was told to switch the room since somebody want to stay in my room
Aug 12, 2017, 4:59 am
#31
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Some year's back, a very senior member of our organization, the VP of Marketing was staying in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur and had checked in as a corporate guest of a 4 star hotel (not SPG) on a 4 night stay in the city for meetings.
On his second night, he was informed he had to vacate the room and the floor as the Sultan of Brunei was coming and that protocol dictated that the entire floor was reserved for him and his entourage.
He was of course unhappy about this and what made things worse was that there was no offer of an upgrade/meals or even perhaps even a visit by the GM to explain the sensitivities of the in coming guest and to try to handle the situation as delicately as possible.
It became a heated argument that resulted in our company cancelling any further stay's at this particular hotel and the hotel gaining the business from the Sultan and his entourage but losing a regular corporate client and a bad reputation within the industry we work in.
The GM must step in and ensure everything is handled smoothly and not push it to someone else to handle at times, esp. with these sorts of sensitive situations that demand a soft hand and incentives to help smooth any unhappiness over.
On his second night, he was informed he had to vacate the room and the floor as the Sultan of Brunei was coming and that protocol dictated that the entire floor was reserved for him and his entourage.
He was of course unhappy about this and what made things worse was that there was no offer of an upgrade/meals or even perhaps even a visit by the GM to explain the sensitivities of the in coming guest and to try to handle the situation as delicately as possible.
It became a heated argument that resulted in our company cancelling any further stay's at this particular hotel and the hotel gaining the business from the Sultan and his entourage but losing a regular corporate client and a bad reputation within the industry we work in.
The GM must step in and ensure everything is handled smoothly and not push it to someone else to handle at times, esp. with these sorts of sensitive situations that demand a soft hand and incentives to help smooth any unhappiness over.
Aug 12, 2017, 5:58 am
#32
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Some year's back, a very senior member of our organization, the VP of Marketing was staying in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur and had checked in as a corporate guest of a 4 star hotel (not SPG) on a 4 night stay in the city for meetings.
On his second night, he was informed he had to vacate the room and the floor as the Sultan of Brunei was coming and that protocol dictated that the entire floor was reserved for him and his entourage.
He was of course unhappy about this and what made things worse was that there was no offer of an upgrade/meals or even perhaps even a visit by the GM to explain the sensitivities of the in coming guest and to try to handle the situation as delicately as possible.
It became a heated argument that resulted in our company cancelling any further stay's at this particular hotel and the hotel gaining the business from the Sultan and his entourage but losing a regular corporate client and a bad reputation within the industry we work in.
The GM must step in and ensure everything is handled smoothly and not push it to someone else to handle at times, esp. with these sorts of sensitive situations that demand a soft hand and incentives to help smooth any unhappiness over.
On his second night, he was informed he had to vacate the room and the floor as the Sultan of Brunei was coming and that protocol dictated that the entire floor was reserved for him and his entourage.
He was of course unhappy about this and what made things worse was that there was no offer of an upgrade/meals or even perhaps even a visit by the GM to explain the sensitivities of the in coming guest and to try to handle the situation as delicately as possible.
It became a heated argument that resulted in our company cancelling any further stay's at this particular hotel and the hotel gaining the business from the Sultan and his entourage but losing a regular corporate client and a bad reputation within the industry we work in.
The GM must step in and ensure everything is handled smoothly and not push it to someone else to handle at times, esp. with these sorts of sensitive situations that demand a soft hand and incentives to help smooth any unhappiness over.
Aug 12, 2017, 6:12 am
#33
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Obviously, something fact is missing here. If you're not being downgraded, what's the problem? You say you have to pack? Moving to a room all the way down the hall? C'mon, don't be so tight.
If the sense of satisfaction that comes from doing a good deed for your fellow man doesn't warm your heart sufficiently, maybe a dinner, or free drinks, or some extra points thrown your way will help.
If I were asked to make such a huge sacrifice on my part, I would take the compensation and run, and not stop to complain about it on FT.
If the sense of satisfaction that comes from doing a good deed for your fellow man doesn't warm your heart sufficiently, maybe a dinner, or free drinks, or some extra points thrown your way will help.
If I were asked to make such a huge sacrifice on my part, I would take the compensation and run, and not stop to complain about it on FT.
If I must change rooms for any reason that's the hotel's fault, I expect the new room to be better (upgrade) or to receive lots of compensation or a significant customer service gesture.
