Swiss hospitality: planning a wedding in Switzerland

Once upon a time, a young English man proposed to a beautiful Czech woman.  Having scoured the globe, they decided on Park Hotel Vitznau as the esteemed castle for their glorious day.  As a truly one-of-a-kind property, with a lake facing wedding against the background of snow topped mountains, it could not have been more perfect.  What more, being within Switzerland, a country famed for its luxury hospitality schools and focus on customer service…

The elated couple decided planning towards this momentous day, only to discover not everyone agreed with how important it was.  The below is an email thread in reaching out to a local hotel, Hotel Rigi Vitznau, for those not staying in Park Hotel Vitznau.

Let me be clear: the below is genuine.  This is what happens when you cross a bull with red coloured steroids.

On 20 Jul 2018, at 5:56 PM, Lucie wrote:

Good afternoon,

We are hosting an event in Vitznau next year and I would like to book 10 rooms for this.

Can you please get me in touch with your sales team?

Thank you in advance.

On 21 Jul 2018, at 11:26, Hotel Rigi Vitznau wrote:

Dera Mrs. XXX

Thank you very much for your enquiry.

Please tell us the date of the wedding to check the correct prices.

Also, of many of the 10 rooms are twin and single?

Sunny regards from Lake Lucerne

On 22 Jul 2018, at 08:27, Lucie wrote:

Thank you for getting back to me.

We are looking to book about 10 rooms between XXX – XXX June 2019 (2 nights).The wedding is taking place on the XXX June at Park Hotel Vitznau and they recommended you as a good option in town.

I was hoping you could offer us a special deal for this event as we will be buying the rooms in bulk.  Happy to pre-pay. 

Please let me know what can be done and I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Have a wonderful Sunday. 

On 30 Jul 2018, at 08:50, Lucie wrote:

Good morning,

I was hoping to get an update on my email below?

I would be interested to proceed with the booking if we can agree to a good package.

On 01 August 2018, at 12:14 PM, Lucie wrote:

Hello, 

Can someone get back to me please?? I find it very frustrating that nobody is capable to reply to any of my emails. 

On 1 Aug 2018, at 13:15, Hotel Rigi Vitznau wrote:

Dear Lucie

Thank you very much for your enquiry.

We are terribly sorry, that we couldn’t meet your expectations

concerning the waiting time for our reply.

You want a special deal – everyone want special deals and low rates.

We are a very reasonably priced hotel with excellent value for money

and can only operate at such rates, because we are working with a little

number of staff.

 

At the moment it is the absolute high season and we are all working

between 12 and 15 hours a day. Maybe you can understand, that an enquiry

for a date which lies 11 month ahead, doesn’t have priority.

We are sure that you have spoilt guests and if they have the same attitude

as you, we’d rather not offer any rooms for this weekend as it sounds only trouble.

Thank you and good luck to find rooms somewhere else.

Kindest regards,

On 01 August 2018, at 2:40 PM, Lucie wrote:

I find your response absolutely unprofessional and appalling.

I do understand that you only have 2 or 3 stars so my expectations are very low anyway, but you response just reassured me that we are better of to take our business elsewhere.  Our guests are actually booked at Park Hotel Vitznau next door, where service is professional and dedicated.  Your hotel was meant to act as accommodation for our staff members and people who will be working on our wedding (DJ, wedding planner). But I can already tell I will not put them into such establishment like Hotel Rigi. PH Vitznau actually recommended you as an appropriate accommodation for our staff, I will make sure to inform them not to do that ever again.

Good luck in the future with this attitude to business. Luckily there are so many lovely hotels in the area who will be very happy to have us.

PS: A small email saying “ We do apologise but we are currently very busy and will get back to you in due course” would do.  But who am I teaching you manners.