Disclaimer: This is a rant so buckle your seatbelts!
Disgusting Room and Awful Customer Service During Stay at Hilton Myrtle Beach
“If you think we can do better or there’s a problem at any time during your stay, don’t hesitate to call us down at the front desk. Here at Hilton, we have a make it right policy. Please let us know. Enjoy your stay!” Those were the words of the front desk rep as I checked into the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort. At the time, her comment about the make it right policy was just that, a comment. I never thought that during my short stay I’d have to call the front desk to have them “make it right.” I was completely wrong.
Last week, I visited Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with family. The first night we all arrived, we weren’t able to check into the vacation rental so I volunteered to book a hotel room.
My original plan was to book a Sheraton near the airport, however, that plan fell through as rates were nearing $400 a night. By the time I was ready to book the room, the average nightly rate for hotels in the Myrtle Beach Area was around $250 a night. Even a Comfort Inn was going for $189 a night. My options were limited but I managed to find a beachfront Hilton in Mid-Myrtle Beach. A room that could accommodate up to four adults was going for $275 a night. The price was steep but the room featured an ocean view and I planned on splitting the rate with family.
Upon arriving in Myrtle Beach, I was excited to get my vacation started. I was looking forward to taking a quick nap in my hotel room and then getting a bite to eat beachside. I arrived at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort right around scheduled check-in time.
The property itself sits nearly a mile from any public roads and is located near a couple of other resort properties. As my Uber approached the lobby, I noticed that the exterior was in good condition and was excited to see the room.
Things Got Bad Quick!
My Uber pulled up to the driveway in front of the lobby. Outside were a couple of bellhops and valets. Usually, bellhops and valets are very aggressive when a guest arrives at a hotel. Normally I’d turn down the assistance of a bellhop but this time, due to the length of my stay, I had multiple bags and would have welcomed someone help me up to my room. As I got out of the Uber, not a single bellhop moved from their position. I went to the trunk to grab my bags. One bag was especially heavy and I dropped it. I struggled a little to get my luggage together. The bellhops watched and played on their phones while I stumbled into the lobby. I was a little irritated at the time but I’m a fully capable young person so, in the end, I can manage my bags.
I walked up to the check in desk. The front desk rep was super welcoming and professional. She went over the basics of the property and activated the room keys. As I was getting ready to make my way to my room, she made mention of the make it right policy. Based on the customer service I had just experienced, I didn’t think I’d have to call down during my visit.
It was obvious that the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort has seen better days. Pretty much the instant I exited the lobby, the property took a turn for the worst. As the elevator made its way to the 14th floor, a musty and moldy smell grew stronger. When I stepped off of the elevator, I was greeted by a burst of hot and humid air. Luckily, I didn’t have far to walk.
A Room Unfit for Any Major Chain Hotel
I was already beginning to realize that my stay at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort was going to be a stay filled with luxurious beachside relaxation. The entire hallway was reminiscent of something out of the 1970s or 80s. I opened the door to my room and was welcomed with the smell of past guests and untamed moisture.
I’ve stayed at some pretty ‘borderline’ hotels before. My dad’s the definition of cheap so not every trip I take involves a stay at the St. Regis or Four Seasons. Still, I was in awe at how poorly kept my room was. I had to do a double take. Was I really staying at a Hilton property? It couldn’t be a Hilton.
However, it wasn’t just the poor quality of the room that I noticed. Right off the bat, I realized that there was no way this room could comfortably accommodate four adults. If there’s one complaint that truly impacted my stay, it’s how small the beds were. There’s no way the two beds in my room could have comfortably accommodate four adults.
The room was small and the beds looked like something that belonged in a college dorm. Online, Hilton markets this room as having a capacity of up to four adults. It’s obvious that that’s just not true. The beds were small and the mattress wasn’t fit for a frat house. Springs jutted out every which way and the beds lacked any padding. The pillows were small and smelled. I was appalled.
Gallery: DISGUSTING ROOM Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort
I went to the balcony hoping the ocean view could calm me down. The room was not an ocean view, it was a partial ocean view. The room did not face the ocean but rather was cornered away from the ocean.
