An OMAAT reader shared an interesting story with me. While it’s not the world’s biggest service failure, it does seem like a pretty significant lapse on the part of the hotel. Worst of all, the hotel is now ignoring him, and hasn’t even apologized…
In this post:
Hotel shows disregard for basic guest privacy
An OMAAT reader recently stayed at the One&Only Palmilla, in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, for the second time. For those not familiar, One&Only is regarded as a top hotel group, even considered by many to be a tier above mainstream brands like Four Seasons. Both of his stays were excellent, with one glaring issue on the second stay.
At check-in, he was surprised to find to find that his mother’s information was listed on the registration form:
I share the same name as my father, even though we have different middle names. I had not realized this, but apparently my father also visited this property 10 years ago. Well the first trip I had no issues, this second one, when I arrived and went to check in, the forms were listing my mother’s information. I immediately asked the manager to correct this, and asked how that could happen since I used my personal email address and information that I used to book in 2024. He didn’t have an answer and assured me that info was just used for marketing, and that he would have it corrected.
That might not seem like a big deal, but then this happened at the end of the trip:
Well flash forward to the end of the trip, my butler for the week texted me my finalized folio, and also sent it out via email. Well the email was sent to my father, with every detailed charge I made for the week, from drinks purchased to the couples massages I booked with my boyfriend.
Now, I’m not a kid, I’m 39 years old, and I haven’t been financially dependent on my parents since I was in college. However, to me this feels like a massive invasion of my privacy. Within minutes of the email going out, I received texts from my father telling me how extravagant my lifestyle is and how he can’t believe I’d throw around so much money. Texts from mother ensued soon after and frankly caused a little rift in my family.
The guest has sent three emails to both the hotel and One&Only corporate, and so far has received no response. He has asked if I have any advice. At a minimum, he’d like an apology, and he also expected some sort of a gesture, since he intends to return to the property.
My take on this hotel folio drama incident
It goes without saying that this is hardly the biggest mistake a hotel has ever made, but still, this seems like it shouldn’t happen:
- If a guest specifically comments about how the wrong information is on a guest profile and is assured that will be corrected, it should be corrected
- This is actually one of the downsides to not having a formal loyalty program; hotels still keep track of guests, but at times, the tech isn’t great, and mistakes like this happen
- Given that he specifically asked them to update the information, it’s pretty bad that it was then still sent to someone else
- Even worse is that the hotel hasn’t even apologized; we’re talking about a true luxury hotel group here, so this is very bad service recovery
Admittedly everyone’s family is different, so some people might perceive this as being overly dramatic. Like, if my hotel folio was sent to my parents, and seemed extravagant, they’d probably say “good for you.”
But I’m not here to judge other family dynamics, and this is a very simple case — it’s an invasion of privacy, especially after the guest already asked them to update that information. If you’re spending a lot of money to stay at a hotel, it shouldn’t contribute unnecessarily to family drama.
With that in mind, what do I recommend, in this situation? I think he has done everything he possibly can, and sending more than three emails over something like this is probably an overkill. Hopefully by drawing some attention to this, the hotel will at least respond to him and apologize.
Otherwise, I think it’s time to just vote with your wallet and stay elsewhere, because what he has requested from the hotel is very basic, and they haven’t even been able to do that…
Bottom line
While an unconventional complaint, a guest staying at the One&Only Palmilla is frustrated by the fact that the hotel sent his folio to the wrong person, despite a specific request to update contact information. This doesn’t seem like it should happen, and even worse is that the hotel hasn’t apologized, and has just outright ignored requests for a response.
What do you make of this hotel folio incident?
get the bill printed out and paid before leaving and say no to email!!
That is a problem when one is named after his father,,, I have heard of worse things like arresting dad as he had the same name as his not great son!!! Pamilla should issue an apology and a discount!!
Thats actually a huge breach on the part of the hotel, its certainly not a minor problem.
It looks like reservations or front office merged your profile with your father’s since you have the same name when they were setting up for your stay so they had background, likes, dislikes, etc. Hotels I’ve worked at would be looking for more matching information like addresses and emails to make sure this was the same person before merging two separate profiles but they didn’t. They should have unwound the merge right away when you pointed it out but here we are.
Every time I am "assured" something will be taken care of it means "whatever dude I don't get paid enough to care".
Hotels, I have noticed over the years have woefully inadequate IT infrastructure and that includes security and logical systems robustness. They generally have no idea how some mistakes happen let alone how to fix it. I have stayed in hotels where other guests have walked in with a key card from the front...
