I sent an email to the Dragon*Con staff

POSTED BY: Patience
UPDATED: Thursday, September 7, 2006 16:52
VIEWED: 5325
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PATIENCE

Wednesday, September 6, 2006 9:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mummunit:
I have to agree with you. After 14.5 hours on the road, we were informed that our room had been sold. Our 3 night reservation was guaranteed for a late arrival a week prior to the event with a credit card. We even called from the road that afternoon to double-check that our reservation would be safe since we were going to be arriving late. We asked if we needed to prepay for the remaining nights and were told that 'oh no, that won't be necessary. Everything is fine.'

After paying $40 dollars for Hyatt's overflow parking we arrived at the hotel and were treated rudely by security who, at first, resisted letting us into the hotel since we didn't yet have our badge. I assumed that our luggage would clearly indicate that we were trying to check in...

At the front desk we're told that our reservation had been sold and that no rooms were available. When I explained that we had guaranteed the room res for late arrival, he said that that didn't really mean anything. He actually told us that 'guaranteeing a room with a credit card does not mean the room is guaranteed.' I shit you not.

In the end they said they would pay for one night at the Hilton and that they had rooms available -- Kings only. Good thing the four of us like each other.

First time a the Con. Won't be the last. Had a blast, discovered Firefly, and met some very cool folk. Can't wait until next year. In the meantime, think I'll catch up on zzzz's.

I hope you intend to write to Hyatt's management (after you've rested, of course ;) )and let them know how you were treated. That was NOT acceptable at all. By keeping quiet you assure this treatment will continue to others and possibly for yourself.

I'm sorry for your bad experience.

The poster who mentioned that not all of the Hyatt's staff was bad was correct, of course, but enough of them were rude and obnoxious to warrant a complaint. Dragon*Con is HUGE business for them, and if enough complaints are received, the Hyatt *will* take note.

_______________________________
You do that, and you'd best make peace with your dear and fluffy lord.

MAI

Wednesday, September 6, 2006 10:50 PM

I'm sorry it's all my fault.
(but it was very funny!) the fight not the bad services... though i suppose that was probably all me too.

FIREFLYGAL

Wednesday, September 6, 2006 11:02 PM

You may not want to hear this Mummunit but there was a huge sign in the lobby of the Hyatt saying rooms were still available! While I was not treated rudely by the Hyatt staff, having rooms available and saying they don't is BS, not to mention "guaranteeing" a room, which apparently doesn't mean you're guaranteeing a room. Well, then what does it mean?? Just thought I'd throw this into the fray. This is why I stay at the Marriott.

I aim to misbehave!

Firefly items:
For lapel pins and badge holder lanyards
e-mail FireflyGal1@hotmail.com
www.outtotheblack.com
www.cafepress.com/fillies
www.cafepress.com/fireflyflan

TRAVELER

Wednesday, September 6, 2006 11:13 PM

Citizen:

It was an orange Jayne hat I hope. Good job then.
Hate to think you wasted your effort on some nondiscript hat.

Sounds like it was fun. The Photos we received looked like it was.

Enjoyed seeing all the orange knit hats on peoples heads and alot of Kaylee umbrellas.

Did you think of getting an umbrella too.

They would make a fine matched set.

Traveler

BROWNCOATRISING

Wednesday, September 6, 2006 11:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by traveler:
Citizen:

It was an orange Jayne hat I hope. Good job then.
Hate to think you wasted your effort on some nondiscript hat.

Sounds like it was fun. The Photos we received looked like it was.

Enjoyed seeing all the orange knit hats on peoples heads and alot of Kaylee umbrellas.

Did you think of getting an umbrella too.

They would make a fine matched set.

Traveler

No, not a Jayne hat. This will go down in my book as the "Pimprot incident." I was actually a little scared for Citizen for a moment. Pimprot was severely lacking in the sense of humor department.

KANEMAN

Wednesday, September 6, 2006 11:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by fireflygal:
You may not want to hear this Mummunit but there was a huge sign in the lobby of the Hyatt saying rooms were still available! While I was not treated rudely by the Hyatt staff, having rooms available and saying they don't is BS, not to mention "guaranteeing" a room, which apparently doesn't mean you're guaranteeing a room. Well, then what does it mean?? Just thought I'd throw this into the fray. This is why I stay at the Marriott.

