Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/02/2024

  Type:Facilities Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The first room I checked in did not have hot water at 8:30 pm, the tub would not drain out in room 322, I was moved to room 122, it did not have hot water, on water pressure on the hot faucet side, and the tub would not drain, I ask for a partial refund and they said no.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/02/2024

  In follow up to the guests complaint - as we advised last night, when we moved the guest to avoid the inconvenience, hot water can sometimes take time in older buildings to make it to the upper floors - especially when it is later in the evening and not as much hot water is flowing through the pipes throughout the hotel.  As a courtesy, so the guest did not have the frustration, the guest was moved to a first floor room.  As noted this morning, when maintenance and myself (the general manager) went to the room, the tub stopper was plugged down - which is why the tub wasn't draining.  Additionally at that time, I spoke with the guest and explained that while I understood this was his complaint - if the hotel had no hot water, given we are sold out, every other guest in the hotel would be reporting the same thing - but since this was not the case - while I understand his frustration - there was no issue that was not remedied and we would not be refunding the guest - as they had access to a new room and hot water and running water and draining water.  While we certainly understand the frustration of wanting hot water instantly at turning on - realistic expectations should also be tampered - as just as at home sometimes it can take a moment for water to get hot.  In the end, while the complaint of not having hot water and a tub not draining seem real to the guest - the hotel relocated the guest immediately and the hotel confirmed that the hotel 100% had hot water throughout the hotel and that the tub not draining was because the stopper was down.  Given this basic operation of water flow - it is clear that there is no grounds for a refund of any sort. The guest stayed in the hotel, his issue was addressed, he slept and showered and enjoyed breakfast, and 100% used his stay at the hotel.  There is no justifiable reason that someone would expect to stay for free by claiming there is no hot water in a hotel with 72 rooms where every single room would be without hot water if one room was without.  The hotel stands by the statement that we will not be issuing a refund and we regret that this guest is attempting to commit fraud against an inn keeper.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/02/2024

  
  Complaint: 22082966
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The second room on the first floor was worse than the 3rd floor, with the same issues the guy that escort me to the room 322  moved the tub drain and confirmed that the drain was open, I double check both tub drains, their responses shows that the issues a Knowledgeable issue and a good coverup. This hotel and the manager rates a 1 star.
  Sincerely,
  
  Michael *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/28/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I booked a room at "Summer Place Inn" in Destin Florida through "hotels in america.com" that was advertised as a "Smoke Free Property." However, upon entering the room ot wreaked with a terrible foul odor of cigarette smoke. Since my wife is allergic to smoke (sinuses) I immediately notified the hotel front desk and asked to either be moved to a different room or be given a full refund. I also spoke to a manager and basically they said they couldn't move us to another room because the hotel was fully booked and they couldn't give us a refund because it was booked through a third party. Selling this hotel as a " smoke free property"is clearly false advertising so I need help getting a refund and I want others to know what to expect if they book a room at this hotel.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/27/2024

  Below is one of the many communications that we have had with this guest.  Additionally, the third party they reserved through denied their claim for a refund based on the documentation provided and the guests own statements.  While we certainly understand the guest does not like the answer and responses given by not just the property, but also the online travel agency they booked through, we stand behind our initial responses that were issued not just by SummerPlace Inn but by the third party as well.  One note - the property did make numerous offers even after being denied the refund by the third party they booked through as well - however it has been more than 25 days since these offers were rejected and therefore these options may not be available anymore.

  Original Communication:

  As noted, when we spoke on the phone - the property is all non-smoking - and your reservation of course was in a non-smoking room. While we understand that you felt there was a smoking odor - as the agent informed you that evening - moving rooms was not an option due to the property being sold out. However, as you mentioned on the phone - the agent did come to your room and do an odor treatment - which you said, "smelled sweet and definitely made it better". You also stated that you still did not get a great night's rest - which prompted follow-up from me.
  
  As I explained on the phone - since you reserved through a third party - I was not able to do anything regarding refunds AND that while I understood your concerns - a full refund was in no way realistic - given you expressed to me at 10:39am, 10:40am and again at 10:42am that the smoke odor was in fact dealt with that night, on 5.28.24 when we spoke. Additionally, I explained that we did in fact want to accommodate reasonably for not being 100% satisfied - and as a courtesy I offered you either a $25 gift certificate to be used at any time, but would have to be used directly at the property, but also available for use at any time, or I could offer you a comparable comp night at the property that I would honor between Sept 5, 2024 and May 24th, 2025. Both options were rejected by you at 10:36am and again at 10:41am and a final time at 10:44am as we ended our call.
  
  As I stated on the phone - we will NOT AUTHORIZE A REFUND FOR YOUR STAY. While we do our best to make sure every stay is perfect every time, there are variances that occur and can impact a stay. Given that you brought a single issue - which you stated yourself we did in fact make better than the original situation - and the fact that you had every option to enjoy the day outside of your sleeping time - what you have asked for and what you have rejected, both of which were more than reasonable - the property stands behind what we originally offered - however we are not able to offer you a free stay because of an issue you stated you had - that we addressed. The property is more than happy to accommodate reasonable requests. Requesting a complimentary stay and full refund for an odor that you stated was addressed is simply not realistic. Again, I stand by the two options-and will stand by that for 24 hours.  However, if you choose not to accept those offers - and based on your statement at 10:42 on our call this morning that you would not pay for the stay one way or another even if it meant telling American Express that you "never received the goods" the property will not be offering anything further.
  
  Additionally, I have copied hotelsinamerica.com on this matter and their parent company so that there is no confusion on the matter.

  Kindly,
  Mistelle ******* General Manager
  ************
  www.summerplaceinn.com
  
  
  If you would like to make a reservation, please visit our website to select the perfect room for your upcoming getaway!  From the sugar white sand beaches to the convenience of local flare and fare, let SummerPlace Inn be your centrally located home away from home on your next trip to Destin, Florida!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/14/2024

  Type:Facilities Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I recently stayed at the hotel from May 10th to May 12th, 2024. Upon my arrival at 2:08 pm, I requested an early check-in, as previously advised during a prior phone call. However, the front desk attendant, whose name I did not ascertain, informed me that no rooms were available and instructed me to return at 2:45 pm. When I reiterated the information provided to me earlier, her response, "If we had rooms available, don't you think I would take the $50," displayed a concerning lack of customer service professionalism. Despite patiently waiting in the lobby, observing other guests being promptly accommodated, it wasn't until later that we were assigned a room. Subsequently, upon returning from an outing, I discovered the balcony strewn with discarded cigarette-related items, necessitating notification to the front desk for prompt resolution. Furthermore, upon our return to the room later in the evening, I was dismayed to find it inadequately cleaned. My subsequent request for a new room, addressed by CJ, was accommodated for the following day, albeit with an inconvenient delay until 2 pm, due to a late checkout request. This delay impinged upon scheduled family activities, and despite expressing my concerns to Heather, I was met with limited alternatives beyond leaving personal belongings at the front desk, an option I found unsatisfactory. This interaction left me emotionally distressed, and my overall vacation experience was compromised.Compounding matters, housekeeping entered our room without request, resulting in the inadvertent disposal of personal belongings, notably a gift belonging to my daughter. Despite reporting the incident promptly, no satisfactory explanation or resolution was provided, leaving me with no choice but to vacate the premises immediately, as concerns for my family's safety arose. As a long-anticipated guest, the transformation of my stay into a distressing ordeal was deeply disappointing for both myself and my children.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/14/2024

  Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns.  As was explained at the property - EARLY checkin is NOT GUARANTEED.  Standard checkin occurs AFTER 4pm.  IF we have a room of the type reserved available for early checkin we are more than happy to allow guests the opportunity to either purchase guaranteed early check-in or to receive a complimentary early check-in.  This depends on the time of day and IF the room type requested for early checkin is available.  As was explained on 5 separate occasions - we would do our best to offer you an EARLY checkin but that there were no guarantees.  All this being said, you were in fact able to checkin early - as you noted above at 2:45 and you were NOT charged an early checkin fee of $50 even though you were allowed to check in over an hour before standard checkin.  Other guests may very well have been able to checkin before you - as they had different room types that were already cleaned and readied for their arrivals.  This was also explained to you by the Front Desk agents (two separate employees) and two different managers on property.

