Horrible Hotel Experience- What Can I Do?

txb on 19/11/2018 - 13:57
Last edited 19/11/2018 - 14:22 by 1 other user

I booked a hotel in Bali, via Agoda. Upon checking in the a/c was non existent. I asked if I can change rooms so I could get on with my day. So after hours wasting my time (testing, getting a technician, testing again) confirming what was apparant; its a shit old unit. The manager, rather the hotel boys moved me to an upgraded room. Now the dread starts.

The next day, I am woken to sounds of saws and drills. Some renovations (a whole removal and install of decking at the pool begins to take place) unbeknownst to me without prior warning from the hotel. Thinking this might be a few hours/one day of work I let it slide. Day two and three go by, the pool is now protective covered and deck chairs are moved out of the way. I admit I should have said something on one of those days but since I had habituatually just gotten up everyday and fled out of the hotel I made do with the situation. But I did feel like I was chased away, unable to have some peace in my own room, to go at my own pace or enjoy the pool area.

Morning of day four I ventilated my frustration to the manager. To his advantage all he did was listen and attempt to sympathise and pass on my complaints.

At the same time, I wrote to Agoda explaining the situation in chronological order of events. I pointed out the common logic that had I known works would carry on for the duration of my stay I would never had booked. Since the hotel has omited vital information about my stay I wanted compensation. Agoda forwarded my messages to the reservations manager (seems this hotel is managed online by an Australian company) at first they denied that renovations were even taking place and flat out called me a liar. I replied again taking photos and videos of the mechanical orchestra happening. The last reply I received said the lines of you have told us too late in your stay, youre not getting anything.

So I'm here now. What do you suggest I can do?

Chargeback for services deemed not provided? That reason isnt the entire truth and I would have to go in deoth explaining the root. But how is a fair amount to claw back decided?

Contact Choice or the BBB and complain? What will that do for me? Would they further mediate with the hotel?

At the end of the day, I feel misguided, lied to about what I would be getting by staying there.

Thanks for reading.

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Comments

  • GourmetFoodie on 19/11/2018 - 14:10
    +5

    I feel like you may have lost your chance waiting so long to complain. With this kind of thing you really need to take action ASAP while still in the hotel. At the end of the day the service (room) was still provided and used. I'm also assuming works were only carried out in daylight hours so not like you couldn't sleep? In these circumstances your best bet would have been to complain early and get room upgrade/spa voucher or the like. They would never have refunded you the whole amount for the room.

    Now I reckon your best bet is to try and get Agoda to give you some kind of credit voucher out of goodwill.

    I'd be writing a bad review about the hotel too.

    • HighAndDry on 19/11/2018 - 14:27

      Yeah. OP knew about this day 2, and only complained on day 4? I wonder how many days stay it was total. Not saying OP is doing this, but they wouldn't be the first to get the most out of a service, then complain afterwards to try and get the money back as well.

  • Archi on 19/11/2018 - 14:13

    ok…what do you want as compensation? what will you be happy with? what will you accept as a resolution to your situation?

  • [Deactivated] on 19/11/2018 - 14:15
    +4

    You went for a holiday in a third world country and had a third world experience. What exactly is your gripe again?

    • cypher67 on 19/11/2018 - 14:59
      +4

      That would hold true if they charged 3rd world prices…

  • watwatwat on 19/11/2018 - 14:19

    You probably waited too long to complain but eh, if it was through agoda, then I would personally do a credit card chargeback. You've got nothing to lose.

  • myusername on 19/11/2018 - 14:27
    +1

    write bad reviews on various sites like tripadvisor etc, this will get there attention

    • qwerty on 19/11/2018 - 14:53
      +1

      If hes truthful no one is really going to not go to the hotel based on his review

      The renovation works will probably be over in a couple weeks and he did get upgraded to a better room with a/c

      • cypher67 on 19/11/2018 - 14:58

        He didn't get upgraded, the original rooms AC didnt work. So he was just moved to a room where it did work. He should have been moved instantly when it was identified it was faulty rather than wait around whilst they attempted to fix it

        • kolorijo on 19/11/2018 - 15:02
          +1

          The manager, rather the hotel boys moved me to an upgraded room.

          He did get upgraded

  • Schema on 19/11/2018 - 14:55

    Just chargeback, item not described

  • txb on 19/11/2018 - 15:17
    -1

    My last correspondance to Agoda to mediate:

    Hi Agoda,

    Thank you for your reply. That is a very dissapointing and outrageous statement from the hotel.

    As a result, I may be liasing with relevant industry ombudsman and my credit card issuer on advice. I do not accept the fact that no prior written warning on disruptions was communicated, this would/may have affected my decision to select this hotel at the time of booking. The onus of such lays with the hotel in trusting them with good faith and intent. I do not believe this has been the case. This aroma of distrust pertains fully well in their deceit to inform myself of renovations taking place.

