put me thru the ringer as The Parker is doing to you
Oct 21, 2009, 6:13 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,377
Huh? An unexplained charge of an extra $500 sounds like a reasonable thing to handle via chargeback (though normally one should give the merchant a chance to correct it).
Oct 21, 2009, 6:21 pm
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Canada
Programs: AA LT Platinum, AX Cent so...Delta Plat, SPG Gold, etc..
Posts: 504
Sorry, I edited my earlier post to update it.
They charged me the extra $500 for leaving an unopened tobacco product in the room. FYI, company name on the card is XXX Tobacco ......
They charged me the extra $500 for leaving an unopened tobacco product in the room. FYI, company name on the card is XXX Tobacco ......