So let me share my experience with this place. First, I try to post positive reviews whenever I can because I feel so many people just post the negative. Second, I also work in s customer service field in San Antonio but in remodeling. However, if I treated a customer of ours how this place treated me, I would lose my job at a minimum.
We arrive at 6:50 for the 7:00 tour on a Friday night. They ask that you arrive at 6:45 to check in and have your waiver signed online prior to doing so. This is my fault as I missed their request to “check in inside the store”. Our waivers are all filled out though. However, there’s no staff walking around to tell you to head to the store, ask if you have your wristbands (more on that later), explain anything, etc.
The tour starts with our host (tall, thin young man) presenting in the Blum alley off the square by the Menger. He makes it very clear you are to not be using your phone to record, take pictures, talk on it (or you will be asked to leave, with no refunds) etc. While there are some people entering and leaving the mall, it’s very obvious who’s a part of the tour and who isn’t. My 2 sons are standing in front of me and we’re all laughing and responding to his questions and jokes. We make our way around the front to the Menger hotel and stop in the lobby. I go sit at a table 10’ away as my back was bothering me. My 2 sons (ages 9&11) are in the group. The host starts to walk the group down the hall of the hotel and I stand up to meet my kids and attend the tour. He stops the tour and says to me, loudly, in front of everyone, not like he took me aside and quietly inquired, “may I ask why you’re following us?” I was obviously taken aback and kinda thought he was joking. I say I’m part of the group. Us 3 here. He says, “only people with yellow wristbands from this point on”. I say ok, I didn’t know about the wristbands, I have my receipt. By this point he has kept on walking and is about 30’ away and yells across the lobby, “I don’t have anything to do with ticketing” and keeps leading the tour. Oh but he does turn around one more time, to tell me loudly, in front of everyone, “and there’s no way that little kid would be allowed on the bus! Minimum age is 13!!” Then he and the tour leave on the tour and we’re standing in the middle of the front hall in the Menger like what just happened?
My kids are upset and honestly borderline scared about his behavior and the interaction. So we sit down and I apologize to them and tell them we’ll figure it out. As we’re doing this, someone from the office starts texting me.
Now, the little kid on the bus comment. The website says no one under 8 is allowed on the bus. They “recommend” no one under 13 take the tour, and when you check out, they reiterate that no one, under 6 this time, is allowed on the bus. So, with that crystal clear information, I call the office 3 days prior to the tour, say I see the age limits, but my kids have done howl-o-scream, haunted houses, love scary movies, are very mature, can I bring them? I’m told by a young woman in the office, “yes, absolutely no problem, bring them.” I confirm that it’s ok based on the site. Yep, no problem.
So, the office starts texting me. I explain the issue. The person and I go back and forth where I explain what happened, how completely rude and unprofessional the host was, the age issue, the wristbands, etc. I say via text that I would like a full refund as well as I plan on leaving a review about our treatment and experience, as it was completely rude and unnecessary. Bc at this point I’m annoyed about the tour but pretty hot about the host bc that was just way over the top on my opinion. As soon as I mention a review, the communication goes silent for about 10 minutes. I text again saying we’re waiting in the lobby of the Menger, the night is shot for us (it was a Friday night, the day after my sons 11th birthday) and I would like some resolution here.
A couple minutes my phone rings and a woman from the store, I have to imagine it’s management, but not the owner, is explaining to me that she texted us, called us, etc , bc we didn’t check in. I explained we didn’t realize we needed to and that my phone was on silent per the hosts very specific requests. I stated again that I wanted a refund. I was told ok, but not if I planned on leaving a negative review. I said look, I’m not signing some NDA with you for this. Refund my money, or I’ll go find one of the thousand cops outside and we’ll let them figure this out. She’s clearly flustered and again says yes to the refund but not if I’m going to leave a review. Then she doubles down and says if I am refunded and leave a negative review they will take the money back out of my account.
So by now I’m pissed. I ask her if she’s threatening me by not refunding the money and saying she’ll take it out again based on a review. Then I explain to her that this is basically blackmail. Again she’s very flustered by my 3rd grade legal vernacular and offers the money back. I agree to that and leave it at “then we’ll go from there”.
So in conclusion, just a total mess where I feel as I’m not in the wrong at all. The utter lack of communication and organization are one thing. The sheer unprofessionalism by the host, then the threats by the woman on the phone are another.
We were very excited about this tour as they have very many positive reviews. I guess I’d just make sure you fully understand the “requirements” prior to booking the tour. Lastly, if the woman on the phone was not ownership, and ownership reads this, feel free to contact me because you have some potentially dangerous problems there at your business.