Wow. I've never had a hotel with the policy of no outside alcohol. If there *was* such a policy, wouldn't it be on a sign at the front desk? Like the signs that say "this is a non-smoking hotel" or "this is a smoke free hotel"? You handled this well, I'm afraid I would have gave security the rope to make a rather large scene in the lobby and hang their collective selves.
We use hotels.com quite a bit. Thankfully I have never needed a refund but it's good to know that it is possible.
Many hotels have that policy, but few enforce it, and especially not over a couple of people with a couple of bottles of wine. It's meant to keep large groups (like, say, wedding receptions) from bringing in their own alcohol.
That would be different and the policy affecting a banquet group shouldn't impact an overnight guest. Maybe it's to prevent crazy partying and noise complaints? Regardless, the security guard was rude but I wouldn't have expected a refund. That's excessive. They should have just had hotels.com see if they could rebook them elsewhere. The security guard didn't impact their ability to stay and use every other amenity of the hotel, so why should their stay be free?
Wow, that is a horrible power trip he must have been on. Also, a huge front desk fail... I don't understand how anyone could tolerate this blatant mistreatment of guests!
Right, I can't really blame the guy at the front desk.
I worked the night audit (11pm - 7am) shift at a small hotel for a few years and it was just me and the security guard between those hours. I don't blame this guy for not wanting to cross the people he had to spend the next 6-7 hours with.
Yeah, that's what I thought of, too... but honestly, if I were too intimidated by fellow staff to just talk about it in person, I'd file a complaint with the higher ups. It's obviously harming business after all.
Honestly, at this point I'd call their corporate headquarters. If they are anything like the hotel group I worked for they would be very interested in knowing about this. Here's the number 713.871.0221.
Some hotels do have no outside alcohol policies, but I've never run across one that would enforce it for a discreet bottle or two of wine. It's almost always used to either justify refusing room parties or making sure they get the catering fees from larger parties. This was well out of line.
The OP says the wine was in a gift/paper bag, so I'm wondering how the guard even knew they had it (unless it was those specialty wine bags, I guess) If they werent being loud or disruptive, I don't think the guard had any reason to act like he did
We encountered a guard outside the hotel. He opened the door for me and then once he'd let us in asked if we had any outside alcohol. Since bringing drinks into our hotel room has never been a problem at any hotel we'd stayed at in the past, we answered honestly.
Wait... so you already had an encounter with a security guard who asked you about alcohol, you told him you had it and then he didn't see fit to inform you of the policy?
MAJOR fail at the very beginning. Had the reject done his job correctly and informed you of the policy as a follow-up to the initial inquiry then none of this would have happened.
Be sure you address that very point in discussions to get your well-deserved refund.
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We use hotels.com quite a bit. Thankfully I have never needed a refund but it's good to know that it is possible.
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I worked the night audit (11pm - 7am) shift at a small hotel for a few years and it was just me and the security guard between those hours. I don't blame this guy for not wanting to cross the people he had to spend the next 6-7 hours with.
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MAJOR fail at the very beginning. Had the reject done his job correctly and informed you of the policy as a follow-up to the initial inquiry then none of this would have happened.
Be sure you address that very point in discussions to get your well-deserved refund.
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