I want to share a deeply disturbing experience that unfolded during my recent stay at the 5-star hotel Amaya Hills Kandy. By shedding light on this incident, I hope that we can raise awareness about such incidents to ensure the safety of other travellers, and advocate for more appropriate measures to be taken in response to such appalling acts.
On the evening of 15 Dec 2023, I was subjected to a sexual assault by one of the hotel staff near the swimming pool. My father and I immediately reported the incident to the hotel Manager, urging them to take swift action by terminating the offender's employment and providing a full refund to allow us to seek alternative accommodations.
After a thorough investigation, the Manager confirmed that the CCTV footage supported my account, resulting in the claimed termination of the employee's contract. However, our request for a refund was denied due to the fact that our reservation was made through Booking.com, which did not support our claim.
Adding to our distress, the hotel failed to follow proper protocol by not contacting the police on our behalf. Moreover, they claimed that their hands were tied due to the refunding restrictions imposed by Booking.com. As a foreign tourist, I felt helpless and unable to pursue further avenues of recourse.
I share this comment not only as a cautionary tale for fellow female travellers to remain vigilant during their journeys but also to emphasise the importance of standing up for ourselves in the face of such atrocities. Additionally, as a long-time user of Booking.com, I implore the platform to implement stronger intervention mechanisms to ensure the best possible user experience. At the very least, a full cancellation option should be available during extraordinary circumstances such as this. After all, a brand's reputation is built upon the trust and experience of its customers.
*Detailed account of the incident and offender's images attached as photos.
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