People share a lot of travel experiences with me. Sometimes I think the airline or hotel are in the wrong, sometimes I think the traveler could’ve handled things a bit differently, and then you have this… one of the stranger stories that I’ve had shared with me in quite some time.
Continue reading: Wild: La Quinta Hotel Calls Cops, Bans Guest, Over Diamond Late Check-Out
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Ben please, "the guest could have used a translation service". The guest was talking English in an English-speaking country. Maybe housekeeping can learn English, or is it too much to ask?
I guess the curious part is why a guest would proactively ask for "no banging" at check-in. That's a very particular term and situation.
That's not something I would think or ask about at the time of check-in. Especially not in the context of late check-out. Normally you have do not disturb signs or buttons you can flag to keep the housekeeping away.
So that strikes me as odd, as in this guest was expecting the situation to turn out this way, where there would be "banging" on the door.
@ GRkennedy -- Ah, tell me you're not from Miami without telling me you're not from Miami. 😉 In Miami, more people speak Spanish as a first language than English. So sure, you could argue that they "should" speak English because this is America, but it just doesn't reflect the reality. And quite frankly, housekeeping at a La Quinta isn't exactly at the top of the totem pole in terms of hiring people who are proficient in English.
And also, just practically speaking, if you're having an issue with communicating with someone (no matter where you are or what language they speak), isn't a translation app the best option? What's the alternative?
@ yoloswag420 -- Interesting you say that, because I wasn't sure what to make of that either. Yes, it could be interpreted as being a bit unusual, and you wonder what was going on. Or it could also be that he has a rather strange writing style, and the point was simply to say "I plan to sleep in, so please make sure that housekeeping is aware of the late check-out, so they don't knock and wake me up" (which is a fair request to make, but that's not to say it'll be communicated properly).
The story sounds indeed a bit strange and from a legal perspective I guess the Hotel has the right of removing guests from their property at any time. If I was in a hotel and people would start banging on my door for hours and obviously want me to leave, I would:
- state that I'm angry about this
- I will comply
- I will seek damages in form of a refund
Escalating a situation by bolting the door and having the hotel call the cops doesn't sound like the best strategy to me.
In regards to what was written, it strikes me odd that he requested no banging on the door explicitly (I never heard anyone ask for this!?) and also that the police would agree with him, that he is in the right, while he is trespassing. I'm sure this is not written objectively.
But see how you typed that sentence out and it's clearly conveying a different point?
I'm not sure what would prevent them from properly articulating what was actually discussed at check-in, in relation to "no banging" or not.
I find this generally a bizarre situation, and while the guest is seemingly not at fault, at the very least, the check-in probably did give this guest some notice about housekeeping procedures or something to preempt them asking about "no banging".
I think that a business such as a national hotel chain operating on the United States should have management or other staff (at least one person) that can conduct business in English. Yes, in this case I would break out the translation app, to deal with the issue.
First language or not, English speaking is very critical to success in the USA. The USA should have a national language codified and require all legal documents to be in that language. Translation is never 100% accurate. BTW: What if the guest was deaf and only used sign language? Would they have broken down the door?
@ Steve K -- I think that's a fair argument one could make. I'm just saying that like it or not, the reality in Miami is that a vast majority of hotel housekeepers and those in similar roles (at least based on my experience) aren't at all proficient in English. So it's a city "problem," if you want to call it that, rather than a hotel problem.
I think this point is further undercut by noting that the hotel in question was a La Quinta. Fairly sure that's not a hotel name being presented in English in the first place.
Bizarre story, but I suppose this is why having status at a low/midrange hotel isn't really worth all that much. Can't wait for the number of CSR holders that now hold IHG status to start complaining about not getting early check in or late check out at the 2,300 Holiday Inn Express locations in the US (given that it's all subject to availability, not guaranteed).
Many hotel properties are independently owned (franchised). That is the real business of hotel chains. Consequently, you never know what you're going to get.
I empathize with the guest, and if it went the way they said, then yes, they were mistreated. I think a wise lesson for them, and for anyone really, is to never really expect much in the way of hospitality in Miami in general, especially regarding elite benefits at a LQ out in the burbs
If you demand no banging seemingly you have had this experience before. But calling police and they appear with 5 officers over a late check out dispute? It must have been a slow day in the PD.