Every time I am "assured" something will be taken care of it means "whatever dude I don't get paid enough to care".
Hotels, I have noticed over the years have woefully inadequate IT infrastructure and that includes security and logical systems robustness. They generally have no idea how some mistakes happen let alone how to fix it. I have stayed in hotels where other guests have walked in with a key card from the front desk not realizing I'm already staying there. I had one manager tell me "it doesn't happen that often" which means it wasn't the first or last time.
I would have not signed the check in documents until it was corrected. While I agree that it was a mistake on the hotel's part, I would have done more on my side to try as much as possible to avoid a situation like this if I cared about it. Agree if the hotel offered something like a dinner or drinks, etc may be this could have been avoided.
My name isn't exactly John Smith but it's pretty close. If I stay at this hotel, how do I know one of the people with my name who previously stayed there won't get my folio? And it's worth noting hotel folios often include my home address.
Seems simple... Come back again.
We are sorry.
Dinner, drinks and couples massage for two on the house.
Move on.
.... contingent upon Mum & Dad's 'approval' first !
Or, better yet, 'comp' them in as well for a family reunion !
It's Mexico, they don't really care about customer service or apologizing. This is not a race issue or a slight, they just see the world differently - it is what it is and look, they don't care, if you're never coming back, that's just the way it goes, someone else will come, if enough people stop coming, no problem, they'll just work at the resort down the street, it's not their money ... it's straightforward,...
It's Mexico, they don't really care about customer service or apologizing. This is not a race issue or a slight, they just see the world differently - it is what it is and look, they don't care, if you're never coming back, that's just the way it goes, someone else will come, if enough people stop coming, no problem, they'll just work at the resort down the street, it's not their money ... it's straightforward, a fake letter and an offer of points is what you might get in the US, is "bribe" better or the same for really not giving a real s***??
I always get amazing hospitality and staff who care about their jobs.
Do you also see rainbows and unicorns everywhere? That is not the state of customer service anymore.
Of course let’s sue !!!!!!!!
I’ve never stayed at a one and only that I thought superior to even an average Four Seasons (to say nothing of the great ones like George V).
While this is a very unfortunate story and unforgivable invasion of privacy.
YOU LAZY IDIOTS NEED TO STOP NAMING YOUR CHILDREN AFTER YOU.
Lol
It’s less lazy, more monumentally narcissistic.
A new Mexican privacy law came into effect on 27 March 2025.
Just saying…
It's really not acceptable and arguably considerably worse to send it to people who know you than to random strangers. The thing is, the mistake itself was completely the hotel's mistake and for a luxury hotel to not try to make amends for their mistake is really not acceptable. I certainly would avoid a luxury hotel that ignores their own failings.
The Cape has been sending me random people's folio's for over 3 years now. I've emailed & reached out to them more times than I can count and they still keep getting delivered.
Well, stop paying them and see if that will solve the issue !
..lol
Ask me If I care,Ask me?
Okay.... Please, oh pretty puuuhlease do tell ... Do you care ?
...lol ..
Does his parents know that he’s gay and went with his boyfriend?
2 people’s expenses are definitely much higher than one person’s.
I guess that’s the point not being looking into. If he’s in the closet, of course, he got a standing of being angry with the hotel. Maybe the mishandling folio is not the key part, side story is.
This guy needs to grow a pair and man up to his daddy. To waste time even complaining about this makes him look worse than the hotel.
I remember when I was in college I had a part-time job at a nearby hotel. One day a woman called asking for "her" folio for a reservation she had her husband had allegedly made. She verified the name and date of the reservation and I happily...
This guy needs to grow a pair and man up to his daddy. To waste time even complaining about this makes him look worse than the hotel.
I remember when I was in college I had a part-time job at a nearby hotel. One day a woman called asking for "her" folio for a reservation she had her husband had allegedly made. She verified the name and date of the reservation and I happily e-mailed the folio over to her which included some room services charges (for two), couples massages, etc. 20 minutes later we get a call from an irate husband as apparently he was spending the night with someone other than his wife. I know they get divorced when he sued the hotel few months later.
Were you still employed at the hotel when that 'hit the fan' ? ... Wow, I bet you really learned from that one ! So much for customer service, "the customer is always right" and "no good deed goes unpunished !" ...
The original version was "the customer is always right in matters of taste", so if someone wanted to decorate their entire home with acid green paisley carpet, you take the order, take their money, and say nothing. Unfortunately it's been morphed into a monster, whereby appalling customer behaviours are pandered-to, because they're "always right". The reason people act like assholes is because they're allowed to get away with it. If a few more assholes were...
