May 22 2007
Another Hotel Incident
Can’t believe this is happening to me again!
I had a busy weekend traveling and working in China from city to city. This morning, I flew from Shanghai to Guangzhou with a male colleague from Beijing. Arrived at the hotel, found out they were over booked, and they let us shared a room. Well, not really that to be exact. They let us share a two-room suite. Believe that or not?
They were not honest at first (sound so similar to the previous Pakistan case). They took our credit card, swiped, made us signed the registration… and then we noticed the price quoted there was different from the confirmation email. Upon checking, only we found out they put us in a two-room suite.
In our culture, it is just not right to put a male and a female in a suite like that! Not that we don’t trust each other, but it is against our culture, and it will certainly create family crisis (his and mine)! I’m sure my husband would mind, and I’m sure his wife would mind!
Since it was day time and our office was open, we changed to another hotel straight away. But was very disappointed with the first hotel - Ocean Hotel.
I am a bit numb about this kind of incidence already. Too many similar case has happened to me. What’s wrong with the hotel industry? They tend to over book and take us for granted. This one some more claimed themselves 5 star! Wonder who decides the ’star’ of the hotels????
When my colleague argued with the manager at the lobby, I was just too numb about it and kept quiet watching. Only to chip in towards the end. My colleague was so furious that he called up a number to complain (something like consumerism), but surprised to find out hotel is an area without any ‘autorities’ to look after. So, consumers are on our own, when it comes to hotel stays. What a findings!
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Sorry to hear about your hotel incident again. Guessed I’ve been lucky so far with regards to hotel, no such incident as yet, touch wood! By the way, I tagged you leh…a simple one, I think.
This is terrible indeed! Best you can do is to tell as many people as possible so that they are aware of such dishonest people.
So teruk … this is not a very professional way of dealing with customers…so lousy service
You are so ‘lucky’ huh …
anyway, luckily you all manage to move to another hotel!!
Guess they get blacklisted also… and most probably these front desk officers in that Chinese hotel wont even feel the pinch.
a-moms-diary: thanks for the tag. Will go through that later ya…
EMYYL: That’s why I am blogging about it.
And repeated the same story over there at my travel blog. Hahaha!
dragonmummy: Sigh, they are not professional, definitely. But then, no one cares!
Chooi Peng: Ya loh, why so ‘lucky’ leh? But you are right, another hotel is much better, and actually cheaper! Can’t believe it.
Sue: Actually, I think you are absolutely right about it. They wouldn’t care. The Guangzhou hotels are all overly booked, and their business keep coming back. With or without our business also… never mind to them. But if we don’t blacklist, we are not happy. Hahaha!
That’s really too sad..!! that it’s happening again.. to you ..!!! it has nothing to do with our culture.. it’s just wrong.. to even put 2 persons.. who have booked for separate rooms together.. without even consulting them..! this is way too much..!! what the hell is the hotel industry becoming to…?? disappointed..!! but i guess .. if they are branded hotels.. you can be more assured.. that they are more afraid.. if you complained.. but if you are staying with a non-branded hotel.. then “mo wong koon” ..!
MamaBok: You are right, non-branded ones are even set loose to do this kind of things to their customers. And the thing is, Guangzhou city is full with this kind of hotels. I’ve heard that the international branded hotels are building theirs now, perhaps will be operational in 2008. But then, as they come in late, they are not so much in the city centre. I just hope it will change the hotel industry a bit…
[...] office and worked till late night. Monday morning, flew to Guangzhou, spent some time arguing over their mistake, changed hotel, rushed to the agency’s office and worked till late night - same on Tuesday. [...]