Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub This does not concern a Disney Hotel but I am interested in your thoughts because I am ill at ease accepting this. Should I have declined this? I just stayed at a Hilton in Texas. To begin with I attempted to check-in the evening before online. I actually called about 1a.m. in the morning because I am particular about being close to an elevator or close to a lobby and the online check-in gave a actual room # to choose. I do not like to walk down long hallways or corridors because I frequently travel by myself. So I arrived friday for the holiday weekend. The room was perfect on the concierge level. It was not a free upgrade. Unfortunately the room one door over and across was occupied by 2 loud barking dogs. It was 4:30 in the afternoon. I went back to the check-in desk. They offered to move me. I accepted and went back to the room realizing they had given me a room next to that room instead of further away. As I was going back down to the room the manager was just coming up to meet me with a different room key. This room now had a worse view overlooking a big garage but not that concerned...Also discovered no evening snacks or bottled water available or even a newspaper in the concierge. I went back down to inquire and they said they do not offer snacks after 5 on the weekends??? So I was taking care of my 2 grandchildren for the evening while their parents went to a movie and they offered a coupon for a free dessert or appetizer at the restaurant. I did not want sugar for them and the appetizers were not meant for children...so I went to the coffee shop and was able to buy yogurt and small cheerio boxes and milk. We had already eaten a dinner at the Pizza restaurant but needed a bedtime snack. When it was time to go home my son-in-law had waited in the hotel circle drive. Obviously it took a little bit longer to bundle them up to go out in the night cold. As we approached the car the valet guy told my son he had to move the car even tho we had just approached it. So the car was moved but my son did not realize how close we were and it is a miracle we were not harmed. I was very upset as they drove away and I am still amazed my grandchild's feet were not under the tires. That is how close we were. I went to the valet person to ask him why he did this and he denied saying anything. I did go back inside and the same manager was just arriving to check on the situation. I spoke to him for a long time about these problems and he happened to add: He occasionally had to talk to the valet people about the way they spoke to guests and he also had authorized extra snacks earlier in the evening due to complaints from other guests and he was babysitting the 2 dogs in his office until those guests returned. This seemed to upset me even more that he was telling me all this. He offered to comp my room but I declined because I really do not want to be one of those people that complain to get something for free! The next early morn I was greeted by the 2 dogs running down the hallway with the owner following with the leash in his hand. And later he brought them into the breakfast concierge area while he ate. The next night there where more dogs in a different room and the next morn the dogs came off the elevator as I was departing. Also not on a leash. I asked the hotel about rooms with pet policy. Apparently they have to keep the room empty for another 24 hours and thoroughly vacuum and clean,etc,etc. Apparently they decided to comp one night for me. Why I feel bad accepting this is beyond me but I just think it is weird. The person with the dogs is not even aware of the fact that others had to have their vacation plans altered. I also wonder how allowing pets is a good corporate money making decision for these companies. Especially if they really require extra maintenance costs. Anyway I find myself feeling uneasy about the future of companies having to work so hard to keep everybody and everything functioning...Does this make sense?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I'm not sure about the hotel in question, but most hotels that allow pets require owners to NEVER leave them in the room alone as well as requiring that they be leashed or crated when outside the room. I don't know if this hotel lacked those policies or if the guest violated hotel policy. I would guess the latter. Also, most hotels have a substantial nightly fee for allowing a pet in the room, which goes to cover the additional cleaning costs.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub hmmm. So I am still thinking about this and trying to wrap my head around it. Maybe that is another thing I do not understand. Health code &legal issues,etc. "holding a pet in an office that is not a licensed kennel. I guess I should just forget about it and accept the refund. In this environment I would not want to get anybody fired or even in trouble. All I know is I would not want to have to be the person that had to spend 40 minutes listening to me and then dealing with pampered pets and their adoring owners. I honestly walked away feeling he handled the "problem" well by patiently listening to me. I certainly did not expect anything more.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub In a way this is relevant to Disney since we have "mentioned" seeing many pets in the parks that are questionable as Service Companions. So I am wondering if Disney Corp is ignoring/allowing this to capture another money trail. Apparently animal owners have a lot of money to spend on their pets in this economy. After this weekend my thoughts are more concerned about safety, health and legal issues. Have these companies really explored all the ramifications or is it just another source of income to pursue? In this Hotel I wonder what the deposit was. The manager said they thoroughly have to clean everything and leave the room vacant for another 24hours. That would have to be a huge deposit to make it profitable!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Most hotels don't run anywhere near capacity, so leaving a room vacant for a day would probably not be a big deal... if in fact they do that, which I truly doubt. I also don't think they see it as a big revenue stream... the charge for pets covers cleaning costs and probably little else. I think they see it as a service to their guests. It appears you are definitely NOT a pet-person. Personally, I'd usually rather be in a room next to a dog than one with loud children, a couple that engages in LOUD arguments, or some good-old boys sucking down the brewskis. As for legal/health issues, I really don't see any if the pet owner keeps their animal restrained as they should. I've never had my dog in a hotel room... we always board her at a "doggie day-care" when we are on vacation. When I'm away on vacation I don't want the responsibility of caring for my little sweetie, just as I don't cook on vacation even when we are in a DVC accommodation with a full kitchen.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub I normally can ignore anything because I figure the late late night return to my room at DL or WDW with the tub water filling to soak my feet is keeping somebody awake. Since I am usually close to an elevator or lobby I hear noises all the time all night long. It was just a really loud barking multiplied by two. Even the manager was surprised when he came up to bring me the correct room key!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<It was just a really loud barking multiplied by two. Even the manager was surprised when he came up to bring me the correct room key!>> You certainly had a right to be irritated. I think it was more the fault of the dogs' owner than the hotel and the proper response by hotel management would have been to ask the guest with the dogs to leave. Dogs don't bark unless they are left in the room alone, and that is almost ALWAYS against the rules in hotels that allow pets.
Originally Posted By disneylandfan8 Maybe staying in a hotel that didn't allow pets might work better for you next time.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub I think the manager seemed to think I had been met with more than an acceptable amount of problems and he sincerely wanted to make it Right. Like I said I have many conflicting feelings with all that happened. I did not want a free night! After all I am trying to accumulate a million points and am close! Dang it I want to be a millionaire at something! My son was staying at an Embassy Suites: more Hilton Points. I am staying New Years at a Hilton: more points and will stay at the ES near LAX on my final night this trip! Of course I am expecting them to file for bankruptcy once I want to spend them...that is just my luck more than likely.
