Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/03/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Last Sunday, August 25th, my husband, ******************************* (**), woke up with signifiant symptoms of Covid. At 7:00 am, I did the right and thoughtful thing and called this hotel to cancel our reservation that was for later that evening. I was informed by the receptionist that even though my husband has active Covid that I would be charged for the night. As a parent of a ***** ******* Alumni who frequented and recommended your hotel for many years, I was surprised and disappointed by this action.At 8:00 am, I was at urgent care, getting the testing and medical care my husband required - please see the diagnosis attached. I and my entire family tested positive on Tuesday, evidence of the contagiousness of this virus. My family has recovered but my husband and I remain ill and at home.Although I understand and respect the need for cancellation policies, I am disappointed that there is no room for kindness and humanity in situations such as this one. My husband and I are seniors with several co-morbidities. I was being conscientious of the well being of others when I cancelled my reservation - I could have decided to show up at your hotel sick. Would they have allowed me to stay at your hotel with active symptoms? Would they have cared for me and provided medication, called my physician, and monitored my symptoms? Would they have informed other guests that they allowed me and my husband to stay in their hotel knowing that we have Covid? I think youll agree that my decision to cancel this reservation was as much in my interests as theirs.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/04/2024

  Good morning,

  Our apologies for the handling of this cancellation.  The staff member was following policy on the cancellation procedures, however due to the circumstances outlined, I have provided a full refund of the cancellation fees.

  Sincerely,

       **************************************
       Regional Managing Director

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/20/2024

  The hotel resolved our problem.  We had a reservation however when my husband was diagnosed with Covid they did not let me cancel without a fee.  They have since credited our card and the manager was very apologetic. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/01/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have tried to resolve this problem with the Hotel by reaching out through their website, calling and trying to reach the owner via LinkedIn. I have NEVER received a satisfactory response. I received the credit of a one night stay when I had to cancel a stay during Covid. Unfortunately, I can't find my records and the one person who ever talked to me said they 'had changed their reservation systems and had no old records.' I find this response to be unbelievable. I would like to use my ONE NIGHT credit on May 20, as my daughter is finishing college at Smith and I don't plan to be back in town. I am VERY UPSET that my calls and emails have not been responded to. I do not think the business is acting in good faith to help with this issue. I was told I have one night credit and I would like the hotel to honor that, and if they can't find their records, I would STILL like them to honor it. They should be able to find that I have been a customer in the past. Please help me. I am frustrated.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/03/2024

  I have been in contact with the guest, and we have resolved this issue in an appropriate manner that both parties agreed to. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/25/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In 2022 I called the Hotel Northampton to book a queen hotel room for May 4-8, 2023 as part of the room block for my sister's hotel room. I was never given the price for how much it would be, so on April 14 of this year, I called so I would have an idea of how much it cost. I was told $696. This seemed low so I asked them to confirm. On April 17, I called back to switch rooms with my uncle who no longer need his two double bed room. I asked what the new cost of my room would be and was told, again, it would be $696. I was sent an email confirmation (the first I received) with no amount in the email. When I arrived on May 4, the front desk too my card and made me sign a document also with no price on it. I checked what the "hold" was on my card that night and it was about $772 ($696 something plus a $75 hold for extras). Then when I checked out on May 8, suddenly I finally got a written document with the cost on it -- $1,295.68. No manager was available, but the desk agent deducted $299.36 to make it $996.32, as this was apparently the correct cost for what I should have been charged the four nights. I got no explanation as to where my original quote and charge came from. No manager was available for the following week. About a week later, my mother discussed this with a manager, who initially agreed and refunded me another $299.36... only to change his mind and recharge me that $299.36 again. I understand they had some issues with a system change at the hotel, but there's no reason to never have sent an email confirmation with the right number. It may have been an honest mistake (or three), but this feels like a bait and switch, and my email discussion with the manager has been fruitless. In total I have now paid $996.32, and I would like to be refunded $299.36 to match my original quote. If this is not possible, requiring the hotels to send email confirmations with actual prices to guests who must book over the phone will suffice.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/16/2023

  When the reservation was made it was made at the group rate (confirmation attached).  It was made in our old system and we made a change in January of 2023.  Some of the groups and rates did not flow over correctly, which has been explained to *** ******* and her mother on separate occasions.  Some reservations were caught ahead of time and unfortunately *** ******* rates populated at the current rates at that time.  In the end, the corrections were made to the folio and the amount charged to the guest was the $996.32 which was the rates when booked and the group rates that she had been booked under.  The confirmations are created by the system by the rates booked at the time of booking...there is no "bait and switch" as she refers to in her letter.  ** ******* was booked and finally charged/adjusted for the group rates when booking.  As discussed, it was a combination of the system changeover and human error which was explained.  I did apologize to *** *******, double checked that what was charged was the correct amount, and she seems to not understand that human errors do occur can occur.  She mentions the $299.36 refund which was a total number that she had mentioned which was lower than the original booked rate.  It was readjusted to match the confirmation and the group rates.  

  Again, her rates were charged based upon the original booking, group rates and her confirmation.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/16/2023

   
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: they didn't read my email. I was never told I would be charged $996 as they have repeated in their email. I was told I would be charged $696, which was what I was told on the phone, told at the front desk on 5/4, and then charged on 5/4. I explained this in my email. The record of this appears to have been erased from their system. Because they repeatedly changed my charges on my credit card, there is no longer evidence of that there either. I understand that this was never intended to be the price, that somehow things got screwed up, but again they never sent me an email telling me what I could actually expect to be charged. You're also asked to sign in at check-in without being given a printout of what you will be expected to pay, which also fails to be sufficiently forthcoming with guests. I don't expect a reimbursement. I would just like to know that, if they are going to require that people make reservations over the phone for special events, that they send them an email with the price that they will be expected to pay when they get to the hotel so that there are no surprises or confusion. That's all I want to know. If they can't do that, then customers should be warned that the hotel can basically charge them whatever they want at the end of the stay.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ********* *******