I rarely leave negative reviews, especially as a loyal Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member who chooses Marriott exclusively when I travel, but my experience at the Four Points by Sheraton Santa Cruz Scotts Valley was unacceptable.
I booked three rooms for a three-night stay for my family, and unfortunately the problems seemed endless.
We experienced a power outage, no hot water, A/C that did not work properly, and no housekeeping service. I even specifically requested fresh towels and never received them.
What turned a bad hotel stay into an even worse experience, however, was the complete lack of response from management.
I asked multiple times to speak with a manager. Each time I was told someone would call me. Nobody did. Even after leaving the hotel, I continued trying to get management to contact me without success.
I also had a billing issue that I tried to resolve before arriving. My work Visa had accidentally been used for one of the reservations. I called the hotel beforehand and was assured they could reverse the charge and put it on my personal Visa when I arrived. I relied on that information rather than canceling and rebooking.
When I arrived, I was then told the front desk couldn't do it and that a manager needed to handle it. Again, I was promised a call from management. Again, nobody called.
At one point, after being unable to get a manager, I asked the front desk for Marriott's main Customer Service phone number so I could escalate the issue myself. They would not even provide me with the number.
Hotels can have maintenance problems. Power can go out. Equipment can fail. I understand that. What I cannot understand is how a hotel can have this many issues and then make it so difficult for a guest to get help.
As a Titanium Elite member, I have spent a significant amount of time staying at Marriott properties and have remained loyal to the brand because of the consistency and service I normally receive. This experience was nowhere close to what I expect from Marriott.
I paid for one of our rooms and redeemed 282,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for the other two rooms. Considering the condition of our stay and the way my concerns have been handled, I have requested a full refund of the paid reservation, restoration of all 282,000 points, and additional compensation for the experience.
The most disappointing part is that much of this could have been avoided with basic communication and a manager simply taking ownership of the situation.
Unfortunately, based on this experience, I cannot recommend the Four Points by Sheraton Santa Cruz Scotts Valley. I sincerely hope Marriott and the hotel's management company take these concerns seriously and make this right. read more