Microagression, dehumanizing and bad treatment (left with no lights) at Cape Town Lodge

I am very disgusted with how I and my friends were treated at Cape Town Lodge hotel on Saturday 11 of May 2019. I went to celebrate my birthday with 4 of my friends, spending one night there. I have made a prior bookings for 5 people and booked 2 rooms. I phoned the hotel and checking and requesting that 3 people be put in one room and 2 in another. I also specifically asked how that can be done in terms of room set up as I wanted us to be comfortable and have booked the superior rooms which I thought they will accommodate us better. I also specifically asked if it possible that they can get us the interlinking room which has a double bed and 2 single beds. The person I spoke to (which unfortunately did not take her name down, and the conversation was telephonically) told me that they can not tell me how the rooms will be as it is still far (about 5 days apart), but it won't be a problem as that can be sorted out on check in. The big day arrived, and we rocked up, immediately we showed up at the door I noticed a very unfriendly reception. I did not mind and continued to check in, my friends were standing a little bit further, and the person in charge immediately questioned our number and without hesitation he said one should go away. I asked as I was standing with one friend that can't they make a plan for the extra person to stay as I narrated my telephone conversation with a member of staff. He told me that was wrong information that I was given. Well my friend closer to me volunteered to leave and find another place or go home. But we decided to go to the rooms and discuss it. Immediately we noticed treatment of disrespect as we expressed the unfair treatment. The only option they gave us was to book another room, and I explained to him that we want to be together, we don't want one person sleeping all alone, can they put an extra bed in our room. And they refused. We went into the rooms to decide what to do. Because we planned to stay together we opted to book the extra room and that was around 9 pm. Fine we were set.

Now we are all in one room chatting, and a security came to our room to tell us to keep the noise down. Fair enough we understood and did likewise, but 2 min after that a phone rang to tell us to keep the noise down, and I assumed that it must have been another way of communicating the same message by two different people. So we kept it down, few minutes after that a manager and a security came knocking in our room, very violently and the manager was so angry that there has been complaints of us making noise, and we are not supposed to stay as 5 when booked for 4 that extra person must leave now, or he is sending the security to remove the extra person. That's when we all lost it, because we have booked an extra room, so why is he telling us that. What was bad they kept on telling us the rules bit by bit, as they told us that by 11pm people should be in their rooms. We asked they didn't tell us well on time now we feel we are micro managed. He threatened to call the police and we told him to go ahead, he removed the card that puts on lights for the room and left. We were literally left in the dark for about 10 min. And because we had a tv on we just set there very shocked with what has just happened. One security guy called and apologised and few minutes after the phone call 3 security guys broughtt back the card. We never saw the manager again and he never apologised to us.

We were very disrespected and humiliated as if we are not guests there. This was pure a microagression, we felt treated badly. We didn't deserve all this treatment and this cannot continue like this. The manger by the name Graham Law was very unprofessional as he never checked us in, but just came and assumed that we did not pay, and worst part of it he left us in the dark with no light. This is un cold for and can never be tolerated in a hospitality industry. He prejudiced us and demeaned us in every aspect. I need Cape Town Lodge Hotel to look at this rectify it's staff's unprofessionalism. I may never stay here again and would like to alert everyone else with their rude behavior. I have picked up their bad attitude and unwelcoming faces but really I brushed it off up until this saga happened. I am so angry and felt that we taken for granted. Please HelloPeter I would appreciate if you can investigate this and price needs to be paid. We can not tolerate to be treated so inhumane at all. Regards Tabisa