Karma...

[gui_tarzan]

We were on vacation down south last week and on the way home we stayed at a hotel in North Carolina. When we left the next day I didn't realize I'd left my laptop, CPAP and humidor in the room and we were on the road almost three hours when I found out. I called the hotel and asked them to box up my stuff and I'd have FedEx pick it up. They had no problem with that. Cool!

This is where the story turns weird. We got sidetracked off our route and ended up about an hour and a half from the hotel. One big friggin circle. So I got to the hotel and there were two boxes of my stuff. I opened them and sure enough, there was my laptop and CPAP machine. But where's my humidor????? Well, the woman at the desk had no idea what it was so I explained it and she called the maid. The maid said there was no humidor in the room. They suggested I call back the next day when the manager was there. So I called today, figuring I'd give them an extra day to find it. No such luck. There's no sign of it. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful my laptop and CPAP were there!

But someone out there in North Carolina has my humidor and about twenty fine cigars, a cutter, lighter and my four finger leather pouch.

I hope karma comes and bites them in the ass bigtime!

:argh: :hanghead: :crying: :angryteet :tongueout :cursing: :argh:

 

[Headbanger]

Sorry to hear. Hope they are all plugged or dried out when they get to them. Sad all those items were left in the room.

 

[gui_tarzan]

That was my fault, I know that. But still, to have something not returned along with my other stuff just sucks.

 

[Wasch_24]

Damn Jim, that sucks...bastards.

 

[BkSmoke]

Sorry Hal,
If they were thieves they surely would have taken your laptop, you got unlucky and your maid was a cigar aficionado. What kind of sticks did you have in their? if it's 20 sigloVI then I suggest a molitoff cocktail through the front window.

 

[David]

That sucks!

I would give you the obligatory "how the hell does one forget a lappy, CPAP, and humidor in a hotel" but I am sure you feel bad enough as it is!

















































:grin:

 

[Ratbert]

That sux!

The maid was smart enough to know that if all of the items were taken, you would have raised hell to the point that the thief would be found...but by leaving the more valuable items, you'd be happy to get them back. No doubt her boyfriend / husband was the recipient of one hell of a nice present.

What to do? Most states have innkeeper laws that require hotels to provide lock boxes at the front desk for guests to safeguard their valuables. If the guest fails to do this and jewelry, money, etc. disappear, then the hotels are not responsible. So making a formal claim against the hotel's insurance policy will probably not get you anywhere.

I would write a letter to hotel's manager and their home office as well, advising them of the situation and request a refund for the stolen items. Include a list of items with dollar values. Just "20 cigars" would be fine...no need to let them know sizes, brands, etc. Copy the county's Chamber of Commerce on the letter. You might be surprised at the response.

While its true that you were forgetful and so to some slight degree feel that it was partially your fault, that in no way excuses their staff for their thievery. If you don't get any response in 30 days, send a second round of letters and let them know that since they choose to hire thieves and failed to compensate you for the actions of their employees; neither you, your family, friends, employer, etc. will ever use their hotel chain again.

You may not recover anything, but don't just shrug it off as a complete loss yet.

Good luck!

 

[pdonlin]

What a shame. I almost always forget something when I travel somewhere and it always pisses me off. Usually I luck out and its something small that doesnt really matter much.

 

[cvm4]

You and Tom should team up. Really sorry to here this man!

 

[rpb67]

That sucks !

Atleast you got the lap lop back ! I hope the cigars fiasco turns out OK for you.

 

[CWS]

Bad news. Yep cigars seem to never turn up. Did the same thing in Vegas and same result. I guess cigars are replaceable but the laptop data was probably not?

 

[gui_tarzan]

Absolutely right guys. It was totally my fault for leaving them there. I usually check my room two or three times before starting the car but for whatever reason I didn't this time. My laptop and CPAP were far more valuable, yes. I would have raised holy hell with the hotel if those had been taken. The bottom line is I screwed up and lost a great humi and some nice sticks. But those can be replaced. I don't know that writing the hotel would do any good but maybe I'll try it. I was going to write corporate a letter praising the lady at the desk anyway for all the help she gave me. Maybe I'll add the rest to that letter and see what happens.

 

[indyrob]

Absolutely right guys. It was totally my fault for leaving them there. I usually check my room two or three times before starting the car but for whatever reason I didn't this time. My laptop and CPAP were far more valuable, yes. I would have raised holy hell with the hotel if those had been taken. The bottom line is I screwed up and lost a great humi and some nice sticks. But those can be replaced. I don't know that writing the hotel would do any good but maybe I'll try it. I was going to write corporate a letter praising the lady at the desk anyway for all the help she gave me. Maybe I'll add the rest to that letter and see what happens.

I would write the letter anyways.

Karma or not...when you signed for the room, you assumed responsibility for it and the contents of the room. So if anything happened you would be financially responsible for damages/theft/whatever.

Why shouldn't the hotel be measured by the same yardstick? If you had recieved some of your stuff, that means whomever took the stuff out of the room probably put it in some room where all the employee's have axcess and rumage through it and take stuff that seems like it wouldn't be missed or seems cool at the time.

Write it and see what response you get. You'll probably get some comp'd room somwhere or some other kind of voucher...but I would hold out for fair market value of the lost items.

 

[gui_tarzan]

I would write the letter anyways.

Karma or not...when you signed for the room, you assumed responsibility for it and the contents of the room. So if anything happened you would be financially responsible for damages/theft/whatever.

Why shouldn't the hotel be measured by the same yardstick? If you had recieved some of your stuff, that means whomever took the stuff out of the room probably put it in some room where all the employee's have axcess and rumage through it and take stuff that seems like it wouldn't be missed or seems cool at the time.

Write it and see what response you get. You'll probably get some comp'd room somwhere or some other kind of voucher...but I would hold out for fair market value of the lost items.

I wrote to the corporate office and explained what happened. I made sure they knew how satisfied I was with the office staff but not so satisfied with the results of only getting back two out of three items when there absolutely were three there.

We'll see what happens. I don't want or need a room voucher and I did put the approx. replacement cost and/or value of the humi and sticks. Fortunately for me JR's was right down the road in Statesville and we had to go there anyway so I bought a handful of sticks for the ride home.

:halfgrinw

 

[caudio51]

Damn sorry to hear that. Hope they light the wrong end.

 

[Headbanger]

I write the same letter when I leave dirty socks and dirty underwear.
:innocent:

 

[tobby4]

Sorry to hear that... I hope it works out....