Radisson Visalia bad experience (Hotels in California in general)

Member Name: mjbarkl

Product:	Hotels in California in general
Date:	07/05/02 (89 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: overbooking

Michael J. Barkley
161 N. Sheridan Ave. #1
Manteca, CA 95336
mjbarkl@inreach.com
209/823-4817

May 5, 2002

Radisson Hotels & Resorts
P.O Box 1780
Minneapolis, MN 55440-8954

I contracted for a double-double, non-smoking room at your
so-called "Award-Winning Radisson" in Visalia, California,
May 3 - May 5, 2002.

The second warning sign of impending problems was waiting behind
a very nice couple at check-in, while your snotty desk clerk
explained to them that it didn't matter what they thought they'd
contracted for, as far as Radisson was concerned that was a
"preference", not a promise, and what they were given was all
they were going to get.

Then he did the same thing to me. He assigned me a king single,
smoking, and said that for the bed I requested (wrong!) that was
the only one he had available. I said I didn't care what kind of
bed it had, I wanted non-smoking. He said, in effect, "tough",
and said "next".

I put up with that room for about an hour, before packing everything
back up and checking out, but by then I and everything I wore or
carried reeked of second-hand cigarette smoke, sickeningly-so. I
solved my housing problems by driving back home to Manteca, a 2-1/2
hour trip each way overnight between the convention days. Yes, it
damaged my performance at my convention, but since the town was
sold out Saturday night with two conventions in town, it was better
than trying to endure the room you assigned me. Your clerk's (yes
the same clerk) indifferent response to my checkout demonstrates that
he's used to doing this to people and could care less.

Put in legalize,
Room assigned was not the room contracted for.
Room assigned was not suitable for the purpose for which it was

intended.
Room assigned was not habitable.
Room assigned contained harmful quantities of known carcinogens.
Absence of disclaimers at the time of contracting for the room
leaves you no option to label the contracted-for accomodations
a "preference".
You deliberately violated our agreement for your personal gain.
As with any other intentional tort, your actions warrant punitive
damages.

But do not offer me money or a refund. I have plenty of money,
thank you. The only thing that will satisfy me and persuade me to
consider Radisson ever again is if you solve your attitude problems.
The way you folks answer your phones, "Welcome to the Award-Winning
Radisson" (that was the first warning sign), shows you haven't a
clue, you've allowed your ego to interfere with your perception,
and as for any award, I award you a Big Fat Zero. You've managed
to fool some other rating agency, but not your customers, and not
the many people I spoke to at the convention or who read my ezine
and website.

While we're at it, the service in your *Fresno* Radisson restaurant
is spotty, frequently painfully slow. Try watching it during some
busy period from a balcony above, and use a stop watch to monitor
times between seating, taking of orders, and delivery of them. Funny
thing, this Fresno service problem is unchanged from when it was a
Holiday Inn.

And you can stop sending us all those brochures for your Cruise Line.
If this is what we could expect from you, we're sticking with Crystal.
Oh, wait, you're going to give me the usual corporate double talk about
how Radisson Hotels and Radisson Cruises are completely separate
companies. I knew you didn't have a clue.



Michael J. Barkley

Summary: