Consumer complaint received 2020-02-15
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NY XXXX XXXX XXXX, Chairman American Express XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NY XXXX American Express Dispute Center  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX TX XXXX cc : XXXX Refund request {$530.00} My husband and I booked a hotel in XXXX via the XXXX booking site. Before confirming the booking at XXXX XXXX, I called the hotel and talked to the manager XXXX. I was assured that there were no stairs at a side entrance of the hotel. I stressed that my husband was in a XXXX that weighed over 200 pounds. It is a motorized and expensive XXXX and I explained that carrying up any amount of stairs is out of the question. Again I was assured there were no stairs at a side entrance and my husband would be able to drive in and take an  elevator up to the room. With this assurance from XXXX I booked the room for 3 nights via the XXXX site. 

When we arrived, the hotel sent 2 maintenance workers to help us find the location. It was around XXXX XXXX  and with the darkness and various mazes of streets in old XXXX, it was difficult to find our way. The employees of the hotel first took our luggage and returned for us. When the employees of the hotel returned for us, I had my husband out of the van. When they saw that my husband was in a XXXX   they immediately shook their heads and told us that although there is an elevator to take us to our room, there is first a number of stairs we need to climb to get to the elevator. They told us it would be impossible to do since the chair is so very heavy. They called the front desk and explained the situation and there was nothing the front desk could do to help. We were told there was no ramp to the elevator and my husband would not be able to enter the hotel. I then asked if they could help us find other accommodations and they said their reservation desk was closed for the night. The two young employees went back to the hotel and returned with our  luggage. 

My husband and I spent the night in the van. We called various hotels in the area but there was nothing available. The night staff was limited in most hotels in the area and everyone told me to call back in the morning. 

XXXX and XXXX XXXX now insist that we decided not to stay at the hotel and should be forced to pay the 3 night charge. They insist it was our decision to leave and that their policy is any cancellation on our part should be given 3 days in advance. My question to both XXXX and XXXX XXXX is why would I cancel if I was told there would be no difficulty in entering the hotel. Why would I cancel when I called the hotel months in advance and was assured by XXXX that there are no stairs at a side entrance? All this was false information and therefore I would not have known to cancel 3 days in advance of arrival. I arrived in good faith and at that point found out that I was lied to and given false information. Why would I leave the property at XXXX XXXX and sleep in a rental van if there was a way to get to a room with a bed and bathroom. Therefore, I will not pay for these charges. XXXX and XXXX XXXX should be taken off the booking sites. I will forward this information to all booking sites so that future travellers are aware of this problem we had. Social media should flag XXXX and XXXX XXXX. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief