Not very happy with HoJo right now!

[rentayenta]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the OP expressing her displeasure with the circumstances. I understand the HoJo is a huge favorite around here but the OP should have been notified prior to when she was.

Any business worth their salt wants to hear the good and bad about their performance.

 

[haydeecm]

Does anyone know how often this happens at Hojos? I dont know that being told at check-in would really matter, by the time you are checking in chances are you cant really take your business anywhere else. Should've been told before that.

 

[farmgirljen]

She might not have been able to take her business elsewhere, but she could have cetainly scheduled around the closed event and made a different day her family's free day. I also think there is a huge difference between the dis divas booking a conference room and the gumball rally booking the entire kiddy pool/water park area.

 

[chrissiecutie]

You're right!

There's a VERY big difference between a conference room and the entire waterpark/pool area.

I was the one that mentioned that the OP should have been notified at check in at the very least. I say this because it's entirely possible that sometimes a hotel really doesn't know at the time of a reservation being made, when and where an event or closure to the property will happen.

Sometimes the pool will need to be closed for maint and the hotel staff won't know this until something unforseen happens that same day. Or there will be a scheduled routine check of the fire alarms by the fire dept but you won't always know the time. However, in the case of a gumball rally for a fan board, I have a feeling they had SOME advance notice.

As another PP said, the benefit to at least finding out at check in is that the OP could have scheduled around the waterpark/pool closure. To find out that day, it might already be too late. So YES you should definately say something to management in a circumstance such as this.

I always schedule a day of rest at our hotel with full intent of swimming, napping and eating In n Out! I schedule my day of rest to allow me to be at the hotel on the most crowded of park days, so I don't have to fight upstream quite so much while at the parks. I personally would have been PISSED to find out that morning that my carefully scheduled day of rest was no longer....At least if I were to know ahead of time, I could rearrange my schedule and try and figure out the next, least crowded days to go into the parks. Get my drift??

 

[toocherie]

I totally agree that the way this has been described as being handled was inappropriate. Keep in mind that Saturday is a block-out day for several passes. So people might have planned to spend the day at the water pool area because their passes weren't good to DL that day.

I also don't think that use of a conference room equates to use of the pool area. Most guests never have the need to use or experience the conference room. It certainly isn't highlighted as an amenity of the hotel in Hojo advertising--the pirates' cove area is.

I think making a complaint at the front desk--and maybe even following up with a letter--is totally appropriate. Hojo needs to re-think their strategy for the next time an issue like this arises.

 

[Albort]

So it turns out that private event is for micechat.com's gumball Rally...

kinda ironic...

 

[nana50]

Wow, I can't imagine how PO I would be. How do you tell little kids that something they were looking forward to is not to be. I always check to see what rides will be down before we go so I can choose another date, and inform the kidlets in case they don't want to go. I certainly think that when she made her reservation they should have told her. If they didn't know then but found out before she came they should have notified her. A pool is one of the most important amenities to family when choosing a hotel. This is very bad Pr for a hotel that usually excels.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

Wow, I cannot blame the OP for being upset by this, I would be so upset too.

I really hope they compensate their guests for this. The least they could have done was let them know in advance (like at check-in) or have the function on one side but still leave the park open to other guests.

Just because one group of guests is there as part of a 'function' doesn't make them anymore important than the other guests who have also paid to be there.

 

[farmgirljen]

Has anyone complained about this on the HOJO's forum?

 

[jory29]

Wow, I can't imagine how PO I would be. How do you tell little kids that something they were looking forward to is not to be. I always check to see what rides will be down before we go so I can choose another date, and inform the kidlets in case they don't want to go. I certainly think that when she made her reservation they should have told her. If they didn't know then but found out before she came they should have notified her. A pool is one of the most important amenities to family when choosing a hotel. This is very bad Pr for a hotel that usually excels.

On another angle, we always book our days for Disneyland when it works for us, and whatever rides are shut down for refurbishment are shut down. The kids read the Disneyland schedules with us and are equally as disappointed as we are when we discover what rides will be down. Equally disappointing is when BTMR is not supposed to be down, but was, from time to time. We found another ride. I think our kids would have been disappointed had OP's situation happened to us, but would have dealt with it. There are a million more reasons (maybe not a million, LOL) for us to stay at Hojo's - one perk being the waterpark - and I do think it would have been good if they were able to tell you when you checked in (I can't see where they would have been able to contact every guest who had already booked, perhaps months prior, to let them know that on one day the event would be closed for a private event.) I'm surprised they didn't leave the play area open to the public for a couple of hours that day, off and on, but I don't think I would care as much as the OP did, that they closed it for the day. I think I would have told someone at the front desk that I wish they would have told me when I checked in - depending on how many days a person stayed there, would depend on whether or not they could schedule a free day there. We've never taken a free entire day just to hang out poolside, I'm surprised anyone would do that. If it were me, I'd tell the front desk about my issue with it, and then maybe plan to take the kids shopping, etc. as another 'free'' activity (or at least, low cost) if OP didn't want to head out to an $$$ park if they couldn't get into Disneyland. Hojo's normally has superb customer service, and I wouldn't hold it against them if it happened when we were there. So, was the garden pool still open? I know it's not a replacement for the water park, but it's still fun to swim there. Maybe there were notes for staff to let people know when guests checked in - but staff can get busy to the point where they could forget to inform some people... a note posted at the desk at the lobby for guests to see would be a good idea, maybe there was one posted already? Or notes placed in the room by housekeeping, for the entire week prior, to let people know. I do know one thing - Hojo's wasn't doing this to purposefully ruin anyone's stay there. I'm sure OP if you talk to management, they will make you feel better about it.

