One of my worst hotel experiences

[Monkeyleg]

I have to be in Atlanta today, and arrived late yesterday afternoon. I was trying to save money, and so booked a Ramada that Hotels.com had for $70 with taxes. The customer ratings were about 3.5 or 4 stars.

The room itself was a little worn, but otherwise okay. But there was a baseball team that occupied most of the rest of my floor. From about 7 pm until well after 2 am, they were yelling up and down the halls, slamming doors, and generally being obnoxious. I couldn't hear the people in the next room, so the soundproofing must have been okay. It was just that these guys were that loud.

I called the front desk three times to complain, but near as I can tell, they didn't do anything.

I was talking to a sales rep this morning, and he said I should have called the cops. I didn't think that a guest could call the cops, but only the management. Anybody know about this?

I once had to take a room in a motel in Portland, OR where the desk clerk was behind bulletproof glass, there was graffiti sprayed on the bathroom walls, and I found a used condom on the  bed. At least I was able to sleep there, though.

[MechAg94]

The motel person was telling you that you should have called the cops?  Yeah, that is crap. 

Can you complain to the corporate office?  I am not sure where else you can go to give them a zero star rating.

[Devonai]

There's no reason for you not to call the cops. In my experience management are the first ones to tell you to call yourself.

Last time I was down at Fort Lee, I stayed in a one bedroom apartment off base. I had to call the cops 11 times in the first three weeks on the guy upstairs from me. Finally the cops got tired of showing up and contacted the management themselves.  Then the problem went away.

[vaskidmark]

1 - the complainant can only suggest that the peace is being disturbed.  It takes a cop on the scene to determine if it is or is not being disturbed.

2 - Money talks.  A block of rooms versus some cranky person in a discounted room?  "Aannnd da winna is ...."

3 - how does one sleep on a bed after discovering (presumably on the bedspread) a used condom on it?

4 - I'm coming to the conclusion that it is not merely the hypochondriac traveler that should have one of these packed in their bag.  http://www.safesolutionsinc.com/UV_Disinfection_Light.htm  or this which can switch between corded and cordless  http://www.amazon.com/germguardian-LW18-UV-C-Light-Wand/dp/B000PUJPTC

stay safe.

[brimic]

Hint:
Avoid hotels with pools.
They attract sports teams and other large groups.
Travelling sports teams tend to spend a few hours a day playing their game, then heading back to the hotel to have a pizza party and take over the pool area until closing.
Its also party time for the middle class adults who have no life outside of work work and family.

[Ben]

Whenever you book a room online, always look for a section on the page that has "special request" boxes you can check off. It will usually include a "high floor" option. Pick that. It won't always help, but most hotels put large parties on lower floors because they know they'll be noisy. Most of their fancier suites are on higher floors, and they don't want to disturb their guests paying full price for the two bedroom corner suite on the 10th floor. If you happen to get a queen bed room on the same floor, you get in on the "quiet" action. Not that it will keep you from having to deal with the two elephants who checked into the room on the 11th floor directly above you (ask me how I know), but it will help with groups.

Otherwise you can also resort to the old-fashioned phone, call the hotel directly to book, and ask them if they have any large parties checked in when you are, and if so, request separation. They'll generally accommodate as long as they have vacancies.

Given that your situation is said and done,  I recommend writing a letter to the corporate office detailing the noise, your requests to address it that apparently went unheeded, and your belief that you should be compensated. There's always a good chance that for PR, they will either refund some of your money or give you a voucher or similar for your next stay.

[lee n. field]

I was talking to a sales rep this morning, and he said I should have called the cops. I didn't think that a guest could call the cops, but only the management. Anybody know about this?

I once had to take a room in a motel in Portland, OR where the desk clerk was behind bulletproof glass, there was graffiti sprayed on the bathroom walls, and I found a used condom on the  bed. At least I was able to sleep there, though.

Sooooo, someone's hacking their way through your door with a machete, and you're supposed to call the front desk, so the front desk can (maybe) call the cops?    Seems a little remote to me, and failure prone.

[RevDisk]

2 - Money talks.  A block of rooms versus some cranky person in a discounted room?  "Aannnd da winna is ...."

This. If you book through an online discount service, the hotel will give you the lowest level of service. Because you've shown you only care about spending the very minimum. If you stayed there previously, might be worth it to them. OTOH, a block of rooms is serious coin. From a business decision, it was absolutely the right call to screw you over to keep the baseball players happy. Best you could have done is asked for a room change.

