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Original poster

Hotel gave our gift to the wrong people

82 replies

Horriblewoman · 27/09/2021 15:28

This is incredibly outing so hi to anyone I know, you guys are amazing!

We got married recently, my best friend gave the hotel we were staying in after the wedding a very special package to put in our room which included gifts for our honeymoon.

The hotel put it in the wrong room (of another bride and groom staying there) even though she'd given them our names.

The other bride and groom took it (!!) Even though it had our name on and a card written to us.

I'm appalled at how awful the hotel dealt with this, they gave us a voucher as a replacement )for a beauty treatment which we'd both never use) and were basically like I'm really sorry but there's nothing we can do.

We'd paid for the hotel in advance so couldn't ask for a discount but is there anything else we can do? Am I just being angry for the sake of it? I'm just really sad that my beautiful friend put so much effort into something that we aren't going to enjoy because we left for our honeymoon shortly afterwards.

OP posts:
Hattie765 · 27/09/2021 15:31

Oh that's awful, I've no idea what you can do legally but I'd be leaving reviews explaining exactly what happened on all the websites and social media they advertise on, let other couples know what they're getting if they book a wedding here. Awful the other couple took it, the hotel should at least contact them, they honestly may not realise xx

NaturalStudy · 27/09/2021 15:34

Tell the hotel that unless they provide you with the details of the other couple you will pursue them for the value of the gift. If they give you the details ask the couple to return the gift otherwise you will report to the police/pursue them for the value.

Westfacing · 27/09/2021 15:37

The hotel made a mistake but the couple who took it are to blame - very mean behaviour, as you said it had your names on it.

I assume the hotel have contacted them.

AvantGardening · 27/09/2021 15:37

I think unfortunately your friend needs to pursue it. She can ask for them to replace the gift in full or for her money back. If the hotel don’t help her she should be able to dispute the transaction with her card provider.

Suitcaseseverywhere · 27/09/2021 15:38

Tell the hotel you’re going to report it to the police as theft.

Batfinkwings · 27/09/2021 15:38

Oh wow! Your poor friend to put in that effort and for the gift to then effectively be given to someone else. I would be fuming.

How high have you taken this at the hotel?
Have you asked them to contact the other couple?

If they won't contact the other couple then I would probably do as @Hattie765 suggests and leave reviews of the hotel detailing what happened.

FawnFrenchieMum · 27/09/2021 15:39

@Westfacing

The hotel made a mistake but the couple who took it are to blame - very mean behaviour, as you said it had your names on it.

I assume the hotel have contacted them.

They may have packed it with other gifts and left them until after then get back from their own honeymoon.

The hotel are at fault for giving it to the wrong people. Have they actually tried contacting the couple?

CorrBlimeyGG · 27/09/2021 15:43

I'm just really sad that my beautiful friend put so much effort into something that we aren't going to enjoy because we left for our honeymoon shortly afterwards.

Did you get the gift back eventually? This sentence confused me.

Ozanj · 27/09/2021 15:46

Why can’t they contact the other couple?

nomoneytreehere · 27/09/2021 15:50

What sort of thing was the gift? Was it
Particular to your honeymoon (ie you have missed it) or could you still have the benefit of it now.

RipleyBelieves · 27/09/2021 15:51

There is no way I'd have noticed a gift that had someone else's name on it the day after my wedding.

I also think that your friend should pursue it with the hotel. They seem to have acknowledged that it happened so they should reimburse her. Presumably she has the receipt of whatever it was.

TheCraicDealer · 27/09/2021 15:52

I would go back to the Hotel and say, as they've admitted that it was entirely their error which lead to your gift being left in the wrong room, can they please change the voucher to a generic voucher (which you could use maybe for a meal or another overnight stay at a later date) rather than the specific beauty treatment version.

If they are not willing to do this, then please can they provide the name and contact details of the other couple who removed the items. Alternatively, should they have any reservations in providing these details, "please give your confirmation that same will be passed on to the police, who we intend to notify if this matter cannot be settled amicably".

They don't want the hassle and optics of police sniffing around.

IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves · 27/09/2021 15:52

It's the hotel's mistake.
They need to pay the full value of the gift.
They can try to get it back off the couple they accidentally gave it to if they want to, that's not your problem.

lurker69 · 27/09/2021 16:01

They wont give you the details of the other couple as its against the law. i would keep on at the hotel though, there's nothing to say their staff didn't steal it! A crappy voucher is not good enough though.

PippaOwl · 27/09/2021 16:03

How much was the gift worth? I'd be asking the hotel to reimburse me this amount as it is their error

Whentheydontmeanwhattheysay · 27/09/2021 16:04

@NaturalStudy

Tell the hotel that unless they provide you with the details of the other couple you will pursue them for the value of the gift. If they give you the details ask the couple to return the gift otherwise you will report to the police/pursue them for the value.
The hotel can’t give out guest details. The police won’t care the hotel have given a gift away.

I imagine all op can do is request the hotel contact the other couple and request it’s return.

TheCraicDealer · 27/09/2021 16:12

Yes, I know that. The important part is suggesting police involvement if they don't show more flexibility. The last thing they want is another set of hotel guests being chased by the police- and if the gift was clearly addressed to someone else then it's theft, so they will look into it.

I dealt with a similar matter a few years ago (very similar, although the hotel in that matter didn't admit that they'd left the gift anywhere other than the B&G's room, which this hotel has done) and the police did turn up, check CCTV and talk to staff.

whynotwhatknot · 27/09/2021 16:15

I think its for your friend to pursue rather than you

she needs to be compensated then can get something else for you

dworky · 27/09/2021 16:15

The hotel are liable for not delivering what belonged to you.

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 27/09/2021 16:18

I would be surprised if the police investigate a wedding gift mix-up. The other B & G probably didn't even notice.
Are the hotel refusing to contact them? Of course they can't give you their personal details.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 27/09/2021 16:21

Our wedding venue did something similar! There wasn’t another bride, but they took gifts to put in our room to “surprise” us, and then “lost” them somehow.

They didn’t ever find them and it’s not a police matter, so all we could is negotiate a bit of a refund with the venue.

PegasusReturns · 27/09/2021 16:25

I don’t know what the answer is but I overheard a conversation in a hotel I was staying at where a gentleman had travelled up to discuss with the manager the fact that he had arranged for a bottle of champagne that had been bought on the day the bride was born and was appropriately expensive and engraved with their wedding date or some such had been left in the wrong room and been drunk by the wrong guests.

He was distraught and the manager unhelpful. Rather put me off the hotel to be honest.

JauntyJinty · 27/09/2021 16:27

I'd report to the police, the other couple are gulity of theft by finding and it should be very easy to track them down

Soupseason · 27/09/2021 16:30

Just sit back. The daily mail will be on this by the end of the day. Do a sad face photo. I'm guessing a free weekend stay & £100 John Lewis voucher

isthismylifenow · 27/09/2021 16:33

@PegasusReturns

I don’t know what the answer is but I overheard a conversation in a hotel I was staying at where a gentleman had travelled up to discuss with the manager the fact that he had arranged for a bottle of champagne that had been bought on the day the bride was born and was appropriately expensive and engraved with their wedding date or some such had been left in the wrong room and been drunk by the wrong guests.

He was distraught and the manager unhelpful. Rather put me off the hotel to be honest.

Oh no. That is really awful.

Not that I can help much OP but my takeaway from the thread is to hand deliver something valuable myself.