The original version was "the customer is always right in matters of taste", so if someone wanted to decorate their entire home with acid green paisley carpet, you take the order, take their money, and say nothing. Unfortunately it's been morphed into a monster, whereby appalling customer behaviours are pandered-to, because they're "always right". The reason people act like assholes is because they're allowed to get away with it. If a few more assholes were thrown out of hotels, resorts, restaurants, airplanes, etc, the balance would start to be restored.
Agreed. But, sadly, 'follow the $$$' as it talks the loudest, propriety be damned.
Thank god I'm no longer employed in 'customer service' .... I wouldn't last long these days !
As you specifically stated, it was invasion of privacy and with all of the data breaches and everything else that is going on, I would actually engage a lawyer and have formal letter written with the intent to possibly file a lawsuit as it was totaled negligence on the Hotel’s part in failing to correct Their initial mistake
Again, instead of focusing on this, could focus on finishing the Air France La Premiere review. Just saying.
Nah.... This 'dirt' is sooo much more intriguing !
As a person who has the exact same name as their father, who cares? Privacy is getting thrown around way too much. It was a mistake, move on.
It's a mistake that shouldn't have happened because first, he clarified the identity mix-up at the front desk when he first checked in and that should have been the end of it, and second no guest database should EVER be trying to tie new reservations to existing guest info by name since email is a guaranteed unique value, names aren't.
It matters because to someone like me I'm already clued in that their is a good way for me to breach their system.
Advice to the man child — tell your parents to mind their own business and remind them that as a middle aged man, you get to spend your money however you want.
The comments are weird today
Your Mileage May Vary is a blog without such comments because all comments have to be approved and are heavily censored or often not approved. They make North Korean censors look good in comparison
Sounds like YouTube.
Couples massages (plural)? Yeah, I think his Dad has a point about wasting money.
Okay..... You sound like such a 'hopeless romantic ! '
Helpful hint: Mark Valentines Day 14 Feb on your calendar ... !
Sounds like the hotel should publicly say that they have refunded the full stay and will comp the next one (while doing nothing of the sort). This would give the writer a billion "I Was Right" points, heal and/or exacerbate the family rift ("Look how much cheaper I got my stay than yours ten years ago dad. This is how modern business is done"), and allow a future stay guilt-free.
This preserves face and is...
Sounds like the hotel should publicly say that they have refunded the full stay and will comp the next one (while doing nothing of the sort). This would give the writer a billion "I Was Right" points, heal and/or exacerbate the family rift ("Look how much cheaper I got my stay than yours ten years ago dad. This is how modern business is done"), and allow a future stay guilt-free.
This preserves face and is cheap -- they don't need to actually refund any money or offer any discounts, just publicly say they will.
Very creative...... BUT what happens when/if the aggrieved party finds out and his non-existent refund & comp "is in the mail"... Won't that dig the hole deeper and open yet another can of worms ?
One and only is not above Four Seasons
He shouldn't have told his parents he didn't have money to visit them last Thanksgiving.
Idk, it sounds like he might have been right to put a lower budget number on his parents if that's how they react despite him being independent and financially stable.
TBH reading the whole story reminds me of my parents - they are absurdly wealthy, but will only shop at Aldi, only buy furniture from IKEA, etc.
I'm a little bit younger than him, but my parents (mostly my mom) regularly freak out the moment I spend any type of money despite haven't been financially dependent on them since undergrad. I stopped telling them about my travels years ago because I didn't want to...
TBH reading the whole story reminds me of my parents - they are absurdly wealthy, but will only shop at Aldi, only buy furniture from IKEA, etc.
I'm a little bit younger than him, but my parents (mostly my mom) regularly freak out the moment I spend any type of money despite haven't been financially dependent on them since undergrad. I stopped telling them about my travels years ago because I didn't want to be shamed about spending money, and I only bring clothes that they've seen me wear when I visit so I'm not bombarded with 100 questions/comments about whether something is new/you should be saving your money.
Par for the course for the generation that had better employment benefits, better relative wages to cost of living, lower college tuition costs, and lower housing prices to berate late Gen-X, Millenials, and Zoomers for not getting a college degree while supporting a family of four and buying a house, all on a garbage collector's salary. Sure our generation could just not buy a $4 coffee every day, but it'd still take 30 years for...
Par for the course for the generation that had better employment benefits, better relative wages to cost of living, lower college tuition costs, and lower housing prices to berate late Gen-X, Millenials, and Zoomers for not getting a college degree while supporting a family of four and buying a house, all on a garbage collector's salary. Sure our generation could just not buy a $4 coffee every day, but it'd still take 30 years for that saved money to get me the average down payment for a house in my state.
