[tsk1979]

I bet you are shocked.
You looked at the thread title, and due to the shocking nature, opened this thread just too see what sort of ramble is this.
I also bet that if you ever walk into a Five Star hotel, and see this board outside, you will go running to the police.
I am told by oldies that "Dogs and Indian's not allowed" signboards were a common sight in the days of the Raj.
Luckily independence came, and this went away.

Nope, Nada. I disagree here please. Just the signboard went away.

So let me post an experience, which proves my point. I am not going to divulge any hotel or property names.

A friend of my wife wanted to get her hair cut in a Five star hotel, just for the heck of it.
So she tells my wife, why don't you call up and make a booking for me please.
My wife picks up the phone, connects the the saloon, and asks for an apointment "Today evening", talking normally in english. The guy at the other end, in polite english tells her "Sorry we are full for the day, and for the weekend also, no appointments available".

She keeps down the phone, and decides that they will go some place else, but just on a hunch, she picks up the phone again, and dials the number.
She is transferred to the Saloon, and then she asks for an evening appointment in impeccable American Accent english(She can do that, taking care of the elongated R(s), and also using proper Northwest California accent).
The same guy is literally on the floor, asking "what time would you like an appointment". He sounds so happy, and apparently magically the entire evening is free, and she can book an appointment for any time she wants.


So guys and gals, here's a tip for you, whenever you can't get a reservation for any hotel, Club, Lounge etc., just change your accent, take care of your Rs, and become a VIP.

On the bright side, now I know we will never have to hear the message "No tables available" on days like V-day, New Years day etc., Next time I will ask her to watch some wild westerns and practice the Texas Drawl

[2theMax]

Agree, this happens in lots a places in India.

what the heck ? I Can Name Fishcove and GRT Temple Bay near Mahabs . ..Absolute Rotten places always looking out for Dollar bills .

[straight6]

If I were you, I would tell everyone the name of the place instead of protecting such idiots. They are not T-Bhp members that you should care . You don't want such people to get any business. On the other hand, you also know that you can fool them with the accent if you should need to.

[reignofchaos]

I don't think its true in general for any hotel or club. However this particular salon's dirty laundry should be washed in public no doubt and they definitely don't deserve any of our business.

[vikram_d]

I think the hotel/property needs to be named. This is discrimination against Indians in India.

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Well Tanveer! Thats a shocker to me though not new and in this era when India's economy is booming and when its destined to become one of the top most economies in the distant future, this exclusive report disappointed me.

This is utterly disgusting and should somehow get such acts into the media.

[Spitfire]

Better thing to do talk in an accent and then shout out loud - "you moron i am an indian, go tell your manager how i fooled you. I am taking this public." first the guy who answered the call will get chucked out and then the manager. Hope the calls are getting recorded. Or better still you record them and put them on a share site. Let the name of the salon be quite clear and paste the link here we will spread it

[n_aditya]

Read an article in a popular magazine sometime back. Memory fails me on the name of the magazine however.

The article mentioned that Indians spend more when they travel and when they are vacationing. The tips they dole out is more than 2-3 times the amount a foreigner would tip. Plus the expenses they incur is much higher.

I have seen many hotels scurrying to service the foreign clientile, bowing and literally following them around, but one should also wait and watch their facial expressions when they are finally tipped. Absolute "aa bail mujhe maar" syndrome.

P.S. No offence meant to anyone, indian or phoren.

Tanveer, I agree with you that these things are still happening and boy it sucks big time. Wonder when this kinda attitude will change.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Better thing to do talk in an accent and then shout out loud - "you moron i am an indian, go tell your manager how i fooled you. I am taking this public." first the guy who answered the call will get chucked out and then the manager. Hope the calls are getting recorded. Or better still you record them and put them on a share site. Let the name of the salon be quite clear and paste the link here we will spread it

Dude, people in India dont get fired so easily. If this was to happen abroad i may agree, but in India, i definitely dont see any such actions.

We are known to be patient and forgiving.