  Once in your room - there were no initial complaints - however later in the evening when approaching the front desk requesting to be moved - as noted CJ did everything possible to accommodate your request.  Unfortunately, the hotel was sold out - and since the request didn't come for hours after you had checked in, as CJ took care of you (as noted in your complaint) to accommodate your request to move the following day.  As was explained the following day - checkout is up until 11am.  This meant having been sold out the night before there would be the potential for delay in accommodating the room change.  The front desk, housekeeping department, and all managers on duty did everything they could to accommodate you and your guests - including offering to move all items for you and store your items at the front desk while the room transitions occurred.  Over and over you refused any aide we could provide.  In fact, you then told us never mind about all of it - and to instead have us come reclean the room.  In response, as requested we still readied the room for your to move to - but also serviced the room as a full clean as requested.  Upon completion - our team was then accused of stealing items from your room. 

  Fortunately, when going to the room due to the nature of bizarre interactions and claims, we ensured that management was present to guarantee no discrepancies.  At that time we discovered that there were cameras in the room and so when the team was accused of stealing items we encouraged you to play back the camera you had set up and advised at that point that we would cooperate with any legal actions and would provide the police with any information needed.  At that time, you decided that you would not be moving rooms at all - and you did in fact realize that the camera you had setup combined with the property cameras and witnesses would document that your claims were not substantiated.  It was after this that you then provided pictures of the rust on the balcony door (we are Gulf front and unfortunately rust does happen) and then added claims with pictures of cigarettes on the balcony. Due to the abundant number of instances where claims were made by you that simply were not realistic and were documented to be false, you were advised that it was abundantly clear that you were attempting to fraud the hotel with complaints and demands for compensation - before you even checked in.  Then upon being checked in - your time was spent attempting to entrap the property and any emotional distress was caused at your own making and own actions.  

  We regret that you were not able to check in earlier than by the more than the hour and 15 minutes you received.  We regret that when you initially wanted to change rooms it was because you didn't like the smell and the carpet by the door was worn - however neither of those items would warrant a free stay.  We regret that the following day (2nd day of your stay) you chose to demand a free stay while refusing to allow us to remedy the situation because you would not vacate the room or allow us to move the items for you so you could enjoy the day.  We regret that you decided to stay in the guest room and then felt that our team stole from you - despite multiple cameras and lock readings that proved no such thing occurred.  We lastly regret that you feel you should not pay for a stay that you 100% did in fact use.  

  We strive for every guest stay to be perfect.  At times, we do make mistakes - and when we do we will always try to do right.  However, the property stands behind the guest paying for the services they received.  We will not be offering any sort of compensation as the guest refused to allow remedies and has provided patently false information over and over.  Finally, the guest has unrealistic expectations and it is not realistic to think that because you are not allowed to receive a service before you are entitled that this in any way would yield compensation.  For example, one would not go to Best Buy - and demand to have the TV for free 2 days before it's paid for and owned.  The same is true for services.  Checkin is at 4pm and after.  The very start of this complaint is fundamentally flawed in logic and expectation.  We wish nothing but the best to this guest - and the property considers this situation closed and no compensation will be offered

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/30/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I bank with ******* bank and noticed my debit card purchase was used to purchase a stay at this hotel for June 18 thru 23 2024. It was thru booking.com. I called the hotel and a lady there said there was no chad shell who booked any rooms then she said there was a chad thru expedia.com. ******* bank cancelled my card but refuses to give me a refund as well as hotel and booking.com. the hotel has given me a run a round since I brought it to there attention I didn't make these charges.i didn't make or stay at this place so I dispute these charges and want my money back

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/21/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We stayed at this hotel from 6/5/2023-6/8/2023 and was charged for those nights, 15 days later they charged my card again for the same stay when we have not stayed at this hotel again.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/29/2023

  Sadly this guests issue was a credit card batching error causing an authorization vs. a charge when the guest stayed on site. Due to the third party processing center having the batch issue, the actual charge from the original transaction authorization was then finalized two weeks later once the coding error had been fixed. All interface issues have and were resolved by 6/21 via the cc processing company and our pms system and we are sincerely sorry that this happened to our guests and staff. It was an error out of our hands but we are glad it is resolved. 

   

   

  Sincerely, 

  Alexandra ****** 

  General Manager