My concern for the OP would be that if he/she refuses to move, the hotel could make the move themselves and just badly pack up and move "most" of the stuff (something is likely to be left behind), with the OP returning to find that the key cards to the old room never work. Worse yet, in some states, innkeeper laws could permit the hotel to call police to evict the guest.
BTW, I've stayed at this Sheraton and my impression is that it's excellent for a Sheraton but the front desk seems a bit inexperienced/amateurish even to the point of being a bit clueless.
Aug 12, 2017, 6:31 am
#34
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Some year's back, a very senior member of our organization, the VP of Marketing was staying in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur and had checked in as a corporate guest of a 4 star hotel (not SPG) on a 4 night stay in the city for meetings.
On his second night, he was informed he had to vacate the room and the floor as the Sultan of Brunei was coming and that protocol dictated that the entire floor was reserved for him and his entourage.
He was of course unhappy about this and what made things worse was that there was no offer of an upgrade/meals or even perhaps even a visit by the GM to explain the sensitivities of the in coming guest and to try to handle the situation as delicately as possible.
It became a heated argument that resulted in our company cancelling any further stay's at this particular hotel and the hotel gaining the business from the Sultan and his entourage but losing a regular corporate client and a bad reputation within the industry we work in.
The GM must step in and ensure everything is handled smoothly and not push it to someone else to handle at times, esp. with these sorts of sensitive situations that demand a soft hand and incentives to help smooth any unhappiness over.
On his second night, he was informed he had to vacate the room and the floor as the Sultan of Brunei was coming and that protocol dictated that the entire floor was reserved for him and his entourage.
He was of course unhappy about this and what made things worse was that there was no offer of an upgrade/meals or even perhaps even a visit by the GM to explain the sensitivities of the in coming guest and to try to handle the situation as delicately as possible.
It became a heated argument that resulted in our company cancelling any further stay's at this particular hotel and the hotel gaining the business from the Sultan and his entourage but losing a regular corporate client and a bad reputation within the industry we work in.
The GM must step in and ensure everything is handled smoothly and not push it to someone else to handle at times, esp. with these sorts of sensitive situations that demand a soft hand and incentives to help smooth any unhappiness over.
"Sultan changes hotel due to poor service" is a headline. "Corporate nobody is upset" doesn't make the news.
As to OP - he left out a critical detail. Why? It changes the story line. The property would have been better off apologizing and being done with it.
Aug 12, 2017, 8:41 am
#35
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: USA
Programs: SPG Platinum (100)
Posts: 517
Yes I did extended my stay BUT when she checked me out and checked me back in. She said its ok that she can keep me in the same room and I stay in the same room for a night and somebody called the next day in the morning that I have to move to the same type of room on the different floor. I wonder if Its same type of room. WHY ME? SPG rep called into the property and talk to them and she told me she will file a complaint for me.
As I've said in an earlier post, I have stayed at this property multiple times and the associates are exceedingly friendly and polite. Plat recognition is exemplary and I would be shocked if they didn't consider all their alternatives first before having you move. All my interactions with them over the course of my stays with them for the past two years have been excellent so I am even more surprised that they would not have made their request to move you reluctantly and politely. I've stayed at this property over other, sometimes more convenient Starwood/Marriott properties in Omaha because the staff are so great.
While I do believe that they should have apologized for the inconvenience, I am not 100% sure that they didn't do so when making their request to you -- frankly, I would be shocked that they would "tell" vs "ask" you and do so rudely.
Since you left out this pretty material fact in your original post, I'm not sure there are other facts that aren't equally material in this case that haven't been raised like whether this is a connecting room (to either another regular room or a suite) or whether it is an accessible/ADA-compliant room or whether it is a room on the Club floor when you didn't pay for a room on that floor and were upgraded to one due to your status. There are a multitude of reasons that make this request either a reasonable or unreasonable one but those facts are not provided. Ultimately, though, your point seems to be about staff attitude and as I've said earlier, I would be exceedingly shocked that anyone on that team would be in any way rude or unpleasant.
Last edited by Canada101; Aug 12, 2017 at 8:48 am Reason: Typo
Aug 12, 2017, 12:01 pm
#36
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Last edited by troytos; Aug 14, 2017 at 9:41 pm
Aug 12, 2017, 12:06 pm
#37
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Don't talk to anybody, let them come and speak with you. Politely but firmly say "no," but I'm happy to speak with the Manager if she wants to come up and do so. Then say goodbye and hang up.
