PITA or Rip-Off?

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Pollyanna

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A have a very pregnant young lady who had booked for only one night for a wedding and I gave them a free early check-in to get ready for the wedding. This AM JUST before breakfast, she takes me aside and describes a night in hell in one of our nicest rooms and says they are leaving without breakfast. The only thing legit she said was that they ran out of toilet paper. Gee, I thought one giant extra large Northern roll and a half a roll on the dispenser was enough for midnight - 8 am occupancy. They used the kleenex instead so no biggie. Then she says it was FREEZING in there. I just went in to check and it's 67 degrees. People usually like it a bit cooler at night. Plus, she described a sort of "alarm" a sustained tone that kept going off and on all night. That room was occupied the night before and there was no problem. She said it was the worst night she ever spent anywhere. The fire alarm batteries are fresh and they don't sound like that, they do the little chirping thing, not a tone. I just tore apart every inch of her room and there is nothing left behind by anyone that would make such a noise. The alarm in there was off and wakes with flashing lights then music not a tone. Her description of how horribly awful her stay here was over the top and she even got teary eyed. I've never ever in 6 years of having guests heard anything like this. They usually get up and rave about the mattress. And right before I have to cheerfully serve everyone at the table!
I talked her into staying for the wonderful breakfast and offered her a complete refund. Now I feel like I'm being taken. She's having a jolly time in there with the other guests. What would you do? We have 62 perfect 5 star reviews on TA and one obviously nutcake 2 star. I guess if she leaves a poor review (she mentioned TA) I'll just reply. She didn't demand a refund, just wanted me to know how hellish my place is. What do you think happened here? She claimed her husband was freezing too. He hung in the background and helped himself to coffee and said nothing. Full refund and then forget about it and go on?
Geez, this kind of stuff makes me want to move on to another line of work....
 
This happened to us once and it was a blatant case of someone trying to leave early without having to pay...horrible mattress, had to sleep on the floor, etc. and in 5 years not ever a single complaint about that room.
Did she try to contact you to tell you there were problems? If so, and you were unable to fix them then I would recommend a refund. As it is, the spent they night so you shouldn't have to refund them.
If they truly had such a terrible time I'm not sure why they would have wanted to stay for breakfast, so maybe they are trying to "take" you. It stinks either way, I'm sorry you've had to deal with this today.
 
I was kind of feeling for her until you said she mentioned TA! What a red flag!!!! I think she's trying to get out without paying, but since you offered the room free, you've got to stick with that.
By the way, do you have an extra blanket in the rooms? It's always a good idea, then if they're cold, they can't complain.
I'm so sorry you're experiencing this. We go cruising along and then all of a sudden get slapped up the side of the head by one of these people. It makes us lose faith in people and it hits us to the core. It will take awhile to get over, but know you did the best you could and
pita.gif
 
If she mentioned TA it is the tip=off for a rip=off. You already said you refund so you are stuck with it now. Personally, I would have said sorry you are planning to miss a great breakfast. She used the passive-agressive arm twist on you - convince me to eat your breakfast after I have just gotten a free night from you. Now i am wondering if she is preggers or a "pillow" since preggers gets sympathy....
 
How awful, personally I would not have given her a refund; but that's just me. Clearly they took advantage of her pregnant stage.
 
I would say one word HORMONES
But since you have already offered the refund I would just move on and eat the loss.
 
If she mentioned TA it is the tip=off for a rip=off. You already said you refund so you are stuck with it now. Personally, I would have said sorry you are planning to miss a great breakfast. She used the passive-agressive arm twist on you - convince me to eat your breakfast after I have just gotten a free night from you. Now i am wondering if she is preggers or a "pillow" since preggers gets sympathy.....
No, she seemed truly quite pregnant. The room next to her said that they are light sleepers and did not hear anything all night except for his constant snoring so I guess her husband slept all night. I'm beginning to think she may be experiencing tinnitus. The guests next door went to the same wedding and said the music was super loud and even people with normal hearing can experience tinnitus after that.
Yes we do have extra blankets and towels in every closet but will now add toilet paper to the mix! And no, she did not contact me about any problems, except when she first came in, she came into the kitchen claiming they had only one towel in the room. She simply did not bother to look in the cupboard in the bathroom where there were 4 more. Then, at breakfast, she monoploized the whole conversation to where my husband could barely break in to offer more coffee. (He was a dear and took over for me because I was so upset.) I'm thinking, maybe just a high maintenance drama major?
 
You offered the refund. That's it. If she writes her bad review, live and learn. If she writes a good review and tells how she got her money back, live and learn.
 
You offered the refund. That's it. If she writes her bad review, live and learn. If she writes a good review and tells how she got her money back, live and learn..
There's an awful lot of living and learning going on in this business!
Well, I'm working with my cleaning gal right now and I'm feeling much better. Thinking of going off-diet for a chocolate emergency today. Chocolate generally helps the learning go down easier.
 
