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Another Ballys screw up

Discussion in 'LV Strip Hotels' started by kel3420, Jan 21, 2015.

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  1. kel3420

    kel3420 VIP Whale

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    I've probably stayed at Ballys 20+ times. I considered it my home away from home for years. We've tried most of the other CET hotels and just kept coming back. Now I'm done. I had a very minor issue last year at the pool where the bartender refused to give me a glass of water in 110' heat unless I made a purchase. He pointed out the disgusting drinking fountains. I had planned on spending all day at the pool, drinks and food, but at 10 am I was done with coffee, not yet ready for a drink and just wanted a drink of water and was refused. Having just come from Cosmo's pool, where there was a complimentary water station, the attitude I received from Ballys bartender just rubbed me the wrong way. I talked to the pool manager later and he agreed with the bartender. It was never about the cost, I just found it ridiculous. It's the little things like this that stick with me. I usually rent a cabana and spent a boatload of money at the pool.

    The next trip, they screwed up my reservation. They didn't apply my offer. Took me more than an hour to get it fixed. Part of my offer was $150 Southwest gift card and $150 free play. But again, we love Ballys, the location, the proximity to Paris' piano bar, Sully's, etc. Got it fixed and it was fine. Good trip.

    Went to check in on 1/13, again with an offer code including Southwest gift card and free play, but no where near the amounts before. Silly me, I hadn't screen shot my reservation when I made it, so yet, once again, they didn't have my offer code on the reservation. At no point during the initial reservation process, when picking a room, did it tell me anything about invalidating my offer if I picked a certain room type. And I know it usually does that. I think what happended is when I called to change my room from a king to queens, something happened. And of course at check in, they had no record of my offer. I had the comped room, but not the free play or gift cards. The check in clerk called a host. This was around 1 pm last Tuesday. The clerk was on hold for 50 minutes. We obviously had quite a long chat. Talked about CET bankruptcy. She mentioned her son, who worked at Paris for 8 years was just, that day, laid off. All the cutbacks, closings, etc. She was awesome. I was finally sent into the Diamond office to talk to a host and was told that three days earlier he could have fixed the "obvious mistake " back into the computer system and fix my reservation, but there was a new policy that there has to be a three day notice now to do so. His hands were tied. I explained that it wasn't the monetary issue, it was truly minimal free play and gift card, but that this twice the same exact thing happened. He so could have easily made this right by just giving me a dining credit or something but didn't. I left the office with a really bad taste in my mouth. I hadn't want to use my host for this simple reservation, but now I see that's the only way to go, if I don't want their automated reservation system to "lose" my offer.

    That's really too bad, I have a large group of people going in August, and now I'll look at other resort offers I have, besides CET To make reservations for 15+ rooms.

    I was supposed to be there three nights, but checked out the next morning and spent 90% of my vegas trip time at Cosmopolitan. I have always liked Ballys, but I'm done done done.
     
  2. Jordan

    Jordan Caveman

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    85% of the time you stay there you have had no issues to speak of, but these 3 VERY minor issues are forcing you elsewhere...wow!
     
  3. kel3420

    kel3420 VIP Whale

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    Lol. Yep. When I can get free rooms from most other, nicer resorts, with no hassle, I will. You wouldn't? After half a day of travelling the last thing I want to deal with is yet another reservation mistake. Check into Cosmo sometime and see how super nice they are. As are Bellagio, Mirage etc. Maybe once the dust settles with the financial restructuring of CET, things may improve and I'll reevaluate.
     
  4. gradytripp

    gradytripp High-Roller

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    Well, I sympathize with your problems. My last two trips, there were similar issues with offers not showing up in my reservation. But that was at Aria. It's getting to the point where I just assume there will be some glitch with a hotel reservation.

    Comparings Bally's to Cosmo seems a bit apples-to-oranges. The price point at Cosmo will be several times higher, and while that place has its fans, I've also read about problems there, too. And CET may have just declared bankruptcy, but Cosmo has lost millions of dollars every quarter since it's been open, and was just sold (at a big loss).
     
  5. Jordan

    Jordan Caveman

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    I've stayed at Cosmo, Bellagio, Aria, Wynn, Venetian etc....My point it that you are happy 85% of the time there, that's a pretty high percentage wouldn't you agree? anyway, just my $.02!
     
