Palo Alto Lodge
A VERY Expensive mistake

I booked 4 nights through Amex Business Travel, as it was the only hotel available, and the cancellation provisions were 1 nights R&T if cancelled within 2 days of arrival. I checked in, and went to my room. The sheets on the bed was pulled back and I found a USED CONDOM on the bed (yeach). I went to the front desk and "Mike" the desk clerk told me that housekeeping had left and that was the only room available. I asked for a refund of the other 3 nights and Mike told me that since I checked in, I was responsible for all 4 nights. I've stayed at close to 100 hotels over the years and never heard of such a thing.

I called Amex travel, and they tried talking to Mike, and they told me that he was "belligerent". I had them make me a reservation for those 4 nights at the Residence Inn, which had a last minute cancellation. I surrendered my key to Mike, and the total time I was at the hotel was less than 1 hour.

After I found that I had, indeed, been charged for 4 nights R&T, I escalated this with Amex Travel, and they tried calling the owner a few times and always got "Mike" who told them:

1. The owner was in India and would not be back for several months.

2. That I was not entitled to a refund as I had stayed one night, which Amex Travel told him was not correct as THEY had made the reservation at Residence Inn for the same 4 days.

After a few months of trying to work things out, I filed a merchant dispute, but lost the dispute because I had checked in, even though I was there for less than an hour, and that they cannot refund based on the "quality of service provided".

I have travelled to over 40 states and 14 countries, and this was THE WORSE customer service I have ever received and I ended up paying $380.80 (4 nights room and tax) which I can't, of course, expense, because I refused to sleep in a bed with a used condom in it.

Neither I nor Amex Travel were ever actually able to speak to the owner, and Mike was our single point of contact.

I understand that there will be problems, but what is telling is what a company does to make it right. Mike made no effort to make it right, or even cooperate or compromise. I was willing to pay one night R&T, but he charged me for all 4 nights, though I was at the hotel less than an hour.

Mike told me "What do you expect for $85"? I said "a room where the bed doesn't have a used condom in it"!

They also use the old style metal key locks and the housekeeper left the window open, so security at the motel is pretty dicey, as well, since all rooms are on the first floor and face the parking lot.

In a travel review Mike rebutted by saying I had a "companion", and was there for 6 hours. What he didn't realize was that I had two male co-workers who were parked on the street next to the motel in a separate car while I checked in and know that I was there alone and was there for less than an hour. Basically, the desk clerk lied to try to discredit my review. The credit card company showed just over an hour between the authorization from his hotel and the Residence Inn, showing that I was there for an hour and not 6 hours.

Company: Palo Alto Lodge
Country: USA
State: Colorado
City: Palo Alto
Address: 3339 El Camino Real
Phone: 6504932521

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