Cruiser Elite
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2010
- Posts
- 13,897
Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Paris Opera, Paris, France
Booked: King Executive Room
Received: Twin Executive Room – WTF – strap yourself in – this might give you a giggle -please let me tell the full story.
Cruiserette and I had long planned France Wine Regions tour – planned on 2 nights in Paris first – sought advice here – decided we would try newly renovated Hilton Paris Opera. Renos were a bit delayed so I emailed hotel GM prior to dep from Oz seeking assurances that we would indeed receive new room and reno work if still being undertaken would not spoil our trip. Response email from GM was positive to both aspects.
YES we arrived into Paris on SQ226 at 7:30 am – YES we were at hotel by 09:30am – but we fully expected to be told too early to check in we will store bags and we would wander off for coffee etc – no biggie. Pleasantly surprised to hear from check in desk ‘YES your room is ready you can check in now’ – girls proceed with paperwork then the fun starts:
Shock 1 – Mr Elite – you have booked for 3 nights – it is hotel policy we process your CC for total amount of stay at check in – wow – never heard that one before – not the end of the earth but still not kosher we thought – ok let’s do it.
Shock 2 – Mr Elite – you have booked rate inclusive of dinner on 1[SUP]st[/SUP] night – but you have 2 guests but only receive one dinner – you must pay for second dinner. Excuse me? Check the booking – clearly shows 2 guests at time booking made – why only one dinner? That is the way this promo works – only 1 dinner per room. It does not say that when booking – Diamond Member – spouse stays for free etc – sorry Sir nothing I can do – you will need to pay for second dinner – OK we will take that up with Manager later.
Shock 3 – OK I am Diamond Member – is there no upgrade offered? Let me check Sir – YES we can upgrade you to a better room on 4[SUP]th[/SUP] floor – it is below 5[SUP]th[/SUP] floor where renovation work is being carried out – there will be some noise! Sorry – run that past me again – you will upgrade me from allocated room on 1[SUP]st[/SUP] floor to bigger room on 4[SUP]th[/SUP] floor but below renovation noise? YES – well that does not really sound like an upgrade to me – we’ll stick with 1[SUP]st[/SUP] floor please.
Shock 4 – We take elevator up to 1[SUP]st[/SUP] floor – wander down corridor to room – open door and ….. and twin beds! WTF – not accepting this booked King room. Down to front desk as Cruiserette waits for luggage to arrive. Excuse me ladies – room has twin beds – 2 separate single beds – I booked King bed. YES no problem – just push beds together. NO – I booked King bed – YES you can push beds together. NO – room change please – wait sir let me check – 5 mins later OK Sir I have found another room for you – but it will take 45mins to clean it – you can wait in executive lounge or in current room. Back up to first room and by now all luggage has arrived so Cruiserette sitting there with like 10 bags – explain to her situation and we decide to wait in Executive Lounge. Executive Lounge was as Spartan as Spartan can be – very small – still serving brekky – stodgy scrambled eggs and little else – really poor offering. WE waited there 35 mins then went downstairs to sit in Grand Salon just in case room ready a bit earlier. Cruiserette wanders up to counter and politely asks is room ready yet – NO still 6 mins to go until 45 mins up – just wait please. OMG!
Shock 5 – Finally after an hour staff come to advise your room is ready – then she asks ‘Do you need assistance to shift luggage? OMG – she saw us with like 10 bags – was there really a need to ask? Up to new room – open door – room is smaller – 1[SUP]st[/SUP] room had bath and shower – new room has shower only – I was all set to go and complain again but Cruiserette says just let it go – we have a room. I took keys to 1[SUP]st[/SUP] room back to check in and told staff I was not impressed and would be speaking to Manager later in the day.
