Technosailor - Latest Comments in Review: The Hampton Inn

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Aaron Brazell — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 03:19:40 -0000

Additionally, my complaint was never about the rate for room or holding incidental charges. I know that. I stay in hotels regularly in my travels. My complaint was always and only about the inability to resolve the miscommunication that nnever should have happened about charging the entire stay to my card instead of the company card.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Carol — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 03:11:55 -0000

WTF? What credit card comes with a "manual"? Jeez.

That's the longest and least-apologetic rationalization I've ever read.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Cherie — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 02:33:26 -0000

Hello, I worked for the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Austin for 2 1/2 years. I left in April and was the Reservations Manager.

First, I can tell you that like every hotel, we do not just charge a credit card because the reservation was guaranteed to that card. It's something we do to look out for the guests in the event of credit card fraud. The only way we have the authority to charge that card is when the cardholder either presents it physically or sends us a credit card authorization form in advance along with a photocopy of the front and back of the card along with a photo id.

Second, I recall Ramzi, who was the front desk agent assisting you, clocked out because he was supposed to leave for the day. Then he sat down at an empty desk to call Paypal to see what we needed to do on our end. He sat on the phone for atleast an hour on two separate occasions because first they were telling him they could not take the charges off the card, then they wanted him to jump through hoops so they could reverse the charges. In the 5 years I've been in this business I've never dealt with a company that gave us that much trouble reversing authorization.

Third, I'd like to remind each of you for future reference to read the manual that comes with your debit card. It specifically explains that rental car companies and hotels will authorize more than the actual charges to cover any incidental charges that may be incurred, and that it may take 7 - 10 business days after departure (or vehicle return) for the unused funds to be returned to the account.

Lastly, I hope you were able to enjoy the SXSW experience. I understand that if you felt that the Hampton employees had wronged you, your trip to Austin was probably overshadowed by it. I'd like to think that you'd give the Hampton Inn one more chance. If not be prepared to have the same experience with debit cards and not being able to charge the card on the reservation at any hotel in Austin.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Laurie — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:59:48 -0000

Hello, I work at a Hampton Inn & Suites in Tarpon Springs, FL. We bend over backwards for guests for anything and everything CRM "customer really matters" is our motto. I too am saddened by your experience and promise you that if you are ever in the Tarpon Springs area look us up. You WILL NOT get bad service here. Please reconsider your decision never to stay at a Hampton. One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch. Have a nice day.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Mandi — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:52:45 -0000

I work at a Hampton Inn in TN and have had many guests upset over the policies of using a credit/debit card. I know that there is alot of red tape to go through as far as getting charges reversed. The GSA that checked you in should have inquired about charges to your card.. or the card on file. You should have NEVER received the attitude you say you were given- under ANY circumstance as a guest with an issue!! It is customary to add 20% to the authorization to cover incidentals, which is put right back on your card when you check out (nothing is actually CHARGED to your card until checkout)
As a representative of a Hampton Inn, I am saddened by your experience of poor guest service. As a collective whole, Hamptons are generally geared toward guest satisfaction- even going as far as offering 100% Satisfaction Guarantee if you aren't satisfied with your stay.
I hope that you will reconsider your decision to never stay at a Hampton Inn again. And if you are ever in Greeneville TN, please look us up. :)
Also.. I dont know if you know about this, but you can call Guest Assistence and they can issue you a gift certificate for a free stay at one of Hilton's properties.
Have a great week!

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Jeremy Wright — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 20:29:29 -0000

To reiterate what Aaron said, the overcharge was mildly understandable. It happens. We should have been informed of what the charges were.

It really was the post-issue handling that upset us. Again and again.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Aaron Brazell — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:46:05 -0000

This is obviously a Hampton Austin issue and not a company wide issue. Incidentally, I've been to some pretty poor Hiltons too.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

David Nick — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:42:10 -0000

"Hampton Inn, A proud member of the Hilton Family; Be hospitable"

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

David Nick — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:40:56 -0000

That's interesting because I thought Hampton was part of Marriot LOL

Thanks Aaron for clarifying that. And since you've said that, I find that hard to believe because Embassy suites gave me such great service that I never thought Hampton, being a Hilton company, would fail so miserably.

Interesting.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Aaron Brazell — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:31:10 -0000

To be fair to the Hampton, the Hampton is owned by the Hilton.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

David Nick — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:28:25 -0000

As someone who frequents hotels in my travels, I would add to what Aaron said by sayings : AMEN!

I have been to only one hotel that ever treated me as the MOST IMPORTANT person on the planet, and that was an Embassy Suites Hotel. A Hilton hotel, and quite frankly, I don't like the Hiltons, but, I would stay there first before going back to a Hampton. You pay the same, but get world class service.

That's the value of good service.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Aaron Brazell — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:23:46 -0000

Roger-

First off, thanks for stopping by. Second of all, do you know how your team was reacting? Do you know how they were handling things when you weren't there. I very much appreciate your assistance, despite the fact that I had to find out on Monday that you didn't follow through. You were 99% helpful in this situation. Your staff, on the other hand, rolled their eyes and stonewalled on me the entire time and only reluctantly did anything to help me.

You wouldn't know this because you weren't there, and they of course will deny it choosing instead to cover their collective asses.

Why do you think I'll never come back? Do you think it's because of the money? No, money stuff happenes. It was the eye rolling, the lack of follow through, the fact that I had to sit all day on the phone with Paypal and keep going back to the front desk to get things done right.

I won't come back because I wasn't treated like a guest - which, when we pay $925, I should be entitled to without asking.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Roger Millar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 14:47:31 -0000

Mr Brazell,
I was sorry to read your comments but as the representative of the Hotel I apologise. When you make a reservation with the Hotel you give us a card to Gtd the room. SXSW had indicated on your reservation that "individual pay own account" On arrival we are obilgated to swipe the card for authorization which also calculates the cost of your stay and charges that amount. If you present a debit card then as you are probably aware the charges are automatically deducted from the card. My staff had done what is normal practice to get the charge reversed but possibly Paypal has a different policy and need a different type of authorization. I can assure you my team were trying to help you and I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Roger Millar, GM

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

David Nick — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 04:32:45 -0000

Carol: Yeah, I'm with Aaron, I love PayPal. I not only have the debit account, but a nice line of credit. They've always been good to me. Hard to pass that up considering most of the shark credit companies out there.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Mike Hoch — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 04:56:11 -0000

Looks like someone forgot to pack his Vagasil.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Aaron Brazell — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 04:13:47 -0000

@Carol: Paypal may suck, but it's uberconvenient.

@vantan: I know. Sorry we never figured stuff out to podcast. :(

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

vantan — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 04:09:06 -0000

Sorry to hear about that. It was nice to finally meet you at SXSW, in any case.

Re: Review: The Hampton Inn

Carol — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 23:25:53 -0000

Don't you just love it when companies play fast and loose with YOUR credit cards?? One of my suppliers charged over $1500 worth of stuff to my business Visa, claiming that I never paid the bill. Um, I'm a COD customer. I paid when it was DELIVERED. JEEEZ. So I called them in a panic and had the charges reversed. They were supposed to "research" everything, and sent me a bill with all sorts of miscellaneous "fees" and "late charges" on it...I called and complained about that, and haven't heard from them since. Especially amusing, considering the last thing I said to them was "You know, the unauthorized use of a credit card is a felony in Maryland, I think."

Idiots. IDIOTS!!!

Oh, and Paypal sucks. Just thought I'd throw that in.