Blue Moon Hotel Accidentally Adds a Zero To a Hotel Guest's Bill and Doesn't Care

September 17, 2008 at 9:15 AM | by jennm | 7 Comments

We live in an imperfect world. And when imperfection happens to take place during a hotel stay, it helps to have friends in high places. Like at HotelChatter, for instance.

A friend of ours recently shelled out what she thought was $598.72 for one night at The Blue Moon Hotel in New York's Lower East Side. (The true rate was about $485 for a room with a queen-size bed, plus roughly $100 extra for two additional guests and tax.)

The stay itself went swimmingly, until our friend noticed that a few, oh--thousand dollars were missing from her bank account, courtesy of the Blue Moon Hotel.

Suddenly $5,980.72 poorer, our friend called the hotel to rectify the issue, which is where the story truly takes a turn for the worse.

When I called the hotel, I was rebuffed. I spoke to a woman who has no business working in customer service. Instead of helping me with the problem, she was rude, mocked me to other patrons (which I heard over the phone) and called me names. I have never received such harsh treatment before in my life. And it was their mistake--I did not receive a single apology from anyone.
I asked to speak to someone else because she was clearly no help. She refused to let me speak to her supervisor. I asked her for her supervisor's name, and she hung up the phone. I called back and asked her for her name, and she refused to give it to me. [Ed note: `Tis sad, but true. We were standing right there as our friend calmly made her request--even after being hung up on.]
I was upset because the nearly $6,000 charge severely depleted my bank account and they couldn't even help me to fix it, nor did she have any compassion for sending my bank account into negative numbers.

We get that mistakes happen, but while our friend works with her bank to make sure she gets her money back, we're waiting on a call back from the Blue Moon's GM to explain how one desk clerk can be so cruel.

Had an experience at the Blue Moon Hotel that you'd like to share? Or have you had a hotel charge you more than the agreed room rate? Tell us about it in the comments below.

False and Libelous Comments re the Blue Moon Hotel

Although I was not responsible for the error, I called this guest back immediately after she called, and in the spirit of the best customer service which our hotel is reknown for I listened sympathetically, assured her that the correction had been made, and I called our credit card processor, conferencing her in (NOT "talking to other patrons which I heard over the phone"), in order for her to personally realize that it was now her bank's responsibility. When I spoke to the rep from the credit card processor, I tried to facilitate the correction of her problem and was able to obtain a verification of the transaction that she could provide to her bank, which did not as yet have the credit. When I told this guest that I would fax her the confirmation as soon as I got it, she hysterically screamed at me, "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT?"

I tried to make the rep understand that the guest was very upset due to the delay in her bank's processing. Regardless of the manner in which I was verbally abused and screamed at, I remained focused on the matter at hand. I do not use pejorative terms in dealing with anyone, ever, not in my personal nor professional life. I was raised and conduct myself in a manner where respect is a paramount principle that is to be revered.

I reiterate the error was not mine; however as a representative of the hotel I apologized profusely and assured her that we had done what we needed to on our side. I thought perhaps she was going through some other personal dilemma and tried my best to put her at ease, however she seemed irascible and inconsolable.

Signed,
Shain
Controller

I would like to say that it has been my good fortune to work with Shain this past year. She is calm, serene, imperturbable, unflappable, and collected with the most trying people and difficult situations. It is unfortunate that this guest had this experience, and more unfortunate that someone whose most identifiable trait is her equanimity and whose kindness and understanding is well known amongst her peers, and who no doubt tried to the best of her formidable ability and with the best of intentions to help this guest, should be so misunderstood and denigrated.

Signed,
Larry Mallory
Manager

We are in receipt of an email from this guest who claims she is "a senior producer at NBC Universal" and a "columnist and travel writer for various publications" and has insinuated that she would use her contacts to further pursue her gripe with the Blue Moon Hotel over a human error.

The Blue Moon Hotel is a 5-year art preservation and design project on a museum block that has received numerous accolades, including National Geographic Traveler's "150 Hotels to Check Into"; Citysearch's "Best Boutique Hotel in NYC"; Rizzoli's "100 Best Hotels in NYC"; acclaim by James Gardner, architectural and art critic par excellence; as well as 30 major unsolicited articles without a PR person in our first 2 years as a new NYC hotel. Unlike other hotels, we are not in the custom of bartering a free room for a review; all our articles are based purely on the merits of the project.

We are not a conglomeration; we are not industrial chic; we are not a hot bar hotel; and we are not about anonymous service. What we are proud to be known for, succinctly, is being a property that is more like a museum than a hotel, where the property and personal service appropriately echoes a previous, more wholesome era. Anyone who would consider commencing a crusade against a person whom everyone here knows as gentle, as well as against a beloved neighborhood icon, and a unique historical property, has too much time on their hands and might seek some spiritual counseling or a more compelling cause.

