While attending the meetings in New Orleans and Philly, some of my peers staying at various hotels occasionally would pop in with a story about a broken feature in the room, or a rude employee. However, these stories were NOTHING compared to the volume and intensity of the DC conventioneers at their various hotels.

A shame, because DC is a beautiful city…

Is there more to this story than published? (I don’t mean the edited laundry list of complaints too). I find the statement “The first two days of our reservation included a full American Breakfast at the Jockey Club” to be intriguing. This seems to imply that her stay was at least 3 nights, and also to indicate that she may have been booked under multiple rate rules. (ie first 2 nights under rate code X, remaining nights under rate code Y). I’d be very interested to see her confirmation letters and what the rate rules are listed in the confirmation letter.

At a minimum there was a communication error. Obviously the hotel and Ms Kamimoto weren’t on the same page. But, the hotel is guilty of a customer service breakdown. The form letter that Ms. Kamimoto initially received seems to be a standard blow off letter that they send out to everyone that complains. Unless the hotel was full due to a special event, the easiest solution would be to upgrade her room to a higher category, but frankly, we don’t know the exact circumstance.

However, I don’t think Ms Kamimoto is also partially at fault here. When she checked in, did she review her reservation information with the front desk clerk? I always reverbalize my expectations “I reserved the X package which includes a Y room, breakfast and parking.” Is this correct? When she got to her room, and noticed the lack of a view, she could have called the front desk manager and ask to be moved to a different room. If no other room was available, she should volunteer or indicate that she is willing to move to a different room the next morning. A lot of times, the front desk will say the hotel is full. We all know that a hotel is never 100% full. Ask if a suite is available, and if an upgrade is available and what the upgrade fee is. The hotel may choose to assign you to that room on the house. My experience is that this works well if you are only staying 1 night (and the hotel knows they won’t be tying up the room for multiple nights) so this may not be applicable in this case.

The next morning, she could speak to the shift supervisor about her dissatisfaction with the current room. Again, she could ask to be moved to a different room. If they weren’t able to do so, a reasonable request for compensation should be made (ie, will you adjust the room rate because my expectation was X and it appears that you gave me) or perhaps she could have asked that room service be provided at no cost to her in lieu of breakfast at the Jockey Club.

Finally, she should have verbalized her unhappiness at check-out, even speaking to a supervisor if needed. I don’t fault Ms Kamimoto because most travellers are inexperienced and don’t know what to do when something goes wrong.

@ Joe, I hope you are being facetious and sarcastic. While the form of your letter is good, terms like “super deluxe dream boat” and “motel 6 superior room” will likely mean that letter will find its way into the circular file.

I am in the customer service industry and find that most problems arise from “failing to meet expectations.” My impression when someone starts submitting a “laundry list” of complaints (ie “light didn’t work, room had an odor (when no one else notices it), there was a “spot” on the wallpaper, “the sheet had a loose thread” etc, is that individual may be impossible to satisfy. It also diminishes the validity of the original complaint. The person reading the letter may also feel that this is someone that could never be satisfied, thus, the willingness to find a solution may tank.

If it were me, I would send a letter to customer service at Starwood, and also carbon copy the General Manager at the Fairfax Hotel.

“Dear sir/madam

I booked a Grand Deluxe Room at the Fairfax Hotel in Washington DC on the following nights : The rate rules included an American Breakfast on the following nights.

Unfortunately, I was assigned to room for the duration of the stay. In my opinion, this did not meet the specifications of a Grand Deluxe Room for the following reasons: a) The room is smaller than the standard Grand Deluxe Room provided on your website, b) There was no view and c) Some amenities such as were not working.

Additionally, my room rate included a full amerian breakfast for the first 2 nights. On the 2nd day, we were only offered a Continential breakfast which I had to have remove the bill from my account.

(if this were true, see above)
Upon check-in I spoke to who advised me that no other rooms were available. I offered to be moved the next morning, but was refused. The next day, I spoke with who promised to look into the situation. At checkout, I asked to speak to the manager but was told there was “nothing else that could be done.”

I choose the Fairfax Hotel because as a member of Starwood Properties, it has a reputation for excellent customer service. It is my opinion that my experience at the Fairfax failed to meet Starwood’s standard for customer satisfaction. As a frequent traveller, I am now hesitant to stay at this property when I return to the Washington DC area in the future. I feel that a fair compensation would be to refund $50/night, which reflexts the rate difference had I booked instead. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Sincerely

I have had two different credit card disputes NOT go my way, even though they seemed utterly cut and dried, hands-down, open and shut cases in MY favor. But the merchants twisted facts and even lied. And I lost. (I have since cancelled that card!) But you get my point.

My opinion is that unless you have enough documentation to prove your case literally beyond a shadow of a doubt to a credit card company, your best bet is to try a professionally written complaint letter. Joe Farrell’s above is a nice template.

Hotel bagels are the size bagels used to be! The little silver dollar sized things that were less than 100 calories, fit in the pocket and were used as a quick snack. Now bagels are a meal onto themselves and even the Ritz would go bankrupt putting in salmon in them!

Complaints that hit the high point – yes- point – single complaint – make it the big one – are ones that get results.

Format of a complaint letter – change it to fit any travel company – but here you go:

Dear [find out the name of the VP of customer service and send it there - ONLY]

On October 12 I stayed in room ___ at your hotel located at [put street address].

I had reserved a super deluxe dream boat special room with a view, and was given the motel 6 superior room with a view of the alley and a massage parlor across the way. This was not what I paid for, nor did I receive any of the amenities of the super deluxe dream boat room, yet, I was still charged the same price.

The hotel manager [insert name here] refused to make any accomodations to either my rate or the amenities. The cost of the room I reserved was $500 at night; the cost of the room I received is offered at $250 per night. I further spent $100 for breakfast which was included in the super deluxe room on the preferred club floor, whereas the key to my superior room did not provide access to these amenities.

Therefore – I request a refund of one-half of what I paid, together with one half the taxes and other fees charges, along with the $100 expended for amenities in the amount of $______. I attach a copy of my reservation, along with my final bill, which describes the expenses incurred and the lack of appropriate accommodations.

If I do not hear from you by [insert date] I will present a challenge to my credit card issuer for the amount above. If you have any further questions. please contact me at [insert phone # and / or email]

Thats all you need. If there is a laundry list of problems – offer to provide additional details thereafter in further contacts – they are really not interested that the maid forgot to replace the soap every day . . . or that you had 3 towels instead of 4.

At checkout at a hotel in Miami I was charged double the printed rate on my reservation. No one at the hotel would honor the true rate that I had reserved. On the ride home, I called the credit card company and placed an inquiry with them for the entire amount. I received a letter soon after with the resolution I was wanting.

Tom