I went back into the room and prepared to make a call down to the front desk. At the time, I wasn’t ready to change hotels or issue a formal complaint, I just wanted a rollaway bed so the four of us could all sleep comfortably.
I called down to the front desk. A front desk rep picked up and placed me on hold. After a minute or so on hold, I told the rep about my complaint. She responded, “There are already two beds in there so there’s nothing we can do. If we bring in a rollaway then it’s unsafe for you and your guests.” She continued, “If you want, I can send up some blankets and towels so you can sleep on the floor.”
What. Really? What fantastic customer service! Thank you so much, miss, for offering to assist me in sleeping on the ground. At this point, I was so angry and disappointed that I hung up. Never would I have thought that a Hilton property would suggest that a guest sleep on the ground. I get that adding furniture becomes a fire hazard but don’t insult me by offering to make a pallet on the ground.
I decided there was nothing I could do so I began to settle in. I went to the restroom to wash my hands. I did a brief inspection of the bathroom and discovered what would be the last straw. The bathroom was simply disgusting. There was mold and mildew growing on the bathtub, the wallpaper was ripped, and the decor looked like something you’d see in a hospital. That’s not to mention that everything in the room felt sticky and gross.
The bathroom was the last straw. I was done. I was ready to call it. I had to switch hotels.
The Worst Customer Service I’ve Ever Encountered
Naturally, I posted on Twitter and tagged both Hilton Hotels and Hilton HHonors in the tweet. When I send tweets about my stay at Starwood Hotels (albeit, they’re almost always positive) I typically get an instant response. With Hilton, it took nearly an hour to hear back from them on Twitter. When it became obvious that Hilton’s Twitter team was useless, I turned to the 1-800 number for Hilton HHonors members.
I’ve had to call Starwood Hotels about a bad stay or two. Usually, my SPG account is matched to my phone number and within a minute, I’m on the phone with a representative. They’ve always handled any issue flawlessly. This was not the case with Hilton.
After dealing with an automated prompt system for three minutes, I was finally speaking to a real live person. They’re English and communication skills weren’t the best but I was just glad to speak to a real person. I explained to her what my issue was and asked to either be walked to another Hilton property or be upgraded to a larger room. She understood and apologized. She told me she was going to look at some other Hilton properties and get back to me. What happened next was baffling.
“I can move you to a Hampton Inn a few miles away from your current hotel”, she said. I responded, “Wonderful, the room is for four guests correct?” She replied, “Yes, all I need is your credit card information, the total is $315.” I was confused. Was she trying to get me to book another hotel room? I explained to her that there was no way I was going to pay a cent more for a hotel tonight. She said, “Ok, I can cancel your room and refund you but that’s it.” I explained to her how I wouldn’t have a place to sleep if she did that. She told me that there wasn’t anything else she could do. I persisted. “I know hotels can ‘walk’ guests to other hotels as a service recovery option, I’ve had that happen at another hotel chain before and I know Hilton does it too.” She said, “Oh ok, I can get you another room, it’s $35 more, is that okay?” I replied, “You’ve been no help, I’m hanging up now.”
By this time Hilton’s Twitter team had responded and told me they called the hotel and talked to the manager. The Twitter team informed me all they could do was cancel my room. I called down to the front desk and was put on hold for more than five minutes. I hung up and, once again, turned to Twitter. While I was messaging Hilton on Twitter, I received a message via the Hilton app from the front desk. In short, the message was asking me how my stay was. I replied, “awful.” Nearly an hour passed with no response. The Hilton Twitter team informed me they had called the hotel again and they were done assisting me for the night. Was that it? Was that really how Hilton was going to handle this situation?
Out of the blue, I received a call from the front desk apologizing for the way Hilton had handled things. Finally, I received real customer service. I was informed that the hotel wasn’t going to charge me for my stay. Though I’d have to stay in a disgusting and cramped room, I didn’t have to pay a cent for lodging that night. I was still furious but realized that this was as good as it was going to get.
