zhaofa90

From reading all the posts, it seems like there were plenty of opportunities to rectify the problems in a constructive way.

Unfortunately, the way OP conducted him/herself was not one of them.

escapefromphl

Mystique is basically modified fisherman cottages which were carved out of a hillside. Plumbing is a very common problem in these places. It also a much smaller property than the others which were probably developed and operated by international operators. We took a look at Mystique and while it looks superb, you aren't getting much more than many other similar properties on the island. I think you need to modify your expectations or just stick to big resorts which you seemed to enjoy.

Medved

Right on. Rren is a typical Greek name.

pinniped

If we aren't missing any of the story, then hotel management was WAY over the top by forcing the guest to leave. WAY WAY over the top.

That said, the dramatics of the OP make me wonder if we aren't missing some of the story.

The only part where I'll disagree with some posters here is this: when I stay at a brand-name hotel, even a unique or boutique one within the system, and I have an issue that local management won't resolve, then I absolutely do feel like I have a right to complain to the corporate entity and expect some sort of resolution or intervention from there. Getting the "they're a franchisee, not our problem" is a poor, poor response. (Not saying SPG did that here...) Even if the Luxury Collection properties are set up contractually a little different than your typical franchise Sheraton, there's enough SPG-driven marketing that a rational consumer expects these properties to be treated as part of the broader Starwood system.

Medved

It all depends on your expectations and message delivery. Of course, for 35K points you'd expect lots.
However, I doubt TA report would piss someone that much. Especially in Greece -- who cares about some US website or any website in general, especially not in Greek. Probably OP is not telling us full story. Maybe some words were spoken between him and the owner/hotel personnel.
Why would the owner cal police otherwise? Owner needed a proof before the police to kick out someone. OP paid for his stay -- it's a legal contract. Owner needed serious reasons to break it. Even in Greece.

schmoove

After reading the story I'm kind of glad they booted you.

The property went out of their way to make things better.

Thankfully most will read your review and realize that no matter what the property did you wouldn't be happy.

itsaboutthejourney

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

freeloader

When you book on points, you book into the lowest class of rooms. Bedding, view, smoking preference - none of that is gaurenteed. Any better room you get is an upgrade.

So the smaller, less favorable view room - that is what you were booked for. If you didn't like the upgrade you got (bc of the shower), you should have taken the other room... since, again, that is the room you probably technically reserved. Gold status is not that special, and any upgrade at all should be considered a gift and definately not expected

Now, absence of you being violent or doing something illegal the hotel DEFINATELY should not have thrown you out. that said - i don't know why you decided to go home instead of stay at a different hotel?

craz

1st time that I can remember a GOLD being a DYKWIA

As for the actions of the owner, all I have to say is,What took him so long?!

It seems the OP thinks GOLD is the top level rather then the bottom. Seems they were expecting the top suite, with drop dead views and a balcony the size of the room

Kudos to the owner who most certainly knew exactly the type of person he was gonna be dealing with before ever seeing or talking to them and realized that everyday there was gonna be another problem/s. End result would have been the OP demanding all their pts back after they left, best to get rid of them ASAP and allow the other guests to enjoy their stay

The OP for sure lost me when they said they didnt take #14 even thou the shower and sink were AOK since it was smaller and not the view they wanted.

Seems there are all of 22 rooms and all are suites, but not all suites are alike. Looking at SPG its not simple to find a block of dates when the hotel has any room available = someone is gonna have to be stuck with a room that isnt a penthouse suite. Just as its not possible for everyone on a flight to have a window on the Left side of the plane so that they can catch all the best views. And very likley alot of those staying there actually are paying the going rate and arent Elites and arent using pts

neo_781

I think the point here you are missing is that you were in Greece so you need to play by their rules/culture. In fact one could probably make the argument that you were being an "Ugly American". Unless you are referring to the FT response which then you have no basis as I don't think your side of the story is being inhibited.

While I agree it was probably over the top to throw you out of the hotel, I don't think you acknowledge that the hotel was trying to make amends. I think it very reasonable that they moved you to a smaller room for the first night and then were going to move you into a suite the next day when one of them opened up. In hindsight, you should have given the hotel the opportunity to make things right before blasting them.

However maybe you thought posting to TA was akin to tweeting your displeasure and that the hotel would take note of the post and then take additional service recovery means?

At any rate, I do think you are entitled to your points back (at a minimum) and perhaps some goodwill points as well as nothing you've posted here indicates to me that you should have been kicked out. Just because you may have been viewed as a "problem guest" by the hotel does not merit the punishment.

Also I hope you do realize that as an SPG Gold, you aren't really entitled to an upgrade outside of "An enhanced room at check-in, when available"

Additionally, I think you were perhaps geared up when you room wasn't available for early check in. Maybe that set you off in your mind so that any issue you encountered after that point you were ready to be "harsh" and "on guard"

As for your specific issues of the WiFi and the shower not draining I do agree that they are frustrating and you shouldn't have to deal with them at a high end property but sometimes things happen and it sounds like while the hotel wasn't proactive they at least took immediate steps to remedy.

pinniped

I'm still surprised that so many here support a hotel's ability to arbitrarily force a guest to leave for making a complaint.

Totally agree that the OP was unrealistic and dramatic. Generally agree that the hotel was generally trying to do the right thing, at least on the initial complaints. Also get a bit of a giggle out of the fact that OP doesn't understand what SPG Gold is (or more importantly, what it isn't), but that's because I'm a nerd about hotel statuses. (I can see where some people might get a shiny SPG Gold card and think it means something. After all, it's in SPG's interest to make it sound like it's important in their marketing materials.) But short of behavior that is criminal, dangerous, or disruptive to other guests in the hotel, getting booted out isn't appropriate. At least not in the manner that it is described as having gone down...that sounds like wholly unprofessional behavior on the part of the hotel.

Of course, like I mentioned earlier, we may not have the whole story...

Keyser

after having read the ta review i have less sympathy for the op....not a good idea posting such a bad review on the first night when the property did all they could to take care of the op's trivial issues....

ftrbt

As a guest I strongly prefer the hotel to remove loud complainers from their property as one bad guest can ruin everybody else's experience. Whether they're a loud drunk at the bar, having sex in the pool, making a mess of the hotel, or just loudly complaining at staff in public areas.

If any of the staff felt threatened or other guests were being disturbed, then it's justified.

After that, the owner does have the right to choose who they serve subject to local discrimination laws. It's certainly possible the owner felt they would make more with an empty room than trying to make this guy happy.


The more expensive the hotel, the less I want to hear about other guests problems.

TerryK

The question is: was it arbitrary?

pinniped

I don't disagree, if any of those things took place. That would definitely fall into what I'd describe as dangerous or disruptive behavior (whether criminal or not). Probably the most common "disruptive" behavior is a loud room party...I have no problem with security giving the party a warning or two and then removing people who don't calm down. Even then, I'd hope security handles the situation professionally.

Of course, the OP's description doesn't describe any of that type of behavior. (Not that I'd expect it to... "Hey, I was wasted, loud, and threatened some people...I can haz points?!?" )

I guess we'll never know...