I aim to misbehave!

Firefly items:
For lapel pins and badge holder lanyards
e-mail FireflyGal1@hotmail.com
www.outtotheblack.com
www.cafepress.com/fillies
www.cafepress.com/fireflyflan

I get this feeling you WORK at the Marriott....

PLUTOMOMENT

Thursday, September 7, 2006 1:37 AM

The problem with the Hyatt (and they were up front about it, even had a letter slipped under the doors explaining it on Saturday) was that they had FEMA holed up for a week waiting for a hurricane that didn't happen. We got shoved (4 of us) into one of the awful pie shaped Ivy tower rooms where the bathrooms don't have real doors. The Hyatt staff was exceptionally nice to us, the guy claimed he was trying to give us a suite but couldn't work it in the system because of the con rate. They called every 15 minutes for about an hour to check on if our roll away bed had arrived yet. This is all after coming in at 4:00 and being told "we're sorry there are no rooms right now come back later" and not getting back til 8 (my husband left to come pick me up from work). We were told FEMA would be leaving in the morning and they could make changes then.
First thing Saturday morning (well 10 am) we put in a room change request and they called our cell phone as soon as a double room was clean for us (around 1).

I think they made a poor choice with letting FEMA be there, though I don't know if they had a choice in that. The rooms that were available at the con rate later in the weekend were probably the rooms left open by FEMA and not claimed by other con goers who went to other hotels. We never did use the free breakfast vouchers they gave us as compensation (they gave them to everybody who made a stink I think) cause we never were up early enough or had a panel to run to instead of eat.

Usually the Hyatt is pretty good and the staff is usually amused by all us crazies. We've been staying there for the past 5 years, my husband even longer.

I have to add to this that we are Hyatt gold passport members and while this is a free service it might have colored our treatment.

Heather
SEBC Vice-Chair
www.SoutheasternBrowncoats.org

D3RBY

Thursday, September 7, 2006 5:51 AM

I saw all the FEMA people when we arrived on Thursday and thought "Damn that is a lot of Stargate fans".

They tried to stick my room of friends and I in one king bed which wasn't going to happen.

Overall this year my dealings with the Hyatt staff were as good or better than in the past (2005 was the only time I ever had a problem).

BOOMERGOODHEART

Thursday, September 7, 2006 5:52 AM

There's been a lot of complaining on LiveJournal about the front desk treatment at the Hyatt this year. No rooms available, check in/out nightmares, the dude in charge not understanding english...Mind you, this is the front end services, everyone who's complained about that has raved about everyone else that works there. In an industry where you're entire stay can be colored by a bad first impression, you'd think they'd know better. Notice that neither the Hilton nor the Marriott gave FEMA rooms--they knew better with D*C in town.

We stay in the Marriott and haven't had any problems at all.

BoomerGoodheart
"I love my Captain."

BAD2VERSE

Thursday, September 7, 2006 11:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Patience:
Dragon*Con was a great experience; we had a great time, and we do plan to go again next year.

However, there was one problem I saw. The staff at the Hyatt were repeatedly rude to myself and other convention-goers. That is NOT the way to run a hospitality business, and I sent an email to the folks at the Con letting them know about this problem.

The top of the Hyatt escalators were where the POLICE got rude.. there is a BIG planter at the top of the Escalators that creates a bottle neck, and the Police were yelling "KEEP MOVING" to the people getting off the escalators, one even started pushing people forward, and there was no where to go... and with my back condition, I didn't need to be "Pushed" which is why I flipped out the Gov ID and said "Don't PUSH me".. and he backed WAY the hell off...

One Hyatt Employee at the Escalators (again) said "Are you people brain dead?" to a small crowd that was STUCK because the people up front couldn't squeeze past that planter and rail.

They REALLY need to do away with that planter bottleneck if they want to keep crowds moving.

And another (Dragon*Con?) Employee yelled at us "You can't come in this door, hit the back of the line like everyone else" until we said "Isn't this where handicapped access comes in?" Then she BOTHERED to look at our badges (Hanging there in plain sight) and just yanked the door open and said "Get on in then!"...

I understand being tired and dealing with crowds, but if SHE'D had a name tag on, She'd be mentioned in a letter FOR SURE.

________________________
..but eatin people alive, where does THAT get fun?

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