What to Do When Your Hotel Stay Turns Into a Nightmare

Traveling is often an exciting adventure, but when things go wrong at your hotel, it can quickly turn into a nightmare. Imagine booking a family room, only to find yourself squeezed into a space barely big enough for two. Worse still, you end up in a frustrating dispute over payments with the hotel staff. Unfortunately, these experiences are more common than you might think. In this post, we’ll explore what happened to one traveler and highlight the rules and laws that may have been broken.

The hotel guest wrote: 

The family room was very small, in fact it was a double room with extra bed, no triple room or family room as requested and paid. When we checked in, we told them to retreat the money blocked on the card, they told us they couldn't and we need to pay cash, i told them we don't have local currency and i paid in Euro. I knew from booking it was around 138-140E and the guy from the reception asked me foe 170E. I asked why and he told me parking and breakfast, but parking was only 15E and breakfast was included. He said sorry and asked foe 153E total, i gave him 155E and told him to keep 2E. When we checked out, the lady from the reception told us to pay the room. I told her we already paid, she told me that we didn't and she will call the colleague from the day we checked in. The guy told her at the phone that he does not remember if we paid or not. I got very angry. I told them that there is a video camera above the reception and they can ask for the filming when we checked in and paid cash in Euro. After that they said it's ok. You cannot do something like this in a 4 star hotel. And they still didn't give any invoice. I was very dissapointed for everything that happened.

Based on the situation described, the following rules and potential laws may have been broken:

1. Breach of Contract:

• Room Type Misrepresentation: The hotel provided a different room type (a double room with an extra bed) instead of the triple or family room that was requested and paid for. This could be considered a breach of contract, as the service provided was not as agreed upon.

2. Consumer Protection Violations:

• Unclear Pricing: The initial request for an inflated payment (170 Euros instead of the 138-140 Euros advertised) without clear justification could be a violation of consumer protection laws, which generally require that prices be transparent and accurately reflect what was advertised.
• Failure to Issue an Invoice: In many jurisdictions, businesses are required by law to issue a receipt or invoice for services rendered, especially when payment is made. The failure to do so could be a breach of consumer protection laws.

3. Potential Fraud:

• Double Charging: Attempting to charge for the room again at checkout, despite it already being paid, could potentially be seen as an attempt at fraud. The fact that the employee claimed not to remember the payment despite the availability of video evidence adds to the suspicion.

4. Violation of Payment Processing Rules:

• Refusal to Release Blocked Funds: If the hotel was obligated to release the amount blocked on the card and failed to do so, it might be in violation of payment processing rules or consumer credit laws.
• Refusal to Accept Card Payment: Insisting on a cash payment when a card payment was previously accepted or authorized might violate the terms of service for credit card processing, depending on the hotel's agreement with its payment provider.

5. Breach of Hospitality Industry Standards:

• Service Quality Issues: The overall experience described, including miscommunication, lack of proper documentation (no invoice), and poor customer service, could be seen as a breach of hospitality industry standards, especially for a four-star hotel.

6. Privacy Concerns:

• Improper Use of Video Surveillance: While the guest pointed out the presence of a security camera, the hotel's response to this situation (i.e., not referring to the video footage to verify the payment) raises questions about whether they are properly managing or utilizing their surveillance system in line with privacy laws and regulations.

7. Currency Exchange and Payment Laws:

• Incorrect Handling of Foreign Currency: If the hotel demanded payment in cash and in a foreign currency (Euros) instead of the local currency, it may have violated local regulations regarding currency exchange and payment practices.

It’s important to note that specific laws and regulations can vary significantly depending on the country and jurisdiction where the hotel is located. Consulting with a legal professional familiar with the local laws would provide a more accurate assessment.