[condor]

@TSK, yes -I too feel you should tell us the place. Guess this is no different from Metro Ford or any of the other places we discuss, where things have not been correct.

[PatienceWins]

@Tsk, you should name the place. I will try to keep away from the place forever.

Quit India Movement AGAIN!!

[tsk1979]

Okay, by public demand, the Hotel is "The Oberoi" near Pragati Maidan.
The salon is owned by some Sylvie,

As for me and my wife, we never go to 5* Hotels for things like hair cuts.
The only time we visit them is for the club/disc/lounge etc.,

As for tips from foreigners and Indians, well it depends on person to person. I have American friends who always tip 15% irrespective of the bill, and I know a few people here who always go for free valet parking(yours truly also does it sometimes ).

So which of you is going to Call up The Taj and see if they will cut your hair tomorrow?

[condor]

To confirm :
* Is the salon owned & operated by an individual ?
* Any idea if the person who responded that way, was a hotel employee - or a salon employee ?

[V-16]

Tanveer name this Hotel and I promise you it will be i the newspapers. I think they deserve this sort of publicity.
We are proud to be Indians and it is shameful that there are still some of us who are smitten by the fair skin.
I remember in Goa when a similar experience happened a few years ago.My wife called the spa to get an appointment and was politely refused for the day. In the next few hours she just called to find out if there was any cancellation and was shocked to be asked as to how we would be paying, in $s or "Local currency" when my wife i jest said $s they would be able to give an appointment immediately, if in local currency, you would have to wait till the next day.
Wondering how this would have made a difference, she asked the attendant's name which was given promptly. I took this matter to the General Manager and am positive that he was not even aware of such a practice. The attendant was called and face to face with me, in the manager's cabin he was reprimanded. The manager offered me a profuse apology with complimentary usage of all facilities of the spa for my entire stay. A little weird that I am i refused all such offers.
Why im not naming the hotel is because the hotel was not involved. It was the individual decision of the spa guy who probably was looking for some extra tips in $$$.
I let the management have it and even wrote a letter to the association. I have got a written apology from the hotel. Im sure they will never try that stunt again.
If it happens in Bombay, just tell them you will report it to (names deleted). that will scare the daylights out of them.
It not that I have something against the foreigners but why discriminate your own lot.
Voice your opinions against such useless establishments.

[nishantgandhi]

Although, I am entirely against racial or any other discrimination, but there is another perspective here which cannot be ignored. It is partly due to the Govt/RBI's fault because of which you cant entirely blame the hotel.

Let me cite an example:

We make a lot of bookings in 5 star hotels as my job involves traveling. Quite a no of times, my colleagues from Germany, Singapore and Rest of Europe also visit us and we make bookings for them.

Most of the *good* 5 star hotels in Mumbai have refused to book a room citing non-availability, on more than one occasion, if you want to book for an Indian national. However, the same hotel magically has availability if it is for a foreigner!

The reason - pretty simple. Non-Indians are quoted and asked to pay in USD (whereas the Indian national would pay in INR). Not only are USD rates higher, it also earns forex for the hotel.

I was told by a hotel guy that they have certain target/requirement of forex earnings to be shown to the Govt. You can see it as some kind of statistic where by the Govt can claim increase in Forex reserves.

Hence I do not know whom to blame exactly. But it is truly sad that such discrimation happening against us in our own country.

Then as someone rightly pointed out, there is also a perception issue that Indians would not leave a tip at every occasion whereas a foreigner would. Not sure how this can be a strong and valid reason to reject Indians, though!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

@Tsk, you should name the place. I will try to keep away from the place forever.

Quit India Movement AGAIN!!

how many of us here go to a 5* hotel for a haircut. I don't

Well, this not quite uncommon, it happens all the time in many places. if we get upset because of this incident, what do we say to business owners in Goa? Who blatantly disapproves indians and have a big change of heart for a firangi ( there may be some genuine cases of Indian's not behaving at their best but, come on, we deserve to be treated well as we too are spending big money there)