David Hobbs

Review of ITC Maurya Sheraton & towers H...

I've stayed here many times. The start is sometime...

I've stayed here many times. The start is sometimes good, and sometimes bad. I used a suite night upgrade a few months ago, and they stuck me in the same room I've been getting, and told me that was the suite. After telling them a standard room is NOT worth my suite night awards, they put me in a better room, that had at least improvements. I still don't think that's a true suite, I think it's maybe a small grade above. They essentially do the VERY LEAST to not get complaints.

I continue to have to deal with a number of issues after my recent stay. When I check out, I ask "Will you e-mail my bill to me", and they say "is your e-mail (myemail)?" and I say yes. I can't remember a time that I haven't had to call them, and e-mail them and ask for my statement. Now, 8 days later, I STILL don't have my bill. And.... They are "forgetting" my Starwood Credits again, so now I have to escalate yet again with Mariott and Starwood to go investigate this to get credit. It's so much of a pain in the rear end, it's becoming not worth the hassle of staying here. I don't have this problem with the Ritz Carlton, Westin, Sheraton, Le Meridien or any of the other brands.

The other thing to be very careful of, is DO NOT select your native currency (unless it's rupees) upon paying them, I have to always audit my bank statements. Their exchange rate is that of a loan shark. The exchange rate is one of the ways they take advantage of unsuspecting guests. If today's rate for USD is 72 Rupee to the dollar, you might see 7000 rupee per $100 in bill. If they do it in USD, you will see $60 per 7000 rupee, thanks to their "conversion rate" where they don't follow any real banking standard. I've had to go back and battle them, asking why my bill was almost DOUBLE from what I was supposed to pay. I feel that the effort of auditing every single detail of my experience to be far too troublesome to continue with them.

After 10 days, I finally got this last bill it has "taxi overages" and their driver I used for less than 8 hours and they hit me with close to double the price for these overages. When I asked them about it, they ignored my request, and then, when I told them I'm going to dispute this with the bank, and make escalations to Mariott, they came back with telling me I went to 5 spots (which still is only 40KM) and insulted me. I know how to use Google Maps. If you map out the ITC Maurya to the India Gate, to Old Delhi, to Pandara Road to East of Kailash back to the ITC Maurya, this is NOWHERE near the 80km per day rate. It's like they think we are stupid and they can take advantage of me. I told the driver I don't care about the India Gate and their driver took me there against my will. I had to be very determined to tell him I Do NOT care about what he wants to show me, I want to go to Old Delhi. I can't believe ITC Maurya would try to make me pay for their service taking me for a ride I don't want to take. Either way, it's ON THE WAY.

If you're a savvy business traveler and don't want to be ripped off and cheated, I suggest you stay somewhere else.

Life is too short to measure it on a cheap watch.