Hi All,
Just back from Goa. Had a great time and I could put up with the annoying taxi drivers and some of the minor negative points of Goa but I was really upset by the lack of trust that we were shown in the hotel as regards to bills etc. See below;
1) Signed a receipt for the 2 waters used in the minibar (40 rupees)
2) 2 hours later - Asked to sign same receipt by a different room boy - refused
3) Went to reception and informed them of above error - "We will sort it out" we were informd
4) Following day - Knock on the door - same bill!!! Refused to sign it but were in a rush out for the day so didn't visit reception
5) Went to the pool later that day and on leaving was chased round the hotel and demanded we pay cash for another bill (this time for drinks round the pool). We asked why we couldn't just sign as per the other bills and he was unable to explain. We paid and again made a trip to reception.
6) Reception informed us that the bill had been put on the wrong room number hence us been asked to pay cash. He said he would investigate the issues we have been having, we said we would be back in two hours for the outcome.
7) Came back to reception, previous guy had gone home! New receptionist knew anything of our complaint. We said enough is enough and said we would settle our bill and not use the minibar or pool bar again. Receptionist asked for 2nd chance, we informed him that as this really is the 3rd chance he should be asking the customer what he could do to put the situation right. He just looked at us blankly. He then phoned house keeping up and asked them to remove the minibar! We said to him "Don't you trust us" again he looked at us blankly. We paid the outstanding bill (570 rupees) and got short changed by 100 in the process! Fortunately we noticed as we counted the change and he then gave us the other 100 rupees.
9) A Day later"¦knock on the door - Same stupid bill!!! For the 4th time!!!!!!! Back to reception we went.
10) Asked to speak to manager - take a seat we were told. 15 mins later still no manager. Asked reception again - on his way we were told.
11) Housekeeping manager finally turns up after 30 mins. He said he was sorry and it won't happen again, and I said well its happened 4 times what are you going to do about it. Got another sorry, and that it would be brought up in the management meeting. We said don't you trust us to have a minibar and he said sorry again and would put the minibar back.
12) On the last day we checked out at 8am, went to reception and gave receptionist the key. He said sit down for 10 mins we said why as we were off to Bogmarlo beach. He said "to check your room" Enough was enough and we stormed out promptly. We hadn't had anything from the minibar and the room was spotless, we even left 400 rupees tip for the roomboy and I only hope whoever "checked the room" didn't take it.
Sorry for the long story but at the time we were so annoyed and felt they were treating us suspiciously. All we wanted was someone to say don't worry about the 40 rupees bill its on us due to all the trouble we had - we would have been happy and would visit the hotel again. But no one could really think on their feet and we just got "sorry" time and time again and no assurances that anything was being done. I also felt a complete lack of trust which wasn't the most pleasant thing. We loved the hotel - but not the service, and we said that we would go back there in a few months but after this incident we are not so sure.
I would just also like to point out that I never lost my temper with the staff, never even raised my voice. I just explained things politely and clearly, and each time I asked them to inform me if they didn't understand anything- as I know there is a language barrier sometimes.
Arrrrrrghhhh! All we wanted was a 40 rupee bill wiping as goodwill gesture (although we never asked for this) - it wasnt the money one bit it was just the principal!
Any one else had anything similar?
Thanks for reading.
I think it may just be the Indian way. We have stayed all inclusive twice at the same hotel. Everytime we got a drink/meal etc we had to sign a receipt showing our room number. They knew us by name and by room number so it wasn't as if they were verifying that we were guests. Couldn't understand it. Also in Newtons they won't let you take bags etc/drinks etc in and follow you around like a criminal!!!
As regards to the bag thing I noticed that too as i had a "Man bag" , if anyone said we couldnt come in without leaving the bag with security I refused to go in and walked out. After all, if they can't trust me to be in the shop with a bag then I won't be giving them my business! didnt go in about 10 / 12 shops because of this.
abit like when some see you for the 1st time after some mths and you may have put on a couple of pounds (or not!!!) and they say things like...'oooh belly has come big!!' or 'you become fatty'!!!!!!!!!!!!! got to laugh, but its just sooo rude!!
chilly
Chilly that's not just the Goans. Met a girl I had worked with years ago when visiting my old office. Noticed she had a bit of a stomach and pointed at it thinking she was with child. Yes you've got it she wasn't. Avoided her for the rest of the day.!!!
Yes I have been told "you are fatter this year". Nothing like putting you on a diet for the next year. Unfortunately nothing seems to hae changed - still fatter!
Don't really know why you left that.
It hindsight it was wrong, but I didn't expect anyone to check the room. I assumed it would just be the room boy who would have gone in there first to clean it. Live and learn!
We also make sure we pay our room bill the night before, because in the past when we wanted to leave for the airport, we have had to wait ages for someone to check our room including the minibar.
Another thing we do, we go through the bill thoroughly because once we were charged for another room's drinks and it is difficult to query a bill on the morning of departure especially at 4 am.
Good tips about about the tips sydney.
The mini bar thing is always a pain in the butt.I always keep a tally of what we have and show them it from time to time, and never pay till the last day Added to which we put our own drinks in
We had spent all night talking and drinking, at the end of the night one couple asked for their bill and it ws astronomic!
The guy queried it and they brought out all the signed receipts for his room.... most of them with MY signature on them.
In fairness their room no was very similar to mine!
I normally just put all my drinks on someone elses room number,saves loads of time when you are checking out having no bills to pay...........JUST JOKING!!
Pleased you liked Goa despite your problems
I am not making excuses for the way you was treated but as way of an explanation I think you have to remember that a lot of the staff will only be earning 150 Rps a day max and would be made to refund any loss out of that. The trouble is the management pass the tickets out like pass the parcel and the last one stuck with it has to get the signature or loose out, they don't care if you owe the money or not and do not have the power to sort things out, also it is worth remembering the low wages when tipping, unless you would normally tip someone nearly three days wages in the UK
I think you coped very well on your first visit and got over the shock very quickly. I hope next time you come the shacks will be built because it is very different place then and they help with keeping their part of the beach clean and create a great atmosphere
When Lynn was in hospital in Margao, they had to put an inch of water in her breathing apperatus, on my visit to the hospital on the morning visit they gave me a bill for 2 rupees, on the afternoon visit Lynn was having trouble breathing I feched a nurse to see her, she told me there was no water in the tube to help her breathe because I hadn't paid my bill ( 2 rupees) that afternonn they found out what it is like to upset a worried husband.
argo
Should be the job of a manager.From what I have seen of Goan management style it appears to be a lot of shouting and pointing and instilling total terror in the poor lads.
We managed to resolve our bill without too much fuss bit it did stress the poor lad out that I had not paid until the day before we left.
And as far as asking any manager to sort out guest complaints the style is to nod tell you it will be sorted and then do exactly nothing.
Took me a week once to get a toilet seat fixed.It became a battle of wills.
Thats why we all love it.
Papa
Browsing in the Acron store in Candolim and the assistants were never more than two feet from you. my wife ended up asking them to leave her alone and stop following her around the shop. To be fair, I think they were just wanting to be seen to help, but it is quite unnerving when they are there at your heel everytime you move.
just got back from the Nazri. Had no problem with the bill but waiters did come to our room a few times for us to sign for drinks we had round the pool. It often took quite a while to get the bill so we didnt wait sometimes. Also found it rather strange that the laundry boy brought our laundry to our room at 10.45pm. We were asleep!
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