I've stayed here several times even though it really isn't in the best neighborhood. The location suits my needs for a quick getaway to Houston, though. Until my most recent stay, everything had been fine. Never great. Never awful. Pretty much what you would expect from a mid-priced chain motel.
However, on my last (and I do mean LAST) stay, my wife and I checked into a Jacuzzi suite and went out in search of dinner. After dinner, we came back ready for a dip in the hot tub. Well, there was more tub than there was hot. In fact, there was no hot. No hot water was to be had in our suite. I called the desk and was told, with a bit of attitude, that they would let maintenance know about the problem in the morning. No offer to change to a room with hot water, either with or without a Jacuzzi. I explained that we would be up and gone before maintenance was available the next morning. Well, she said, she would let the manager know, too...in the morning.
I called Best Western customer care and while they seemed sympathetic, they were impotent, as "each location is independently owned and operated." Further attempts to get to the bottom of the situation resulted in an admission by the motel that they were at fault and an offer to refund 10% of the charge. Excuse me, but I paid twice the regular room rate to get the damn jacuzzi that provided no value whatsoever and then we had to take cold showers the next morning. I don't think $12 is quite going to make up for that. That was all they had to offer, though. Take a moment and imagine my response. I got the (apparently useless) Discover Card folks involved and will be filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, as well.
You can tell a lot about a business by how they handle a situation gone wrong. I understand that these things happen. Breakers trip and water heaters no longer heat water. If that happens to a paying guest and you value their business, you should go out of your way to make it right. Obviously, this place doesn't value my business. Don't expect that they will value yours.
- Best Western Houston
- Best Western Heritage Hotel
- Houston Best Western
