Very disappointing first day at the hotel
We had a very unpleasant experience on our first day at the hotel.
My flight was changed two nights before my stay, so I called the hotel to explain the situation and ask whether I could still check in on the morning of the 17th, even though my original check-in date was the 16th. I was told that this would be fine. I called again to confirm, and once again I was reassured that everything was okay.
On the morning of the 17th, we arrived at around 9:00 a.m. My son and I had travelled through the night and were both extremely tired. However, when we arrived, we were told that we had to wait until 2:00 p.m. for check-in. I tried to explain that I had already spoken to the hotel twice and had been given permission to arrive that morning, but the manager would not even listen to me.
Instead, he was extremely dismissive and arrogant. He laughed and said, “What do you want us to do? Go sit down and wait.” I was honestly heartbroken. I was exhausted, travelling with a very tired child, and I felt completely ignored when I was simply trying to explain what had been agreed with the hotel beforehand.
I quickly had to find a nearby place where my son and I could sit, eat and rest while waiting for 2:00 p.m. We returned to the hotel at around 1:30 p.m., only for the same manager to laugh and tell us that they had apparently not noticed that our booking was actually for the previous day.
They then offered us a 200,000 VND massage voucher. While I appreciate the gesture, I had already spent more than six times that amount simply finding somewhere for my child and me to rest and eat because of the situation.
More than the inconvenience or the money, it was the attitude that really disappointed me. If the manager had simply taken a moment to listen to me, he would have understood the situation and seen that I had contacted the hotel in advance and had been reassured that we could arrive on the 17th.
I hope the hotel can improve its communication and, most importantly, the way staff handle situations where guests are already exhausted and distressed. A little understanding and kindness would have made a huge difference.