We got notified the property was under construction 2 days after leaving for our Italy & France vacation, leaving us limited options. Upon arrival, we found construction at the front entrance and were not warmly greeted at check-in. Reaching our room required a long walk, the elevator in our building was unreliable. Staff blamed the issue on housekeeping, but it was clear there was a larger problem. Because my husband has limited mobility following multiple back surgeries, we were concerned about his safety if the elevator failed especially being a commercial builder himself.
When we entered the room, it smelled as if a wet dog had been there. I immediately contacted Expedia, and after speaking with the hotel, they agreed to refund 3 of our 4 nights if we checked out immediately. We booked another property and went to the front desk to leave, they tried to offer another room, which we declined. The next day, we discovered no refund had been issued. After contacting Expedia, we learned the hotel had gone back on its agreement. I spent much of our vacation calling daily to have the matter escalated. I finally filed a claim through the French consulate, and shortly thereafter the hotel refunded three nights as originally promised.
While we eventually received the agreed-upon refund, it did not compensate for the stress, inconvenience, and valuable vacation time lost dealing with the horrific situation. We will never speak well of France to anyone that asks. It is all on them.
