Last weekend we spent two nights, two rooms at the MOTEL FROM HELL. We reserved these rooms around 8 months ago, in the vicinity of my daughter's college for her Graduation. Their prices, like all the other places we called, were doubled and tripled for this weekend.
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Did you ask the hotel for your money back?
While the Better Business Bureau won't give your money back, telling the hotel you are going to report them might give you a little leverage.
How about the health department? Sounds like your room was actually unsanitary!
Good luck!
There are a couple of things you can try, but state laws are very strict about stopping payment for hotel/motel rooms. You can send a registered letter of complaint to the motels' headquarters it is a chain and call your credit card company to start a charge back Dont do the charge back without the documenting letter. Unfortunately, since you did stay the second time regardless of your reasons, leaves you little grounds to get your money back, but good luck with the above.
c.j.cox
Use the web! There are sites like http://www.tripadvisor.com that you can put your ratings, or lack thereof, on with your comments. You may find you are not the first to comment on this hotel. I use it EVERY time I am about to book a room or have a timeshare exchange, to check on the ratings and opinions. I have paid $25 a night more based on these ratings and bypassed places that have bad ratings. Just make sure you read ALL of the ratings, sometimes a person just has bad luck and perhaps didn't mention any problems with a stay so it would be made "right" and others will just be thrilled with the same place. Also help others out with your good ratings for the better places you have stayed. Good luck.
I had the same problem, and challenged the charge on my credit card. They investigated and said that since I did not vacate the room immediately they would not refund any money.
You should also call/write the college that your daughter graduated from to alert them not to recommend that motel to any out of town guests. We stayed at a motel that MSU recommended while our son attended orientation-was not quite that bad, but wasn't the cleanest (the sheets had not been changed, carpet grungy...). I doubt that the college wants to put their name on the line, considering you are paying them a bundle to have your child attend. (The college asked for any feedback). We have been in some pretty bad motels, but just walked right back out. I would have rather stayed in my car! I know trhis wasn't an option for you.....good luck!
If I were you, I would write to that state's Division of Consumer Affairs or similar agency. They should investigate and possibly sanction the motel ...
MANY YEARS AGO MY THREE SONS AND I STAYED AT A GREAT WESTERN MOTEL AND WITHIN AN HOUR OF GOING TO BED TWO OF MY SONS WOKE ME WITH LARGE WELTS ON THEIR ARMS AND LEGS.THE PLACE WAS LOADED WITH FLEAS !! I IMMEDIATLY CALLED DOWN TO REGISTER MY COMPLAINT AND TO REQUEST ANOTHER ROOM. THEY DIDNT BELIEVE ME AND SAID THE ONLY ROOMS THEY HAD LEFT WERE ALREADY BOOKED FOR OTHER CUSTOMERS WHO WERE STILL TO ARRIVE .
Better Business Bureau will be a mediater between you and the hotel. I would ask for a refund or tell them you are calling the BBB, health and sanitation, and the local newspaper to do an article, and I bet they will refund your money. Whether they do or not, I would still report this to everyone mentioned and next time, let your daughter pick a place for you and inspect the rooms first.
My son had a similar experience a few years ago and he called the headquarters of the chain,he received a full refund from them and the franchise was going to be cancelled.
I would go with the Better Business Bureau to warn other customers. Then the Health and Sanitation Department of the city, then the licensing dept of that city and registered letter of complaint to the hotel/motel owner. In my town one of the television stations would gladly feature a place like that and work to get your money back.
Good Luck
I agree that writing a letter to the main office of the motel chain would be your best bet. But sure to copy the letter to the BBB, the college, the health department and your credit card company. Make sure you put the CC: on the letter so the hotel can see that you are serious about the problem. Under the circumstances it was impossible for you to move. There would not have been any more rooms available in town because of the graduation. Be sure you stress this to your credit card company when you dispute the charges. The alternative would have been missing the graduation which was not going to happen. You can also contact an attorney just to write a letter of intent to the motel main headquarters. Sometimes just a letter on Attorney stationary will scare someone into being reasonable.
Sometimes Attorney's will do this for a minimal fee.
I would contact your credit card company (in addition to the BBB and other consumer affairs agencies.) The credit card company values your business and may be willing to intervene on your behalf. My guess is they will have more 'clout' than you do as an individual and should be able to get you some sort of compensation, if not an entire refund.
I am sorry for taking so long to respond to all your kind feedback re my motel experience at my daughter's graduation this past May. I was ill, but am now much better. Right now, just getting back on my feet so I have decided not to pursue.
But I have saved your replies should this ever happen again.
I have heard that using a reptable travel agent puts you in a much better position.
So, my thanks and my apologies.
Anjeena
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