Overall
I’ve never been a big fan of Hilton. Their hotels aren’t nearly as well kept as the Starwood Hotels I’ve stayed at and their customer service pails in comparison to nearly every major hotel chain. Still, when I booked a room for $275 at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort, I expected more. The room was disgusting and cramped. However, what was worse was the customer service I received during my stay. Hilton’s 1-800 number tried to upsell me and their social media flat out told me they were done helping me. It’s my fault for not going directly to the hotel, albeit, one of the team members at the hotel advised me to sleep on the floor. This stay pretty much puts the final nail in the coffin. Hilton Hotels are a sub par compared to Marriott, Starwood, and Hyatt in almost every way.
Have you experienced customer service this awful with a hotel chain? Should Hilton have walked me to another property?
What you paid is immaterial and that’s where you got yourself held up. On other nights, the hotel is going for $75-$100 a night with a corp code. You only paid for booking a room last minute and paid a market price (what the hotel thought it would get). I have stayed (as a diamond) in a lot of hilton rooms where I booked the last available room (with diamond force sometimes) and there was a reason it was the last available room. On occasions I am driving to a beach town and book the last available room and get something like you got. 2 double beds is unfortunately often listed as sleeps 4 but it will say 2 double beds or 2 queen beds usually.
This is no different than paying $800 for the last seat on the plane from NY to Boston and realizing that it was as bad as $15 chinatown bus seat and the service was crap.
I’m pushing 30 (but still look 18) and unfortunately it doesn’t get much better when it comes to hotels taking your complaints seriously until you look 30. I stayed at a Hilton in Quebec City a couple of years ago, very similar situation, and was not treated as a guest, but as a kid looking for a handout. I’ll never stay at a Hilton again because of that experience. I don’t think your approach was too far off.
I completely understand your frustration, and over 6 years of Hilton exclusivity and Diamond status, I feel like I have learned a thing or two about how to handle these situations. The main thing I have learned is that no situation is exactly the same. 🙂
First of all…you were right be be frustrated at the condition of the hotel. I would have been too. I would have pressed the hotel harder, escalating locally first. If they were able to resolve the situation to my satisfaction, I would have still reached out to Hilton to explain: a) the sad representation of the brand, b) my specific issues and c) how they were resolved. This ensures Hilton knows that they property is not what I would expect of the brand while not throwing competent local management under the bus. If the local management (after more prodding) still failed to correct the issue, I would reach out to Hilton to intervene. I think your best bet is always to try as hard as you can to resolve locally.
Now, there are times when the hotel just doesn’t care. I have had experiences where they went out of their way to take care of me and experiences where they couldn’t have cared less. When I need them, Hilton corporate (the Diamond Desk) has ALWAYS been helpful and professional. I am most shocked by the service you received from them over the phone.
As a matter of fact, I have learned not to tweet about any experience unless I want them to intervene. Example: I checked in to a few HGIs and Hamptons recently where my Diamond status was not even acknowledged. That is something all properties typically do well, so it stood out to me, and I tweeted about it. Hilton tracked down my reservation and contacted the hotel on my behalf. I didn’t intent for that to happen, but I appreciated them trying to resolve the issue.
The thing I think has most helped me in getting issues resolved is my time as a retail manager. I learned a lot about how to approach issues and how to communicate to be firm but respectful. I am not insinuating you were rude or communicated poorly…just making the general observation that getting help often depends on your approach (right or wrong).
It is fair to expect what you are owned at a hotel…both in the product and in your elite benefits. When hotels fail, it’s fair to call them out and expect it to be made right.
Oh…and a note about the beds. Typically, the bed types are posted when you reserve. I understand your frustration since queens are more common, but in this case, that was the least of your worries, and I would have focused on the cleanliness issues only during your complaint.
Thanks again for sharing. Glad to know I am not the only one who has high standards! 🙂
Now that the anger and frustration has fizzled out, I can at least take some responsibility for booking a room that doesn’t sleep four comfortably. Second, it’s not that I have “high standards” per se. I base my standards off the rate I pay for a room. This room is NOT worth $300.
-Max
Agreed…but I also wouldn’t think that room was even worth $75, TBH.
Thanks for your comment. As always, post rant, I take responsibility for my actions. I’m young, stupid, and some baby-boomers would label me “entitled.” There’s a high likelihood that I didn’t approach this situation as respectfully as I should have.
-Max
For the record, unlike some other commenters, I did not assume your age had anything to do with this situation! I am not so much older than you….
If they hotel did assume that they could get away with poor service based on your age, that’s just one more issue they have to work on. 🙂
Years ago – maybe in the 1990’s – we spent a Christmas vacation in Portugal. Our return flight (we were flying American I think) was delayed by bad weather over Lisbon. After about 15 hrs sitting in the airport they bussed us to a hotel for the night. The next morning we were bussed down to Faro and flown to JFK. When we arrived, the American staff had no idea who we were or where we came from – no body bothered to tell them! But that’s another story. After much hassle they told us (we were heading back to SFO) that they’d put us up for the night at a nearby Hilton. OMG – by that time we were totally exhausted so we didn’t complain – but it was the most awful hotel room I’d ever stayed in. The wall paper was peeling off the wall, the bathroom was awful and I could barely get to the bed because the room was so small. I thought how embarrassed Conrad would have been!
I’m never heard so much whining before my life. Most of your issues are self-inflicted.
Use your big boy voice and ask for help from the bellman; as others have said and you have agreed YOU should have checked for the bed size provided; and rather than raving and ranting about minor cosmetic items like the scuffed edge of the desk or tangle of wires with utility please or corner view of the ocean instead of a FULL VIEW ( the inhumanity) simply focus on actual issues.
Look, you got the room for free, and in my book Hilton made good. Here you are the only one left looking like an ass
K, Joe.
A room with two double beds can technically accommodate four people, and that’s what you got. Few (if any) properties have two queen, let alone king, beds – if you wanted more room, then you should have booked a suite or two rooms. The mildew in the bathroom and around the AC vent are legitimate complaints – but peeling wallpaper and scuffed desks fall within the pick-your-battles category. $275 may seem like a lot but the rate is market driven – and since you were willing to pay it, it’s not out of line. As to the inattentive valets, I hope you mentioned that to the manager in addition to/rather than venting about it here.
As I said, it was a rant. So yes, there are things specific to my tastes. I’ve stayed at dozens of hotels that queen beds though. I guess your right. It’s market drive and I made the mistake of booking too late.
-Max
I have increasingly noticed that default room descriptions for two bed rooms indicated “Two Queen Bed” rooms, as this is now the norm for new construction hotels.
The problem is that the default two bed description is being used for all two bed rooms at all properties, even when the room does not, in fact, have two queen beds.
Just two weeks ago, I booked a room that was advertised as having “Two Queen Beds” on the website. When we arrived, the room had two doubles. Because it was just my wife and two sons, we made it work (by each of taking a boy), but the front desk confirmed that “yeah…we’ve been trying to fix that”.
So James, you’re incorrect in your assertion that “Few (if any) properties have two queen beds”. It is the new normal and is rare only in older properties.
Hate to tell you this, but you are young. Anybody can tell you that. Perhaps one of the reason they didn’t take your issue seriously. Its just a teenager throwing a tantrum maybe they thought.
Can’t tell my age on the phone. Front desk staff could though. Always a possibility.
-Max
Oh lord, I am staying at that very “Resort” in September. This is my first vacation in 3 years, I hope my room is better!
Hotels vary by room. Don’t let this be an overall representation of the hotel. I just had a bad experience. September is the beginning of the off peak season in Myrtle Beach and I think the hotel being sold out had a lot to do with my poor experience. The less guests at a hotel, the better the service is typically the norm.
-Max
Do you not know what a double bed is? Mattresses aren’t arbitrarily sized, so if you didn’t realize that wouldn’t be sufficient, that’s entirely on you. Anyone that thinks they’re qualified to have a travel blog should understand bed sizes.
Also, your picture of the “bed skirt” that is clearly the bottom of the curtain held up against the bed is blatantly dishonest, and makes me question the legitimacy of everything you’ve stated in this post.
Finally, taking to twitter to publicly shame them before calling the front desk or even going down to talk to them in person is arrogant and extremely tacky. And this blog post is just a continuation of that poor attitude, passed off as a review but clearly just an attempt to extort more free stuff from them.