 

[NewbieMouse]

Wow, I cannot blame the OP for being upset by this, I would be so upset too.

I really hope they compensate their guests for this. The least they could have done was let them know in advance (like at check-in) or have the function on one side but still leave the park open to other guests.

Just because one group of guests is there as part of a 'function' doesn't make them anymore important than the other guests who have also paid to be there.

I agree wholeheartedly. The water play area is a major selling feature for their property and you were given very little notice. You should speak up for sure.

 

[pixiewings71]

You know, we stayed at the HoJo sooooooooo many times over the past 2 years (when our APs were valid), it was our hotel of choice if we couldn't get space at our time share. I can say that this NEVER happened on ANY of our numerous trips (see my sig for #s) to the HoJo. And I can say that every time there was going to any type of inconvenience they put notices under every door......I don't know how they messed this one up quite so badly but boy, did they ever....

 

[rossip]

So it turns out that private event is for micechat.com's gumball Rally...

kinda ironic...

Well there you go ! As I said sucks of attitude on HoJos behalf .

playing favorites never makes friends ......

 

[Disneyof3]

Has anyone staying on site right now complained to the front desk yet? I would like to know what they are saying and there reason for not informing people in advance about this. I would think this has been booked for quite a while. What is there reason and response??? We have this place book for March on everyone's recommendation. I'm questioning it now???

 

[tlovesdis]

Hi everyone, I am the OP!

I decided not to complain that night because the lobby was literally full of people at 11pm complaining! Two of the people in our large group were in there voicing their concerns and did receive a bit off their room rates.

I was going to just send a nice email when I got home voicing my concerns but before I even could I received an email from the hotel manager. I guess he saw this post and wanted to contact me directly.

He was very nice and apologized for not giving us more notice. He also made me a very nice offer for my next visit!!

I loved HoJo! The room was great, the grounds are great and the staff was wonderful. I was just disapponted with the lack of notice so we could have made other arrangements.

I will definitley be staying there again and would recommend it to others!

 

[farmgirljen]

I am glad that they did something- I can imagine there was more than one complaint as well. I looked on the HOJO Forum, and apparently they were the sponsors of the gumball rally this year...so they definitly could have handled it better by giving more advance notice of the closure. Glad you got a nice offer for the next visit!

 

[Feistygirl916]

If it makes you feel any better, I am at the HoJo now and I have a kiddo that just came down with strep last night and today they are puttting new carpet in DIRECTY above us. Lots of loud hammering, not good timing for us but what can I do? Poor thing was up all night, and finally was able to stop throwing up long enough to catch a few zzz's and then the hammering. I called the front desk and they offered to let her take a nap in a room down the hall that didn't have construction above.

 

[blackjackdelta]

If it makes you feel any better, I am at the HoJo now and I have a kiddo that just came down with strep last night and today they are puttting new carpet in DIRECTY above us. Lots of loud hammering, not good timing for us but what can I do? Poor thing was up all night, and finally was able to stop throwing up long enough to catch a few zzz's and then the hammering. I called the front desk and they offered to let her take a nap in a room down the hall that didn't have construction above.

Hopefully you have some antibiotics for the little person and that everyone can get some rest.

Jack

 

[Huff]

Obviously doesn't affect us, but still?! We don't have kids, but I think its safe to assume that most, if not all, families with kids take a break where a fire alarm would be a total inconvenience.

Hotels must conduct periodic alarm tests by law. Generally they do so mid afternoon when most guests are out. There is no way to do such a test without bothering some guests.

 

[emacat]

Poor kid with strep throat! I hope he feels better soon.

I did post about this on the Hojo board, and checked to see if there were any upcoming closed dates we want to bear in mind. The ever nice Lorealle said that there were none planned, and if that changed, she would be sure to post on their facebook and their board.

We love the Hojo, so I'm glad that they did their best to fix a tough situation. Anyone can make mistakes, but it's a good hotel that acknowledges that, and does their best to make it right.