kipper

I expect luggage assistance when staying at "full-service" hotels. At a minimum, I expect that it is offered, and should I care to decline, I can. If it's a scheduling problem or a lack of employees, then management needs to apologize, and not blame the guests for wanting to use a service that is advertised.

Kagehitokiri

more important than the services offered is the concept of service recovery when there are service failures. this can actually be more important.

chain hotels can be really overpriced compared to boutique and luxury hotels.
boutique hotels may be cheaper and offer more services.

pinniped

Assuming we're talking about a mainline full-service hotel like a Marriott or Westin, then yes I'd expect that bellmen would be available. In a situation where a large crowd of arrivals was expected at one time, I'd expect them to at least accept and secure bags, explaining to guests that room delivery might be slightly delayed.

I've checked into mainline Hiltons and Marriotts before as an arrival off of a full bus and this is how they've handled it. Bellmen will rapidly tag the bags as fast as people are arriving in the lobby and ask you to call down once you're settled in your room. Then, maybe 15-30 minutes later, they'll start running the deliveries. Seems like a reasonable solution to me.

What this hotel did is unacceptable. I absolutely can't stand it when a hotel uses the excuse "we have a large event" or "we're sold out" as justification for providing poor service.

wrp96

Got the "Can't you see we are busy" excuse in a hotel bar over the weekend - from the bar manager when after 2 hours we still didn't have our meal (it took over 45 minutes to get the first round of drinks we'd ordered). Yes they were busy but they didn't have enough staff even for a non-busy night and the staff they had weren't trained well. At least in our case the general manager has come through with an apology that more than made up for the situation but

jcwoman

I agree that most of the fault lies with hotel management, but I think a little bit can also be placed on your group's organizer if they failed to notify the hotel that most people would have a lot of baggage like this. If I remember right, you said that there were 7000 attendees. Whoever contacted the hotel to arrange the block of rooms should have given the hotel this information so that they could staff appropriately.

PhillyPhlyer40

What hotel...(if you dont feel like stating EXACTLY which one....how about the "type"...ie, Marriott, Courtyard, Hilton, Conrad, Hampton...etc)

I recently stayed at the Fairfield Inn Anaheim. It is a non-full-service hotel with about 2000 families ( ) all checking in at once. I didnt expect a bellman, and none were present. Had this been at the full-service Marriott I wouldve expected one!

Often1

1. I don't know what a 3* or 4* really is. Just because someone advertises themselves as one doesn't make them one. The lesson is that if there's a service you need, make sure the hotel actually offers it.

2. This one falls on the event organizer. Not too many people need bell service these days, but it appears that this is an event which included heavy costumes and therefore lots of luggage. Meeting planners are supposed to sort these details out and should have made arrangements for extra help to be on hand. No different if its an event that has a high % of elderly, disabled, and so on. These things are dealt with by good meeting planners.

I would be shocked if the property did anything with an individual complaint.

pinniped

Generally speaking, when I think "three star" I think mainline Marriott, Hilton, Westin, etc. Not Courtyard, Fairfield, Hampton, etc. I believe we're talking about a U.S. situation here, so I think Forbes and (to a lesser extent) AAA.

For four-star, I think of the luxury brands - Ritz, St. Regis, W-A - knowing that some of these also have the 5th star.

In other words, definitely a full-service property of some sorts. Big 300-room hotel with an airport shuttle and rates good enough to attract large groups for a leisure-type event? Smells like a Hilton or Sheraton to me. I'm subconsciously giving Marriott a little credit here: for all of the minor gripes we tend to have about their rewards program, the professionalism of their staff generally *isn't* a complaint I ever have with them. On the flip side, as much as I love SPG (the program), I've run into some surly Sheraton staff in various places.

PhillyPhlyer40

BUT...the OP didn't specify. If you use some sites *'s (priceline,etc)-it will be TOTALLY different then your (and my) feeling of stars!

Would not be out of the realm that the OP was thinking Priceline *'s and this was in fact a Fairfield, 4pts, etc!

So..until he/she responds we will all be guessing!

KNRG

It really troubles me that the discussion on here fails to recognize that grabbing people's bags and annoying them is just as much of a training/staffing problem as not having anyone available if you offer the service.

A simple "Would you like help with your bags?" is not rude, pushy, or an intrusion of personal space.

Then again to pull that off you need to pay your people adequately to do the job so they're not living off just tips.. which my company did.

It always troubles me when there's bad service and the response from consumers is "it can't be helped." Yes, it can be helped. Stop giving them money for it.

KNRG

How it works at a well staffed and properly trained hotel:

Guest arrives. Is met at door (or vehicle if valet parking) by bell services staff and greeted.

"Hello, welcome to blah-blah-blah. Would you like help with your bags?"

Guest can then decline, either way the response is cheerful from the bell services person and the next question "May I get the name for the reservation?"

Why? Because they're screening for concierge guests. They know the names of the concierge guest who are expected to arrive that day or during a particular period. Concierge guests are escorted quickly past the front desk and check-in queue, put in their own elevator, key-override from the bell services person and sent up to the concierge level (if they decline help with bags, by themself, if they asked for it, a bellman rides up along with them). Concierge level handles their check-in, walks them to their room, etc..

Non-concierge guests are greeted with the same question, but get "Well, Welcome Mr. So and So, we're glad to have you - check in is right this way.." and deposits them in the check-in line. If they had bags that bell services took - they're given a card they can reference. "As soon as you have a room we can bring your bags up, otherwise if you need anything you can access your bags from the luggage check. You can call from any in-house phone, Star-###."

That's how it's supposed to work. You have valets, runners, bellmen, and head bellmen and luggage staff. During peak periods the heads/leads are intercepting arriving guests and assigning them bellmen/etc.. as needed and pointing them to the right places (up the elevator, or off to the check-in counter.)

It's not hard and it doesn't cost a fortune to operate.

pinniped

Good point...sometimes I laugh at Priceline star levels!!

Man, it's awesome when it really works that way. Although I think that's more common in the higher end of the four-star realm...the typical 3-star hotel with a C-level just checks you in in the lobby and hands you a keycard with lounge access.

Definitely enjoyed it recently when the Conrad Hong Kong did it this way. ^ The only bit you left out: waiter puts a glass of Champagne in your hand as you're checking in on the concierge level.

Plastic Elite

True, and labor is expensive. If it were a mom and pop place, employees could do double duty.

stifle

Agreed.
Also agreed, however. The service should be available, but not mandatory.

twb3

Final word: after contact with higher management, have received an apology accepting responsibility on the part of the hotel for not being properly prepared and staffed. That closes it as far as I am concerned, will use this chain again but probably not the property in question.