From November 28, 2006, through December 2, 2006, my brother and I stayed at the New York Vincci Avalon Hotel in Manhattan. The hotel has a 3-star rating, but certainly does not live up to it. Here is why:

On three out of four days of our stay there was no hot water supply; the engineers were able to restore the hot water only for some hours during the day, but in the morning, at shower time, only cold water was available. There was no apology whatsoever from the management, just the standard remark “We are working at it”.

Upon check-out I mentioned the inconvenience and raised the question of a discount with the cashier, but the poor lady was certainly not entitled to do anything and advised me to get in touch with the management. And that’s what I did immediately after our return to Germany – especially since the hotel had already sent an e-mail asking me to fill out a guest comment form and expressing the hope that they had exceeded their goal of “providing excellent service, comfort and value”. On December 6, 2006, I responded to their mail and suggested a discount of 33 1/3 % or USD 400.00.

Since there was no answer from the hotel, I sent the mail again by fax on December 12, 2006, adding that if I didn’t hear from them by December 20, 2006, I would turn over the matter to a Washington DC lawyer friend. Again there was no answer from the hotel, and so on December 21, 2006, I told them that – following the advice of my lawyer friend – I would go public with our experience.

That’s what this message is all about. I hope that my report on the initial sub par service, followed by the absolute lack of response from the hotel management will eventually help to take away from them at least one star in the rating system.

I just love these rant threads posted by folks who register just to slam some hotel, restaurant or airline. Your complaints may be totally valid - but for your atty friend to suggest you jump on all these websites only means he thinks you really don't have much of a case and your only hope is to "blackmail" them into reimbursing you.

If you in fact did not get habitable accomodations, I'd contest it w/ your credit card . . . . . .

I agree: No credibility in a rant, try a credit-card chargeback.

That sucks.

Not having a shot shower would negate everything for me.

Yes, but what better way to get information out about a negative hotel experience. Don't we read trip reports like this all the time?

"Well, first - there is no system of hotel rating in the US. Any hotel can claim any number of stars it wants. And ratings from different sources (AAA, Mobil, or web sites) can all differ for the same hotel.

Have looked at this hotel on tripadvisor - and it definitely got very mixed reviews. And $300 per night in NYC in December - is really a budget hotel - not 3*.

However, any hotel should provide the basics - like hot water. I would have insisted on a discount on the spot. Once home - all you can really do is diopute with your CC - but they may say since you stayed it wasn;t that bad.

Actually, I loved this post. In a week, I'm supposed to be docked at Avalon on Catalina. I was so relieved this post is not for me