Signed,
Randy Settenbrino
Artist, Developer and GM

October 12, 2008 at 1:09 AM

7 Comments

Return to » Blue Moon Hotel Accidentally Adds a Zero To a Hotel Guest's Bill and Doesn't Care

juliana
HotelChatter Editor

Re: Blue Moon Hotel Accidentally Adds a Zero
this is awful. it's not like it was $200 or $300 over, it was like over $5000! that's a lot of dough. did the hotel's GM ever get involved to say the hotel would refund the money?

September 17, 2008 at 10:52 AM

#Permalink

cutalusha
HotelChatter Member

Re: Blue Moon Hotel Accidentally Adds a Zero To a
yea, $5000 for ONE night? Who do they think they are??

September 17, 2008 at 11:03 AM

#Permalink

JetSetCD
HotelChatter Contributing Editor

Re: Blue Moon Hotel Accidentally Adds a Zero To a
if this were me, and the mistake hadn't sent my account into serious negatives, then I would sue their asses so hard. And I'm not a sue-y person, but seriously, don't mess with me when I'm shelling out for a hotel stay.

September 17, 2008 at 11:10 AM

#Permalink

jennm
HotelChatter Editor

Re: Blue Moon Hotel Accidentally Adds a Zero
2:37 p.m. on the day after the incident and still no call from the GM...

September 17, 2008 at 2:38 PM

#Permalink

jennm
HotelChatter Editor

Re: Blue Moon Hotel Accidentally Adds a Zero
But! The money is back in my friend's account. The most appalling thing is they never even apologized.

September 17, 2008 at 2:39 PM

#Permalink

patricksw
HotelChatter Member

Re: Blue Moon Hotel Accidentally Adds a Zero To a
For $500, your friend could have afforded a hotel that doesn't look like a dorm room, no? $500, $5000, either way, it seems like a ripoff for that silly hotel.

September 17, 2008 at 10:57 PM

#Permalink

BlueMoon
HotelChatter Member

False and Libelous Comments re the Blue Moon Hotel
The Blue Moon may look perfect, but it is staffed by real people and occasionally a human error transpires; however, the front desk person, who punched in the wrong amount, immediately submitted the appropriate credit.
Although I was not responsible for the error, I called this guest back immediately after she called, and in the spirit of the best customer service which our hotel is reknown for I listened sympathetically, assured her that the correction had been made, and I called our credit card processor, conferencing her in (NOT "talking to other patrons which I heard over the phone"), in order for her to personally realize that it was now her bank's responsibility. When I spoke to the rep from the credit card processor, I tried to facilitate the correction of her problem and was able to obtain a verification of the transaction that she could provide to her bank, which did not as yet have the credit. When I told this guest that I would fax her the confirmation as soon as I got it, she hysterically screamed at me, "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT?"
I tried to make the rep understand that the guest was very upset due to the delay in her bank's processing. Regardless of the manner in which I was verbally abused and screamed at, I remained focused on the matter at hand. I do not use pejorative terms in dealing with anyone, ever, not in my personal nor professional life. I was raised and conduct myself in a manner where respect is a paramount principle that is to be revered.
I reiterate the error was not mine; however as a representative of the hotel I apologized profusely and assured her that we had done what we needed to on our side. I thought perhaps she was going through some other personal dilemma and tried my best to put her at ease, however she seemed irascible and inconsolable.
Signed,
Shain
Controller
I would like to say that it has been my good fortune to work with Shain this past year. She is calm, serene, imperturbable, unflappable, and collected with the most trying people and difficult situations. It is unfortunate that this guest had this experience, and more unfortunate that someone whose most identifiable trait is her equanimity and whose kindness and understanding is well known amongst her peers, and who no doubt tried to the best of her formidable ability and with the best of intentions to help this guest, should be so misunderstood and denigrated.
Signed,
Larry Mallory
Manager
We are in receipt of an email from this guest who claims she is "a senior producer at NBC Universal" and a "columnist and travel writer for various publications" and has insinuated that she would use her contacts to further pursue her gripe with the Blue Moon Hotel over a human error.
The Blue Moon Hotel is a 5-year art preservation and design project on a museum block that has received numerous accolades, including National Geographic Traveler's "150 Hotels to Check Into"; Citysearch's "Best Boutique Hotel in NYC"; Rizzoli's "100 Best Hotels in NYC"; acclaim by James Gardner, architectural and art critic par excellence; as well as 30 major unsolicited articles without a PR person in our first 2 years as a new NYC hotel. Unlike other hotels, we are not in the custom of bartering a free room for a review; all our articles are based purely on the merits of the project.
We are not a conglomeration; we are not industrial chic; we are not a hot bar hotel; and we are not about anonymous service. What we are proud to be known for, succinctly, is being a property that is more like a museum than a hotel, where the property and personal service appropriately echoes a previous, more wholesome era. Anyone who would consider commencing a crusade against a person whom everyone here knows as gentle, as well as against a beloved neighborhood icon, and a unique historical property, has too much time on their hands and might seek some spiritual counseling or a more compelling cause.
Signed,
Randy Settenbrino
Artist, Developer and GM

October 12, 2008 at 1:09 AM

#Permalink

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