Shock 6 – After wandering streets of Paris for a couple of hours we return to room for a lay down and rest – after an hour I said I am going down to front desk to clarify dinner situation. When I arrive at front desk I advise I want to clarify dinner – staff immediately on phone and advise Manager wants to talk to me. Manager arrives and says Mr Elite I understand there was some confusion earlier with your dinner booking. Yes there was – I booked room for 2 people I expected dinner package for 2 people – No sorry Sire your booking is for 1 guest only. Sorry – both our names are on the confirmation how can you say I booked for 1 guest. Your booking was changed to 2 guests yesterday Sir when you checked in. Sorry – I arrived today – are you saying I changed the booking yesterday? Yes Sir. Sorry – please repeat that? I changed the booking yesterday? Just wait here – do not move – I will go back to room and grab the booking confirmation – up to room – back to front desk – thrust confirmation under Manager nose and said see? Both names on confirmation and see date on bottom of confirmation? May 16, 2015 – the day I booked and printed confirmation. But Sir it only lists on guest on our booking – not my problem – see the booking confirmation – 2 guests listed – both names there in black and white. After another 5 mins of in depth discussion Manager now says there must have been a fault in the system Sir – you will get 2 dinners – OMG – all that for them to realize their system failed.
Shock 7 – After finishing that conversation I started to look around lobby / bar area etc with Manager behind me – find this cute little bar called Le Petite Bar – wow this looks good – Manager says YES this is our special bar – you can come and enjoy a drink after 4pm – guy inside the bar sees us and pops his head out – Sir we open at 4pm you can come enjoy a drink then – OK cool. Back to room for a rest – 5pm say come on Cruiserette lets go have a champers in this cute little bar I found – down we go and greeted at door by young lady who informs us Le Petite Bar closed today for private function – WTF – I was here an hour ago with the Manager and one of your staff told me come back later and enjoy a drink.
Shock 8 – The actual dinner – very quaint restaurant in hotel called Café Terminus – in we go at 19:30 and we are only guests in there – that’s always concerning. Get seated and shortly after a group of 8 others arrive. We have 2 dinner vouchers – vouchers clearly indicate valid for 2 courses - 1 entrée / 1 main or 1 main / 1 dessert – everything else we pay – pretty clear huh? Well not to staff – our waiter arrives and gives us menus - I give him the vouchers – I ask him valid for any entrée / main / dessert from menu? Not sure Sir – let me check. Watch him confer with other staff who look and scratch their heads then disappear out door – return 5 mins later and advise no only valid for courses listed in ‘Set Menu’ section and not main body of menu – we are just about sick of this by now so decide just choose something and move on – we both chose a salad for entrée and Cruiserette chose hamburger for main - I chose Veal Rump. Cruiserettes hamburger was totally raw and cold in middle – her fries were rock hard and also cold – veal rump was about as chewy as the soles on my shoes – and to think we actually fought and fought to receive this – but kinda explains why restaurant was empty.
Shock 9 – We went to visit Musee d’Orsay on Friday morning and walked there and back – decided on mid afternoon siesta and were both relaxing on bed at approx 15:00 – all of a sudden this siren starts screeching – deafening – Cruiserettes jumps up and opens bathroom door – siren in top corner of room is screeching and went on and on – she calls down to reception to ask What is this siren going off for? Oh that is our weekly fire drill – but you do not need to evacuate! OMG – well thanks for the heads up on that one – went on for like 10 mins screeching like there is no tomorrow. No advice – no pre warning – nada.
Shock 10 – Returning home to room after dinner on first night there is cleaning cart parked right outside our door – all room doors open out so to exit I cannot open door and walk past opened door because cleaning cart there – it was still there at 8am next morning when we went for brekky and still there after brekky – had enough of this and wander down to front desk to simply ask can you please move the cleaning cart which has been outside our door for like 16hrs – shortly after a staff member arrives and moves it 2mtrs along corridor to outside the door of room next to us and wanders off.
Shock 11 – We run out of toilet paper – I check the cleaning cart outside our room and only item not n board is toilet paper – bummer! I call front desk – guy answers and says – Sorry Sir I will send some up immediately – 1 hour later toilet paper arrives – but lucky wasn’t urgent huh? We wander out of room later and meet another couple heading towards the service cart – they had been waiting for towels for like an hour and half – cleaning cart did have towels on board.
WOW – what an experience – a Hilton Hotel stay we will not forget in a hurry – How did this Hilton treat me as an Elite? You guys can decide that.
