Submitted:
Monday, September 15, 2008
Last posting: Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Frisco,
Texas
Getting my HD Video camera and iPod stolen out of the Waverly Renaissance Hotel in Atlanta was just one of the things that made my stay an absolute nightmare. I must say I was pleasantly surprised at the size of my room when I first saw my room but it went completely downhill from there. After dropping off my bags in my room, I went down stairs to get a cup of coffee. That took over 25 minutes because they brilliantly had two people managing a coffee stand for a conference. No big deal I thought, just a little understaffed. The next day the line was three times as long so I decided to get a water in the gift shop until I saw a line of about 15 people for that one. I look around and there's nothing else in site. And no, I would not be writing this letter just because I couldn't get my morning coffee.
You see - I set my brand new video camera on the chair in the room on the first night and found it missing two mornings later. So here is the deal, they don't have a mini bar and they don't have turn down service. It had to either be the maid or the person who checks on the maid. So I called down to make a claim and they send someone up they say is security, but clearly it's DAMAGE CONTROL. They run me through the mill - but this is clearly something that happens often. No doubt in my mind this is a regular ritual. They tell me we'll take your report and send it in to claims and it shouldn't be a problem. Well
I just received my report back from the Marriott Claims Services group Claims Unit Manager denying any wrong doing on Marriott's part and no interest in reimbursing me through even the comping of rooms. Nothing.... It's my fault for trusting this hotel chain. It's too bad that customer service in the Marriott chain seems to be just lip service because it clearly is a problem for me and no problem for them. They hide behind the Innkeepers Statute of the State of Florida (this was Georgia of course) instead of taking responsibility. Let me say I am a steady businesses traveler that racks up frequent flyer miles to the point of taking Free First Class trips, and I have never had something taken out of my room. At the Waverly Renaissance Hotel in Atlanta, it was clear to me this must happen all the time. The Atlanta Police showed up so I could go through the motions of filing a report. Everyone there must have been chuckling under their breath knowing I was just going through the motions to get a letter where they take no responsibility for my stuff getting ripped off in their hotel.
Little did the Marriott people know that I am a full time Internet marketer and a pretty good one. I will be posting things like this every day until I get paid back and hopefully others won't fall into the false sense of security in staying at a Marriott hotel. In fact, my friends in the Search Engine Optimization business have contests to see who can rank for certain search terms. Let me take a stab at how many positions I can fill on Google for any term related to the Waverly Atlanta Renaissance Hotel where I can share this story. I will go for 8 out of 10 over the next year and show this hotel they should be a little more careful in their hiring practices and take care of their good customers.
Bill
Frisco, Texas