HotelChatter

Sol Ipanema Hotel: Bad Service, Bad Attitude

I stayed at Best Western Sol Ipanema Hotel for a week during December 2007.  I lost the key to the safe in my room - and I had to pay $140 for the hotel staff had to drill through the lock to open the safe and replace the lock.  As a result of the drilling, metal splinters fell to the floor all around the safe.  The staff did not clean the splinters for several hours after the safe was repaired.  In that time, some of the splinters stuck to my socks.

That day, I had a business meeting.  During the meeting, the metal splinters in my shoes started stabbing into my feet - which ultimately caused me to take my shoe and sock off during the meeting.  I saw the splinters and realized they were from the safe lock.

I returned to the hotel and explained to the desk manager, Paulo, that I had splinters in my foot due the the staff's negligence in delaying the clean-up of the splinters.  I suggested that the hotel waive the $140 charge for replacing the lock as compensation for their negligence and the pain and embarrassment (from plucking splinters at a meeting) that resulted.  Paulo laugh at me a little and said I would have to speak to his supervisor tomorrow morning.

The next morning, I spoke to Paulo's supervisor, Claudio.  I explained the circumstances to Claudio, and he laughed a little - and asked me to take off my shoe and sock at the front desk (in front of other guests) to prove to him that I still had splinters in my foot.  Even though it was a bit humiliating, I did what he asked - and showed him my foot over the front desk.  Claudio said that he would have to speak to his off-site supervisor to find out if he could offer any compensation.  He called his supervisor and told me that they would not be able to do anything for me - notwithstanding their consistently negligence, glib attitude, lack of sympathy, rudeness, and generally poor service.

Update:

I called Best Western Headquarters and explained the whole story.  They made me explain the story to three different people before they said that Best Western does not offer customers compensation for poor service or a bad stay at their hotel.  They said that the only reason that Best Western offers compensation is for personal injury that can be proven by insurance documentation.

Well - I won't be return to a Best Western any time soon.  You decide.