We have arrived home and we see that quite a bit has been discussed as to our experience at L’Hoste Hotel. We thought we would try and fill in the blanks, so to speak, and if anyone has any questions we would be happy to answer them.
We arrived at L’Hoste Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at approximately 5:30 PM. The hotel was extremely quiet. Traveling with us were our 3 kids and 3 of their friends ages 18-21. There were three rooms we were put in at the building next to the main hotel, rooms 114, 115, and 117. (I believe it was the former Capri Hotel that L’Hoste acquired a few years back) I was handed the keys to all 3 of the original rooms and they all had safe keys on them. For maintenance reasons we were moved to the main hotel within an hour of our arrival, rooms 107, 108, and 112. Jim and I received our room key with our safe key on the same key ring. Unbeknownst to us, the kids were only given room keys, no safe keys. In checking with them later, I found there were no safe keys and told them not to forget to get them in the morning. (I questioned Judy why they weren’t given safe keys and she said people lose them and then she has to replace all the safe locks and if they wanted them they should have requested them. Yes, perhaps they should have requested the keys but Jim and I were automatically given our safe key without having to ask.) Basically the evening was uneventful.
The next day was spent at the beach. After cleaning up, we were off to dinner. While walking through the lobby, there was one employee and two other men with him who were not guests of the hotel. We were asked if we were going out for the evening and our response was ‘yes, we are going to the Marina for dinner’. That was at 6:30 PM. Just before this our daughter had walked over to Tap 5 and we told her we would pick her up on our way out. After picking her up and driving a bit, she told us she had left her watch in the room. We contemplated driving back to let her get what she forgot and then decided not to, which in hindsight was maybe a good decision or maybe a bad one. We arrived back at 10:30 PM, walked the kids back to their prospective rooms and found that both rooms had been ransacked. (Our room #112 was fine). The chain was cut on both sliders inside, but the sliders were still locked, and the hurricane barrier was half-way down in the girls’ room, which lead us to believe that entrance was gained through the front door. We went looking and calling out for the security guard and found him asleep in a dark corner of the hotel’s breakfast restaurant. He came and ‘examined’ both rooms. Jim asked where the manager was. He told us she was home and would be back in the morning. Jim had to request several times that she be called. At much insistence the phone call was made. Judy, the manager/owner’s daughter, refused to come to the hotel. She told Jim she was not coming to the hotel that night and she would discuss the problem in the morning. With a couple of phone conversations between Jim and Judy, and Judy and myself, we told her the kids were scared and her reply was to tell them to put the shutters down and go to bed. ( the security bars in the sliders were not an option in this case because out of the 3 rented rooms, only one room had a bar)Jim told her that this reaction could destroy her on the internet, she still would not come. Not getting anywhere with Judy, we called the Gendarmes. The gentleman that answered the phone laughed, said they weren’t coming, and told us to stop by the next day to fill out a report. When I mentioned this reaction to Judy the next day, she told me ‘why should they come, there was no blood here.’ Frustrated, we put all 6 of the kids in one room to try and make them feel a bit more safe.
The next morning (Thursday) we were told by Judy that she would meet us at 8:00 AM. We were in the restaurant at 7:30 AM waiting. She did not show up until 9:00 AM, (I even had to go to the front desk and have them call her at 8:30 AM to find out when she would be there). Upon her arrival, the fireworks started. She ranted and raved and insinuated it was our own faults. She seemed to lose sight of the fact that the crime was the break-in, not the fact that the items in the rooms were left out. She told us our kids were ‘irresponsible’ and told our kids that ‘she had dealt with people like them before’. As a side note, Sandy Molloy of Molloy Travel was on the phone with Janet and she was able to hear Judy yelling at Jim, and wanted to know who was yelling and what was going on. Being in business ourselves, we have never dealt with anyone in her position that lacked so much professionalism and sensitivity. We could go on for pages how shabbily we were treated, which is much more upsetting than the items that were taken. Material things can be replaced. Reestablishing a feeling of safety and security was not going to be restorded in this particular case. To give you an idea of what was stolen, 4 IPods and their chargers, an IPod dock , 3 American cell phones and their chargers, jewelry (4 necklaces, 4 bracelets, and 4 rings) a Movado watch, an alarm clock, a hair straightening iron, underwear, undershirts, bathing suits, gym shorts, regular shorts, sandles, cash, among other small items plus 2 carry on bags. Judy told us she would not even attempt to put in an insurance claim for us because the safes were not used. The only good part of the experience with L’Hoste was after much negotiation, we were able to get our room costs refunded, (bear in mind we only stayed 2 nights). Judy never offered to let us stay without charge, which I am sure other hotels may have done in this particular instance. Even if that was offered, we would not have accepted it because we no longer felt safe for ourselves or our family and their friends. Judy’s parting words to me were if we didn’t bring the Gendarme report back to her, she was going to take the refund back.
The bottom line and the most important one is that no one was hurt and all 8 of us took comfort in that fact. We moved to Alamanda, pulled ourselves together and had a wonderful vacation. This was all with the help of Sandy Molloy. She was absolutely wonderful. Within 90 minutes of speaking with her, she had us out of L’Hoste Hotel and all safely booked at the Alamanda, where by the way, the staff could not have been more accommodating.

