mctraveler1984
Google
Through our travel agent while planning a 60 yo birthday celebration (and spending tens of thousands of dollars -for what is supposed to be a first class accommodations), we had a start in Cape Town before heading to other parts of South Africa, Victoria Fall and Botswana, I was talked out of other hotels for our stay in Cape Town including the One and Only and Belmond Mount Nelson. They kept suggesting the V&A Hotel and I was further talked into the V&A Hotel due to what I was told was their agency’s years of a “great working relationship” with the management and therefore an expectation for better care for their clients. And, I’d originally requested getting the Mountain View since we were already spending thousands on this trip but was also talked into instead the Piazza view which described- “overlook the vibrant energy of the Piazza below. Guests can enjoy glimpses of the V&A Waterfront’s lively culture, from traditional music to street performances.” Oh, I thought, this will be great on my initial nights to South Africa and Cape Town to catch the local flavor. So, we followed the recommendations and booked our 4 night stay about 7-8 months in advance hoping that those recommendations backed by their years of referrals making their clients feel welcome and hoping they would live up to some of the descriptions would be fulfilled.||Well, we check in, got a first floor room with view of a roof with tens of meters long that you couldn’t see the piazza or any street vibrancy - unless you had a drone. I immediately asked Tazmin at the front desk for us to be moved given that the room was as unacceptable, was not up to description, our reservation had been set for months and even mentioned this supposedly great relationship with the tour agency. And I was told she would check with the manager. Upon returning after dinner, we were told by her AND the evening manager, Maxwell, personally that they could do nothing to help us over our 4 night stay - unless we wanted to pay an upgrade fee to a Mountain View location that was not being used that night or apparently additional nights. I felt like I was in a bait and switch situation that I try not to fall prey to - no matter how poorly I felt that I’d been played. I told them that I wanted to be moved to a better room asap. Very disappointing and poor deliverance acceptable expectations. Any way, it was a poor beginning to my birthday trip or any trip that you feel trapped by their shortcomings. ||So, the next evening, we come in from a day of touring with a message expecting to be more to our same view room but with actually a view. So, we call the front desk who says they have a new room still available- Mountain View with an upgrade charge! I asked them why they didn’t try to hold a similar room to the one booked presently but with an actual view and she said that her understanding was that I was requesting an upgrade. Of course, I can’t believe they are trying the same scam that they somehow thought that that was what I was requesting 2 days in a row. And, to propagate this scam, it’s even more amazing that for the second night in a row, they have an available room that no one is renting and they want to charge me for a temporary upgrade until a more representative piazza room becomes available. I tell them that again I am not going to play their scam game. ||And, to top that off, as my wife is showering and I’m on the phone, room service is trying to barge into our room to clear us out. I rushed over to set the safety lock to stop this insult to injury. ||Presently, I feel the total responsibility falls upon the V&A hotel to provide only the lowest level of service that has not lived up to ours or are travel agents expectations, that they are not listening to the clients and are only trying to upsell for themselves and not to try to improve their clients experience. The agent with their strong working relationships was equally rebuffed the last 2 nights. (If that agency doesn’t learn that this great working relationships is one sided, they are equal fools!) ||Our recommendation for staying at the V&A CapeTown, first don’t book here. If you get roped into it, don’t expect the staff to try start by try accommodate you on their promises. Keep a lock always on the door. And, don’t expect promises and expectations that can not be delivered. After this experience, I really can’t wait to leave and would not recommend this hotel to anyone and any other hotels in this chain or agencies associated with them.