Property: Hilton Paris Opera, Paris, France
Booked: King Executive Room
Received: Twin Executive Room – WTF – strap yourself in – this might give you a giggle -please let me tell the full story.
Cruiserette and I had long planned France Wine Regions tour – planned on 2 nights in Paris first – sought advice here – decided we would try newly renovated Hilton Paris Opera. Renos were a bit delayed so I emailed hotel GM prior to dep from Oz seeking assurances that we would indeed receive new room and reno work if still being undertaken would not spoil our trip. Response email from GM was positive to both aspects.
YES we arrived into Paris on SQ226 at 7:30 am – YES we were at hotel by 09:30am – but we fully expected to be told too early to check in we will store bags and we would wander off for coffee etc – no biggie. Pleasantly surprised to hear from check in desk ‘YES your room is ready you can check in now’ – girls proceed with paperwork then the fun starts:
Shock 1 – Mr Elite – you have booked for 3 nights – it is hotel policy we process your CC for total amount of stay at check in – wow – never heard that one before – not the end of the earth but still not kosher we thought – ok let’s do it.
Shock 2 – Mr Elite – you have booked rate inclusive of dinner on 1[SUP]st[/SUP] night – but you have 2 guests but only receive one dinner – you must pay for second dinner. Excuse me? Check the booking – clearly shows 2 guests at time booking made – why only one dinner? That is the way this promo works – only 1 dinner per room. It does not say that when booking – Diamond Member – spouse stays for free etc – sorry Sir nothing I can do – you will need to pay for second dinner – OK we will take that up with Manager later.
Shock 3 – OK I am Diamond Member – is there no upgrade offered? Let me check Sir – YES we can upgrade you to a better room on 4[SUP]th[/SUP] floor – it is below 5[SUP]th[/SUP] floor where renovation work is being carried out – there will be some noise! Sorry – run that past me again – you will upgrade me from allocated room on 1[SUP]st[/SUP] floor to bigger room on 4[SUP]th[/SUP] floor but below renovation noise? YES – well that does not really sound like an upgrade to me – we’ll stick with 1[SUP]st[/SUP] floor please.
Shock 4 – We take elevator up to 1[SUP]st[/SUP] floor – wander down corridor to room – open door and ….. and twin beds! WTF – not accepting this booked King room. Down to front desk as Cruiserette waits for luggage to arrive. Excuse me ladies – room has twin beds – 2 separate single beds – I booked King bed. YES no problem – just push beds together. NO – I booked King bed – YES you can push beds together. NO – room change please – wait sir let me check – 5 mins later OK Sir I have found another room for you – but it will take 45mins to clean it – you can wait in executive lounge or in current room. Back up to first room and by now all luggage has arrived so Cruiserette sitting there with like 10 bags – explain to her situation and we decide to wait in Executive Lounge. Executive Lounge was as Spartan as Spartan can be – very small – still serving brekky – stodgy scrambled eggs and little else – really poor offering. WE waited there 35 mins then went downstairs to sit in Grand Salon just in case room ready a bit earlier. Cruiserette wanders up to counter and politely asks is room ready yet – NO still 6 mins to go until 45 mins up – just wait please. OMG!
Shock 5 – Finally after an hour staff come to advise your room is ready – then she asks ‘Do you need assistance to shift luggage? OMG – she saw us with like 10 bags – was there really a need to ask? Up to new room – open door – room is smaller – 1[SUP]st[/SUP] room had bath and shower – new room has shower only – I was all set to go and complain again but Cruiserette says just let it go – we have a room. I took keys to 1[SUP]st[/SUP] room back to check in and told staff I was not impressed and would be speaking to Manager later in the day.
