My family and I recently stayed at the Golden Nugget while celebrating a special occasion. My son, a United States Marine, was granted a rare four-day leave shortly after his 21 st birthday so we could vacation together. Unfortunately, what should have been a memorable family trip turned into a very disappointing experience.
Upon arrival, I paid to upgrade our room so we could have a coffee maker and be located near my son's room. Because his flight did not arrive until approximately 2:00 a.m., we stayed up late to welcome him.
The following morning, at around 8:00 a.m., we were awakened by water dripping from the ceiling onto our personal belongings. Shortly afterward, the front desk called to inform us that the room above us had flooded and that we would need to relocate.
Unfortunately, the customer service we received during this situation was unacceptable. When I asked if we would still be placed near my son's room, the front desk employee responded, "If you would let me finish," in a dismissive and disrespectful tone. We were instructed to remain in our room while new keys were brought to us, but after waiting more than an hour, no one arrived. During that time, maintenance attempted to begin drying the room with fans and water extraction equipment before we had even been relocated. After calling the front two additional times, someone finally brought us new room keys.
At no point during this ordeal did anyone offer a sincere apology. I requested to speak with a manager about our experience but was initially told that was not possible. Later, Manager Erin returned my call and offered a food credit along with reimbursement of our room taxes and fees.
While I appreciated the gesture, what I wanted most was a genuine apology and acknowledgment of how poorly the situation had been handled.
Atter moving, we were placed in a room near my son's room as requested. However, we immediately noticed a large stain on the carpet that appeared to be blood. I promptly contacted the front desk and again requested a call from a manager. The same front desk employee answered and was once again rude and dismissive. Despite my request, no one returned my call.
After waiting several hours, I went to the front desk in person to speak with someone. Although a different manager was on duty, I was again met with a dismissive attitude rather than concern for the issues we had experienced. I had to request the stay be compensated and although they said they would refund thru Expedia, it has not yet happened and we are now home. Overall, this stay was extremely disappointing.
While unexpected maintenance issues can happen at any hotel, the true measure of customer service is how those situations are handled. Unfortunately, the lack of
professionalism, empathy, communication, and accountability from much of the staff overshadowed what should have been a meaningful family vacation. I expected far better from a property with the Golden Nugget's reputation