“It's not that disaster happens...it’s how we deal with it that defines us”
This was my fourth visit to Luxor, and the previous times have always been positive experiences. I had previously visited the Jolie Ville and was looking forward to staying there this time.
The resort itself is lovely albeit the rooms are dated and of a 2-3 star standard, nevertheless the rest of the resort is very good and we were having a good time until day three, when we discovered our digital camera had been stolen from our hotel bedroom.
It was clear from the outset that the camera had been taken within a one hour time frame coinciding with the room being cleaned earlier that morning, and we immediately reported this too the reception and to the Manager of the front desk. His response was to enlist the assistance of the Head of security and the Head of Housekeeping and the three immediately commenced to carry out an extensive and embarrassing search of our room.
Having satisfied themselves that we hadn’t hidden the camera and interrogated us as to establish that we didn’t know anyone else in the resort to and we weren’t involved in some grand conspiracy, the Manager stated there wasn’t a great deal he could do and he would not accept that the cleaning staff had taken the camera and referred us to see our Thomas Cook Tour rep, Claire.
We saw Claire the Tour Rep the following day, and her response was equally indifferent. I dare say, had I been interested in purchasing an excursion she would have run barefooted across hot coals to get a sale, however given that this carried no commission the response from her and the hotel Management was generally ‘it’s just one of those things’ and there is no real point involving the Police unless you are claiming off your insurance, which wasn’t worthwhile in our case, and that it was a ‘long and laborious process’ and they wouldn’t do anything anyway. I was assured that the Hotel would ‘look into’ the allegation and get back to us.
Several days later, we had not heard anything. In fact, nobody spoke to us, literally! And it was clear that we were being treated as troublemakers for rocking the boat in daring to be victims of a crime.
As a result, on day 12, I again spoke to Claire the Holiday Rep and the Manager of the Hotel and asked for an update. He refused to physically speak to us and we ended up in a bizarre scenario where he and another manager stood at a distance from us with the tour rep acting as go-between passing on our questions as to the progress.
Needless to say, they had not done anything and were trying to brush the matter under the carpet, and as a result we requested the involvement of the Police. I also asked to speak with the General Manager.
An Interpreter/ Tour Rep were arranged for us through Thomas Cook and we attended the Police Station that day. The Police were absolutely brilliant, and it was refreshing to be believed. Within hours the cleaner for our room was arrested and we were told the matter would be dealt with at court before our departure.
The following day, I attempted to speak with the General Manager but was repeatedly told he was busy. He chose instead to send various Managers including the Manager of Human Resources and the Manager of Reservations, and at one point I spoke to the Manager of the restaurants however never to the top man. He was however gracious enough to pass on his business card through one of his underlings.
The following evening (our last evening), as we were walking out of the hotel to go for a meal, we were told by reception that the Police had called and we were to attend the court in Luxor.
Our taxi driver took us to the court at Luxor. This was quite a distressing experience as there was a large crowd of 50+ men stood outside the court, some of whom were relatives of the cleaner who had been arrested and the situation was volatile to say the least. Fortunately our taxi driver looked after us, instructing us to stay in his car until he had summoned assistance and established where we were to go.
We then were interviewed by the Examining Judge in the court, during which the Deputy Head of Security from the Jolie Ville was dragged up and chastised in respect of the conduct of the hotel, to which he apologised to us, albeit in Egyptian via the Judge.
Having finished at court at 11.45pm, we were again distressed to find that representatives from the hotel and Thomas Cook had left, and we were basically left to our own devices to find our way out and home.
Subsequent attempts to speak with the General Manager failed.
The level of care and customer service from this hotel was absolutely atrocious on so many levels over a number of instances. We went on holiday to relax, but instead had the holiday from hell. Some recognition of remorse from the Management, in a simple “SORRY” would have meant so much.
The shame of it is at ground level, the waiters, pool boys, gym staff were generally good but were let down severely by an extremely incompetent, arrogant and corrupt management team.
STAY HERE AT YOUR OWN PERIL!
Letters of complaint have been forwarded to Maritim and Thomas Cook.
Write a Hotel Review
