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Best Western Hotels International, Inc. Complaint - Definitely NOT pet lovers!!
Complaint
MT. AIRY, NORTH CAROLINA -- I stayed at the Best Western Bryson Inn at Mt. Airy, NC for several nights in June 2010. I will never stay at this motel again!! The staff is completely rude and almost forgets who the customers are. They have a ‘NO PET’ policy, which doesn’t apply to me since I don’t travel with pets. There is a sign on the door that says that all violators will be charged a $100.00 fee for any pet found on the premise. Nowhere does it say that the violator will be kicked off of the property.
I checked into this hotel and stayed few days, when a friend of mine drove up to see me from Atlanta and unbeknownst to me, brought his small dog with him. The dog is a Jack Russell/ Rat terrier mix and weighs about 12lbs., so a small dog. When he arrived at 10:30pm at night, I told him that the motel had a ‘NO PET’ policy. So the dog was left to sleep in the car for the night. The following morning at 9:30am when it started getting warm out, the dog was brought into the motel. He was left in the room in his kennel while we had breakfast in nearby Mt. Airy. I had to leave for a couple of hours and my friend seeing that the weather was getting bad went outside with the dog to walk him before it rained. It was then that one of the staff saw him and told him that pets were not allowed. Then the lady manning the front desk was involved and my friend asked to speak to the Manager. So the Manager was called and went to the room to talk to my friend so that he could show her the dog and the kennel. The GM basically said that it didn’t matter and that he would have to leave the premise and pay the $100.00 fee. He told her that we would just leave and find a different motel that was ‘pet friendly’ and she said that since it was after the checkout time of 11:00am, I was already charged for another night. Needless to say, he had to pay the fee and pack his stuff and get out.
Since I was unavailable by phone, he decided to go ahead and return to Atlanta. When I returned to the motel and he had explained to me that he was gone, I went to the front desk to ask what had happened and was greeted with absolute disdain. The two women were completely rude and unprofessional. I asked them exactly what the fee was for if they were still going to kick people off of the property. The one lady said it was for damages and fleas. The other said it was because I broke the ‘no pet’ rule. I told her then that I wanted someone to go to the room and check for any damages. Neither one was willing to do that. I told them that basically the fee was extortion and that they should be ashamed of charging people a fee for absolutely nothing…just a quick way to make a fast $100.00. I also told her that when I had gone out at 9:30am, there were two other people walking their dogs. And the front desk lady had the gall to tell me that no one was staying at the motel with pets. ((Yea, right!!)) So I explained that I would be posting reviews on several different sites on the internet and lodging a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. The one lady told me that I needed to leave the office and the other one told me to go ahead and do it.
So needless to say, if you have pets or friends that are travelling with pets, AVOID this motel like the plague. If you enjoy rude staff, people smoking in front of your rooms at all hours, broken TV, spotty WiFi, and bugs in your room…then you will be right at home. And they also state on their website also states that each room features a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge mountains...HA HA HA!! The only things to see out of your room is the parking lot, road, pool, and truck stop...there are no mountains in sight.
I checked into this hotel and stayed few days, when a friend of mine drove up to see me from Atlanta and unbeknownst to me, brought his small dog with him. The dog is a Jack Russell/ Rat terrier mix and weighs about 12lbs., so a small dog. When he arrived at 10:30pm at night, I told him that the motel had a ‘NO PET’ policy. So the dog was left to sleep in the car for the night. The following morning at 9:30am when it started getting warm out, the dog was brought into the motel. He was left in the room in his kennel while we had breakfast in nearby Mt. Airy. I had to leave for a couple of hours and my friend seeing that the weather was getting bad went outside with the dog to walk him before it rained. It was then that one of the staff saw him and told him that pets were not allowed. Then the lady manning the front desk was involved and my friend asked to speak to the Manager. So the Manager was called and went to the room to talk to my friend so that he could show her the dog and the kennel. The GM basically said that it didn’t matter and that he would have to leave the premise and pay the $100.00 fee. He told her that we would just leave and find a different motel that was ‘pet friendly’ and she said that since it was after the checkout time of 11:00am, I was already charged for another night. Needless to say, he had to pay the fee and pack his stuff and get out.