Thank you for contributing your side of this truly unfortunate experience.


As the saying goes, one should not dwell on the experience but remember the lesson. This is one saying that I take to heart.

Based on what I have read from both sides, the robbery took place very possibly due do several mistakes made prior to the incident but that does not make the burglery justified, the victims at fault, nor the management totally innocent. It seems that many actions on both sides were taken without care nor forethought and unfortunately every single action we take in life creates a reaction. The majority of reactions go unnoticed, but there are some that are exceptionally good, some that are exceptionally bad, and then some that can ultimately destroy lives.

I truly hope that the final result on this one is just a valuable lesson learned and nothing more.

How would you stuff all of those items, that were stolen, into a safe! Glad you were able to move to another hotel and make the most of your vacation inspite of what happened.

I would care if someone stole my underware on a tropical island?????

My Movado watch?

From your last name, stated in previous posts on the subject, I didn't have any idea who you were. But, from your above username "Jim and Janet" I am familiar with your posting backgroud and give full weight to your credibility, with regard to your version of the story. (If you're who I think you are)

You stated above that, if anyone has a question, you'd be happy to answer. I have a question.

The manager stated in her version of the story, (on another thread on this forum page) quoted below:


....
"When the guests asked me to refund the stolen cash and jewellery I told them it was not possible because the US$ 2000 cash and the US$2000 worth of jewellery stolen WERE NOT IN THE SAFES."
....

Now, in your statements, you refer to "cash", grouped in with items commonly scattered around a hotel room. This came across as meaning that there was a small, incidental, amount of cash stolen.

Which is it? Was there a considerable amount of cash stolen, ($2000) or just some spending money of an amount that kids would be expected to have? Plus, if you went out for the evening, wouldn't the kids take at least most of their money, with them?

What are kids doing with 2k in their room, anyway? (okay, 18/21 yrs old, but still) People don't keep that much cash in their room unattended, in Vegas.

And how about the jewelry, ($2000 ?) same question.

.................

At $2000 in cash, and $2000 in jewely lying around, your rooms' being targeted makes sense. If it was just a matter of common items (yes, they add up...but) that would be expected to be found in any hotel, anywhere, it really opens up the "why you" question.


In any case, what exactly did you claim was stolen. Was it the amount as stated by the manager? Could you clear that up.




Ed



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2006 12:47AM by Ed (nine510).

"4 IPods and their chargers, an IPod dock , 3 American cell phones and their chargers, jewelry (4 necklaces, 4 bracelets, and 4 rings) a Movado watch, an alarm clock, a hair straightening iron, underwear, undershirts, bathing suits, gym shorts, regular shorts, sandles, cash,"

Forgetting about the clothing - why weren't the other things clearly of value (4 IPods and their chargers, an IPod dock , 3 American cell phones and their chargers, jewelry (4 necklaces, 4 bracelets, and 4 rings) a Movado watch, cash) at least put in the parent's room safe?

tilt

Ed,
We would be happy to answer your questions as best we can.
We had six 18-21 year olds with us and two rooms. They did have cash with them and unbeknownst to us they 'hid' some in their rooms. The amount of cash reported to the Gendarmes was $1600.00. The items we reported stolen were as we listed above, however there were a few things we discovered missing after the dust settled that we didn't report. The watch our daughter always has on her wrist, she just happened to take it off to shower and forgot to put it on. When she discovered that we were already on our way to dinner and decided not to go back to get it.
Hope this clears things up, if not ask again.
Jim and Janet

Yes, that answers the question.