  6. kel3420

    kel3420 VIP Whale

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    Yeah I agree. I didn't notice any changes with cosmo this trip. But it will be interesting to see what changes. Cuz you know things will def change.
     
  7. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    I think it has little to do with the percentage of times the OP was happy and more to do with the issue not being fixed once it was discovered. It sounds like a situation where a bit food and bev credit could have solved a problem. I would be more upset about waiting so long for zero resolution than for the original screw up.
     
  8. mrstealth

    mrstealth VIP Whale

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    my personal experience at bally's, especially lately, is directly opposite of your experience, and that is why I continue to come back. This extends from the check in process, right down to the guy who works in the Men's bathroom cleaning urinals.

    As far as a bartender refusing a glass of water, and there were public drinking fountains available, I don't look at that as a "screw up". perhaps you were offended, but it sounds to me like you get offended easily.
     
  9. Aces and Eights

    Aces and Eights VIP Whale

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    I don't consider not getting an SW gift card and free-play when offered as very minor issues, especially when they don't compensate for it. As the OP said, it's not so much the value of the offer as much as the value of what they think of you.
     
  10. kel3420

    kel3420 VIP Whale

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    "but it sounds to me like you get offended easily."

    And you couldn't be more wrong. LOL
     
  11. BeeeJay

    BeeeJay President of The Red Lobster Hostess Satisfaction

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    I'll spend $500 on a dinner but still get pissed off at McDs for giving me 1 syrup and 1 butter to split between 9 hot cakes.

    It's the principle of the matter. I'm with you 100%--fuck em.

    Hopefully Stephanie goes from Bally's to Cosmo after her maternity leave!
     
  12. bswim

    bswim High-Roller

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    I don't think it has anything to do with the % of the screwups. It's the fact that it's one thing after another and they aren't showing any willingness to fix things.

    I'd be heading down the street as well.
     
  13. abrolsma

    abrolsma Low-Roller

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    I don't think I can express how awesome as well as on point your post is...
     
  14. davidcyndi

    davidcyndi MIA

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    The water thing was a bit lame but your other issues are spot on for a change. Can you call customer service now with this issue and show them proof and some how get comped?
     
  15. kel3420

    kel3420 VIP Whale

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    After rereading the water issue, it does sound lame. I didn't want to write a novel about it though. Guess you had to be there. It was petty but just rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe the heat and dehydration got to me. LOL

    The losing my offer issues, twice, c'mon now. I would take it up the ladder if it was more important to me and Ballys was my only option. But it's not, and I don't want to get more frustrated going up the food chain and still being ignored so....

    Who the heck is Stephanie??? Hahaha
     
  16. VegasChic-

    VegasChic- VIP Whale

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    It's completely about the service issue and how they handled it, or didn't handle it.

    For someone with player history in vegas, it would take about one nanosecond for someone with any sense working there to realize that it's a repeat customer who is always booking under an offer code. Suddenly, she chooses to forgo offers even though she was there on the right dates, knew the specifics of the offer etc? CET exploited what was clearly a mistake somewhere.

    It's these kinda stories that are making me want to back off CET during the bankruptcy stuff. Where several years ago they may have been more inclined to favour the customers, they no longer are in a position to do it. Postings are abundant with small changes/ cutbacks that people are noticing, clearly an effort to trim what fat they can IMO. Cant imagine things getting much better in the near future on this stuff!
     
  17. broncofn

    broncofn VIP Whale

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    I might be wrong but I think a bar has to give you a glass of water on request no matter if you buy something or not.
     
  18. scc31

    scc31 Low-Roller

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    Never even stepped foot into Bailey....
     
  19. Irishwake

    Irishwake Low-Roller

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    It's 15% screw ups if you count 3 times out of 20.....or 100% if you just count the last three trips.
    I certainly wouldn't give them a chance to hit for the cycle.
    I'm with the OP 100%, even getting aggravated dealing with a dick bartender hoarding water!
     
  20. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Bush league.

    As BeeeJay so eloquently sums it up, fuck 'em. Too many other joints that'll appreciate your business.
     
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