Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This is definitely my worst travel experience! I stayed at this hotel from 2023.12.31 to 2024.1.2. From the day I moved in, there was constant trouble. First of all, the hotel has no front desk staff. After arriving at the hotel, I need to drive to a place 4 kilometers away to check in, which is very troublesome. I couldn't find a single staff member at the hotel and I couldn't get any assistance. Two adults and two children checked into the hotel, but they only provided one quilt and ignored us at all. The fire in the living room fireplace cannot be completely extinguished. Can you imagine what it would be like to sleep with five candles next to you? At 9:30 in the evening, people were still running and jumping upstairs (I live on the first floor). I communicated with their customer service and told me that there was absolutely nothing I could do. For various reasons, I caught a cold two days later and suffered from insomnia for two nights. What shocked me the most was that I had already paid a cleaning fee of 150 ******** dollars when I checked in. Two days after I checked out, the hotel unilaterally charged me another 125 ******** dollars for cleaning fees. It turned out that I did not take out the trash. And not putting the dishes in the dishwasher, a housekeeping staff cleaning the room costs the money of a mobile phone, I think they might as well grab it! This is definitely the most shameless hotel I have ever stayed in.

  Business response

  07/01/2024

  This complaint is for Whistler Vacation Club, a completely different company from us. We are *******************. We manage condos in some of the same buildings as this company. Please contact them and remove this complaint against us. 

  Kind regards,

  *************************

  Business response

  31/01/2024

  Hi BBB,

  First off, I'm not sure who *************************** is. We have no one working here with that name. My name is ****************** and I'm the Front Desk Manager.

  Please see attached some photos of the reason we took $125 from the guest for extra cleaning. In his confirmation letter it states that he needs to take out the trash and put the dishwasher on otherwise there might be additional costs. This waas not done.

  Regarding the flame, it is the pilot light of the fireplace. At the time I did not know what he was talking about and he didn't give more details. So i thought he sorted it out.

  Please let me know if there is anything else.

  Thanks

  ******************

   

  Customer response

  06/02/2024

  Hi, 
  
  Thank you for following up with us. 
  
  
  Regarding the check-in requirement he mentioned, I would like to say that it is not mandatory and I can choose to do it or not. Because, there is no indication on the check-in requirements that they will deduct fees for this. Moreover, they have no way to provide deduction standards. My check-in deposit was clearly stated as a damage deposit(attachment), so they could not deduct it for cleaning fees. This is the first issue I want to address. 
  
  In addition, they did not explain why they only provided one quilt for four people, which is obviously unreasonable. This caused an extremely bad stay experience for me and I caught a cold. I need to file a claim with them for compensation, I hope it's $200 CAD since I have a cold that prevents me from working.I felt so bad for this experience.
  
  Thank you!
  
  ******

  Business response

  09/02/2024

  Hello, 

  We are writing in response to the complaint filed by ****** against The Whistler Vacation Club regarding an additional cleaning fee and a complaint about the lack of adequate bedding during his stay. We take all guest feedback seriously and appreciate the opportunity to address these concerns.

  Regarding the additional cleaning fee, we would like to provide context to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the situation:

  1. Upon arrival, all guests receive a welcome letter, a copy of which we have attached for your reference. This welcome letter includes a disclaimer clearly stating that guests are personally liable for any additional charges, damages, or excessive housekeeping fees incurred during their reservation. Furthermore, the welcome letter contains detailed house rules on page two.

  2. Additionally, each unit contains a printed house manual outlining the house rules, which were not followed in this instance.
  

  3. A printed notice on the dishwasher reiterates the house rules for guests to load the dishwasher with their dirty dishes.

  We have provided screenshots and evidence of these communications to demonstrate our commitment to informing guests of our expectations.

  Regarding the issue with the lack of warmth and the complaint about only having one quilt, we would like to clarify the details for every guests stay:

  1. Attached, you will find images of the exact unit in question. There is a full set of bedding in the main room, including a quilt in the bedroom closet. Additionally, a notice is left on the sofa or coffee table informing guests of the availability of additional bedding, blankets, and pillows inside the sofa bed.
  

  2. The unit is equipped with a fireplace and heater, both of which are operational and the heater is permanently on. Guests have the ability to adjust the temperature as needed for their comfort.

  Regarding the pilot light on the fireplace, this is standard on all gas fireplaces, and we have provided a photo to illustrate the separation between the bedroom and living room areas. Should the guest feel that there may be to much light, they can easily close the door to their bedroom. 

  Finally, regarding noise issues, while we strive to maintain a peaceful environment for all guests, we cannot control the behavior of every guest. However, we enforce quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM, as stated in the house manual and welcome letter, with warnings regarding fines for noise disturbances past 10 PM.

  We regret any dissatisfaction ****** experienced during his stay. Our team takes pride in the quality of the units we manage and expects guests to treat them with respect. Unfortunately, in this instance, it appears that our expectations were not met.

  We hope the evidence provided demonstrates our commitment to addressing guest concerns and maintaining the standards of our property. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further information or clarification.

  Thank you for your attention to this matter.

  Best regards,
  The Whistler Team

  Customer response

  15/02/2024

  Hi,
  
  I just saw the response of Whistler Vacation Club, I want to say, first of all, I didn't see any instructions about the penalty requirement, if they say there is one, please provide the information since my check-in. Secondly, I reiterate that my deposit will be used for damages to the room and they have no right to deduct it as an additional cleaning fee. I hope BBB will carefully review my complaint information and not just pass on information. Third, they must provide a deduction standard for deducting the cleaning fee of 125 ******** dollars, otherwise they have no right to deduct fees at will. Regarding the hotel's mention of providing a supplies list upon check-in, unfortunately, I did not see it. But what can be proven is that when I sent a message asking where the quilt was, they did not respond. So, it's a quibble because they have no evidence. I hope the BBB will investigate this matter seriously. And pay careful attention to the damage to the interests of customers. Only in this way can we build a better business environment.
  
  Thank you
  
  ******

  Business response

  16/02/2024

  Hello, 

  We would like to acknowledge the receipt of ************************* complaint and inform you that we have provided a comprehensive response addressing the concerns raised. We previously attached all relevant information, including proof of the incident at hand with images, a copies of the welcome letter, disclaimers, cleaning policy ***********.
  

  Our aim in providing this information is to ensure a thorough understanding of the situation and to demonstrate our commitment to transparency and guest satisfaction. We hope that by reviewing the evidence provided, the BBB will recognize the state in which the unit was left and acknowledge the standard house rules that we communicate to all our guests.

  We emphasize our expectation that guests respect the home during their stay, as outlined in our communications and policies. We regret any inconvenience that ********************* may have experienced during his stay, and we remain committed to addressing and resolving any concerns promptly and effectively.

  We kindly request that the BBB carefully review the evidence provided and conduct a thorough investigation into this matter. Your attention to this issue is greatly appreciated.

  Thank you for your time and consideration.

  Best regards,
  The Whistler Vacation Club Team

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