Hauser33

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Please see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/10490787-post473.html and http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/10494342-post501.html for final resolution.
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We registered with Starwood Hotels Honey Money program for our wedding registry. We were guaranteed, many times during the planning of our wedding, by a Starwood Representative and the terms and conditions on their website listed below that the Honey Money gift certificates were as good as cash at any Starwood Hotel. We booked our Honey Moon to Europe for Aug 1th –13th. When we arrived in Rimini, Italy at the Starwood Le Meridien for a 5 night stay when checking out the Hotel refused the Honey Money after 2 hours of the manager, my wife and I speaking with a Starwood Customer service rep. We were forced to put over $1,500 on our credit card and when we called ahead to the Four Points Sheraton in Rome to see if they would accept the Honey Money with our reservation they told us they would NOT accept it. All this confusion caused us to miss our train to Rome, Italy and we were worried about finding a hotel because we could not afford to stay at the Four Points Sheraton if they would not take our Honey Money. When we arrived in Rome we went to the closes Starwood Hotel, Hotel Eden and called Starwood Customer service to help us resolve the issue. We spent over 4 hours on the phone with a Starwood manager named John. They finally convinced the Four Points Sheraton to take the Honey Money and we then had to spend over $80 on cab rides to finally get to our nights stay. Starwood did not accommodate us in anyway after the nightmare of a day that they put us through. Most of the customer service reps we spoke too knew nothing about the program. I then called Starwood the next day asking them to refund us for the 5 nights at the Le Meridien. The representative said she would take care of the issue. It has been almost a month and we have heard nothing from Starwood. We had one of our wedding guests who purchased some of the Honey Money for our Honey Moon call Starwood and Starwood told her that the case had been resolved. We have now contacted the Better Business Bureau.

We have been taken advantage of, we have been put in a bad financial position because we both do not have much money, this is why we wanted to use the Honey Money program in the first place and our Honey Moon has been ruined. We could not enjoy our last week in Rome because we had exceedd our budget after of the Honey Money issue at the Le Meridien.

I want to warn any couples from using this program or Starwood Hotels and Resorts. I told the Customer Service Rep John who said he was a manager that this is unacceptable and I would write a review about our experience and consider taking legal action. With an arrogant tone he said, "I would encourage you to do this!"

Starwood Honey Money Terms and Conditions taken from website

Honey Money gift certificates are valid at any Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Four Points Hotels & Resorts, Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection or W Hotels, as a U.S. dollar credit against your hotel folio and may only be used in conjunction with a stay. Certificates cannot be used if customer does not have a hotel folio bill and is not currently staying at the hotel. Folio bill includes charges such as room service, bar tab spa treatments, honor bar, hotel activities and on-site restaurant bills in addition to room. Any number of certificates can be redeemed up to the total amount of the hotel folio bill. Credit or cash will not be issued for unused or partially used Honey Money gift certificates. Customers are responsible for any local, state, and federal taxes associated with the receipt or use of Honey Money gift certificates. Honey Money gift certificate amount may be used toward applicable taxes on the hotel folio.
Honey Money gift certificates are not transferable, and must be used by the person or persons listed on the front of the award. Honey Money gift certificates must be used before the expiration date printed on the front of the certificate. Starwood is not responsible for lost, stolen, or photocopied Honey Money gift certificates. Certificates are in U.S. dollars.
Certificates are subject to any local laws applicable to purchase, redemption, and expiration issues.

Braindrain

Welcome to FT! ^ But sorry to hear about your honeymoon.

Have you tried contacting Starwood Customer Service? It's in the 3rd sticky under "Corporate Contacts"?

Many people, including myself, have gotten satisfaction after contacting this email.

Hauser33

If you read my experience above you will see that I spoke with a customer service about this issue for more than 7 hours over a two day period. I also had a friend of ours who donated to the program call twice herself. They have not done anything to resolve the issue or accommodate us in anyway. This is why I have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Kagehitokiri

well, hopefully Starwood Lurker / Starwood Lurker II can help you.

Hauser33

We where planning to enjoy our Honey Money in Italy while using the $3,000 dollars that our closest friends and family donated to our Starwood Honey Money account. If we did not have these Starwood gift certificates we would not have been able to go on the honey moon. Their T&C says, "Honey Money gift certificates are valid at any Starwood Hotel as a U.S. dollar credit."

DillMan

Going to the BBB is like taking a bucket of water to put out the sun. It does nothing and Starwood probably won't even respond.

That said, contact customer service again. Going to the BBB and posting on forums might make you feel like you are 'getting even', but wouldn't you rather have your money back (or at least part)?

...and....lesson learned! Whenever using a promotion or alternative currency, I always make sure I can pay in real money to avoid issues like the one you mention above!

Kagehitokiri

upon further reading of OP >

LM rimini refused to honor Honey Money and you had to charge ~$1500 to cover expenses. then you spent $80 on cabs to hotel eden, and from hotel eden to four points rome.

im not sure about the cabs, and you probably should have mentioned Honey Money at beginning of stay, but you should at least get the ~$1500 back. you could always dispute the charge..

it sounds like you did not incur any cost from phone calls, is that correct?

Hauser33

That is good advice after the fact. I have learned my lesson with a company like Starwood. I have 0 trust in them now and they have $1,500 of my wife and I's money. I will contact customer service again but how many times can you beat your head against a giant wall. The BBB is better than doing nothing.

Hauser33

I did mention Honey Money at the beginning of stay and the front desk said they had to call Customer service because they didn't know what it was but they were sure it would be fine.

I spent $30 on phone cards when we called them from the train station in Rimini.

Hauser33

I do appreciate all the quick replys. Thank you!

Hauser33

I continue to post because I want people like yourself to remember our experience so you can warn others about Starwoods inability to provide acceptable customer service.

bbbb

From the honey money site

What hotels are included in the Starwood Honeymoon Registry?

The Starwood Honeymoon Registry features more than 825 hotels in over 95 countries. Starwood Hotels & Resorts includes: Westin®, Sheraton®, Le Meridien®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Luxury Collection®, St. Regis®, and W® hotels.


Visit the Starwood Honeymoon Collection site to find your perfect escape

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/promot...S_SW_HONEYMOON


I don't see the LM Rimini listed? I think the hotel was right in not accepting them. Unless there is something I am missing you should have been able to see this on the honey money website?

Hauser33

Starwood T&C:
Honey Money gift certificates are valid at any Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Four Points Hotels & Resorts, Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection or W Hotels, as a U.S. dollar credit against your hotel folio and may only be used in conjunction with a stay.

This is taken from the website. We also spoke with them for a 3 month period while planning our wedding making sure this would not be an issue.

The Starwood Customer Service Manager John told me that the hotel should have taken the honey money and if I would have been in contact with him at the time he would have forced them to take it. This is when I asked him what kind of program is this that you have to threaten your hotels to take the vouchers?

bbbb

Sorry I did find another site with the terms that you stated about any hotel. I think you have a good case and I would get screen shots before the sites are updated or removed.

http://wedding.weddingchannel.com/st...arwood_faq.asp

http://wedding.weddingchannel.com/st...conditions.asp

Hauser33

I appreciate the support. I already have all this documented. I just need to either get a lawyer or continue to pester them for the refund.