Janice Lintz knew she had made a mistake as soon as she pulled up to her hotel in Drake Bay, Costa Rica.
The structure was in disrepair and did not resemble the web listing for the property. In contrast to what the advertising claimed, the travel to the closest town took a while. In case she decided to check out, her cab driver insisted on waiting while she did so.
Lintz realised her error once she was in her room.
Her quarters were just as dilapidated as the exterior. Her room did not have a private bathroom, as indicated in the online property description. She was the lone traveller staying at the hotel.
Sometimes, perhaps more so than ever, hotels aren’t what you expect. The accommodation sector suffered greatly as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. In order to save money, several hotels forwent critical improvements, and some of them became dilapidated. So, according to specialists, issues like Lintz’s are occurring more frequently.
Steve Turk, a consultant at Turk Hospitality, said, “It’s not unusual for guests to check into a resort and discover that it falls short of their expectations. “Both the guest and the hotel may find it to be a depressing experience. Yet it can be lessened with a little planning and knowledge.”
After booking the room on Hotels.com, Lintz immediately checked out and made a phone call.
It turned out that she hadn’t made the error. She had made her reservation based on false information found on the website. As she got back in the cab, she discovered a new hotel. The platform gave her a money-back refund and apologised.
If your room isn’t what you expected, what should you do?
Inform a hotel representative right away if you check into a hotel that doesn’t fit the description. Negotiating a refund gets more difficult the longer you remain at the hotel.
Kevin Gilbert, general manager of Scottsdale, Arizona’s Senna House, a boutique hotel, explained that not all reservations are refundable. “I advise giving your hotel a chance to put things right before requesting a refund if you’re not satisfied with it.”
The hotel may make an effort to relocate you or improve your lodgings. If you let the manager know that you want to leave, there are many other things they may do to make you happy. This could be a free lunch at the hotel restaurant or a discount on a room.
The difficulty of resolving the issue increases if you leave the hotel abruptly. If you don’t tell anyone why you’re checking out early, the hotel will undoubtedly charge your credit card for the full stay. You might be granted a refund if you argue persuasively for one.
Andy Abramson experienced it after staying at a chain hotel in Irvine, California that didn’t live up to his expectations. The motel was close to Orange County Airport, according to the property description. Nevertheless, the description was inaccurate; the distance to the airport was in fact 20 minutes.
Abramson, a communications consultant from Las Vegas, recalled, “The photographs of the property were exchanged with another location of the same chain. The hotel swiftly refunded his lodging payment once he brought attention to the issue. He relocated to the proper hotel.
When will a hotel issue a refund to guests?
You require an airtight case in order to receive a refund following hotel check-in.
Here is a weak case illustration. I booked a room at a bed and breakfast on the Eastern Shore of Maryland years ago. It appeared to be a true treasure in the internet pictures, with the exterior of a carefully maintained 19th-century mansion that was nicely furnished with antiques. But when I got there, I discovered that it was close to a major highway and that the outside of it was in bad shape. The wonders of Photoshop, ah. How do you haggle for a return?
Examine what the hotel can do to resolve the issue before requesting a complete refund. If there is a significant issue, a quality hotel will make every effort to keep you as a guest.
If you decide to check out of your hotel, here is how to request a refund:
Describe your dissatisfaction in detail. Don’t just state, “This is not what I expected,” but provide examples. A five-star hotel should, for instance, have a concierge on duty and offer room service around-the-clock. Mention it if your five-star resort doesn’t.
Provide proof of misrepresentation. Hotels that claim to be close to airports but are actually an hour distant are the check-in/check-out scenarios that are most likely to result in a refund. or using a shared restroom when you are supposed to use a private restroom. It can be useful to have proof of this deception.
Describe your choices. I objected when the innkeeper in Maryland stated he would charge me for three nights, so he only charged me for one. I threatened to challenge the charges made to my credit card if he did that. If a hotel insists on billing you the full sum of your stay, a chargeback may be an option. Use this tactic, however, only if the hotel refuses to bargain.
