Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I booked two rooms at GreenTree Inn at **** *** ******** *** *** **** ** ***** from 6/1-6/2. The purpose of the trip was for cousins to spend time at a hotel with a functioning pool. Shortly before the trip, GreenTree Inn confirmed their pool was open and heated. After check-in, the kids changed into their swimsuits along with sunblock. We then learned the pool was closed. Hotel staff did not disclose the pool closure during check-in. I spoke with someone at the front desk and Booking.com. GreenTree Inn was going to cancel the rooms for a $30 fee each, and while we felt this was unethical, as their facility was lacking and the front desk person failed to communicate with us about the pool, we were going do this cancellation because a pool was very important to us. As we were about to cancel, and after we packed, the front desk person told us they were going to open the pool. After unpacking and repacking, we unpacked again. Our daughter was able to swim for a little bit after we lost several hours to the failed communication and indecision on the part of the hotel. The next morning, we were going to swim again. But the pool was closed. My husband tried to speak with the manager, but the manager hid from him. I have tried to address the hotel regarding their poor communication, disrespect, and avoidance of customer service to them directly, through Booking.com, and through the franchise itself. They insulted us by saying they wouldn't offer a refund due to “one” amenity closed. It is not up to hotel staff to decide how important an amenity is to a guest. They advertised an amenity, failed to provide it, communicated poorly, wasted our time, changed their minds, and insulted us. The manager later informed us that when they opened the pool once on Saturday, they operated it unsafely with improper chemicals. We did not know the hotel was operating the pool illegally and unsafely at the time. Because of this and everything above, only a complete refund is acceptable.

  Business response

  07/29/2024

  There are a lot of untruths in this guest story. And I have listed those below.

  1. All of my staff knew that the pool would not be open until June 3rd after our inspection. So this guest was not informed by any member of my staff a week prior that the pool would be open. Also we extended our pool closure date to reflect this information

  2.I did open the pool the day they checked in even without our inspection.

  3. I informed this guest on Sunday 6/6 that chemicals were added to the pool and would not be opened until noon ( the PH balance was off) This is a standard process when chemicals are added to a chlorine pool.

  4.I did not hide from this guest or her spouse. I was at the hotel until 4pm the day they checked out.

  5. The request for a full refund is completely ludacris and we feel as if this guest is trying to bully us for a free stay.

   

  Thank you in advance for your attention in this matter.

  Respectfully,

  ***** ******

  General Manager

  Customer response

  08/08/2024

  Thank you for your prompt response. I saw the business's response to my complaint, and I am disappointed to find that the hotel manager is accusing me of lying and being a bully rather than addressing my concerns. This is further evidence of the poor customer service we received from this hotel. I have been waiting to review this business on travel websites until hopefully reaching a resolution with this hotel. My complaint isn't based on money. I've never been treated so poorly by a member of the service industry before. I attached a screenshot of my communication regarding the pool prior to the stay. I will concede that it does not explicitly state that the pool would be open, but I did inquire about the pool, and the response confirmed that it was heated. I inferred from this that the pool was operational as it would make sense for a business to say, "Yes, our pool is heated, but it won't be open until June 3," or something similar. Regarding the manager "hiding" on the day of departure, my husband asked the front desk person to speak to the manager and was told he wasn't available. My husband responded, "Or he's hiding." The person at the desk laughed and responded that could be. There's no point in arguing this minutiae and calling me, the customer, a liar and a bully because there's no way to prove or disprove this occurrence; moreover, it doesn't matter. The point is that we had a bad experience, communication was poor, and the hotel manager only seeks to escalate the situation to insult us. I thought this hotel would be family-friendly. Every concern I've raised is met with an attack. Does the hotel want to propose a resolution or accuse me of being "ludacris" and "bully[ing]?" My hope is that it's the former. Thank you.

  
  

  Sincerely,

  ***** ******

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