An Aussie woman staying at a luxury Gold Coast resort was shocked to discover the “awful” state of her $600-a-night room, with video footage exposing the filthy reality of their premium lagoon room compared to idyllic images shared online.
Samantha Moitzi, who previously appeared on the reality TV show MAFS, arrived at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort this week ahead of her birthday celebrations, but after checking into the “really nice room” was stunned by what they saw.
“The Sheraton on the Gold Coast is meant to be really nice. We were like ‘let’s book the tranquil lagoon room. It looks gorgeous.’ But this is what we got…” she said.
Video footage shared online shows a lagoon area outside the room filled with murky water and garden debris. The outdoor furniture is also covered in dirt and ants, appearing not to have been cleaned. There’s also a note informing guests the water is “a decorative feature and not for swimming”.
The guest discovered the shocking state of the lagoon after after checking in, despite contrasting imagines online. Source: TikTok/samanthamoitzi
Resort explains ‘shocking’ state of premium hotel room
In a statement to Yahoo News Australia, resort management said they were alerted to the issue and acted quickly to “rectify her concerns”. “At Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast the comfort and satisfaction of our guests are always our top priorities,” they said.
Explaining what went wrong, they said “poor weather conditions” experienced in recent days were to blame for the condition of the outdoor area.
“There were temporary challenges in maintaining our usual five-star standards across the outdoor areas of the property including the ornamental lagoons, which have since been addressed,” management said.
“Resort management promptly liaised with the guest shortly after the issues were raised and were pleased to rectify her concerns and deliver the level of service that we are known for to ensure that the remainder of her stay was reflective of the resort’s high standards”.
Hotel staff also ‘shocked’ by condition of room
General Manager Keith Massey, said he too was “shocked at what she saw”. “At the end of the day, It shouldn’t have been in that state,” he added.
With regard to the “no swimming”, he also said guests are “clearly informed the lagoon rooms are not swimmable” when booking and a sign within the room reinforces the rule. The sign had nothing to do with the pool not having been cleaned.
The guests pointed out several issues with the expensive room. Source: TikTok/samanthamoitzi
After being alerted of the issue, resort staff upgraded Samantha and her friends to a suite. “The customer service so far has been amazing,” she said in a follow-up clip. They were even gifted a birthday cake for the inconvenience, she shared.
After being contacted by Yahoo, the hotel also offered a full refund.
Aussies react to ‘foul’ hotel room feature
Watching the original video, posted on TikTok on Tuesday, many were quick to slam the state of the room.
“That is shocking!! I hope you get a refund plus new room,” said one before Samantha updated her followers. “The way my jaw just dropped,” said another.
Others described the water feature as “foul” pointing out the decorative feature should “enhance visual appeal” — especially for the eye-watering cost of the room. “That is criminal!! Please tell me they refunded you,” another hit out.
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