Ask Lemmy

Copied from my website (I hate companies who don't give a fuck):

Hilton (2023): both HGI @ BWI and the Twitter representatives + upper management put money way before the safety and experiences of a disabled customer, and provided a pittance of redemption - but they are so happy that I'm a loyal diamond-level customer. Talk is cheap and Hilton loves to use it, but not much else. Hello, Marriott!

Details: https://goo.gl/maps/G4MpAd2heMcUqa9h8

Details copied here for simplicity

First and foremost: if you take nothing else from this review, do not stay here. I stayed here twice for a total of 4 nights and both stays were marred by incorrect room types and poor customer service. This extends to Hilton HQ as they were insultingly uninterested in making things right.

I'm a disabled individual who booked one king size bed with roll-in shower for both stays, and had booked several months in advance. When I arrived on day 1 of stay 1, I walked in to check-in as the mobile ability was unavailable, only to be told that check-in wouldn't be available for some time. After dragging my exhausted self back to the car and getting food, I was checked in automatically around an hour later, so I returned to the hotel, got keycards from the front desk, and headed to our room. I was greeted by an incorrect room - an accessible tub instead of a roll-in shower - but my +1 suggested that we try to make it work. Spoiler warning: when you are disabled and are given incorrect accommodations, you are going to have a bad time. It was both difficult and dangerous for me, even with assistance, to shower. But as we had dinner and decided to get some sleep, the two of us crawled into bed; and it collapsed.

So, after being confused and colorful language was exchanged, we decided to investigate what happened and attempt to mend it. Remember now that it's almost 1am, I haven't slept in 25 hours, I'm barely capable of basic daily functions and me and my +1 are trying to, non-destructively, mend a bed. We find that the support slats are woefully inadequate and in short supply, with only 6 on each side of the bed (my cheapo frame at home has double that, and they are better secured as to avoid this problem). After a few minutes we get the bed apart, shift and adjust and reinstall the slats, and reassemble the bed. At checkout I received a survey and detailed these issues, and received an email supposedly from the management apologizing for my troubles, thanking me for being a diamond member, but offering nothing but empty words.

On day 1 of stay 2 a week later, I was again unable to do mobile check-in and was presented with a message to 'simply come to the front desk'. Worried but with a day-long drive ahead of me, I started the road trip. When I arrived at midnight, I was told that they just needed to see my ID (why? I was just here without that requirement) and then they gave me the keycards and off we went. Except, the room I was given this time wasn't even an accessible room. It was a standard corner (read: ikea-tiny sized) and the air was ripe with weed. As a standard room used a shower-tub combo that I cannot get into, my +1 went down to the front desk while I stayed behind (as walking is difficult and slow). When they were gone I surveyed the other customers of the hotel, and while I don't want to make assumptions, I got the feeling that there was illegal adult activities occurring just two rooms away, with people coming and going and some individuals hanging around the door in the hallway.

When my +1 returned a few minutes later they had good news, we've been moved to a different room a few doors down. When we arrived and opened the door, we saw that it was a 'suite' (read: a living room space with couch and TV, alongside the standard basic bedroom and bath). Fine by me, and this room actually has the correct accessible bathroom. Both of us noted how the air was stale and smelled 'dusty', like it hadn't been used in quite some time. As I fell in bed, well past 1 in the morning, my +1 made an announcement.

"There's a hole in the ceiling."

Let's recap: first stay, wrong room, bed collapsed upon sitting on it; second stay, wrong room, room not accessible, replacement room unusually stale, replacement room has hole in the ceiling. We aren't done yet, by the way. Morning came and when we checked out, we alerted the front desk clerk about the (now apparent) water damage, hole, and sagging ceiling, who acted like we were just bothering her lunch break. She also had a tone with a customer who called in.

Never again.

Resolution: I was given 10k Hilton points - a value of roughly $40 at the location this all occurred at - which is unacceptably low (I was looking for a 1-night refund) given what happened. I plan on downgrading or outright canceling my Hilton credit card with American Express, as after I use my accumulated points I will cease to be a customer due to the lack of empathy and compassion, at all levels at this property as well as HQ; not just for a loyal customer, but a disabled one.