Folks,
Lets say you book a two-night stay at an ultra-luxury resort in a top tourist area. Upon check-in the room reaks of mold and mildew. The resort refuses/claims they cannot change rooms as none are available. They try a dehumidifier-works for an hour. The next day you realize the wallpaper has mildew behind its peeling edges and also discover ants in the fancy marble bathroom. You inform the resort-nothing is done other than to relay the "sorrys." You check out and ask yourself how could that be the luxury resort you'd heard so much about. What, if anything, would you do and what, if anything, would you expect from the hotel chain?
John
John

Every city hall must have something like sanitary inspection. I would find out through the telephone book and file a written complaint using registered mail.

John=Another freeloader looking for freebies.

If you didn't like the room you should have checked out.

Hey knucklehead,
I already pre-paid the hefty tab and never requested a freebie or a refund.
What do you do? Argue for a refund then go try to seek a vacant resort where all are posting no-vacancies? You need to look at the definition of "free-loader" and attempt to think before making summary statements.

John,

This is where the human stink bomb approach is particularly effective.

Gradually raise your voice while speaking with management in the middle of the lobby. As the decibel level rises, so won't the odds of being accomodated.

What a bunch of moronic replies. John asked a perfectly legitimate question and the a**holes come out of the woodwork.

John, did you speak directly with the manager? I would definitely write a letter to the corporate offices (you said it was a chain) and see what happens.

Beenie; John, I am guessing you were at the beach. Am I correct? If so, mold, mildew and other humidity related things are difficult (not impossible) to get rid of. Doesn't mean that it is a nasty hotel.

John, I guess its the chance you take in opting to go for a pre-paid hotel room. I had something of a similar encounter a few weeks ago with the Park Hyatt in Toronto - we were paying top dollar and the room they thought they would give us which they referred to as a "powder room" was simply not acceptable. We asked to be accomodated in another room and was told that the hotel was full - this is after reserving well in advance and also checking in a little before the 3pm check-in time. We decided we would not accept such treatment, made some calls and found a room else where, made it clear that no charges were to be posted to our credit card and cleared out of there. When I got home a week later, I went on line to Hyatt's customer service and wrote a detailed letter of complaint outlining exactly what happened - I did not ask to be compensated or given anything - I simply wanted to state what happened for the record and how we felt about it. Within a couple of days, I received a phone call from a rep of Hyatt Customer Service offering the humblest of apologies for what we had experienced and an offer for a couple of nights accomodation at a Park Hyatt anytime within one year - now that is what I call results. The thing is, one never should have to ask for a refund or a freebie - if you feel that you complaint is justified and that you are within your rights, I would not hesitate to write in detail to management setting out what happened and leaving it to their conscience to determine what ought to be done - this is not the first time I have adopted this approach with satisfactory results and I am sure it will not be the last

Actually The Hilton Hawaiian just closed down and entire wing due to mildew problems on few floors. Everything I read at the www.starbulletin.com led me to believe that mildew problems make a hotel highly liable. It causes all kinds of health problems and hotels are responsible to compensate clients for any related health problems, losses from not being able to accomodate.

Does Legionaire's disease ring a bell, wasn't that a mildew problem in the air-conditioning system?

Hi John,
I don't think it's unreasonable to expect nice accomadations at an "ultra-luxury" resort. I would speak to the manager (at whatever voice level you're comfortable with), then follow Val's advice. But I think visual aids always help. Get out that camera and take pictures of the mold, mildew, etc. to send along with that complaint! Pictures can be worth 1000 words, or in some cases, compensation.

