I am not sure where to send this letter so I am leaving it here.
I am writing this letter after staying at your hotel last week. This letter is about the poor response to customer service request that resulted in dissatisfaction.
After careful deliberation and discussion with my family, including our two kids (ages 8 and 10) we chose your property with excitement. It was our first vacation after years of waiting do to the pandemic. We carefully planned it with the help of the concierge service who were patient in answering our questions and helping to plan a great trip.
We received the email regarding the closure of the waterslide and kids area one week before our arrival. Okay, clearly disappointed, but I understand that pool maintenance needs to happen. I’d like to point out that we got the email AFTER our option to cancel had passed and I struggle to believe that these dates were picked one week before the shut down of the pool. But trying to be the optimist, and seeing this as a surmountable bump in the road, I called the concierge to ask what the other features of your pools were so that I could talk up pool because (besides the fact, the entire reason we picked your hotel was because of the kid pools and waterslide) to a 8 and 10 year old, a waterslide means everything. I was transferred to a department that unfortunately I couldn’t understand the name of, but possibly a service recovery? Which I thought odd because all I wanted was an answer to what I felt was a very easy question. When I asked the question “I am trying to manage the expectations and disappointment for my kids regarding the closure of the waterslide. Could you tell me the other features of the pool so I can talk it up and bring what I need for them to have an amazing experience?” The woman I was transferred to responded with, “why would you pick a hotel because of its pool? I don’t know the answer to your question” The tone of voice condescending. I was so shocked and disappointed at the response. I didn’t even have a response. I get I haven’t travelled in quite a while, but I have to imagine given that your website shows multiple pictures of the waterslide, I can’t be the only person who would pick a hotel because of it’s pools when traveling with kids. I was immediately very put off and upset. She couldn’t answer the question and did not offer to transfer me to a department that could. All I could do was thank her for her time and end the conversation. I emailed the concierge I was in prior contact with to state that the department I was transferred to was less than helpful and is there another department that I could talk to that would know the (seemingly) answer to my question? She was not aware of one. I asked for a manager to contact me because maybe they would know. She sated she would reach out and have a manager call me. No one ever did. I arrived to the hotel and asked again, could a manager reach out to me. Again, silence. I emailed again the concierge (Ramona) asking for a manager to reach out to me, and she reach out with an apology that no one ever got back to me, but that was it, no mention about trying again to get a manager. The lack of action was honestly incredibly upsetting. Given that we have not had a family vacation in years, I can’t begin to tell you the bad taste left in my mouth (so to speak) over what was seemingly a benign request. It was clear (after I got there) that all someone had to do was transfer me to the pool hut where the towels and rentals were distributed. Instead I got a person asking why I would ever pick a hotel because of a pool, and no response by a manager after multiple requests. I asked three times while I was staying there for a manger to reach out to me and again, silence. I understand that the concierge service is a contracted out, but they represent the Westin. So poor performance by them still reflects poorly on the Westin.
Other issues I would like to point out that occurred while staying there:
I was asked by the concierge and at check in if we were celebrating anything special - we were- my daughter’s 10th birthday, my husband’s 45th birthday and our anniversary. I didn’t expect anything, but out of curiosity, why keep asking if you aren’t going to do anything with that information. But when you keep asking, it feels like you plan of doing something with that information. So if you aren’t going to do anything with that information, stop asking for it.
I was told by the concierge AFTER I reserved my stay that there would be a shuttle service. Then when I got there, the concierge service said there wasn’t any shuttle service. When we went out the valet area to get to the other Westin, they were incredibly gracious and offered to drive us down to the Westin, Villas there was a mix response of yes there is a shuttle service and no there isn’t. After our time at the Westing Villas, we went to head back to the Resort, the Valets at the Westin Villas stated there was a Shuttle and we could take it. So we waited for the Shuttle but would drop us off at the Whalers Mall (totally fine). But when it arrived and we went to get on, the driver stated we couldn’t take it because we were staying at the Westin Resort, not the Westin Villas. I can’t begin to tell you how many mixed messages we got and it was frustrating.
The concierge signed us up for lei making and crown making (sorry, I don’t remember what you call the crown making). The concierge was meticulous in making sure it landed well with the night we reserved to do the luau. Great! Insert extreme excitement from my daughter about making a lei. Until we got to the craft table to make them. Turns out they weren’t doing lei making and it wasn’t on the agenda. It seriously feels like the left hand isn’t talking to the right hand. So again, lack of communication and a disappointed daughter.
Through the concierge service we had arranged for Dragon boat experience. It got cancelled. Okay, understandable, it happens. We asked to se if it could be rescheduled. After no one reached out to use to get it rescheduled, we asked again. It got rescheduled but cancelled again. There was never an offer by the concierge service to try another location. I ended up called the company directly and they asked if we would be willing to launch from the Westin Villas and if so, we could be accommodated. Which we were happy to do (and did), but again, with no help from the concierge service.
I feel like many of these above listed issues would easily be remedied if there was clear communication. Or even an all managers morning meeting that would take no more than 15 minutes to address any changes in schedules, concerns, safety issues. (if hospitals can do it, you can too!) Then they could take the info back to the workers of the day. Even if you have multiple subcontracted companies that help run the hotel, communication should be clear across the board to all companies and employees that represent the Westin. You fell quite short on this.
I will say in general, we did have a lovely holiday. The Lanai in the new tower is incredible and worth the extra expense. They could do a bit better in announcing what is on tap for the day in The Lani (we often only stumbled on to things by happen stance such as the hula lessons, the lovely ukulele and upright bass with the hula dancer to name a few), but the workers there were amazing and so friendly. The female bartender who took the extra step to make her glasses match her uniform shirt was absolutely incredible, engaging, and a humbled teacher of history (in regards to alcohol that we found fascinating). Her customer service is spot on. She is a keeper! (I’m only sorry I can’t remember her name)
I would love to say we had a great vacation, but I just can’t. It was lovely. Great would have been getting a call back from someone about the pool amenities and not being talked down to because we picked a hotel because of the pool. Great would have been me not being stressed trying to make last minute plans because employees don’t have updated information. And great would have been not having to have disappointed kids because, again, the concierge was lacking updated information. I know you can do better.
P.S., as an update, when we checked out, the person arranging it asked if she could get us a manager. And I believe she would have but we had to leave to catch out flight home. Someone named Sam (I think), did reach out. I called back and left a message as no one answered the phone. Still no one has called me back. This has left enough of a bad taste that despite having a great hotel, I have no desire to return or use The Westin again.