@matt
Lol my uncle was the same. Stupidly wealthy but tells me places he goes for lunch because of the value. Meanwhile I tell him but you could literally own the entire block.
And yes I have had exhausting arguments with my folks just on flying business class instead of basic economy and why I choose it. Hours long arguments.
Incoming $17 million lawsuit against the hotel for emotional distress and racism.
@Tim how is the hotel and corporate being racist? Also, we have no idea about his race as Ben is correctly respecting his privacy. Emotional distress? Based on Ben’s details here, this person does not seem to experience any emotional distress. A lawsuit needs to have merit and reasons and if he does have one or more then go for it if that is what he wants. But based on what Ben has shared, not sure about that.
Don’t worry about what race they are. We’ll figure something out with the help of Ancestry.com. Really helps jazz up the lawsuit. You think we’d be getting 8 figures if the hotel wasn’t being racist!?
@Tim I tend to believe that the hotel guest was wronged but how do you figure an eight figure lawsuit? He never stated that is what he wanted. Also, you made a jump from folio being sent to the wrong person to racism?
I think you've been whooshed, Stanley :)
@UncleRonnie How so? Like I said, how can you assume anything here? We really do not know anything about his race or the hotel’s side to this story but it is conjecture by Tim. And the guest never expressed anything about a lawsuit but at least an apology from the hotel because he intends to be a returning hotel guest.
@Stanley - I would have thought the $17million amount put forward by Tim was a joke, but what do I know about American lawsuits!
Lol I'm also quite sure Tim was joking....
@Stanley Tim’s comment was sarcasm and a play on the blight that is how petty and silly American lawsuits can get
@Eve Thanks Eve. I appreciate the clarification. In a way, my comment was in agreement with Tim. I also think that some of the lawsuits in America have gotten so frivolous and ridiculous.
So his dad was not being extravagant when he went years ago?
@ Cedric -- As he explained to me in an email, "my parents will sometimes splurge on a fancy hotel, but they're also frugal and are the people staying at a Ritz that will make sandwiches in their room and take to the beach." So I guess it comes down to incidentals, and on top of that, presumably luxury hotel rates have increased a lot over the years.
@Ben Well, his parents still sometimes to choose the live good life as indicated by your réponse that they stay at a Ritz. Making sandwiches or not, a stay at a Ritz is not exactly a frugal stay. Now, as for the hotel and corporate it is very unfortunate that they continue to ignore him but besides listing it on T.A. and similar sites I would agree with you. Not much more that he can do except to vote with his wallet.
In the interest of throwing gas on the fire.. Could it be that the hotel staff intentionally misaddressed the polio in a possible homophobic attempt to 'out' the guest to his family ? ... Just sayin'
( whether or not they knew his specific familial dynamics )..
Machismo is still alive and well in Mexico.
Also, it sounds like the email(s) weren't accompanied by a 'gratuity' as was his original verbal request...
In the interest of throwing gas on the fire.. Could it be that the hotel staff intentionally misaddressed the polio in a possible homophobic attempt to 'out' the guest to his family ? ... Just sayin'
( whether or not they knew his specific familial dynamics )..
Machismo is still alive and well in Mexico.
Also, it sounds like the email(s) weren't accompanied by a 'gratuity' as was his original verbal request ...
Depending upon how far he pursues this, I'd strongly advise him not to return to this venue. Life is very 'cheap' in some narco-states, sadly. exacerbated by a complicit/ineffectual 'legal' system...
We know some cultures would not let two men share the same bed.
@Ben - is there a standard process to submit user stories?
@Cedric
I'd put money down that his dad was mentally comparing what he thought the nightly rate was to what the son spent and that's part of why he went off. A lot of that generation don't seem to have kept up well with actual hotel rates. My own dad just uses timeshares, which I understand for him runs on its own separate point system that can transfer to main Marriott plus the timeshare...
@Cedric
I'd put money down that his dad was mentally comparing what he thought the nightly rate was to what the son spent and that's part of why he went off. A lot of that generation don't seem to have kept up well with actual hotel rates. My own dad just uses timeshares, which I understand for him runs on its own separate point system that can transfer to main Marriott plus the timeshare fee thing. He got sticker-shocked by just the points price of Marriott rooms in Barcelona last fall, let alone the room prices even for the non-chain bed and breakfast we stayed at in Rome.
@Dusty
That's a fair point. I have to continuously "update" the prices I have in my head. Spending 800$ a night on a fancy hotel is super easy these days.