SN
Sbongile N

1 reviews | Active since May 2014

28 Sept 2017, 17:19

False Information and Billing from hotel staff

I had booked an overnight stay at Irene Country Lodge on the 15th September 2017 online. I then went over to the hotel to complete the rest of the booking and checkin........upon checkin, I was informed by the receptionist that there is a R500 levy that the hotel charges over and above the price of the room. They did also inform me that this R500 being withheld from the guest is hotel policy and that I would receive it immediately when I checkout. I found no issue with that and proceeded with the hotel reservation and processed the payment. Upon checkout, I then asked about the R500 and was told that it would be reversed back to my account shortly. I kept on checking my account for the reversal but there was nothing as the payment was still under my pending payments on my account. When I checked my account again on the 19th September 2017, I saw that the hotel had then now banked the money which included the R500 in question which was supposed to have been refunded back to my account. I then called the hotel to inform them about this and was transferred to three different people before I spoke to the correct person. This person (Mpho Msiza) then took down my details and said hey will check and get back to me in regards to the dispute. I then got an email from the Hotel which was now addressed to a Mr Lee and I clearly gave them my name of which they also have on their system. The email stated that they checked with their accounts department and they did indeed overcharge me with R500 and that it needs to be refunded back to me but also before I can get back my money I must provide proof of banking details in the form of a letter from my bank or a bank statement of my account and that the payments are only processed on Tuesdays. I then called back the hotel after reading all of this on email and asked to speak to Mpho who sent me the email and that I spoke to over the phone. I then told her that I do not understand as the email is addressed to a Mr Lee and I am not a Mr Lee, she giggled at that and said she was sorry and I then proceeded to ask her as to why now do I have to provide all these documents to have my money refunded back to me whereas I was not told about such upon checkin as I was told the money will be refunded straight after checkout. Also now I am being told that payments are only processed on Tuesdays whereas I was told it would be immediate after checkout as should I have been informed about this then I would not have chosen to stay at the hotel as this was just too much admin for me to get my money back. I also told her I was very disappointed about this as it therefore means I was given false information by the receptionist that night of checkin, she then said to me I should calm down and not spoil my day just because of this. I told her that there is no way I must not be furious as I was not told of all of this otherwise I would have made an informed decision not to stay there if I was advised all of this prior to my stay there as time they took my money nobody asked me to show them proof that the card I was using was indeed mine nd that, that was indeed my bank account that I was using but now when they have to refund me I should provide all these things. She then said she would talk to her manager/supervisor and get back to me but nobody has contacted me from there ever since. they sent me a survey to fill in about my stay there and I filled it in and stated this issue that happened with me but still nobody from the hotel has contacted me since. I find this very unprofessional and will never go back and stay at that hotel again if this is the way that they treat their guests which shows that they absolutely do not care so why ask for the survey about your stay in the first place if there is nothing that would be done about it should you have any complaints? This is very disturbing indeed.

0
Replies (0)