“Breach of trust/security, discriminative guest treatment and sub-par customer service for a 5 star hotel
Montcalm Royal London Hotel: Check-in: March 2, v2023; Check out: March 6, 2023
Summary: We had poor service at check-in, our money was stolen from the room and for any request or complaint we had, the hotel made us feel like we were being difficult or we wanted to get something for free. By the end of our stay, we did not feel secure in the room and felt like we had to check through our personal belongings every time we left the room and came back to ensure that nothing was missing.
Details:
1. Sub-par customer service for a 5 star hotel: March 2, 2023 –
• Check-in: Upon arrival, we were given the wrong room without the amenities promised and there was no heat in the room. After reaching out to the front desk to get the situation remedied (wrong room and no heating), the front desk representative wanted me to produce an email verification of the upgraded room and questioned the validity of the room having heat. It wasn't until I told her (front desk rep) that the maintenance folks had already come to the room and verified that there was an electrical problem where the floor/room wasn’t heating and I produced an email verifying the upgrade conversation - was she willing to remedy the situation. When I asked if this treatment was uniformly applied to all their guests, the front desk representative changed her attitude and tried to justify herself. Eventually, we got an upgraded room at 7:30pm – this is after a checking into the hotel at 12:30pm after travelling overnight from Miami to London on an 8 hour flight. Mind you the hotel check-in is 3pm.
• Maintenance staff: The room's thermostat, lighting, room service etc. are digital and operated from a single panel. We called the front desk and requested someone from maintenance to come to the room as we had issues operating the lighting and controlling the temperature in the room. The maintenance staff sent, came to the room very agitated,. He was unfriendly and rude. He scolded us like kids for being unable to work the digital panel (which by the way is not very intuitive). He begrudgingly fixed and set the temperature to what we desired. This incident and behavior was unbelievable. It felt like he was doing us a favor for requesting something necessary for our well-being in the hotel room.
2. Discriminative guest treatment: March 2, 2023 - While being served at the front desk – this is when I was going back and forth with the representative assisting me, I witnessed a different guest being checked-in. He was well received, explained to the amenities of the hotel etc., and whisked to his room by the hotel concierge. When we checked in, none of this occurred. I was surprised at the level of service and attention to this guest such that I complimented the front desk representative helping this guest and asked if the guest was receiving preferential treatment with additional amenities because he was paying more for his room or if the hotel had a membership/loyalty program since clearly that was not the reception or services I received at check-in. The front desk representative told me that those services and amenities were extended to all guests staying at the hotel. It was clear that there preferential treatment and discrimination on how services were provided.
3. Breach of trust/security: March 4, 2023 - Missing money. We left the hotel room and asked the front desk to arrange for the room to be cleaned. When we got back to the room late that evening, the room was clean but we realized that there was money missing from our purses/handbags. We had left the handbags/purses stored in the hotel closet/wardrobe. In any hotel at this level, a guest should not feel the need to lock up their purses, laptops, documents or tablets in the safe when they briefly leave the room. Having these items in the wardrobes or closets in the room should give the guests comfort that the room service folks will not rampage through the guests suitcases, purses, handbags etc. stored out of sight. Anyway, immediately we realized that some money was missing, we called the front desk to report the incidence and spoke to the night manager (Catalin) who was rude and very uncourteous. He advised that since it was late, he had no access to the CCTV records and nothing could be done until the following morning (Sunday, March 5, 2023). He had details of my reservation wrong and when I corrected him, he claimed that he had no access to the hotel system to see my reservation. He simply did not want to help and made me feel like I was bothering him. He also questioned the complaint like I was making it up. His treatment and demeanor towards me was uncalled for, unempathetic and nonchalant.
• The following day, March 5th, the Day Manager (Pamela) called me to notify me that she had received the complaint and that the hotel would carry out an investigation. The investigation would take 48 hours.
• That evening of Sunday, March 5th we got back to the hotel and spoke to the night shift front desk staff. There was Simon and one other newly employed staff who were both very courteous, helpful and very pleasant. I told them about our experience at the hotel and the missing money and that’s when they called the night duty manager (Catalin). Catalin walked me through the investigation process and advised that even if they found the culprit, little or nothing could be done by the hotel in terms of replacing the money or reprimanding the staff responsible for the loss. He said that even though the hotel has liability insurance, in such instances the hotel would not cover any loss or reprimand staff unless there was a trend or evidence that this was a repeat occurrence. He told me that I should file a police report if I wanted to press charges. Mind you, I do not live in London nor do I have the capacity on my 4 day vacation to handle the police. Catalin explained to me that there is skepticism with the hotel around guests who file complaints – apparently, due to the 5 star rating, the hotel deems that there is a very low percentage of their guests that are not satisfied and there is perception that guests who complain are not being truthful and are looking for free things or complimentary services.
• Once again, I felt that Catalin and the hotel did not take my report of the missing money seriously and they were just going through the motion. Catalin the night duty manager indicated that there was nothing the hotel could do for me as far as the missing money was concerned but he could offer us any complimentary beverages on the house. This was around 8:30pm on Sunday and we had a flight the next day, Monday, March 6th . I felt like this was an insult. I reiterated that I did not want anything complimentary from the hotel, all I wanted was reassurance that the hotel would address the theft of missing money from our room to ensure that this did not happen to any other guest at the hotel. I highly doubt Catalin heard what my concern was. Deducing from our conversation and his actions afterwards, I was certain that nothing was going to be done about the missing money or my complaint. I am sure if I was from another ethnic group, perhaps white or of European descent, I would have been handled differently, my integrity would not have been questioned and my patronage at this hotel would have been valued.”
“Amazing hotel
Staff a class above, always smiling always helpful from the doorman, reception staff, guest experience staff ( always available and approachable ), and all the other members of staff
The rooms spacious and clean
Nice restaurants roof top view amazing
Spa facilities so relaxing
Get stay all round
Thank you all”
