globaltrotter

I agree with the OP and comments above. The management at this hotel is creating more damage, it could of been a easy fix but its now past that. I was looking at staying at this hotel for about a week during the holidays but I now have canceled my reservation and now staying at the Essex House. Thanks OP for the warning!

dfyant

You're certainly welcome. Still no response from SPG on my evidence and no contact from the Manager.

There is something amiss at that hotel I'm sure. However as mentioned by the other posters and myself we've all had good stays at W hotels. Just avoid the Parker Meridien if possible.

Sorry Lurkers, I know you meant well but this one seems beyond your helping

soitgoes

If you aren't getting any response from customer service, you may wish to escalate to Consumer Affairs (which is located in White Plains).
Consumer Affairs Executive Division
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Tel: 914-640-2690
Fax: 914-640-2655

dfyant

This morning I received a call from SPG customer service who assured me that they had spoken in depth to the hotel manager and felt their email to me was unproductive and an inappropriate way to handle the situation.

They said the manager would be giving me a call today for certain. Later today I received a call from a guest relations manager from the hotel, the same lady who had sent the kurt email. She said that the assistant housekeeping manager would have no reason to lie about smelling smoke. I explained that due to the mold complaints the employee would have every reason to lie - especially since they were the person in charge of getting rid of mold.

Please beleive me that I didn't raise my voice at all, the worst thing I did was ask her if I had already shown the assistant housekeeping manager to have said false things about the mold to which she halfheartedly agreed. I then said couldn't it be possible that this person who I already proved to be wrong was wrong about the smell of smoke too? She got very agitated after I said that.

She told me that the situation had been reviewed by her GM and Managing Director and their decision was final. They were going to stick by their housekeeping person and that the director of security had also smelled the smoke. I asked for these two people's names to which she asked why, and I told her I felt I had a right to talk to these people that accused me of this infraction and see if they really smelled smoke since I hadn't smoked. She then backtracked and said that she never said the security manager had actually smelled the smoke.

Once she did that I knew this was just going to get worse so I asked her why the GM had never called me upon numerous requests. She replied that I had never asked to speak to the General Manager. (?)

I again asked for names to which she did give me the name of the GM and the managing directors name but then paused and said she felt I was posting all this online and that I should have my attorney contact the director of security if I wanted any further information and literally hung up on me.

soitgoes

Based on some of the tactics the management apparently used after a rate mistake, I'm sorry to see that the management continues to show behavior that is not what is expected from any business: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hotel...en-parker.html

If a hotel told me that they were charging me $500 for alleged smoking (I don't smoke), like you I would dispute the charge with my CC company, but I would also ask them what expenses they incurred. Did they rent an ozone machine? Steam clean the carpets? Etc.?

snufl

Wow, this guest relations officer really needs some training in customer relations.
She stated the director of security smelled smoke, then retracted? Suggested you contact your attorney and hung up? I'm flabbergasted.

dfyant

She was clearly unhappy to have been forced to call me by SPG Cust svce. She made that pretty clear from the beginning I felt. Maybe they told her that sending a kurt email was inappropriate.

Doesn't really matter in the scheme of things. I find the entire situation very amusing and actually a nice distraction from my normal daily routine (it's so out of the ordinary).

I'll just have to count on Amex Cent to set things right and hope that they do

ldsant

Since you're in Canada, I would suggest using the power of your media. Holiday season is coming up, a number of people travel from Canada to NYC for the holiday season. Have some local media make sure they're all notified of the poor treatment you have received from this hotel. People walking with wallets and lower occupancy along with bad PR seems to make more of a statement than posting on an internet board.

NBSPGMEMBER

I usually can't relate or understand smokers, but in this case I believe that you didn't smoke in the room. I guess this is a property where the customer or guest in this case is NOT always right, from the management point of view anyway...

KathyWdrf

(Bolding mine)

Just out of curiosity, what do you mean by "bathroom was broken?"

I've never heard of a broken bathroom. A broken fixture, yes, but a broken bathroom?

I actually find this whole thread a bit puzzling and a bit amusing as well (hypersensitive to mildew/mold, vegan, and.... sells and smokes tobacco products? ).

Good luck with resolution.

dfyant

Hi Kathy,

Yes, I'm a special individual, I don't fit into the "mold"

I wouldn't say I am hypersensitive to mold, the odor was very strong in the first room - my friends really noticed it even more then I did.

Have you ever stayed at this hotel?

broadwayboy

This whole incident is very annoying to experience. I had a 2 night stay few months ago and was shocked to open the cabinet where the Mini Bar was located and saw this:




Luckily they did not charge my CC for stealing the fridge!!!

I find the housekeeping in this hotel sloppy. I wish OP best of luck in getting this resolved. I would not want to be dealing with management from this hotel. Are they even aware that they are in a hospitality business?

phish1209

OP if it is of any satisfaction I just canceled a 3 night stay next week in a paid suite based on this thread and moved my stay to the W on Lex which is where I usually stay anyways. This whole thread annoys me in that they seem so indifferent to your poor experience.

JonathanIT

Am I missing something here... I honestly don't see anything at all in this picture but a wall... what does this "mold" look like?

dfyant

It's black, red and white but the photo doesn't capture it well and this was the second room not the one that was extremely moldy. Please read my full post with the photos, In 3602 it was big and hairy - which sounds funnier then it was. This photo isn't large enough to really show it but you can see it in the grout. This was the MUCH cleaner room then the original 3602 room which was in essence disgusting. I regret not taking photos of 3602, if I had you would understand how bad it really was. You'll have to trust me on it.

If you stay at the hotel in one of the suites you'll likely experience it for yourself.