Intercontinental Hotels

In September 2008, I was displaced and unemployed due to Hurricane Ike's devastating effects on Houston, Texas, other surrounding counties and the entire Texas Gulf Coast region. My mother and I were in a house without electricity for over two weeks waiting for FEMA assistance. When FEMA notified us with a hotel code for shelter until a scheduled inspection. My mother was very hesitant to leave her residence unsecured. The heat, lack of food and water made the decision for us. We decided due to the lack of vacancies in Houston, Texas to go to Austin, Texas.

Before arriving to Candlewood Suites, Austin Arboretum Northwest located at Stonelake Blvd. Austin, Texas 78759 on Saturday October 4, 2008 at approximately 3:00PM. The front desk worker named Alvin ** was rude and unprofessional over the phone when I called for directions to the hotel. A cancellation was out of the question at that time. Sunday October 5, 2010, I spoke to front desk worker Coretta about the room because it looked like it was in the process of renovation. My mother went back to Houston, Texas for a few days to check on the house. After looking at the entire room front desk worker Coretta agreed, stated front desk worker Alvin ** shouldn't have checked any one into that room and moved me to another room.

Wednesday, October 8, 2010, I went to the front desk to ask for towels and inquire about what the hotel advertised as pizza night. I did not know or care that front desk worker Alvin ** was on duty that night. Alvin ** wasted no time with the sexual harassment, unprofessional and inappropriate questions in front of another male guest. Alvin ** stated that I was flirting with him because I came to the front desk. I immediately told Alvin ** that, "I am not flirting with you." Alvin **'s attempt to backtrack, act sincere and apologize was condescending, narcissistic and patronizing.

Thursday, October 9, 2010, Alvin ** once again decided to be inappropriate towards me while he was on duty with remarks such as his marijuana usage and having a sexual relationship with an older woman to pay his rent. Alvin followed me into the laundry facility at the hotel. Alvin already had his telephone number written down on a post-it note and he handed to me without any hesitation. Before stating to Alvin that he should be reprimanded by management I took the post-it note with his telephone number for evidence. It became more and more apparent that Alvin would not take no for an answer because he started calling my room at various times even when not on duty.

Friday, October 10, 2010, I told front desk worker Coretta about the above. I also relayed to front desk worker Coretta that Alvin was sexually harassing and trying to take advantage of me because I was by myself. I asked Alvin why was he obsessed with harassing me. Alvin stated in front of another male guest. The male guest named D started laughing hysterically. I told Alvin, "You will not disrespect me and I will report you." I was so overwhelmed with not only what happened but the fact that the male guest named D followed me to the elevators and asked for my room number while I was visibly upset and in tears.

That same night at approximately 11:30PM, I asked an overnight front desk worker where was the nearest hospital. I took a cab to Seton Northwest Hospital located at Research Blvd. Austin, Texas 78759. I was discharged Saturday October 11, 2010. A manager named Shaun was made of the incidents with front worker Alvin but did not arrive to the hotel until Sunday, October 12, 2010. Sunday October 12, 2010, I called Guest Relations (#2269452) and relayed the above along with Alvin's telephone number.

To date and after no apology or any accountability from InterContinential Hotels Group, Teresa **, Regional Director of Operations for this hotel, Stephanie **, Executive Office IHG and Zurich North America Insurance Company Adjuster- Rudy **. I am still affected by what happened to me and probable countless others. I have a right to be heard and compensated for all the emotional and physical turmoil their employee caused. I want a resolution.

On June 21, 2009 sometime between 1 and 8PM while I. and the other room guest were out, my blackberry cellular phone valued at approximately $340.00 was stolen from the locked hotel room number 704 at the Intercontinental Hotel of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The hotel room phone had two missed calls, each with blank messages. I later realized that some member of staff may have called the room to determine if I or the other room guest were present. At approximately 9PM, I reported the discovery of this theft to the hotel security.