Yup Miami is weird place. Couldnt even get a teen partime job at fast food place because i didnt speaka Spanish. But there where alot more older hotter girls in high school, So.......
My guess is that there is more to the story than was stated. Possibly people being threatened or shouted at in a loud and threatening manner because they knocked on the door? On its face, the story is a bit unlikely. Sometimes the unlikely can happen, but that would be unusual. I doubt I would ever demand somebody be "fired," especially at a fancy job at the La Quinta. . . .
Maybe he was thinking of maintenance , repairs, or construction, which is usually done during mornings and afternoons?
How ironic. It's usually the guest who bans a La Quinta and not the other way around.
That's what I initially assumed too, but clearly they were referring to banging on the door here.
Also I'm not sure how you can ask for no construction noises, beyond being moved to a room that's more isolated.
If the on-duty manager is unable or unwilling to address the matter, then call the Wyndham service team. If the Wyndham service team is unable or unwilling to address the matter, you have a choice.
I think Ben got it exactly right. It sounds like someone who's requested and been granted late checkout in the past, only to have housekeeping knocking ("banging") on their door before their checkout time. It's happened to me, too, at Hyatts, Marriotts, IHGs, and probably Hiltons too - though they've always been understanding once I told them I have a late checkout. (I remember only once, they acted skeptical and said they didn't see a late checkout for me on their list; perhaps the front desk didn't communicate it to housekeeping, but I'd definitely been given one, which I told them, and they left me alone.) Once it happens to you enough, you start cynically expecting it to happen every time.
Now I travel with a Post-It pad and will sometimes leave a sticky note on the door telling them I have a 4 pm (or whatever time) checkout, especially if I'm trying to get some sleep before a long drive, etc.; it's worked well for me so far, but I'm not sure it would've helped in this situation. I rarely advocate for someone in customer service to actually be fired, but if things happened as stated, then I agree with it here.
For real. I’m done with Wyndhams. All of their brands. They will be the first hotel to use all virtual front office staff. And they may as well, their human staff are unhelpful.
Wyndhams have the lowest cleanliness standards of all major and minor hotel chains.
I'm indeed not from Miami, nor have I ever visited (but looking forward to!) 🙂
Regarding the translation app, though I understand the practicality, all I am saying is that I would have preferred the housekeeper (or whoever was banging the door) to use it, not the guest.
As much as I find it annoying that American tourists around the world often don't try speaking one word of the local language, I find it fairly reasonable for an American in the USA to expect service in (albeit inaccurate) English.
With all respect having housekeepers not have English skills, or at least be able to call for someone who speaks English to help out seems strange. We operate hotels in Mexico and we always try to have at least 1 housekeeper speak English, or in the worst case we tell them that if they are having issues with a guest, to radio in for a customer with English skills.
The guest could've done things a better way (as an example I always call right before set checkout to confirm my late checkout).
I find the converse interesting. Fourteen percent of the population in the US speaks Spanish as their first language. I suspect this proportion is higher in southern areas, especially in Miami. I am always perplexed by the number of Americans who have essentially no working knowledge of Spanish, or for that matter any language other than English. Speaking slowly and loudly is not equivalent to talking in another language. The only European country I can think of with a similar level of unilingualism is Italy, and even there I suspect people speak other languages but feel others should have some working knowledge of Italian when they visit.
This raises kind of an interesting question around what is reasonable to expect from a language perspective in America. I see how someone who has never been to Miami might expect people there to speak English, but that's simply not the reality. In fact, if you live in Miami and you don't speak Spanish, you're almost certainly limiting yourself. What percentage of Miami natives aren't at least conversant in Spanish. It must be less than 5%.
Even for visitors, most are Spanish speaking.
I would never expect housekeeping staff at a hotel like this in Miami (or Southern and Far West Texas, and many parts of New Mexico) to speak English. At all. Even if you want America to speak English, the reality is that many people never crossed the border, the border crossed them. That didn't happen in Miami, but the city's economy is built on being the capital of Latin America, and inevitably, speaking Spanish follows that.