$1600 stashed unattended in a hotel room where the maids (especially if they were more or less looking for it) could see it, could be the reason for the break in.

I'm not saying it's your fault; that's not my point. I'm saying that it looks like a set up, and not a random act.

I'm seriously beginning to believe that theft is an, unwritten, but condoned part of the island economy.





Ed

I read both reports of what happened many times. I struggle with one thing - the safe keys. I believe the kids were given safe keys and didn't use them. It's easier getting mad on the internet about the hotel management then your own kids and maybe more plausible to collect insurance.

Here is my reasoning. There was an indication of a policy of not handing them out - "I questioned Judy why they weren’t given safe keys and she said people lose them and then she has to replace all the safe locks and if they wanted them they should have requested them". If that is the case why then were 4 out of 6 sets of keys with safe keys. Remember, this was a second room assignment - the first 3 sets had safe keys.

In the discussion between Judith and Jim, it was said that no insurance could be filed as the safes were not used. I would expect a response of "how could we, we didn't have keys". This would have just given Jim more of an argument to get compensated directly from L'Hoste than his own insurance company - L'Hoste would then have been neglectful. Maybe Jim's insurance company wouldn't cover it either if the safes weren't used - so no key given gives hiim a claim.

Inside job - who knows. It is just too bad that it happened. Someone probably could see in the room that things were left around, word got out, et al. I truely don't believe L'Hoste is entirely responsible for this

Janet,

Two quick questions if you don't mind. Did you and the kids always receive safe keys on your previous stays there? Wondering if this is a new policy they put in place.

Secondly, once you met with the gendarmes, what was their reaction? Did they give you any hope that they thought they could find who did it?

Thanks

Chas,
We always received safe keys on previous visits there. Also, safe keys were given on the first set of rooms ( I was personally given the keys) and once we were moved, Jim and I received a safe key but unbeknownst to me,the kids key chains did not have a safe key on them. When I found out the kids did not have the safe keys, I told them to go down to the desk at some point to get them.

The gendarmes were very pleasant, but did not speak with us very long. We filled out a report of what was missing, they put it into their computer, and they said they would forward it to someone else to investigate.

My recommendation is first realize you are in a country that does not compensate guests for bad service, mistakes, errors,lost luggage etc. (you get the point). Remember this is not the US and your "poor" decisions are not their concern, I've been there too. That being said, I can tell you that every time we have stayed on the French side, there has been a problem with the hotels. Whether it's accomodations, rates vs. quoted rates, room quality, on and on. We ALWAYS seem to get a response filled with indignation and insult. Soooo, I now I avoid the French side when it comes to accomodations and expect fluctuating service.

ARE YOU Freaking Kidding ME!!!!! Sake Key or No safe Key These poeple were robbed. I don't care if they left the freakin door wide open. And I don't care if they told those guys as they were leaving (who we now know were possibly the burgulars) " Hey guys we're leaving and we left our door open and the crown jewels are inside!!!" Those scumbags had no right to trespass into these people place of temporary residence and take there shit. From the Movado to the F*cking panties. What kind of bullshit is this? PLACE BLAME WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE PLACED. On the perpatrator not the victim.

I smell a fish here also
These threads have been widely disucssed and there are enough opinions in the various threads/responses to pick the one that works for you.

Once again someone chooses to resurrect the threads after weeks of inactivity sinilar to the way Janet and Jim highjacked old threads to enforce their vendetta against L'Hoste.

Is it a coincidence that Janet and Jim and Kay are the only ones posting on these threads through aol.com or am I just being over suspicious.

I am not condoning L'Hoste behavior but enough already.

When I walk down a street, there are 2 sides and I walk on the well lit side, not the side with druggies sitting on the dark corner. It was certainly the perps fault, but use some common sense. Don't leave your stuff out where the hired help can see it and go tell their friends about it.