    For the record, construction began the second day of my reservation where I assumed it would be very temporary (as staff or management had not said anything leading me to believe it would be an extended project) NB: it is not my responsibility to enquire about everything on the happenings of the property. The third day, again I assumed it would be completing shortly. Forth day is where I raised my protest and ventilated my frustrations.

    Mangement has already shown deceit not being forthcoming prior to my arrival, and further reinforces their distrust by denying any disruptions existed (see initial reply from the reservations manager, Jenny) A continuous pattern is emerging. I am asking Agoda to withhold payment until an amicable and fair agreement can be reached.

    Thank you and regards,
    Txb

    Their reply completely ignorned anything I wrote but simply pasted a generic apology and offering of a 10% credit for the valie of the stay.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/11/2018 - 15:22
      +1

      Seems reasonable. Hotels have to undergo maintenance. Someone has to stay there then, and they’re not going to advertise it. Your AC was broken and they fixed it by upgrading your room.

    • HighAndDry on 19/11/2018 - 17:31

      and offering of a 10% credit for the valie of the stay.

      Seems reasonable. It's not like you didn't stay there. Honestly your email comes across as melodramatic and overwrought. If I was in charge, I'd skim over it and reply with a form letter too.

      If you'd wanted to cancel on the 2nd day and wanted a refund, that'd be fair. Hell, if you'd wanted to cancel on the 4th day when you complained, and wanted a refund for the days remaining that you stayed, that'd also be fair. But you seem to have enjoyed the full length of your stay…. and now want money back?

      Com'on man. That's like ordering a dish, seeing that it's the wrong dish, eating it all anyway, then complaining about it afterwards that it was the wrong dish and you want your money back.

      • txb on 19/11/2018 - 19:15

        Thank you for a good unbiased comment, i appreciate it. your analogy isnt correct however. More accurately it would be ordering a pie, getting the pie then when i cut into the pie it was missing the filling. I gave too much credit in thinking there would be some form of righting the wrong.

    • GourmetFoodie on 19/11/2018 - 19:13

      I'd say 10% credit is a fair outcome.

  • txb on 19/11/2018 - 15:37

    The upgrade was unrelated to the renovations.

    I was upgraded on day of check in, the renovations began day two.

    I want to persue the argument that they were not forthcoming of any disruptions informing me before booking.

    ..do you think I'm able to justify a chargeback? Are partial chargebacks possible? I have no knowledge in this area if anyone can chime in

    • cypher67 on 19/11/2018 - 16:10
      +2

      Typically when hotels have major disruption due to maintenance they advertise at a cheaper rate but let the guests know in advance. Whilst I believe this is the best practice, it isn't a requirement.

    • HighAndDry on 19/11/2018 - 17:32

      I want to persue the argument that they were not forthcoming of any disruptions informing me before booking.

      *pursue.

      But no, that's not a requirement. The primary purpose of what you paid for is accommodation. You got accommodation. Hell, you enjoyed every day of your accommodation.

      Arguably, by staying in the accommodation past day 2 despite knowing the work was going on, you impliedly agreed to accept the works without requiring compensation.

      • Kandrew on 20/11/2018 - 21:56

        Arguably, by staying in the accommodation past day 2 despite knowing the work was going on, you impliedly agreed to accept the works without requiring compensation.

        I'm glad that you put Arguably at the beginning. I'd very much argue that point. I would argue that he agreed to accept the works without requiring compensation.

        I wouldn't accept it, txb. I would keep fighting, gently but firmly, until you get your desired outcome. But make sure you know what you want before you continue your fight.

  • dylo on 19/11/2018 - 16:45
    +2

    Morning of day four I ventilated my frustration to the manager

    I'm glad you aired your grievances

  • PissLUR on 19/11/2018 - 17:53

    So I'm here now. What do you suggest I can do?

    let it go mate.

  • chumlee on 19/11/2018 - 19:23

    How much did you pay per night?

  • Gandalf the Thrifty on 19/11/2018 - 20:28

    I would have to go in depth explaining the root

    Was it with the hotel manager?

  • TheBilly on 20/11/2018 - 19:31
    +1

    I stayed at a hotel. My balcony was above their bar - like literally everyone buying a drink would look up and see me there. I walked in the room, made myself a coffee - went to the balcony and said "I'm not going to stand for this" … Went to reception - told them I'm going to go out for a couple of hours to the shops, make sure my room is changed or I will go to another hotel tonight. Moral of the story. I raised it then and there and enjoyed a fantastic trip after.

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