They are 100 percent franchise now that Wyndham spun off CorePoint and they sold their assets. Wyndham likes to ruin formerly good names
They are 100 percent franchise now that Wyndham spun off CorePoint and they sold their assets. Wyndham likes to ruin formerly good names
I always confirm late checkout in the morning of my check out day (or the night before) with the front desk ... avoids any day-of drama and also provides an opportunity to make sure the key will work till the late check out time.
Was Wyndham Diamond for one year. 2 good things happened and 1 not.
Why didn’t the OP just call the Wyndham rewards hot line ? I’d get get comps , upgrades , they’d call the front desk and instruct the employee what to do. Getting Corporate involved has little downside
FWIW, if Leo XIV can be trespassing if landlord doesn't welcome him. To make matters worse, Florida is a stand your ground state, so in some case they can even legally shoot a trespassing Leo XIV.
I'm sure police would agree with Leo XIV.
Ben, is there any e-mail I can share with you an experience with Hyatt (regarding the recent challenge)? Would love to hear your thoughts.
One of the worst companies to deal with. In Europe they are the real Bad. Diamonds are supposed to get complimentary Breakfast at many locations and the Front Desk will promise you the same, till you check out and you will see almost $100.00 for 2 Breakfast. you try to argue and they will simply say,The employee was misinformed and you have to pay. They suggest you call Corporate, which will tell you they have to contact the Hotel GM, who in turn will tell you Breakfast is not Free. so after a month you are stuck with $100.00 Breakfast Bill.
Anyone wants 350K Wyndham points?
Thank you. I live on "The Other Side" in St. Pete and visit Miami monthly. I am also bilingual English Spanish and never expect English in greater Miami; also to a lesser extent in San Diego where I also visit monthly. It's just the way it is, and frankly I ok way OK with this
I think the situation could have been handled better by both parties. The guest seems like a bit of a Ken. First you should always hang the do not disturb sign on the door handle if you want to sleep in. Second he should have gone to the front desk after housekeeping first knocked on the door at 10:30 and attempted to resolve the situation. Yelling at and calling the cops on a guest is super unprofessional as well.
That being said hotels ever inform housekeeping of late checkouts even in nicer hotels. I used my FHR credit at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco a couple days ago and informed the front desk I would be checking out at 3 pm. Housekeeping came around 11 when I was taking a shower, they opened the door and left when they heard the shower. I don't fault them as I didn't have the DND sign on the door. When I left my room to go for a swim I told the housekeeper I was checking out at 3 which wasn't a problem. But I don't understand why it's on the guest to inform housekeeping of late checkouts.
If I wasn't in my room and she cleaned it at 11 she would have had to clean it again when I did checkout which is a waste of resources.
I wonder if the writer checked in at 5 a.m., and not 5 p.m. The whole situation would make a lot more sense, and I've definitely been in similar situations. It would explain why the late checkout was so important; why mention of employee noise was relevant, and why the writer was sound asleep after the non-extended check out time.
But regardless, arranging late checkout and then having people banging on your door is a hefty heap of wrong.
@GRkennedy and @Steve K, 100% agreed. It's simply wrong that speaking the first language of a country can and will cause problems within its soil.
Dan, perplexing as it is, it is not symmetrical. English is the official language of the US and also the lingua franca in the tourism industry.
For someone not to have a basic knowledge of the language of the country they live in is a barrier to occupation in most countries (cannot imagine anyone getting a job in Brazil not speaking any Portuguese or in France speaking zero French).
Personally, if I lived in an area where 15% or more spoke a language (especially a language that is not terribly difficult like Spanish) - I'd make the effort, but I don't think that is something that everyone has to do
I agree wholeheartedly. I don't believe this "incident" happened the way it was presented as it defies logic. Hyperbole springs to mind and, of course, his Diamond member status is a factor, 'cause why not? Who demands someone else be fired in this type of situation, anyway? Nothing of significance to see here.
@Mike English is the official language by executive order not by de jure. There is a difference. Congress would need to pass it through legislation. It is only considered the official language by executive order and not by an act of Congress.
I’m not sure what “not up to Wyndham standards” means because there aren’t any. It’s been like this for 40 years. There was a WSJ investigation in the early 90s after a guy got electrocuted in a Days Inn pool (the company was called HFS then).
Incidentally, this hotel is just down the road from the LaQ that went viral for using a check in kiosk.
There was a shop with a sign near Miami that read "We Speak English". Always thought that was super unique.