Stephanie Heath
Talk about five-star service — not. I suppose the saying the customer is always right went right out the window when it came to this situation. A Vegas Hotel is facing backlash after it forced a family to sleep in their car in the scorching heat. The reason for this absurd action was genuinely shocking.
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The Details: A father was fuming after he claimed a Vegas hotel forced him, his wife, and their three-year-old to spend the night in their car. With the stifling Vegas heat, one can only imagine how uncomfortable that evening must have been.
- The hotel in question was the brand-new Element & AC Hotel Symphony Park — a Marriott hotel
- The issue was that the man did not have his plastic credit card on hand.
Why A Vegas Hotel Forced A Family To Sleep In Their Car
The man shared his unfortunate experience with One Mile At A Time. In his comment, he shared that the hotel “refused to honor my confirmed reservations.” Afterward, he explained that the reasoning behind this action was that “I [meaning the man] had misplaced my physical, plastic credit card.”
You may wonder why a person would try to check into a hotel without a credit card. After all, they often ask for a card on file, the man had his rebuttal for that as well.
- “I had relied on Marriott’s advertised Digital/Mobile Check-In,” he explained. Then he added that the mobile check-in was “promoted as a way to skip the front desk.”
- Additionally, the man shared that he suffers from a traumatic brain injury, making misplacing his things a common occurrence. Thus, this “skip the front desk” method of check-in was ideal for him.
- He offered “a valid government ID” and “multiple secure alternatives” to prove his identity and secure payment.
Struggles in Sin City: Despite his best efforts, the Vegas hotel still turned the man away, forcing him and his family to sleep in their car that night. The gentleman argued that the “human impact was immediate and harsh.” Sharing how his wife and child suffered in their hot vehicle while he “repeatedly sought help through every official channel.”
Marriott Stands Firm In Their Decision
One Mile At A Time shares a statement issued by Marriott, in which the company supports the hotel’s actions. They wrote, “Following our review, we can confirm that the property acted within its rights in requesting a physical credit card and government-issued identification at check-in.” However, here is the kicker:
- On Marriott’s website, the company promotes this digital check-in process as a way to eliminate the need to visit the front desk.
- There is no mention of the necessity to bring your physical credit card.
- The man had Apple Pay and a valid Government ID to prove his identity.
- The man also had an “Ultimate Reservation Guarantee,” which, according to the published terms, “simply requires a confirmed reservation.”
Vegas Hotel Reaches Out: Despite standing firm in their decision, the hotel did reach out to the man, expressing sympathy for the situation. They apologized for not being able to check him in, but reiterated their opinion that they “do require a matching ID and Credit card to be run through our chip & pin machine at the time of check-in for every guest.” Additionally, in their public statement, they had this to say:
- “We acknowledge the inconsistency between the advertised amenities and the operational practices you encountered. Your observations regarding the conflicting information provided by hotel staff and the challenges this presents for guests relying on digital tools have been shared with our internal teams for further evaluation.”
The company continues to promote this digital check-in.
