I forgot our iPad in the in-room safe and the hotel's lost & found dept has done very little to help recover it. They say that they can't go into the room to check since it is now occupied by new guests, and that they left a message on the guests' phone (8 days ago), but haven't heard back. I haven't yet escalated the matter to the hotel's manager, but that's my next step.
This was the first time I ever actually used the safe, and so, of course, I forgot to empty it when we packed up to go home. I know it is my fault for leaving the item behind, but I did secure it with a passcode, so if it is stolen, that's gotta be on the hotel, right? The new occupants can only open it if they have my code, or of the hotel opens it for them, right?
Between this and a shockingly high tax bill due today, a kid sent home sick, and breaking my toe, this has been a very frustrating day!
I've talked with the Lost & Found dept 3 times today--still no luck, but she FINALLY put in a request to ask Security to go open the safe to check. Why couldn't this be done 8 days ago when I first talked with her? No clue. Crossing my fingers and praying that it (and possibly my husband's laptop charger) are in there. Funny--within minutes of writing a negative Yelp review about the hotel, I got my first call from her in days.
ETA: Whoo-hoo! 12 days later, after finally speaking with a different clerk in the L&F dept, the iPad is on the way home! Amazing how things get done when you pester the staff enough.
In case anyone was wondering, the hotel is the Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas in Orlando, and it is WONDERFUL and very cost effective, except for this matter. We had a 2 bedroom/2 bath villa for less than $700 for 3 nights. A similar room on Disney property would have cost us about $3k. We certainly gave up some Disney convenience, but definitely not an extra $2300 to not have to handle our own luggage and be on Disney property.
I would have already called the Hotel Manager. The Desk people work such strange schedules, I cannot imagine how the communication for an incident like this would be kept up with.
The current room guests would not be able to open the safe--unless they magically guessed your code. Also, most hotels charge a fee, like $75, to open a locked safe. I would imagine housekeeping would notify management if the safe is locked when the room changes over.
Do not let this go--keep calling. Your Ipad is somewhere!!
We left a huge case of kid DVDs (over 50 DVDs) in a hotel once. We got the run around for a few days and finally they 'found' them. Once they knew we weren't giving up, they turned up--just like magic!!!
If I remember correctly, while the safe is a nice security feature at a hotel, there is usually a disclaimer posted on the safe stating that the hotel is not responsible for items that you secure in the safe.
That said, if you leave an item and call the hotel immediately after realizing that you left it, you should be able to gain access to the safe and said item after the current occupants vacate the room. When you call, escalate the issue to a manager. If they aren't helpful, keep going higher until you are helped. Call during the day so you get the senior manager, not a night manager.
I never change the code but I have also never left anything. Still if you changed the code part of the procedure when you checked out was to unlock it for the next guest and they would have had to see the iPad. The other possibility is they have no procedure and if the next guests don't want to use the safe it is still there.
If would nicely bring your very good points up next time you call.
Pretty sop for housekeeping to clear code, safe, etc to ready for new guests.
Be patient.
We've had several things returned that we left behind on hotels.
I'd call housekeeping.
You should be talking to the hotel manager NOW and probably should have contacted the manager earlier. Have you asked when the guests checked in and when the guests are scheduled to leave? Were those same guests occupying the room for 8 days? They should be able to check between guests. What is the hotel policy for using the room safes? Seems like I remember reading that they will charge you for leaving a room safe locked because they have to get it opened by a locksmith before the next party can use it. Now I guess they can check the safe in your former room if you provide your passcode, but you have greatly inconvenienced the next guest because they had no access to safe if they needed one.
After talking with Security/Loss Prevention, you should have asked to be transferred to the Manager. It might not be too late now, although alerting the current guests via voicemail to something left in the safe wouldn't be the best of ideas.
I would contact the Director of Housekeeping regarding this. They should be able to get access to it during the day. If they are not available ask for the General Manager.
I've never used a hotel safe. I once left behind a pair of shoes, and the hotel mailed them to me,.
I have never used the safe. My hubby has left behind a custom dress shirt, custom dress jacket as well as an important binder with company information (no one would be able to decipher it without exact knowledge in our industry).
All items have been mailed back to us for a nominal fee.
