Meridian Apartments Ltd Vancouver

Thank you for your comments. We are all shocked at the severity of your words, and the manner and means in which you have chosen to verbalize your displeasure considering the polite manner in which you were dealt with when calling to modify your reservation and on your arrival. However, we would like to clarify for yourself and others who read your complaints.

As your reservation was booked on-line via Orbitz or one of their affiliates, we are in no way able to cancel or modify any reservation that was made through a third party booking agent.

Once your reservation was booked, you or other members in your party had phoned the hotel on numerous occasions requesting an upgraded room type for a larger suite. On each occasion, (3 by our records) it was explained that all larger suites had been booked already, and that we could not accommodate your request. However, we would be able to add your name to a waitlist should a larger suite type become available. Each time you had called you spoke to a manager, myself being one of them.

Your original reservation was for a Junior Suite, which is what we had available upon your arrival. Your room type was never downgraded. It was at this time you demanded a larger room type, which we could not supply, however, you were offered an identical suite next door to the original suite type you had booked (2 junior suites side by side), and the total amount of the two suites combined would have totaled no more than the cost of the larger suite which you insisted you had booked.

You are correct in that we did say we would hold the rooms for you while you tried to find alternate accommodation in the city for a larger suite, and we did offer to assist you with this. You refused, so we honored your wishes.

The hotel has a 2 day cancellation policy, which we had waived for you due to the manner in you were behaving. We also tried to let you know, that although we would not charge you for your stay, that the 2 day cancellation policy was part of the booking you made on line, and that you should contact your booking agent to make sure the reservation was cancelled.

Your contact information and credit card number that we had on file were supplied by the booking company, and we are unable to access their systems to remove your information, again, this was explained to you.

In reference to your comments that we do not have a CEO or manager, that is entirely incorrect. On each occasion you called, you had spoken to a manager each time. You spoke to myself, Christopher Kean, Front Office Manager, as well as Ethel Wan-Sharp, Sales Manager, and also spoke to Daniel Belanger Weekend and Evening Manager. All three of us have worked in the Hospitality business for very many years, in a vast number of independant and chain properties.

There is not one single owner of the hotel, as this building is rather unique in that each suite is independently owned, and there is a 'council' that governs the overall operations with myself and Ethel who oversee the hotel issues.

As this is a secure building, the '90 minute process' you speak of was captured completely on digital closed circuit monitoring, and began at 16:55 on May 21st, 2005 and you are clearly seen to be leaving the property again at 17:10, which is only 15 minutes. At this point, it is very clear that you have been treated fairly and with all courtesy, and as you and your party of 4 leave, although clearly disappointed, you are smiling. Upon your return at 18:18 with a party of 11 women, (7 more people than you had originally booked the room for), it was determind that you had actually planned to have a party here. You are denied access to the building as we have an absolute no party policy which is explained to you. You and your party leave the front doors again at 18:27, very irate and verbose.

I would like to add that at this point, one of the building owners was present in the lobby waiting for a taxi, and after the display by your party, it was that owner who contacted myself at home to relay the situation and the manner in which you and your party demanded your situation be resolved.

The desk agent at the time did in fact contact myself at home after the owner had spoken to me, where I did come to the hotel and review the matter and the video recordings. There was nothing the desk agent or I could or would have done differently. I am sorry that you feel that you were treated unfairly, but I am sure after recollecting the events as they happened, you must be aware that we did in fact offer you all assistance we possibly could, at which point you had refused all offered options.

This is a quality property that does not tolerate inappropriate actions from any person on any level. We treat all people with respect and dignity, and expect the same in return. This property has won numerous awards for guest services, cleanliness, and is known to be a well-managed property in the city. We claim to be nothing more than what we are: A long term travel apartment hotel, located half a block from the Vancouver Seawall Promenade, directly across the water from Granville Island and 3 blocks from Granville street.

If you would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact myself directly at (phone number) Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm or email at reservations@meridianhotel.org

Sincerely,

Christopher Kean

Front Office and Operations Manager

The Meridian at 910 Beach