In response to the replies, I did speak to the manager (on duty anyway) who simply apologized yet admitted that my room was scheduled for rennovation with the carpets and wallpaper coming up, etc. Sounds like a confirmation of the sub-standard issues to me. But I also agree that one shouldn't have to ask for something other than a fundamentally clean room at a 5 star luxury resort. The resort as a whole was beautiful, but the room was bad. And, after you complain a couple times-before and after the dehumidifier, I guess you come across as a whiner looking for freebies. So then you get ignored. Ain't the end of the world, but it is a disappointment.
Thanks.
John

Wanted to ditto what Beenie said. These problems are next to impossible to completely irradicate in warm humid climates. Coupled with the ants (I'll bet they were teeny little things) my guess is you were someplace in FL.

FL residents are now being threatened with losing any and all insurance coverage for mold. All insurers want to bail out. That's how common and expensive a problem it is. Home exteriors are power washed for it, but problems can occur inside as well.

And speaking of City Hall, Faina, ours was closed down for I don't know how long trying to get rid of severe black mold problems. Severe. Proving an illness is mold related, by the way, is next to impossible and my understanding is that in all but the most severe cases involving certain types of mold, it is usually more aesthetically displeasing than a health threat.

Sorry, John, never addressed your question. You sound reasonable...a note to the GM in the same tones used here and indicating room number and specific problems would most likely result in some satisfaction...usually a night or two at another hotel in the chain. MOD, generally has the authority (and inclination) to rectify the situation, but if not, then go the steps beyond them. Whatever, a log is created of guest complaints, so if you spoke with the MOD, and they got as far as providing a dehumidifier, my guess is that your complaint is registered in that log, substantiating problems and what was done to rectify them.

This occurred in Wailea, Maui-6,000 miles from home.

First comment: always take names.

Next: John, was the resort part of a chain? If so, you have some leverage.

Yes, the first thing to do is insist on talking to the manager. Don't apologize but don't bully either. The mold/mildew is overwhelming, you have an allergy, whatever it takes..... If the manager can do nothing, you can move to step 2 or 3 or...

If it's a chain, write a letter to HQ with concise details (including room number, dates, times, and names of people you spoke to if possible, expressing your disappointment and plans not to book in their chain again. You can make mention of how much it cost if it was, indeed "unltra-luxury," and say mold/mildew is unacceptable even in tourist-class accommodations but completely out of the question at this level/price.

If it wasn't a chain, there's no HQ to write to, but by all means call/write the health dept. if you're feeling either vindictive or crusading to spare others.....

Finally, you could consider the Better Business Bureau, but they have made it increasingly difficult to lodge an actual complaint about anything short of outright fraud.

John,
What hotel was this this? We are leaving on the 15th of Sept for Wailea.

Do an archive search on this topic at the honolulu star bulletin newspaper there is an online version. This may tell you how other Hawaii visitors were compensated.

Often a letter to the chain will not yield results... it depends which chain.
Starwood requires that hotels respond to customer service issues within 14 days. I am certain Marriott brands have a similar agreement. However, I can tell you that many chains have no control over property actions.
The properties are their customers, paying for marketing and automation services, possibly more. The chain will try to secure resolution but not push the envelope. The chain sometimes takes the heat and the hotel never owns up to the problem. To work both angles, be sure to mention how this incident had caused you to question the consistency of other properties within the chain.

OO, responding to your first post. Florida isn't the only state with the new insurance restrictions, it's all over the US. A symptom of our lawsuit happy society and the corresponding idea that insurance companies will pay for whatever "we" decide they will. Mold has been around since what, the beginning of time, or at least as long as whatever formed back then had time to turn into mold. Suddenly though there is this phenomenon that causes people to have some severe physical reaction to mold. I doubt it. It is probably a severe deficit in their bank account or a severe desire to make easy money they did not earn.

xxx, You are CLUELESS, frigging clueless. Any brand the stature of Marriott, and there are innumerable, aside from Starwood, are not there for automated services of a chain, operating in their own void. Days Inn level, maybe. We aren't talking apples and oranges here. John has given the area, and the # of stars. That leaves 2 hotel possibilities, and neither operate under your assumptions. God A'mighty, the advice here is sometimes less than worthless!