AARGH!! Crappy customer service at a hotel!

[Phillycat]

My husband and I had reservations for Friday and Saturday night this weekend at a hotel in a very remote part of Pennsylvania. We planned to hike and enjoy the beautiful area in which it is located. Today, the weather service reported a significant snowstorm for Friday into Saturday happening all the way from here to there - 4 hours away. We don't have a 4-wheel drive vehicle and this place is located in an area that is virtually inaccessible in bad weather and gets heavy snowfall. We called tonight, giving them 72 hours notice, to cancel the reservation and book another weekend of their choosing. They told us they have a 10-day cancellation policy and we agreed to that when we booked the rooms, so they were going to charge us for 50% of the total bill. Yeah, the 10-day policy was in there, buried amongst the rest of the fine print you wade through when you reserve/purchase something online, but this is a weather event not in our control and we offered to book another weekend of their choice! On top of that, when my husband offered to rebook a different weekend, the woman on the phone covered the mouthpiece of the phone (badly) and audibly laughed at us to another staff member, then got back on the phone and flatly refused to budge from her position. Ridiculous!

I've already filled out a bunch of negative online reviews - they should enjoy the money they're charging us, because we're hoping to cost them a lot more business. Assholes! :grr: :nuke: :argh:

[KitchenWitch]

1. Dispute it with your credit card.

Seriously.

[Phillycat]

3. You think?

Even though we agreed to their bullshit 10-day cancellation policy?

[KitchenWitch]

7. yes, even with the 10 day clause.

It can't hurt.

[Orsino]

12. Heck, yeah. n/t

[AlCzervik]

4. yes indeed.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. I agree with Kitchenwitch.

No one who's legitimate has a 10 day cancellation policy.

[northzax]

11. small hotels?

in vacation areas? on weekends in the high season? sure they do.

[Gormy Cuss]

14. Small, seasonal lodgings in particular.

I've seen requirements for a week's notice frequently for small, out of the way places that make their money only during a short tourism season.

That said, I'd still call and ask to speak to the manager before giving up because of the circumstances.

[northzax]

15. always try to resolve the issue, yes

fact remains, it is unlikely that at this late hour, with the given circumstances, the hotel can replace the business of the OP this weekend.

especially if this was some sort of package deal. If I were the manager of such a place, I would tell my customers that if they are able to rent the rooms, the penalty will be refunded.

[LibraLiz1973]

5. I would dispute it with my credit card

I would then call and speak to the manager and bitch up a righteous storm.
Write a letter too.

[DS1]

6. that'd burn me up

:grr:

[nadine_mn]

8. Dont forget the better business bureau

sorry this happened to you....

[Phillycat]

10. Yeah, I'm contacting them this morning too.

I'm on hold with my bank right now. Thanks! :)

[democracyindanger]

9. Cough up the name of the place.

[underpants]

13. You should go anyway it sounds like it has the potential to be quite a time

Snow bound. Remote inaccessible hotel.