Next time slip a $20 around your credit card when you give it to the front desk person during check in. Might help, might not. The same person that you bribed may not be on shift when you need something, but it can't hurt. It's a gamble, but I've had it pay off enough times to be worth the risk.

Also, did you say the person's name back to them when you were complaining? "This is Dave. - Hello Dave, I have this problem. Blah blah blah, I'd appreciate if you could help me out, Dave." It's a cue that you can mention them by name when you call corporate to complain. Again, not so helpful in this instance because discount customer vs block of rooms. Corporate would have to be morons to crack down on Dave, but some corporations are that stupid.

[Monkeyleg]

On the place with the comdom, I was in Portlaand OR on one of their rare swelltering days, and that was the only room left in rowm I could find wirh AC.

As for the Special Request box o Hotels.com, I always request a room away from all sources of noise. They did that, but they did it for the team, too.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Complain high. I let em know I complained to corporate regional and the general manager by email already when I call the front desk. Motivate em
And don't be afraid to lie. Most hotels have the Mg's name posted.. Tell em I left a voice mail already with old so and so but he's not answering his cell


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[never_retreat]

Thats weird Ramada's are usually decent hotels. There owned by Wyndham. I would call corporate and bitch. Not so much about the problem but more about the lack of care by the staff. You might at least get a free night out of it.

[Scout26]

You seem to be in Hot 'Lanta fairly frequently.  Given any thought to finding a hotel you like and becoming a regular there?

[Perd Hapley]

I was talking to a sales rep this morning, and he said I should have called the cops. I didn't think that a guest could call the cops, but only the management. Anybody know about this?

Unless there's some kind of lease agreement that the police can enforce, I can see how you might be right. I mean, you can call the police, but it seems a little like calling the cops about your Western Barbecue Whopper - it's between you, the hotel, and the other guests. Being loud on the private property you own, or have reason to be on, is not a crime, I wouldn't think. Not unless it bleeds over onto the hotel next door. Any rights you have, as a renter, to a peaceful night's sleep would seem like a civil matter.

 

[Monkeyleg]

You seem to be in Hot 'Lanta fairly frequently.  Given any thought to finding a hotel you like and becoming a regular there?

There's a couple I've stayed at multiple times. Their usual rates are about $125, but every couple of months they'll have sales for $85.

Atlanta isn't cheap. A friend got a room at a Hilton downtown for $250, and it was small and plain.

[Boomhauer]

There's a couple I've stayed at multiple times. Their usual rates are about $125, but every couple of months they'll have sales for $85.

Atlanta isn't cheap. A friend got a room at a Hilton downtown for $250, and it was small and plain.

Last time I stayed in ATL I stayed at a Hyatt Place out in near the Gwinett Mall. $70 a night and every bit as nice of a room as a much more expensive hotel. I viewed the 20 minute or so drive into downtown to be well worth it for the money saved. Downtown hotels in most cities tend to be a lot more costly than I want to pay.

[Monkeyleg]

Last time I stayed in ATL I stayed at a Hyatt Place out in near the Gwinett Mall. $70 a night and every bit as nice of a room as a much more expensive hotel. I viewed the 20 minute or so drive into downtown to be well worth it for the money saved. Downtown hotels in most cities tend to be a lot more costly than I want to pay.

I stayed at that Hyatt three weeks ago.  It's nice, but a little frayed around the edges compared to the downtown Hyatt.

The best deals seem to be up around Alpharetta.

[Scout26]

I stayed at that Hyatt three weeks ago.  It's nice, but a little frayed around the edges compared to the downtown Hyatt.

The best deals seem to be up around Alpharetta.

Former 1SG (ret CSM) lives there. Seems like there is quite a bit of .gov and contractors in the area.  Hence the hotel deals.  They are probably full Mon Night until Fri, when all the .gov employees and contractors head back from whence they came, so the hotels are vacant Fri night-Sun night. Which is why there are deals.   Again, find one and become a regular.  You'll get better prices and better service once they come to know you by name.

[Waitone]

What you do depends upon the kind of hotel you are in.  With a limited service property your options are limited.  Best to call the front desk and give it a chance to fix the problem which most likely will not happen.  Noise is most effectively controlled via face to face encounter which one person will not want to do.  When that fails the fall back is to call the FD and ask for a different room away from the noise. 

