This is a Family Hotel.....

[MouseWife]

Well....having booked a lot of rooms, it is something you have to reserve, they give you a choice and the cost depends on what you get.

I don't think it is a 'family hotel'. It is freakin' expensive. It is more for the couple to be able to afford, to enjoy. The rooms aren't too big so most of the playing, well, does go on in the beds. A king is great but the doubles work out {as GC has stated...how do they not get this???}

It was a rude comment, it was a stupid comment. And it isn't a family hotel. Just because it has a pool that is fun? Nope.

I am sorry that anyone has to go through such an experience.

Reminds me of going to a hotel with the Hubster before we were married....we were so worrried, I waited in the car....

Aw heck, I still get embarrassed when it is just he and I.... 'Why are you up here in the mountains when there isn't anything for miles around?? Hmm?' I'ts a getaway....

[Morrigoon]

You know, it's funny... they go to so much trouble during training to try and teach CMs that the way they say things matters, but since it's done in the "serving guests with disabilities" video, I guess the trainers turn the video on, and the new hires turn their brains off.

[scaeagles]

It depends on the voice inflection.

I've stayed at the GC a few times. To me it looks like most of the people staying there are two parents with a child or two. This is unscientific, of course, just what I've seen. When we've stayed there, we have had trouble getting rooms with bunk beds because they usually are all gone.

Did the CM say "well, this is a FAMILY hotel and most people want 2 queen beds", or did he say well, this is a family hotel and most people want 2 queen beds"? Did your friends hear the inflection because they expect to encounter a certain reaction?

I don't think the wording was that poor at all. It comes down to the voice inflection. And I think we live in a society where people are overly sensitive and look for reasons to be offended.

[Moonliner]

In this case I would say "family" is short for "People traveling with kids". It's a bit of a mouthful to say "We are primarily a hotel for people traveling with kids. It could be parents and/or partners of either sex in any combination, grandparents also of either sex in whatever combination as well as aunts, uncles and friends traveling with other people kids"

For our spring trip last year, the Disneyland Hotel tried to give Headliner and I a room with a king.

I wish I had know I was supposed to be so upset about not getting the room I asked for. Perhaps I could have gotten my room comped (or 1/2 comped) too!

[Scrooge McSam]

Back in the day, we weren't allowed to guarantee room types to guests because we didn't have a reservation system sophisticated enough to handle all the variables. That's not the case any more. Call reservations and behold the choices... king/queen/bunks/suite, view (and WHICH view... garden or courtyard)/ no view, standard/concierge.

I'm not convinced the desk clerk meant his comment as an insult, but I am convinced he didn't feel any responsibility to correct the situation. After his "family" comment, that would have been my last interaction with him. I would have quietly asked to speak to the shift supervisor. If no action there, the front desk manager. No action? Give me the rooms manager. Still nothing? Who's the hotel manager? You get the idea.

[SacTown Chronic]

I usually request 3 queen beds. Otherwise MickeyLumbo has to sleep on the sofa.

[Mary Blairiffic]

Wow -- so sorry you had to expereince that. I think a well-placed letter would be a good thing. I'm surprised this hapepned, in lieu of the fact that it's pretty well-known that there are Gay Days at the parks and didn't Disney just allow same sex couples to be able to purchase the Fantasy Weddings at the parks? Sounds like this particular CM needs to get with the program.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by MouseWife

It was a rude comment, it was a stupid comment. And it isn't a family hotel. Just because it has a pool that is fun? Nope.

If 75% of their guests are families with more than 2 people occupying a room, then it certainly is a family hotel. And if that's the case, they certainly would have proportionately fewer rooms with 1 king bed as that's not what the bulk of their guests want.

Without being there, I can't judge either way the CM's intent with the word "family". I think it's jumping to quite a conclusion when there is a perfectly reasonable use of that that phrasing.

That being said, to me the real mistake is that this person was coming up with excuses instead of trying to make things right. The response should have been, "Let me see what I can do to make this a good stay for you." It should never be, "Oh well, that's the way it is, nothing I can do." Particular choice of words aside, it was bad customer service.

[blueerica]

True, it should never have been about what kind of hotel it was - except that they're a hotel that wants to have their customers happy.

"Let's see what we can do for you" is far better than "This is XYZ kind of hotel." Saying it in any way, or any inflection... hell, you could put ANY word in there... and all it does is say that the person being talked to doesn't fit that description. After all, if they did, would this be a problem? At least that's what I perceive as the thought behind someone who would approach any problem by making the customer feel like they didn't understand something. Chances are, the cast member was opening his or her mouth and not even thinking it... possibly even thinking he was making the situation better, when all he was doing was wasting time.

And from any stand point it clearly doesn't solve any problems. It was unnecessary filler.

[MouseWife]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

If 75% of their guests are families with more than 2 people occupying a room, then it certainly is a family hotel. And if that's the case, they certainly would have proportionately fewer rooms with 1 king bed as that's not what the bulk of their guests want.

Most hotel rooms do have double beds, regardless if they are for family or not. Couples travel together, older families. Groups of people. To help share the cost.

I am taking the comment of 'families' to mean, people with children. See, infliction is a big thing! I took it this way. I don't see the hotel as being a primarily kid friendly place.

But, the comment about how it should not have been said at all is the point. A simple 'Let me see what I can do....' is all that was needed. And, to try and make it right. Some of the desk clerks there that I've dealt with have a lot of attitude, like they are holding the keys to Oz or something.

And, Morri is probably right about the training, watching a video isn't enough. If they even watch.