# Horrible treatment from a 5 star hotel **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 28, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018 "2012-01-28T20:18:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Surb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Surb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Surb)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/41 "2012-01-30T12:32:52Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I’m pretty sure telling Cecil Inc the SDMB is “shafting you” would get action. Yessireebob…hard, fast, action! And I, for one. prefer not to get a hard, fast shafting from Cecil. Or anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/42 "2012-01-30T12:40:03Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Is the training now teaching folks it’s OK to be an asshole if someone says one word you don’t like? I interact with customers on a daily basis in my job. And sometimes they are rude to us. If I am rude back to them, I am certain I won’t keep my job. As others said, you were an employee in those situations. Managers and owners get more leeway on being able to deal with customers perceived as “problems” rather than having legitimate complaints. Since you said nothing at the time of check-in, used the word “shafted” in your complaint - which I also would interpret as meaning “ripped off” or “scammed” - and only after checking in decided to do something, I can definitely see why the manager took you as possibly being less than sincere in your communications. It’s also possible that he was jumping the gun at being harsh in responding to you, but we only have a limited look at what’s going on here. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/43 "2012-01-30T14:59:21Z")
Higher-end hotels are the worst about nickel-and-diming you to death. Someone explain to me why you can get free wifi at a Super 8, but they’ll charge you $12.95 a day for the same internet service at Doubletree. I stayed at a Doubletree once, and they did something that pissed me right off: I woke up and found the light flashing on my phone. I pushed the button to listen to the message, and a computer voice said, “There is an important message for you at the front desk.” So I hustle down, thinking something horrible has happened to a family member, wait impatiently in line at the front desk, finally reach the front, and say, “There’s supposed to be a message for me?” Guy looks on the computer. “Yes, you made two local phone calls yesterday, that’ll be $1.50.” …really? I’ve given you more than $500 for my week-long stay already, and you hurried me down here for a buck and a half? I was more than a little bit pissed. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/44 "2012-01-30T15:11:46Z")
Well, you could have just called down to the front desk to retrieve the message. As for the wifi charge, the explanation I’ve heard is that those staying at higher-end hotels are usually on expense accounts (or are rich enough to afford the fifteen bucks) while those at low-end motels are paying out of their own meager pockets. Although at this point, I think they should have free basic wifi and perhaps charge for a really fast connection. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/45 "2012-01-30T17:28:20Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Well, you could have just called down to the front desk to retrieve the message. As for the wifi charge, the explanation I’ve heard is that those staying at higher-end hotels are usually on expense accounts (or are rich enough to afford the fifteen bucks) while those at low-end motels are paying out of their own meager pockets. Although at this point, I think they should have free basic wifi and perhaps charge for a really fast connection. The resort we stayed at was the worst about Wifi charges- you were charged each day and for each device! So if my daughter logged on her laptop and I and my husband on our iPads and my son on his lap top- even for just a few minutes for each of us to check email etc- we were charged 4 times! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/46 "2012-01-30T21:51:26Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > The resort we stayed at was the worst about Wifi charges- you were charged each day and for each device! > > So if my daughter logged on her laptop and I and my husband on our iPads and my son on his lap top- even for just a few minutes for each of us to check email etc- we were charged 4 times! They make micro routers for scenarios like that [If you travel with your family, bring a Linksys travel router | Geek About at Geek About](http://www.geekabout.com/2007-08-28-408/if-you-travel-with-your-family-bring-a-linksys-travel-router.html) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/47 "2012-01-30T21:54:39Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > The resort we stayed at was the worst about Wifi charges- you were charged each day and for each device! > > So if my daughter logged on her laptop and I and my husband on our iPads and my son on his lap top- even for just a few minutes for each of us to check email etc- we were charged 4 times! OK, that’s a ridiculous charge for WiFi access. But think of it this way; it’s meant to discourage you from using your iPads, notebook computers and so forth. _You’re at a resort_; what are you doing on the internet? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/48 "2012-01-30T21:57:21Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Since you said nothing at the time of check-in, > [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > **I raised the issue at check in** and they said “sorry, this is the rate” I told them I would talk to management later and they said go ahead and contact them later. > > When the manager called me I expected a 1 minute phone call because he said “I’m giving you the refund” and I said thank you. I did not expect him to launch into a lecture of me for no reason at all after he gave me the refund. FYI… ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/49 "2012-01-30T22:26:01Z")
Was there something suspicious about the deal? I don’t understand how someone could book a hotel for $xyz and not just show your printed confirmation for that amount at checkin and be met with any argument. I also don’t understand why someone who already got a refund would up with with being yelled at for 5 minutes. Just tell the manager to f-off and hang up. Why not post your experience on TripAdvisor so other people know they might not recieve a discounted rate without a fight and some lip from the manager. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018/50 "2012-01-30T23:31:14Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > OK, that’s a ridiculous charge for WiFi access. But think of it this way; it’s meant to discourage you from using your iPads, notebook computers and so forth. _You’re at a resort_; what are you doing on the internet? After a long day swimming, going on Eco tours, catamaran rides etc etc, chilling in the evening with my kids reading their favorite manga, or me reading my favorite message board, or uploading pics to facebook, seemed just fine with me. **Astro** That’s what we’re talking about! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/horrible-treatment-from-a-5-star-hotel/611018.md?page=2)