A Mr. Alexandry G who identified himself as a security supervisor came to the room and took my report. He stated that I would be contacted the next day by the hotel as to what reparations would occur. He further stated that the hotel would investigate its staff. Mr. G informed me that the hotel kept an insurance policy and the most probable outcome would be a check issued to my home address by the insurance company. He instructed me to write his name and number on the stationary pad of the hotel; however, I was not provided with any official receipt of report. I WAS NEVER CONTACTED BY MR. G.

On 6/23/09 I called the Puerto Rico location and requested to speak to Mr. G. I was transferred to security. A woman took my name and stated that Mr. G was not available and she would call me back in 30 minutes. I NEVER RECIEVED A RETURN CALL FROM HER. On 6/25/09 I spoke to David M in management at the San Juan location. I expressed my frustration with the lack of response from the security department. Mr. M stated that he would inform the Director of Security of my situation and that while he could not state a definite date as to when the issue would reach resolution, he assured me that he would call the next day to confirm that he had spoken to the Director of Security and provide an update. It is now 7/01. I HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED BY ANY OF THE THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO EACH STATED THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW UP; NOR HAVE I BEEN CONTACTED IN ANY WAY BY ANY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP.

This is an update to an earlier note. ICH Amstel, Amsterdam, NL has agreed to allow a credit towards my non refundable reservation, the only thing that would have been nicer is to not require it within the 1st 3 mos of next year, but I am grateful for the courtesy in whatever way it comes. BEWARE ICH HOTEL or probably any other when making overseas reservations, they don't play by the same rules that we play here in America. If you do get in a situation hopefully you will have enough time to get someone to listen and help.

On 19th of November I made a non refundable reservation. An unexpected and unavoidable medical problem arose over which I have no control. The hotel is currrently indicating they will charge me for the Full Stay. I am requesting only a credit towards a future stay, or a reasonable cancellation fee. Currently this is in the thousands of dollars. For 10 days I have been trying to get a reasonable response. Currently there are two outstanding letters as indicated above. These have been sent to the Concierge and to Customer Relations via the Hotel Group Web Site.

1) $9.95 per night for a DSL connection (at the Intercontinental Hotel, Miami)? Did I mention this was a business trip? We have never been gouged like this at any of the Company approved hotels (Marriott, Sheraton, etc). Usually there is not a charge associated with DSL.

2) Coffee packs were provided the first 2 nights of my 4 night stay, then they ceased to be delivered with room cleanup. I do enjoy coffee day or night.

3) I received a voicemail message from Intercontinental Hotel on my cell phone when I returned to California. I called back and was on hold over 10 minutes while the message told me how important I was to them. Sure, I felt very important while I continued to wait and watched my cellular long distant minutes build up. The clerk told me that there was going to be a charge added to my bill for missing items from the refrigerator. Now out of the 3 complaints I have, this one annoys me the most.

Upon check-in, I was asked if I wanted the key to the bar. I declined, was not given a key, and the bar was locked. If anything was missing, it was not me and I deeply resent being called a liar! Maybe they should look at their staff. It sounds to me like one or more of their employees has a drinking problem as well as honesty issues and keys to the bar! I share my recommendations for hotels, airlines, restaurants, etc, with others as well as warn them against doing business with problematic companies that I have had misfortunes with.

Called and changed reservations at least 2 weeks before arriving (at the Houston Intercontinental) in order to make the reservations start one day earlier and end one day earlier. They then charged me a $186 no-show fee for the night I cancelled. They refused to credit my account for this no-show fee even though I had changed the reservations prior to arriving at the hotel.

$186 comes out of my personal funds, even though I was traveling for my place of employment.

I made a GUARANTEED reservation with them for the Crowne Plaza in Beijing commencing 10/20/05. When my taxi arrived at the building, we found it shuttered up, and I had to scramble to find another hotel at 10.30pm in a strange city, laden with luggage. Written complaints to their Guest Relations did not even get a reply.

My wife had wanted to stay at the Wangfujing area in Beijing, which is why we selected that particular hotel and made a reservation months in advance. Because we arrived late at night, we could not get another hotel in the same area. Our whole trip was ruined because of their ineptitude.