All hotels today use airline pricing strategy which means distinctions based on the price paid are minimized.  So don't feel bad about your cheapo rate.  You gotta problem with the service, tell the front desk

Third point, join a loyalty program.  They are popular with hotels for one reason and one reason only.  Business is ruled by the famed 80/20 rule.  The hotel business lives in the 90/10 world or worse.  Hotels will hop more and higher when a complaint comes from a program member than when the complaint comes from an unknown sourced from the internet.  With membership you are giving the local hotel more options is satisfying you.  A noisy night might get you a free breakfast.  A condom in the bed may be good for breakfast and a grocery bag of points.  A local hotel will do everything possible to keep the complaint local and avoid bringing in corporate interference. 

Last point, with a membership you have an alternative channel for complaint.  No satisfaction locally?  Pick up the phone and call membership complaint line.  They will listen and eventually will get around to the local management to explain what happened.  Some people think they can get more attention by heading to social media and blistering the offending parties.  I can assure you that does nothing but piss everyone off and guarantee you will get nuthin'. 

The one effective pressure point for hotels in the loyalty program.  Pick one and stick with it.  You are not giving up much in terms price shopping.  Wyndham owns Microtel for pete's sake.

[Monkeyleg]

A condom in the bed may be good for breakfast and a grocery bag of points.  A local hotel will do everything possible to keep the complaint local and avoid bringing in corporate interference

The condom wasn't on the bed at a Wyndham or Ramada. It was a run-down motel with bulletproof glass at the front desk and graffiti on the walls. I don't know if they have a loyalty program.

There's a Radisson in that area I've stayed at several times. It's been hit and miss in terms of noise, though. I always ask for a room away from elevators, ice makers, stairwells, etc. Twice they put me on the side of the building that faced the expressway and I listened to cars and sirens all night long.  One of the times when they got the noise situation right, the lock on the door didn't work and I was locked in my room.

Best place so far has been the Sonesta in Duluth. It's usually $125, though, which I'd rather not pay.

When I was doing my motorcycle trips, I'd stay in $35 to $50 motels and sleep like a rock. I was always drunk by bedtime, though, which helped.

[Jamisjockey]

There was a time when anything over $50 for a hotel/motel seemed spendy and wrong.
Now, my wife looks at me funny if a hotel costs less than a $100, like she doesn't trust that it won't be seedy. 

[Monkeyleg]

There was a time when anything over $50 for a hotel/motel seemed spendy and wrong.
Now, my wife looks at me funny if a hotel costs less than a $100, like she doesn't trust that it won't be seedy. 

That $250 Hilton room was just a few months ago. Again, not much. Clean, and decent furniture, but nothing to write home about.

In the 1980's my ex worked at a travel agency, and we got a free room at a $175 a night hotel in Chicago. It had TV's in every room, including the bathroom, a wet bar, phones in every room, complimentary chocolates when we arrived, roses that night, fresh strawberries in the morning, and more. I can't remember the  name of it.

[never_retreat]

That $250 Hilton room was just a few months ago. Again, not much. Clean, and decent furniture, but nothing to write home about.

In the 1980's my ex worked at a travel agency, and we got a free room at a $175 a night hotel in Chicago. It had TV's in every room, including the bathroom, a wet bar, phones in every room, complimentary chocolates when we arrived, roses that night, fresh strawberries in the morning, and more. I can't remember the  name of it.

Was the the Drake? Its the upper floors of the ibm building. Lobby is on 20 or something like that.

[zxcvbob]

Foam earplugs.  Seriously.  Some came packaged with the sleep mask I bought at the Mayo Clinic sleep store.  They work great.  They didn't look any different than foam plugs you might buy at a tool shop or gun shop.

[Monkeyleg]

Foam earplugs.  Seriously.  Some came packaged with the sleep mask I bought at the Mayo Clinic sleep store.  They work great.  They didn't look any different than foam plugs you might buy at a tool shop or gun shop.

I tried those years ago, but they affect the pressure, and that bothers me.

I think the Chicago Hotel was the Continental. I'd ask my ex, but...

[zxcvbob]

I tried those years ago, but they affect the pressure, and that bothers me.

I think the Chicago Hotel was the Continental. I'd ask my ex, but...

The pressure thing bothers me too, but you get used to it really fast.  I don't wear them often, but I keep them by the bed in case the wife or dogs get up in the middle of the night and start making lots of noise.