Shock 6 – After wandering streets of Paris for a couple of hours we return to room for a lay down and rest – after an hour I said I am going down to front desk to clarify dinner situation. When I arrive at front desk I advise I want to clarify dinner – staff immediately on phone and advise Manager wants to talk to me. Manager arrives and says Mr Elite I understand there was some confusion earlier with your dinner booking. Yes there was – I booked room for 2 people I expected dinner package for 2 people – No sorry Sire your booking is for 1 guest only. Sorry – both our names are on the confirmation how can you say I booked for 1 guest. Your booking was changed to 2 guests yesterday Sir when you checked in. Sorry – I arrived today – are you saying I changed the booking yesterday? Yes Sir. Sorry – please repeat that? I changed the booking yesterday? Just wait here – do not move – I will go back to room and grab the booking confirmation – up to room – back to front desk – thrust confirmation under Manager nose and said see? Both names on confirmation and see date on bottom of confirmation? May 16, 2015 – the day I booked and printed confirmation. But Sir it only lists on guest on our booking – not my problem – see the booking confirmation – 2 guests listed – both names there in black and white. After another 5 mins of in depth discussion Manager now says there must have been a fault in the system Sir – you will get 2 dinners – OMG – all that for them to realize their system failed.
Shock 7 – After finishing that conversation I started to look around lobby / bar area etc with Manager behind me – find this cute little bar called Le Petite Bar – wow this looks good – Manager says YES this is our special bar – you can come and enjoy a drink after 4pm – guy inside the bar sees us and pops his head out – Sir we open at 4pm you can come enjoy a drink then – OK cool. Back to room for a rest – 5pm say come on Cruiserette lets go have a champers in this cute little bar I found – down we go and greeted at door by young lady who informs us Le Petite Bar closed today for private function – WTF – I was here an hour ago with the Manager and one of your staff told me come back later and enjoy a drink.
Shock 8 – The actual dinner – very quaint restaurant in hotel called Café Terminus – in we go at 19:30 and we are only guests in there – that’s always concerning. Get seated and shortly after a group of 8 others arrive. We have 2 dinner vouchers – vouchers clearly indicate valid for 2 courses - 1 entrée / 1 main or 1 main / 1 dessert – everything else we pay – pretty clear huh? Well not to staff – our waiter arrives and gives us menus - I give him the vouchers – I ask him valid for any entrée / main / dessert from menu? Not sure Sir – let me check. Watch him confer with other staff who look and scratch their heads then disappear out door – return 5 mins later and advise no only valid for courses listed in ‘Set Menu’ section and not main body of menu – we are just about sick of this by now so decide just choose something and move on – we both chose a salad for entrée and Cruiserette chose hamburger for main - I chose Veal Rump. Cruiserettes hamburger was totally raw and cold in middle – her fries were rock hard and also cold – veal rump was about as chewy as the soles on my shoes – and to think we actually fought and fought to receive this – but kinda explains why restaurant was empty.
Shock 9 – We went to visit Musee d’Orsay on Friday morning and walked there and back – decided on mid afternoon siesta and were both relaxing on bed at approx 15:00 – all of a sudden this siren starts screeching – deafening – Cruiserettes jumps up and opens bathroom door – siren in top corner of room is screeching and went on and on – she calls down to reception to ask What is this siren going off for? Oh that is our weekly fire drill – but you do not need to evacuate! OMG – well thanks for the heads up on that one – went on for like 10 mins screeching like there is no tomorrow. No advice – no pre warning – nada.
Shock 10 – Returning home to room after dinner on first night there is cleaning cart parked right outside our door – all room doors open out so to exit I cannot open door and walk past opened door because cleaning cart there – it was still there at 8am next morning when we went for brekky and still there after brekky – had enough of this and wander down to front desk to simply ask can you please move the cleaning cart which has been outside our door for like 16hrs – shortly after a staff member arrives and moves it 2mtrs along corridor to outside the door of room next to us and wanders off.
Shock 11 – We run out of toilet paper – I check the cleaning cart outside our room and only item not n board is toilet paper – bummer! I call front desk – guy answers and says – Sorry Sir I will send some up immediately – 1 hour later toilet paper arrives – but lucky wasn’t urgent huh? We wander out of room later and meet another couple heading towards the service cart – they had been waiting for towels for like an hour and half – cleaning cart did have towels on board.
WOW – what an experience – a Hilton Hotel stay we will not forget in a hurry – How did this Hilton treat me as an Elite? You guys can decide that.
