I know a lot of people say they are OK with reimbursement only shops when they get a good meal or a hotel stay out of the deal but what about the other side of the coin i.e. when you get a bad meal or a lousy hotel experience. I was thinking about it because we had a lousy stay at a hotel last night (not a shop) Basically there was continuing commotion with loud talking and door slamming from a couple of nearby rooms that started at 2:30 AM and kept going until about 5:30 AM. Two calls to the front desk promised it would be taken care of but it wasn't. Today when checking out I spoke to management but other than an apology received nothing more. Tonight I emailed their corporate offices and we'll see if anything comes of that. At least I stand a chance at receiving a refund and don't have to write a 10 page report thank goodness.

Long before a famous-for-slow-paying MSC finally had their last unpaid shop, they had a pretty big contract with one of the major motel brands. It seemed that every motel within one chain was shopped at least once a quarter, as were the extended stay places. They had the eights, the sixes, lodges for travellers, the micros… all of em. In time, the shops were less frequent. As a family, we had enjoyed a few stays with this MSC, but in time there were fewer and fewer locations on the board. Our final shop was an eight on our way on a trip. It was bad. The manager argued with me when I tried to get an extra pillow, the sheets, while smelling of bleach so technically sanitary, were stained. In the morning I found a pretty big bug. It was then that I checked Tripadvisor and saw the poor reviews. Prior to that shop, I did not want to check first in case of bias. I finished the shop because it was nasty and the reimbursement was the only way I would have gotten my money back. When I got home I checked the remaining shops on the MSC's board, and saw that only the places that had bad Tripadvisor ratings, and likely complaints, were shopped any more.

Knowing that, I will not stop at any of the facilities within the brand portfolio. Not for a shop, not with the family, never. The company might have moved to another MSC and might be checking on all of the facilities now, but I have not come across them. There is no freakin' way I would subject myself or the family to that sort of filth and if the brand is not checking its franchises that risk is pretty likely.

Whoa, flashback here....

Hotel in Iowa. We were on a cross country motorcycle trip. It was the weekend of the homecoming game and the hotel was full of college students. I had taken some kind of medication, can't remember why, but I couldn't ride a motorcycle under its influence.

When the racket hadn't quieted down by 10:30 we called the front desk. They offered to let us leave. I told them I couldn't. They said they'd handle it. Nothing changed. Called again. Again they said they'd handle it. About midnight I called the front desk and asked, "Are you going to call the police or should I?"

They called the police. Finally we slept.

Big sign at the front desk. "Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back." We asked for our money back. Clerk refused, saying we didn't leave the hotel. I demanded to see the manager. We got our money back.

I expect you'll either get a refund or a coupon for a free night from Corporate. On the same trip we had an issue with a filthy, run-down Six. We actually found trash under the beds while looking for a shoe in the morning. We got a refund from the motel in the morning and a free coupon from corporate when we got home. And we moved next door to a sparkling clean Eight that was a whopping $3 more per night.

ces1948 Wrote:
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> I know a lot of people say they are OK with
> reimbursement only shops when they get a good meal
> or a hotel stay out of the deal but what about the
> other side of the coin i.e. when you get a bad
> meal or a lousy hotel experience. I was thinking
> about it because we had a lousy stay at a hotel
> last night (not a shop) Basically there was
> continuing commotion with loud talking and door
> slamming from a couple of nearby rooms that
> started at 2:30 AM and kept going until about 5:30
> AM. Two calls to the front desk promised it would
> be taken care of but it wasn't. Today when
> checking out I spoke to management but other than
> an apology received nothing more. Tonight I
> emailed their corporate offices and we'll see if
> anything comes of that. At least I stand a chance
> at receiving a refund and don't have to write a 10
> page report thank goodness.

I did a fine dining shop ($150 reimbursement was not quite enough to cover the check) where it was so loud that I couldn't wait to get out of there; but we had to order dessert, which I never get when I go out. I figured, at least I get to write it up and maybe it will change. It was a tiny room that had a grand piano, and open mic night. We got to hear everyone rehearse, aometimes several times, and sing.

To answer the OP, it's the nature of the job.

I've had fine dining shops where something was wrong with the food and the meal was comped, but I still submitted the report because that was the professional thing to do. In one case, the restaurant management was so happy with the information they received from the report and how the problem was handled, they sent me a gift certificate for a free meal (via the MSC) and I was able to have an enjoyable meal with no report at a later time.

I've also had hotels send up bottles of wine, certificates for a free night, robes for us to keep and other amenities when there was a problem, so you don't always loose out when shopping a bad experience.

I have done a Audit of a food court where i did not follow the guidelines and ended up catching the staff stealing from the management. They would bill for Mineral water and provide food in lieu. the billed mineral water would be resold or taken home.
MSC accepted my report and gave me a big thank you for having done a good job, even though i had not ordered items as per guidelines.