There are all kinds of explanations for this, some of them above. But, rather than speculating, let the Manager explain why it is necessary and how she will make it all right.
Remember, that once you move, you are simply whining.
There are all kinds of explanations for this, some of them above. But, rather than speculating, let the Manager explain why it is necessary and how she will make it all right.
Remember, that once you move, you are simply whining.
Edit: since you extended the stay I think it's more a case of hotel sloppiness. Still, they should not move you once you are settled.
Aug 12, 2017, 12:07 pm
#38
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
It seems someone booked a suite with a connecting room, and thus instead of moving two people they wanted to just move you.
And you do not have a reservation for a junior suite anyway. You are already being done a favor by being upgraded.
And you do not have a reservation for a junior suite anyway. You are already being done a favor by being upgraded.
Aug 12, 2017, 12:08 pm
#39
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Just for completeness, what was the timeline : when did you extend your stay (checkout day ?) and how long after that did they ask you to move ?
Last edited by Oxon Flyer; Aug 12, 2017 at 12:18 pm
Aug 12, 2017, 12:13 pm
#40
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Some year's back, a very senior member of our organization, the VP of Marketing was staying in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur and had checked in as a corporate guest of a 4 star hotel (not SPG) on a 4 night stay in the city for meetings.
On his second night, he was informed he had to vacate the room and the floor as the Sultan of Brunei was coming and that protocol dictated that the entire floor was reserved for him and his entourage.
He was of course unhappy about this and what made things worse was that there was no offer of an upgrade/meals or even perhaps even a visit by the GM to explain the sensitivities of the in coming guest and to try to handle the situation as delicately as possible.
It became a heated argument that resulted in our company cancelling any further stay's at this particular hotel and the hotel gaining the business from the Sultan and his entourage but losing a regular corporate client and a bad reputation within the industry we work in.
The GM must step in and ensure everything is handled smoothly and not push it to someone else to handle at times, esp. with these sorts of sensitive situations that demand a soft hand and incentives to help smooth any unhappiness over.
On his second night, he was informed he had to vacate the room and the floor as the Sultan of Brunei was coming and that protocol dictated that the entire floor was reserved for him and his entourage.
He was of course unhappy about this and what made things worse was that there was no offer of an upgrade/meals or even perhaps even a visit by the GM to explain the sensitivities of the in coming guest and to try to handle the situation as delicately as possible.
It became a heated argument that resulted in our company cancelling any further stay's at this particular hotel and the hotel gaining the business from the Sultan and his entourage but losing a regular corporate client and a bad reputation within the industry we work in.
The GM must step in and ensure everything is handled smoothly and not push it to someone else to handle at times, esp. with these sorts of sensitive situations that demand a soft hand and incentives to help smooth any unhappiness over.
Aug 12, 2017, 12:50 pm
#41
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Sounds like someone had booked a Jr. suite and connecting room. It was done before your arrival. Those rooms were already blocked out. When you asked to extend, whoever did it just moved the person out of the Jr. Suite without realizing it had also the connecting room. It's very easy to do if the person doing the move just does it via the Front Desk Dashboard or the "tape chart" without looking at the specific reservations of those involved - that's where they see the "connecting" information. There is no automatic pop-up flag to warn that they are breaking a connection. When the error was discovered, there were no more suite+connectors available. So, to keep the suite+connector, the hotel needed you to move.
That said, they should have been up front and told you why. They should have offered something to compensate. Sorry that the recovery was so poor.
That said, they should have been up front and told you why. They should have offered something to compensate. Sorry that the recovery was so poor.
Aug 12, 2017, 12:54 pm
#42
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I'll put my own tale of this happening to me, some years ago. It doesn't have a neat ending however. I was staying at an especially large hotel in Houston (which will probably narrow it down for some FTers), but under a chain with which I don't have status. I had made one booking for 2 days and then the project was extended to 4 days. I made a second booking covering nights 3 and 4. When I arrived at the hotel I mentioned both bookings, the Front Desk said "that's fine" and arranged a room - a suite on a high floor - for my 4 night stay.
