Aiden Austin City Hotel — Hotel in Austin

Title: Disregard for Safety, Uncompromising Policy, and Lack of Higher Management Response

Review:

My experience on 5/31/2024 with Aiden By Best Western @ Austin City Hotel was nothing short of disappointing and concerning. Due to severe weather conditions causing major flooding in Dallas, Texas, I made the difficult decision not to risk my safety by driving to Austin. When I reached out to Raul, the supervisor, to explain my situation and express my genuine concern for safety, I was met with complete disregard.

Furthermore, my attempt to seek resolution through the third-party company was met with similar resistance. Yesterday, when the third-party company reached out and called Chris at the front desk, he completely denied the request and insisted that we speak to his manager, Raul, for any further assistance.

This circular redirection only added to the frustration and feeling of helplessness. Raul repeatedly tried to avoid the issue by directing me to call the third-party company for a refund. However, it was evident that he still had the final say and would simply deny the request, leaving me in a frustrating and hopeless situation.

It's worth noting that the third-party company was willing to approve the cancellation, but they required final approval from the hotel. Despite this, the hotel staff were uncooperative and unwilling to provide the necessary authorization.

Furthermore, when I requested to speak to higher management above Raul and stated there was no one else I could speak to about my issue, my request was denied. This further compounded the feeling of being dismissed and unheard as a customer.

What adds insult to injury is the discovery that other customers were refunded due to issues they had experienced. This inconsistency in treatment only exacerbates the frustration and disappointment felt by guests like myself.

As a guest, I expected the hotel to prioritize the well-being of its patrons over rigid policies. However, the unwillingness to accommodate or offer alternatives left me feeling not only disappointed but also concerned about the hotel's values and priorities.

In times of crisis, it's crucial for businesses to show empathy and flexibility, traits that were sorely lacking in my interaction with Raul and the hotel management. I hope this review serves as a reminder for the hotel to reevaluate its policies and prioritize the safety and well-being of its guests above all else.

Cons:

Disregard for guest safety Inflexible policies Lack of empathy and understanding from management Failure to address higher management concerns Inconsistent treatment among customers Attempting to deflect responsibility onto third-party companies

Overall Impression:

My experience at Aiden By Best Western @ Austin City Hotel was marred by the hotel's disregard for guest safety, its uncompromising policies, and its failure to address concerns with higher management. I would caution future guests to consider their safety and well-being before booking a stay at this establishment.

Update response to Owner reply:

Disappointed that even after sharing my concerns, no effort was made to accommodate my situation or offer any real assistance.

It is disheartening to see that the same lack of empathy and flexibility that I experienced with the staff is also reflected in your reply, coming from the owner. It feels as though the hotel only cares about money rather than the well-being and safety of its guests, Ensuring the safety and satisfaction of your guests should be a priority, especially during severe weather conditions. I hope you will take this feedback seriously and make the necessary changes to better support your guests...

Pros: -Decent breakfast -Easy, free parking -Close to downtown and South Congress

Cons: -Cockroaches

I recently stayed at this hotel with my husband. We booked a single queen bed room at a great rate. We checked in late on Friday night, and were greeted by a friendly gentleman. I will say, parking at this hotel was awesome (parking in Austin can be a beating). It is very close to downtown and South Congress.

My husband woke up early Saturday morning to go for a run, and came across a cockroach crawling around the room. He tried to kill it, but it got away. When we came back from breakfast (several hours later), a cockroach was now on the headboard near where my head had been. He killed it and flushed it. We talked to the front desk, and they said they could spray the room for bugs for us. We left, and I received a call saying they couldn't spray because we had left some food in the room (that's fair) but they could move us rooms. Great! We said we'd be back that evening to move rooms. I received a call back within a half hour apologizing that they would not be able to move us because they were at capacity for our room type, but they could discount our room rate for the second night. I accepted this as fair, and thought that since we had killed the bug that we would be fine.

During our stay on Saturday night, I started to feel a tickle on my shoulder and then my other arm. I sat up, turned on the light, and found that ANOTHER cockroach had crawled across my body and on to my husbands pillow. He quickly grabbed that pillow, took it to the bathroom, and killed the roach, then flushing it down the toilet. I walked into the bathroom, and noticed another dead one was still in his pillowcase (either this other roach had been in his pillow, or was underneath it when he took it to the bathroom). I expressed my frustration to the nice man working the front desk at 4:30 that morning, and he quickly found a vacant room for us to move to. We couldn't sleep after that because of our general yuck feeling, and an odd odor in the room. We had to return to the original room on Sunday morning to retrieve an item, and we could tell that they had sprayed for bugs since we had left.

When we checked out on Sunday morning, I was clear that I wasn't thrilled with our stay here. She asked what they could do to help our experience be better, and agreed to give us a refund for one night.

I think the people working here are doing their best, and it does have a neat vibe. But once I experienced the cockroaches, the entire experience was ruined. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. If there are a few cockroaches, then there are many, many more. Now, if they can confirm that the pest issue has been taken care of, then by all...

This weekend, my family and I had the pleasure of staying at the Aiden Hotel. Regrettably, we arrived dispirited due to a series of unfortunate mishaps that included lost luggage and a missed reservation at another venue. However, the moment we stepped into the Aiden Hotel, things took a significantly positive turn, thanks to Nicholas at the front desk.

From the outset, Nicholas greeted us with a warm, empathetic smile. When we explained our plight, he immediately sprang into action - not just providing the standard service expected in such situations but genuinely engaging with us to make our stay special.

Firstly, Nicholas expedited the check-in process while ensuring that our room accommodations were not only comfortable but luxurious. Seeing our tired and disheartened faces, he upgraded our rooms with a beautiful view at no extra cost, a gesture that lifted our spirits instantly.

But Nicholas didn't stop there. Understanding that our lost luggage had essentials for the weekend, he provided us with complimentary toiletry kits. He also arranged for a quick shopping trip by giving us directions to nearby stores and added some local tips on where to find what we needed efficiently.

Throughout our stay, Nicholas checked on us multiple times, always ready to help with a smile. Whether we needed extra towels, dining recommendations, or just someone to chat about the best local spots for unwinding, he was our go-to person. He even helped us to organize a last-minute sightseeing tour, which became the highlight of our trip.

What could have been a memorable weekend for all the wrong reasons turned out to be one of our most cherished getaways, largely due to Nicholas's exceptional service and intuitive care.

Thank you, Nicholas, and the Aiden Hotel, for not just meeting our expectations but far exceeding them. We're already planning our next stay, and we haven't...