Booked a reservation thru hotel's website for 2 nights. When called the property to inquire on charge policy for cancelling one of the nights, the operator seemed to have difficulty understanding my question, which I repeated in more leyman's terms "May I please know if you charge me if I check out a day early?". I was placed on hold for 4 min, only to have same person come back on line, and in the same snotty manner as they began the call with, ask for my name w/out bothering to apologize for the hold and w/out answering this simple question. So I gave my name, the name the reservation was held for, and asked for the employee's name for reference - my request was blatantly ignored. Again, I was placed on hold w/no warning for an additional 2 min. Upon picking up the phone, the agent said, "The reservation has been found and it's for one night only, so what's the problem if you're wanting to cancel a night anyways?". No, the reservation is for 2 nights, I said. The response was "Obviously you did something wrong on your end. It's for one night, which is what you wanted." By now, I am appalled by this lack of professionalism and general courtesy, so I asked to speak with a supervisor who could help resolve this new issue, as well as answer my original question. The agent LAUGHS and then says "I AM helping you, but you made a mistake and don't know what you want." I insisted I did not make a mistake and offered to send a copy of my website confirmation to them for their review (which clearly stated 2 nights resvd). My offer was denied, and the agent then put me back on hold w/out warning AGAIN. The next time, a woman picked up the phone, and with the same agitated tone, and w/out introducing herself said "What's the problem, ma'am?" When I explained my concern that the hotel reservation system shows only one night when I have reserved 2, she interrupts and states "I COULD'VE made a mistake and it was possibly made for two. That has been fixed. What else is your problem?" Agitated now that I have been tossed around and spoken to so disrespectfully, I asked for her name and was once again was ignored, but ASSURED the resv was correct (either way, doesn't matter - I have a printed confirmation). For the 4th time, I repeated my original question regarding being charged to depart early, to which I finally received the very simple "No" answer I'd been looking for for the past 20 min. Later, I called the property back and asked for the General Manager's name and email, and the same woman (still no name provided), said "I don't give out email addresses. If you don't know it, I cannot help you." So I requested to leave a voicemail; I did and stated "I am hoping you are just as concerned as I am about the lack of customer service, which I believe upon hearing the issues at hand you will agree is not a desired representation of The Colony Hotel". On 11/11/08, Roger Everingham, GM, called me back and from the moment we began speaking, it was clear that the overall snide tone and obvious lack of concern for guests not of "elite" standards was the general census within the training of this hotel's staff. Mr. Everingham started the call off by asking "What seems to be the problem?" and before I could get 3 sentences out of my mouth, he interrupts me and asks if I was wanting his assurance my reservation was in fact for 2 nights. I agreed that would be best, as well as asked if he would take a moment to listen to the other concerns at hand - and the reason I had contacted him in the first place. Not caring to hear about the lack of hospitality on the part of his staff, and beginning to repeat himself concerning the # of nights, this time I inturrupted him by saying that I don't appreciate his tone and disregard of the situation that is upsetting to a customer, and that I would have expected more from a hotel that prides itself of its "luxury" and "sophistication". I also said I do not fault the staff if he is the leadership example they have to follow, and that as someone who's been working in the hotel business for 17 years (I am currently employed at a hotel hospitality firm!), I have never been so appalled at anyone's behavior like I've been with every single staff memeber I've had to interact with. Like a kindergardner being scoled, Mr. Everingham threw back at me "Well, I'VE been in this biz for 40 years." (I then truly expected this person to begin blowing raspberries into the phone, so sophomoric was his behavior). Having no desire to get into a petty arguement, I thanked him for his time and hung up before I lowered myself to this "5 star" historical hotel's customer service mind-set. This was a horrible experience with a hotel that describes itself on it's website as "... The Colony Hotel prides itself for its sophistication..." amongst other self-appreciative comments and lengthy paragraphs. If you were to read thru their extremely pompous site, it continually boasts all the guests who've stayed that are of a "famous" genre, but nowhere does it mention taking care and offering outstanding service to the "lesser-knowns". This should've been the biggest clue of them all regarding the treatment I have received.
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