I stayed from January 1st to January 5th, but my experience this time was extremely poor, and I will not consider staying at this hotel again in the future.
From 10:30 AM on January 5th, I started receiving calls from the front desk, reminding me that check-out was at 11 AM. I was very surprised at the time. Having visited Taiwan more than 20 times, I've never encountered a hotel that starts rushing guests half an hour before check-out. Even after years of traveling or working around the world, I've never received a call so early before check-out. The hotel might consider this considerate, but from a traveler's perspective, it's truly annoying.
By 11 AM, I understood I needed to check out, but packing and double-checking everything took an extra 15 minutes. During this time, the front desk staff mentioned that their computer system is set to call every 5 minutes. In just 15 minutes, I received three relentless calls, which was an absolutely terrible experience! The front desk staff even stated that an extra 500 NTD would be charged if I exceeded 15 minutes. However, during check-in, the same front desk staff did not mention any penalty for exceeding 15 minutes at check-out. The room key card also clearly stated that a 500 NTD penalty would only apply for a late check-out of one hour. The rules are simply inconsistent.
Upon arriving at the reception, after I pointed out the inconsistent rules to the front desk staff, they put on a wronged expression, claiming they had explained the penalty during the 10:30 AM call. They then said they would report the computer system issue to their supervisor and asked me to pay first. But when the rules are arbitrarily changed, isn't it the traveler who's truly wronged? When I stated I would pay, but because I was unhappy with the lack of clear explanation at check-in and the inconsistency with the penalty rules on the room card, and that I would not stay again, the front desk immediately dropped their 'wronged' act and coldly said I didn't need to pay. This implies that the front desk actually has the authority to waive the penalty, and that the amount of time before a penalty is applied is also at their discretion?
Throughout the entire stay, I had initially felt everything was great, but the overall experience plummeted to negative at check-out. As a traveler, I understand that checking out on time allows hotel staff to better prepare the rooms, and I take responsibility for being 15 minutes late, so I paid the penalty. However, please make the penalty rules clear at check-in. Having a written rule on the room card but then encountering hidden clauses is truly bewildering for travelers, and being emotionally manipulated by the front desk staff is really infuriating! Furthermore, the relentless calls were unnecessary. It would be better to explain the penalty rules at check-in and then call to remind guests after 10 minutes that a charge will apply after another 5 minutes, ensuring travelers have a pleasant check-in and check-out experience.
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