On day 3 I was working in Galveston, a good hour from Houston, when at about midday I got a phone call from the hotel saying that they noticed I hadn't left my room. I said I was booked in for 4 days. The agent who I spoke to was very apologetic but they hadn't connected the reservations properly and really needed my room for another guest, which turned out to be a member of Destiny's Child (or so I worked out later). She said they had sent a message to the room TV asking me to contact the Front Desk - well they may have done but I needed the TV power socket for my gizmos and I wouldn't normally switch on a TV anyway. But OK, these things happen, and yes, I would be happy to move out of my room when I returned to Houston. And when would that be, asked the agent? Well I'm at work to 5pm, then we're going to a fish restaurant, and then it's the ride back to Houston, so perhaps 8pm? "Can it be sooner?", OK, I'll try and get back for 7:30 pm.
About 10 minutes later I get another call from a rather assertive manager, nearly to the point of rudeness, but able to control his wording to stay just on the right side of the line. There was an initial discussion about me unplugging the television, which apparently is not recommended and practically unprecedented. "Sir, we need you to move much sooner than 7:30 pm". Well, my apologies but I've only just learnt about this, I'm now in Galveston and I'm at work. However if you like, the hotel can move my possessions to my new room, there are some items in the safe so they will have to wait for my return. Sharp intake of breath at the other end of the line. "Sir, we are unable to do that". Why? "Sir, there's a liability issue". I am sure there is, but that's your problem. I've given you two solutions, now it's your turn. He put the phone down on me. How odd, I thought.
So I get back to the hotel around 7.30 pm. I see what I suspect to be the manager behind my call lurking in the back area of the Front Desk, and I ask the Front Desk agent whether there are any messages for me? Click. click, click, nooossiiiireee. OK. I go the room, key card doesn't work, get a new key card, room otherwise untouched. And that's all there was to it.
On day 3 I was working in Galveston, a good hour from Houston, when at about midday I got a phone call from the hotel saying that they noticed I hadn't left my room. I said I was booked in for 4 days. The agent who I spoke to was very apologetic but they hadn't connected the reservations properly and really needed my room for another guest, which turned out to be a member of Destiny's Child (or so I worked out later). She said they had sent a message to the room TV asking me to contact the Front Desk - well they may have done but I needed the TV power socket for my gizmos and I wouldn't normally switch on a TV anyway. But OK, these things happen, and yes, I would be happy to move out of my room when I returned to Houston. And when would that be, asked the agent? Well I'm at work to 5pm, then we're going to a fish restaurant, and then it's the ride back to Houston, so perhaps 8pm? "Can it be sooner?", OK, I'll try and get back for 7:30 pm.
About 10 minutes later I get another call from a rather assertive manager, nearly to the point of rudeness, but able to control his wording to stay just on the right side of the line. There was an initial discussion about me unplugging the television, which apparently is not recommended and practically unprecedented. "Sir, we need you to move much sooner than 7:30 pm". Well, my apologies but I've only just learnt about this, I'm now in Galveston and I'm at work. However if you like, the hotel can move my possessions to my new room, there are some items in the safe so they will have to wait for my return. Sharp intake of breath at the other end of the line. "Sir, we are unable to do that". Why? "Sir, there's a liability issue". I am sure there is, but that's your problem. I've given you two solutions, now it's your turn. He put the phone down on me. How odd, I thought.
So I get back to the hotel around 7.30 pm. I see what I suspect to be the manager behind my call lurking in the back area of the Front Desk, and I ask the Front Desk agent whether there are any messages for me? Click. click, click, nooossiiiireee. OK. I go the room, key card doesn't work, get a new key card, room otherwise untouched. And that's all there was to it.
Aug 12, 2017, 1:18 pm
#43
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1
Has anybody have the same experience? I'm SPG Platinum 75 and stay at SHERATON OMAHA. In the middle of my stay. I got a call from front desk telling me that somebody wants to stay in my room so I have to move you to another room. It's so frustrating since I have to pack my back and unpack it again.
I just called SPG and let the SPG rep know. She said she will file a complaint for this matter and they will reach back to me in 5 days.
thank for letting me vent.
I just called SPG and let the SPG rep know. She said she will file a complaint for this matter and they will reach back to me in 5 days. thank for letting me vent.
Aug 12, 2017, 1:54 pm
#44
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Last edited by Canada101; Aug 12, 2017 at 1:59 pm Reason: Posted in error
Aug 12, 2017, 2:37 pm
#45
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 687
There has to be a lot more to this story. I wish we could get the hotels version of what really happened. No way a hotel does this.