You offered the refund. That's it. If she writes her bad review, live and learn. If she writes a good review and tells how she got her money back, live and learn..
There's an awful lot of living and learning going on in this business!
Well, I'm working with my cleaning gal right now and I'm feeling much better. Thinking of going off-diet for a chocolate emergency today. Chocolate generally helps the learning go down easier.
.
Have some dark chocolate! It's lower in calories and is actually GOOD for you. Besides, it'll make you feel better
thumbs_up.gif

 
You offered the refund. That's it. If she writes her bad review, live and learn. If she writes a good review and tells how she got her money back, live and learn..
There's an awful lot of living and learning going on in this business!
Well, I'm working with my cleaning gal right now and I'm feeling much better. Thinking of going off-diet for a chocolate emergency today. Chocolate generally helps the learning go down easier.
.
Pollyanna said:
There's an awful lot of living and learning going on in this business!
Well, I'm working with my cleaning gal right now and I'm feeling much better. Thinking of going off-diet for a chocolate emergency today. Chocolate generally helps the learning go down easier.
I hate days where I have to live and learn!
wink_smile.gif
However, it always beats the alternative.
A little chocolate goes a long way to making everything better.
 
Pollyanna we're here for you, we feel it! Poor thing. She is preggers and miserable, that is her problem. It is not you, it is her!
 
Sorry this happened to you. No telling what set her off to decide that the stay was not really nice.
I don't know where you're located, but 67F is a bit chilly for us Southerners in Spring, even at night. (Unless it's the middle of Summer, then our guests here just couldn't have it cold enough!) You know how we can forget to mention things on a room tour, so maybe this is a good opportunity to remember to point out where all the extras are? Like the blankets, towels, and TP.
I hope the rest of your guests are wonderful!
 
Pollyanna we're here for you, we feel it! Poor thing. She is preggers and miserable, that is her problem. It is not you, it is her!.
Joey, love the "we're here for you" reminder. I love it that after plating everything and checking around the table for special requests, I could go straight into my office, sign on, and unload! Former and current B & B owners are truly the only ones who understand these things. It's all the extra effort you put in to give guests a great experience that makes incidents like this such a downer. That and the fact that I'm hopelessly codependent!
Okay, back to sheets and dishes and such.....
 
You offered the refund. That's it. If she writes her bad review, live and learn. If she writes a good review and tells how she got her money back, live and learn..
There's an awful lot of living and learning going on in this business!
Well, I'm working with my cleaning gal right now and I'm feeling much better. Thinking of going off-diet for a chocolate emergency today. Chocolate generally helps the learning go down easier.
.
Pollyanna said:
There's an awful lot of living and learning going on in this business!
Well, I'm working with my cleaning gal right now and I'm feeling much better. Thinking of going off-diet for a chocolate emergency today. Chocolate generally helps the learning go down easier.
I hate days where I have to live and learn!
wink_smile.gif
However, it always beats the alternative.
A little chocolate goes a long way to making everything better.
.
Everything is better with chocolate.
 
My antennas say ripoff, but let's face it, is it worth your reputation? Mark then as DNB and move on. But I wouldn't have stopped them from leaving, I would have encouraged it. Not knowing what they may say to your other guests and sour their wonderful stays. Sometimes it's better to take a financial hit that to ruin the weekend of others.
If she does write something on T/A, the management response should quickly mention her attempt at using T/A as extortion (and name them in your management response.) It's the quickest way to get their attention to the matter... because that was extortion.
 
My antennas say ripoff, but let's face it, is it worth your reputation? Mark then as DNB and move on. But I wouldn't have stopped them from leaving, I would have encouraged it. Not knowing what they may say to your other guests and sour their wonderful stays. Sometimes it's better to take a financial hit that to ruin the weekend of others.
If she does write something on T/A, the management response should quickly mention her attempt at using T/A as extortion (and name them in your management response.) It's the quickest way to get their attention to the matter... because that was extortion..
Good morning,
" (and name them in your management response.) " I'm pretty certain that TA does NOT allow you to name the folks in your reply. I think that they state it under their regulations for manager's responses.
Another interesting TA twist-that the person writing the review can name anyone they like, but that in your reply you cannot...
 
My antennas say ripoff, but let's face it, is it worth your reputation? Mark then as DNB and move on. But I wouldn't have stopped them from leaving, I would have encouraged it. Not knowing what they may say to your other guests and sour their wonderful stays. Sometimes it's better to take a financial hit that to ruin the weekend of others.
If she does write something on T/A, the management response should quickly mention her attempt at using T/A as extortion (and name them in your management response.) It's the quickest way to get their attention to the matter... because that was extortion..
Good morning,
" (and name them in your management response.) " I'm pretty certain that TA does NOT allow you to name the folks in your reply. I think that they state it under their regulations for manager's responses.
Another interesting TA twist-that the person writing the review can name anyone they like, but that in your reply you cannot...
.
Not the customer, TA themselves as part of the attempt to extort you. There are already a number of cases where this has been done and this gets their attention. (Since often they just skim the reviews and management responses.)
 
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