Complaint Review: Ecalibur Hotel - Casino

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to inform you of a really bad experience that both my daughter Chelsea and I experienced whilst guests at the Hotel Excalibur Las Vegas.

I have recently taken my daughter for her 21st Birthday and myself over to the USA for a two and a half week holiday. Started in LA for three days, Las Vegas for four days, NY for four days, back to LA for three days and then finally a two day stay over in Honolulu before returning back home to Australia.

Arrived in Las Vegas on Tuesday 17th January to stay at the Excalibur Hotel. Upon arrival to our room in Tower 1 room no 331, I noticed that the room safe was not working. I went and informed the reception about this issue to be told Dont worry we will get it looked at. The next day I noticed that the electronic room key was missing from our room. I went and informed reception and was given two new electronic room keys and told everything would be fine. That evening at 03:08 some unknown person entered our hotel room and we were robbed. Thankfully we were over at the Luxor and not in the hotel room at this time! Items stolen- x2 iphones, x1 Ipad, x1Ipod, a gold pair of earrings (a present from my mother just before she passed away), my daughters Canon camera ( her 21st birthday present), $1,600 American and $500 Australian from my purse as well as $750 American from my daughters suitcase.

I got my daughter to inform security of the theft as soon as I realised we had in fact been robbed. Security guard arrived and immediately got me to write a written statement as well as my daughter. I got the impression that we were not being believed at this stage and this was evidenced by the security guard going through all of our belongings including a small bag
with dirty laundry in it and watching the security guard pulling out our underwear and examining it closely! Also the security guard used a torch to look behind the back of the TV cupboard.

In the end I had to insist that the police be called. I was then taken to a room within the Hotel Excalibur that looked more like a police cell with a metal pole attached to the wall with handcuffs on it and a lined height chart used for photographing a persons height and side view profile.

The police arrived and I have to say they were polite, professional and very helpful. I asked them if this sort of thing happened a lot? I was then informed Mam this sort of thing happens at least three times a week!.

I approached management and insisted that we were allowed to change our room. We were then given a room in Tower 2 (which did not even have a safe installed) We were allowed to call Australia and inform the travel insurance company of what had transpired. Cancel phones, call the bank and to let our family know that we were ok. I also called the Australian Consulate in Canberra to inform them also of what had happened. We were give two meals each and had the small bag of washing done also.

I was informed by the insurance company that because our money was not in the safe (the broken safe which had been reported on) then we will not get our cash back! Never mind the fact that our wallets were in locked suitcases!

I was informed by the hotel management that this issue was now in the hands of the Risk Management team and we would have to deal with them. Also, if we wanted to cancel the rest of our holiday then we would be able to stay at the hotel for five days until the investigation was finalised.

As this was a prepaid holiday we declined their offer.

I did not that there are security guards present (most of the time - see attached photos) at the entrance to the towers. I was informed by the security guard who took our written statements that part of the hotel policy is that persons entering the tower are to be asked for ID and to present your room key. At no time have my daughter of myself been asked for proof of ID
or in fact to present our room key. I might add at this point at no time throughout our four day stay did I see the security staff stop anyone to ask for their ID also.

On the morning of our departure I had to approach reception and had to plead with the supervisor to be given some money from this hotel to continue with our holiday. After about forty five minutes I was handed $250 and told Once you leave here you are no longer our responsibility!.

We then found out at the airport that $85 was required for our luggage. This then left us with the grand sum of $165 to spend another nine days in America!!

I can assure you that this type of behaviour from hotel management in Australia would be unacceptable and unheard of.

I have since found out about Trip Advisor and your site also and am astounded at how many people have made complaints about this particular hotel especially in relation to having their personal property go missing and the lack of positive response from management.

I have been in contact with my Travel consultant Sienna McInnes Jet Set Broken Hill who was shocked to say the least when she heard about this incident in Las Vegas and by the way Chelsea and I have been treated by the management of the Hotel Excalibur.

I have given Sienna the police report and the Risk Management details also. Sienna has in turn been in touch with Creative
Holidays who will be investigating this matter also. Not good publicity when Creative Holidays hear about this situation and then have to investigate it is it?

I was told that the Risk Management have all of my contact details and would contact me after my return to Australia, It has been some three weeks and we still have not heard a thing from anyone at the Hotel Excalibur. You can get a man to the moon in two days!

I also sent a faxed letter from NY to a Mr William Hornbuckle to inform him also of what we had experienced at the Hotel Excalibur and to date have had no response from him also.

I am hoping that maybe you might be able to help me to get the results of this investigation into this incident?

I am just thankful that we were NOT in the hotel room at 03:08 in the early hours of the 19/1/12!!

Thank you for time in this matter

Kindest regards

Anne Jones

P.S. How does that saying go? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? How true all of our things are still there!!