TripAdvisor.com offer a "Tripwatch Alert" that you are able to customise updates on accommodation available in locations that may be of interest to you.
This morning I received an email update that contained an interesting exchange between a motel and a guest that attempted to book a room through wotif.com.
I must say that I have an unusual bent of enjoying reading about complaints. The more ridiculous the better! Complaints can bring out some amusing human traits especially when ego and ignorance make some accommodation providers lose relativity - it doesn't happen too often;-)
The following alleged treatment of a guest by a motel receptionist was posted in anger on TripAdvisor and will remain there for some time. There are many lessons to be learnt here, however one valuable principle in customer service is that if you get caught out - fess up straight away - apologise and then do everything in your power to put it right:
"Well, I can't rate the rooms as we were actually unable to stay here.
I made a booking with **** (name withheld) Motel on Wotif.com which as an accommodation manager myself I know works on the basis of guaranteed rooms available as entered by the hotel itself.
My partner and I happily set on our way to Napier and spent some time shopping in town awaiting the 2pm check in time, quite excited about a romantic night away in a top floor executive spa suite. at 1:50pm my cellphone starts ringing and it is the receptionist telling me 'sorry we do not have any rooms available on the sea front and only ground floor city facing rooms'
Needless to say this was not what we wanted and I asked how they had taken a guaranteed booking without rooms? the reply was 'Oh we don't control those bookings and its your fault for booking online'! Hardly the most hospitable response.
I asked them to arrange then for my money to be refunded that I had already paid them so I could go elsewhere and was told 'No, that's your problem to sort out its no our fault' At this point I mentioned that as someone who offered rooms on wotif.com myself I knew for a fact it was their fault at which point suddenly the story changed to 'Oh well the managers not here so you'll just have to wait till 3pm for her' as we don't accept same day bookings' .
Napier being on a hot weekend was booking up fast and I was not prepared to wait this long to get my money back and book elsewhere so I went to the hotel. The woman on reception can only be described as a 'dragon lady' , she was incredibly rude and kept telling me it was not her fault and she wouldn't help me till the manager arrived.
I asked her if she could call the manager to which her reply was 'no, I have just called her before you got here so I won't call her again'. I left the motel disgusted with her service and took it upon myself to find another room pay another amount and sort it out from there. Fortunately wotif.com (After calling the motel and getting the same rude response) was very helpful and refunded all my money.
All in all I can not Believe that this place is still running which such rude staff. Certainly if any of the staff at my establishment were to act this way to a guest they would be facing serious disciplinary action. I certainly hope that people will look at the various other options along the Napier waterfront before booking rooms here!
- Date of stay November 2009
- Visit was for Leisure
- Traveled with With Spouse/Partner
- Age group 25_3
- Would you recommend this hotel to a friend? No"
