I reserved a room at the Clarion Inn in St. Augustine on-line at a L-rate for $49.00 per night for July 31 so we could stop for the night on our way to my brother's wedding. We arrived and the hotel was nearly empty, judging from the lack of cars in the lot, and yet we were placed in a room located right next to the dumpster.
However, the room, on the interior was quite nice so we said nothing. We settled in and decided to go for a swim. However, because of the low level of cleanliness in the pool, my youngest daughter decided not to go into the water, and I too, made the same decision.
The oldest did not care to swim alone, so we ended up not swimming at all. Still, that was our decision and we did not complain.
We then had dinner at the Denny's located downstairs where we were promised a 10% discount by the hotel's check-in clerk, but no discount was given. We complained and then a discount was given.
We went up stairs and I gave my youngest daughter, 8 years old, her allergy medication as prescribed by her physician, Dr. Gabriella Geller. She took her dose of two teaspoons of Zyrtec and one tablet of the antibiotic Amoxicillin at about 7 P.M.
By nine o'clock or so she was fast asleep. At about ten o'clock a loud noise began outside our door. I turned the TV louder, thinking it would be a momentary thing. After a few minutes when it did not stop, I peeked out the door to see a large white van with its doors open.
Inside the van was a large generator, running, and connected to it were pressure-washing hoses. There were two men engaged in pressure washing some things (it was dark, I don't know what the things were). I thought they would be finished in an hour or so, was irritated but did not complain.
I just turned the TV up louder and let my other daughter stay up with me. We watched a movie at a very high volume, but at midnight, they still were washing.
The nature of their washing was such that they would occasionally turn the pressure washer off for a few minutes and a few times the generator went off for a few minutes. During each of these intermittent intervals, we thought, Ah, now they're finally stopping! And yet they would start up again. This is another reason for our delay in saying something immediately, coupled with a disbelief that such a procedure would be scheduled to last any longer than a reasonable hour. However, by midnight we felt it had gone on long enough and so I placed a call to the front desk. I got no answer. I called repeatedly for the next half hour and decided to walk to the front desk. My 11 year old daughter was getting quite tired but unable to fall asleep because of the incredible noise. So, although there was a tropical storm outside, with tremendous winds and rain, I went to the front desk area. Unfortunately I became completely drenched and was met by an empty office. I waited there on the porch for about 15 minutes and then a clerk drove up in a car. She laughed when she saw me and unlocked the door and let us into the lobby.
I explained the situation and she said, They were probably only doing it for a few minutes and would be done by now, for sure. I explained that it had been going on for some two hours and she insisted that by now, they must be done. This was her only comment.
So I went back to the room and sure enough, the sound had not stopped. After changing out of my completely drenched clothes and reassuring my 11 yr. Old that I would make it stop, I called the desk and the clerk answered.
I told her it hadn't stopped and she said that the only solution would be to move to another room. I explained about my sick daughter and the torrential rains, but she only became sarcastic, saying that she was glad that she could sleep in spite of the loudness. I tried to explain about how she was sick, taking medicine but she became rude and hung up on me.
After about 5 or 10 minutes, she called back and said look, all I can do is move you to another room. I tried again to explain about my sick, medicated, sleeping little girl, but she became impatient again and hung up on me again.
I took the phone off the hook and sat up with my 11 yr. Old until 2 am, when the noise finally stopped. Because we were tense from the noise and didn't know if this was yet another of the infrequent pauses, we were not able to get to sleep until about 2:30am.
The following morning, we went to the office at about 9 am and prepared to request a free night because of the 100% satisfaction guarantee, and there was a different clerk on duty.
When I described the problem to the clerk she said there was a note from the night clerk in which she describe the problem and also mentioned that she had been rude to me.
The day clerk said she was not authorized to give a free night but could give me a 10% discount. I said I'd like to speak to the manager and she called him and said he'd be here in a few minutes. I said I'd come back, which I did an hour later. The manager was not there and the explanation now for not giving me a free night was because I already had a discounted rate as it was.
I did not see the logic in this and insisted on a refund. The clerk said that her manager said I'd have to get it from the Clarion Corporation. So I paid the bill and said I would do that.
When the wedding was over I called the Corporate number and I was told that they had to first accept a complaint from me which would then be forwarded to the hotel manager.
I soon received a letter from Michael Avino that offered an apology that my stay was not pleasant and enclosed was a coupon for a 20% discount should I decide to allow them to accommodate me in the future.
Would like to quote from your guarantee: If the hotel staff is unable to satisfy the guest, they must credit the guest a maximum of one night's room rental.
And If we cannot correct the situation to your satisfaction, you will not be charged for your room.
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