My nightmare at Hotel Salak<\/p>\n
I have been reading your column for 14 years and doing
\nbusiness in Asia for 23 years. My worst nightmare started on
\nJuly 20 when I arrived in Bogor. My hotel room was not ready at
\n1:30 p.m. Both the receptionist and the concierge insisted that I
\nshould leave my bags with the concierge and wait until my room
\nwas ready in the coffee shop.<\/p>\n
At 2:10 p.m. my computer and accessories were missing,
\nbelieved to be stolen. It was a three-week-old computer and my
\nlink to my family and our business during my 200 days a year of
\nbusiness travel. Replacement value was quoted at US$1,800, while
\nthe value of the contents was difficult to estimate.<\/p>\n
My project was to install equipment to improve butchers'
\nprofitability and safety at both the slaughterhouse in Bogor and
\nthe one in Cibinong, in cooperation with the Indonesian Cattle
\nFeedlotters Association, the mayor of Bogor and the head of the
\nCattle Breeding Office.<\/p>\n
I would also like to thank them all for their representations
\nto the Hotel Salak management to assist me with some form of
\ncompensation or admission of liability. I understand that the
\ncity administration also had the local tourist association make a
\nrepresentation to the hotel, but to no effect.<\/p>\n
During the course of events, much to the horror of the hotel,
\nin the confusion they neglected to make an imprint of my credit
\ncard. After two weeks, unfortunately for me, I was threatened
\nwith eviction, my credit for food and service was canceled and
\nthe same sergeant of the Bogor Police that was supposed to be
\nhelping the management and me to find the computer was used to
\nhold me against my will on the hotel grounds. The same concierge
\nthat said he would look after my computer was back at work one
\nday after the case was stolen.<\/p>\n
This is not the type of hospitality and treatment I am used to
\nor expect in Indonesia. On the 14th day of my stay the hotel
\nmanagement said that if I did not pay my hotel bill they would
\ninform the immigration office and I would not be able to leave
\nIndonesia. The conclusion of this nightmare was that the Hotel
\nSalak management illegally contacted one of my Indonesian friends
\nand forced him to be the guarantor for the money I owed to the
\nhotel.<\/p>\n
A big thank-you to the president director of Hotel Salak for
\ngiving me a letter telling me how silly I was to hand my baggage
\nover to hotel security staff for safekeeping.<\/p>\n
In conclusion, I would always prefer compensation to
\nlitigation. I think your readers have a right to know what is
\nhappening.<\/p>\n
GEOFFREY BEERE, Darwin, Australia<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/my-nightmare-at-hotel-salak-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }