UPDATE (22 Dec): Responding to MS News queries, Hotel Calmo Bugis said the power outages were “beyond their control” and were likely caused by an external supplier who did reconfiguration works that day.
You can read the full statement below.
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The end of 2020 is fast approaching and many Singaporeans are treating themselves to staycations during this period to celebrate.
But for 2 guests at a Bugis hotel, their staycation experience was soured by multiple power trips throughout their stay.
When the hotel manager told them that they could only get a refund if they left a good review for the hotel, one of them took to Instagram to share her experience.
In summary, the netizen felt that the request was unethical and was disappointed in the hotel’s management.
On one particular night of the guests’ stay at Hotel Calmo Bugis, the netizen claims there were 6 power trips in her room over a period of 3 hours.
Not being able to fix the issue, the hotel allegedly offered a double room as a replacement.
However, more power outages followed.
In a video shared on Instagram, the room appeared pitch-black as the power in the room was out.
The netizen even flipped the switch multiple times to show they were not working.
According to her post, the pair experienced 5 power outage between 10.45pm and 12.08am the next morning.
The guests promptly informed the hotel of the issue.
Hotel Calmo then reportedly offered the pair a complimentary 1-night stay.
However, they no longer wished to stay on and requested a full refund instead.
After liaising with Agoda, folks from the hotel later replied that they could not give a full refund. As an alternative, they offered a 50% off on the affected night’s stay.
Yet upon checkout, the hotel allegedly refused to do so until they received further instructions from Agoda.
She proceeded to call Agoda to clarify but was reportedly redirected to the hotel management instead.
Speaking to Hotel Calmo Bugis’ manager, the netizen asked how long the refund would take to process.
The manager replied that it will be about 2 weeks.
He then allegedly came back with another offer. She can get her refund immediately on one condition — she leaves a good review of Hotel Calmo Bugis on Agoda.
The manager then apparently explained that the hotel did not actually have to offer a refund since they have already “done their best”.
In an alleged voice recording of the call, the guest sounded exasperated and asked if she could speak to someone else. The manage retorted that if she could not agree to the terms, she should “just leave it”.
The guest expressed her disappointment in her post, saying that the hotel’s request for a good review in exchange for a refund was “unethical”.
Speaking to MS News, the guest shared that both Agoda and the hotel has not gotten back to her.
Responding to MS News queries, Hotel Calmo Bugis said that 2 rooms were affected by the reconfiguration works that day — which coincidentally happened to be the 2 rooms that the guests were offered.
The manager recorded on the call reportedly requested for the guests to not leave a bad review as the hiccups were caused by a 3rd-party supplier.
He also said the guests would have to wait between 1-2 weeks to receive their refund – with no access to the “review section”- or have the sum refunded immediately should they leave a review between 8 and 10.
Here’s their statement:
Hotel Calmo Bugis is a newly established property since 1 December 2020. We do believe that hiccups are expected during the beginning process and that we are trying all our best to prevent it as much as we can in any possible ways.
The incident that happened to the mentioned guest, is totally beyond our control and we are not going to deny the power outages issue. Indeed, on the second night of the guest stay, they have faced power outages every now and then as per the guests since 5pm, however this was only reported to us approximately 8pm that night. Upon getting the feedback we had immediately shifted the guest to another room and contacted the 3rd party supplier of the whole QR lock systems (INNOVATES QRLOCK PTE LTD).
At approximately 9-10pm, guests came over to the reception again, conversation was still calm and asking “if they could get at least a partial refund due to the unpleasant experience and inconvenience caused” (this wasn’t being recorded neither do we have anything to prove as we took this matter mannerly). We have advised the guests, that we will discuss further with the rest of the management, as well as the 3rd party supplier (INNOVATE QRLOCK PTE LTD) to which whom may be liable for the power outages as they had done some reconfiguration on the system update on the same day that unknowingly affected 2 rooms (unidentified) during this period of time. Guests were shifted to another room the 2nd time that night at approximately between 11pm-12am, not knowing that the room changed was one out of the 2 that is affected, which is the room type 07 series.
The QRLOCK system was supposed to be 100% complete by the agreed date 1 October 2020 between all parties, only to know that it is not ready up till date that is causing most of the inconvenience towards our valued guests.
Day after that night, after much discussion, neither do the 3rd party (INNOVATE QRLOCK PTE LTD) is taking the blame, we have decided in offering the guests an option at our own cost to which is inclusive of the complimentary late check out at 2pm which was already agreed on at approximately 8pm that night (worth S$50), we as well offered either a 50% refund of the affected 2nd night (S$50++) or a full 1 night complimentary stay as they since they had requested for a partial refund at least, on the night itself. However, they wish not to accept either, and insisted that they should get a full refund for the inconvenience.
Day after the incident, before their scheduled check-out time, they contacted the relevant booking agents for assistance in hope to get a full refund. To which we were being contacted as well for clarification, and we had explained the whole entire situation on what had happened.
Our manager did speak to them that day, in hope that we could settle down in a win-win situation, as they decided to have the partial refund after all the commotion. To be fair, guests utilize the entire 2 nights stay despite the “inconvenient & unpleasant experience” that they have highlighted, we believe that things could still resolve mannerly should the reasonable partial refund be accepted in the very first place. We may have considered whether the booking is not being utilized totally for sure. We believe that such an incident may not occur, should guests have already accepted the option of offers given before the commotion, and not demanding, forcing and unreasonable on a full refund when the affected is only the 2nd night and still utilizing the booking entirely.
On the voice recorded itself, the manager did mentioned on 2 options as not to leave a bad review specifically as it is due to the inconvenient caused by the 3rd party supplier, but guests may need to wait for the refund that gonna take approximately 1-2 weeks upon guests to no access on the review section, or to help out with the point rating 8-10 and we will have it refund immediately.
It is something that is beyond our control in this industry, things happen unexpectedly. Little did we know that this incident is being circulated on social media in just a split second, sudden reviews came in minutes after another on various platforms despite us knowing that those reviews do not come from those that stayed nor staying at all but leaving those reviews in support to their fellow affected ones. Despite everything, we remain and accept this calmly, knowingly we are fresh/new and going all the way to improvise as much as we could as an overall be it coming from genuine reviews or likewise.
It is unfortunate that what was supposedly an enjoyable staycation was marred by such technical faults which must have caused the guests great inconveniences throughout their stay.
We hope the incident will eventually be settled amicably between the parties involved.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured images adapted from Instagram and Hotels.com.
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