The Royal Hotel on Hàng Cháo Street in Ô Chợ Dừa Ward, Hà Nội is accused of denying check-in for a guest after although the room has been paid in full. — Photo dongda360.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — A woman denied check-in at a Hà Nội hotel despite having prepaid the full costs for her stay said she had received an apology from the hotel owner and hoped to put the matter to rest.

Previously, a video circulated on social media showing the woman arguing with a hotel receptionist in Hà Nội early in the morning of November 9 after being denied check-in.

The incident sparked outrage online, and thousands of internet users have flooded the hotel's entry on Google Maps with one-star ratings and critical reviews, which have since been removed by the platform for 'review bombing.'

The female tourist from Đồng Nai Province, N.Y.Q., told VTC News that she hoped accommodation providers would learn from the incident, especially regarding customer service in urgent or late-night situations.

Q. also declined the refund offer, saying she wanted to put the matter to rest for her own peace of mind and to avoid affecting the hotel’s business.

“This was the first time I’ve ever experienced something like this while travelling,” she said. “I hope my case serves as a reminder for service providers to handle such situations more thoughtfully.”

On Tuesday, the hotel’s owner and concierge were summoned by the Ô Chợ Dừa Ward Police to clarify the case.

N.T.Q.H., who owns the hotel, said N.Y.Q. had booked a room from November 7–10 through Agoda.

However, Q. did not show up until around 2am on November 9. The female tourist explained that she had to postpone her flight due to a storm.

When Q. arrived at the hotel, the hotel’s concierge, T.T.A., told her the room had been rented to another guest because she had not checked in on time or informed the hotel.

Q. said she had asked for help finding another place to stay as it was raining heavily outside at the time, but the receptionist responded dismissively, prompting her to record the video.

“I told him there was no need to refund and to help me find another room, but he said the hotel was full. When I sat waiting to book a ride to another place, he started mocking me, which made me very uncomfortable. That’s why I decided to film the video,” she said, adding that what upset her most was not losing the money but being treated disrespectfully.

Q. ended up staying at a friend’s hotel and returned to HCM City on the morning of November 10. — VNS

The owner of Royal Hotel, N.T.Q.H., at a working session with local police of Ô Chợ Dừa Ward, Hà Nội regarding the incident. — Photo courtesy of the police

The hotel owner, H., said that after learning about the incident, the establishment contacted Q. to apologise and offer a refund through the booking platform and asked the guest to take down her post.

H. admitted that the night-shift staff had not properly followed service procedures, which led to the unfortunate situation. She added that the hotel primarily operates as a long-term rental property, only opening for short-term stays via online booking platforms like Agoda when units are vacant.

During the meeting on November 11, Ô Chợ Dừa Ward Police also conducted an administrative inspection and found several violations.

Specifically, the hotel failed to comply with lodging notification regulations and operated without a valid security and order permit, violating Decree No 144/2021/NĐ-CP dated December 31, 2021.

The establishment also failed to maintain and service its fire prevention equipment in accordance with Decree No 106/2025/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2025.

Local police have issued a record of the violations and ordered the establishment to address them in line with the law. — VNS