Since I was unavailable by phone, he decided to go ahead and return to Atlanta. When I returned to the motel and he had explained to me that he was gone, I went to the front desk to ask what had happened and was greeted with absolute disdain. The two women were completely rude and unprofessional. I asked them exactly what the fee was for if they were still going to kick people off of the property. The one lady said it was for damages and fleas. The other said it was because I broke the ‘no pet’ rule. I told her then that I wanted someone to go to the room and check for any damages. Neither one was willing to do that. I told them that basically the fee was extortion and that they should be ashamed of charging people a fee for absolutely nothing…just a quick way to make a fast $100.00. I also told her that when I had gone out at 9:30am, there were two other people walking their dogs. And the front desk lady had the gall to tell me that no one was staying at the motel with pets. ((Yea, right!!)) So I explained that I would be posting reviews on several different sites on the internet and lodging a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. The one lady told me that I needed to leave the office and the other one told me to go ahead and do it.
So needless to say, if you have pets or friends that are travelling with pets, AVOID this motel like the plague. If you enjoy rude staff, people smoking in front of your rooms at all hours, broken TV, spotty WiFi, and bugs in your room…then you will be right at home. And they also state on their website also states that each room features a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge mountains...HA HA HA!! The only things to see out of your room is the parking lot, road, pool, and truck stop...there are no mountains in sight.
Comments:
Posted by Big Russ on 2010-06-12:
I have allergies, if I stayed in the room after you, you can bet I would be raising heck with the front desk. No pets means NO PETS
Posted by Dryad on 2010-06-12:
"NO Pets" means no pets. Doesn't matter about the weight and size. Sorry, I don't travel with my pets, and I wouldn't want to put up with someone else's.
Posted by biomajor on 2010-06-12:
Instead of bringing the dog into the room, your friend should have found a pet friendly hotel and stayed there. I don't travel with my dog often, usually just when visiting my family for weeks at a time, but when I do, I make sure I know where to stop to find a hotel that will accept him, and he's only 5 pounds.
Posted by Justice-4-All2 on 2010-06-12:
NO Pets means NO pets, NO smoking means NO smoking, etc...
The policy was clearly stated, so why the fuss? Are you insinuating that you are "above" the policies and rules set for everyone else?
The policy was clearly stated, so why the fuss? Are you insinuating that you are "above" the policies and rules set for everyone else?
Posted by Skye on 2010-06-12:
I am a pet lover, and work in the animal field. I'm sorry, but no pets, means no pets.
There are plenty of hotel and motels that are pet friendly. When I moved across country, all my reservations were made at pet friendly hotels. Rules are rules, and just because your friend brought their dog, does not make you the exception.
This link might help you in the future. It will give you access to pet friendly lodgings, as well as other pet friendly tips, in case you have another friend stop by, that has a dog. Then the dog will not have to sleep out in the car. Better safe then sorry.
http://dogfriendly.com/
There are plenty of hotel and motels that are pet friendly. When I moved across country, all my reservations were made at pet friendly hotels. Rules are rules, and just because your friend brought their dog, does not make you the exception.
This link might help you in the future. It will give you access to pet friendly lodgings, as well as other pet friendly tips, in case you have another friend stop by, that has a dog. Then the dog will not have to sleep out in the car. Better safe then sorry.
http://dogfriendly.com/
Posted by LinusOno on 2010-06-12:
If the dog didn't actually stay the night in the room, there is no reason the OP (or rather, the OP's friend) should have been assessed the fee. Just having someone stop by your hotel room with a dog is no reason to charge the fee, and that is technically all that happened here.
Posted by DebtorBasher on 2010-06-12:
Linus...The dog stayed in their room while they went out for a few hours. It doesn't have to be overnight.
Leo, the 'No Pet' policy is for all guests whether you have a pet or not, it applies to you as a guest.
Leo, the 'No Pet' policy is for all guests whether you have a pet or not, it applies to you as a guest.
Posted by LinusOno on 2010-06-12:
Actually, the dog was in its own room - not out and about in the hotel room. Its room was placed in the hotel room for only a *couple* of hours (not a few). I think the hotel is splitting hairs here.
If I am staying at that hotel, and I have a friend stop by get me, and he brings his dog into the room - no fee would be charged. How long does he have to stay there with his dog before a fee is charged? A minute? An hour? A night? What's reasonable for a customer-friendly organization?
If I am staying at that hotel, and I have a friend stop by get me, and he brings his dog into the room - no fee would be charged. How long does he have to stay there with his dog before a fee is charged? A minute? An hour? A night? What's reasonable for a customer-friendly organization?
Posted by Skye on 2010-06-12:
If a motel or hotel has a policy, of NO PETS ALLOWED, they expect people to respect that. There are people out there, who suffer from severe allergies, not to mention maybe a fear of dogs, that should not have to be inconvenienced, because a friend came by with a dog. Whether the dog has his own room is not the issue, the issue is, its a place with a NO PET POLICY. Now wherever that dog was placed, will have dog dander in it, and that is a serious health concern for those who suffer with allergies. Also, though I am not saying that this happened, it's just an example. Why should people have to put up with barking dogs? They all bark, because that's what dogs do. And it's not fair that the dog had to sleep in the car, alone in the cold.
The poster warns us to avoid this motel like the plague, all because they thought the rules did not apply to them, since they did not check in with the dog. That would be like someone saying avoid pet friendly, Hotel 88, because they did not remove all the pets, before we checked in, because we are not pet friendly people. I've posted a link for travel with pets. Some like to travel with dogs, or other pets, some do not.
The poster warns us to avoid this motel like the plague, all because they thought the rules did not apply to them, since they did not check in with the dog. That would be like someone saying avoid pet friendly, Hotel 88, because they did not remove all the pets, before we checked in, because we are not pet friendly people. I've posted a link for travel with pets. Some like to travel with dogs, or other pets, some do not.
Posted by yoke on 2010-06-12:
If the hotel says no pets it means no pets for a reason. It may have something to do with their insurance also. The OP was unreasonable to think they were above the policy of the hotel.
Posted by SteveWiginowski on 2010-06-12:
So you stayed at a hotel that didn't allow dogs. Your friend brought their dog, who stayed in the hotel room during the day when you went to breakfast. The hotel found out that a dog was staying there, charged you the fee, then told the person with the dog to leave (since dogs aren't allowed to stay there). Then you were mad because they did this?
I think the part that the OP isn't understanding is that the $100 fee isn't a fee that allows dogs to stay there, it's a fee that they are charging for violators of the no dog rule.
I think the part that the OP isn't understanding is that the $100 fee isn't a fee that allows dogs to stay there, it's a fee that they are charging for violators of the no dog rule.
Posted by PepperElf on 2010-06-12:
the dog was in "it's own room"
not really - a kennel carrier does not prevent a dog from leaving behind fleas and allergens
not really - a kennel carrier does not prevent a dog from leaving behind fleas and allergens
Posted by justcuz on 2010-06-13:
No pets means no pets. End of story. I'm sorry, but your complaint has no validity whatsoever...your friend should have gone to the front desk and asked if they could bring the dog in and leave it in the crate while you were out. I'd chalk this up to a valuable lesson...never assume that the rules will be bent for you just because in your opinion they should be.
Posted by Weedwhacked on 2010-06-13:
You (and your friend) did break the no pet policy and that was what the charge was for. They were probably not rude to you but just advised you that they were not going to break their rules for you. Why should the rule not apply to you?
Posted by bcd on 2010-06-13:
“… their website also states that each room features a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge mountains ...”
Not correct. Their web site states, “Each … guest room at this Mount Airy hotel features a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains or the pool”
You stated in your review that you see the pool.
I am an animal lover but that does not change the fact that their web site also states, “Pet Policy: No pets allowed.”
People that travel with pets should check motel policies in advance. Motels that do not allow pets do not provide a dog walk and would prefer that animals do not relieve themselves in the yard.
Not correct. Their web site states, “Each … guest room at this Mount Airy hotel features a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains or the pool”
You stated in your review that you see the pool.
I am an animal lover but that does not change the fact that their web site also states, “Pet Policy: No pets allowed.”
People that travel with pets should check motel policies in advance. Motels that do not allow pets do not provide a dog walk and would prefer that animals do not relieve themselves in the yard.
Posted by PepperElf on 2010-06-13:
BCD - excellent point
if every room faced the mountains, you'd have to have a very narrow hotel with rooms only on one side
and that's kinda silly
if every room faced the mountains, you'd have to have a very narrow hotel with rooms only on one side
and that's kinda silly
Posted by ilovemypets on 2010-06-28:
Technically, you did violate their policy. However, I think having the dog in the kennel and putting it in the car at night you obviously were trying your best to make do with the situation. The inn was right. You were wrong. Your wrong doing though was not a hundred percent wrong doing, more like a thirty to fourty percent.
Since the wrong had already been committed and the hundred dollars was paid your friend should have been allowed to stay for that night as the hundred dollars is plenty to shampoo the carpets etc.
Since the wrong had already been committed and the hundred dollars was paid your friend should have been allowed to stay for that night as the hundred dollars is plenty to shampoo the carpets etc.
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