A Weekend in Vegas Turns Into a Nightmare
A couple from the East Bay found themselves in an unexpected and distressing situation during a weekend trip to Las Vegas. What was meant to be a celebratory two-night stay at the Golden Nugget for Meghan Waters’ birthday turned into a harrowing experience after their hotel room’s ceiling began leaking. The incident left the couple traumatized, and it took outside intervention to secure proper compensation and resolution.
Alexander Pitt and Meghan Waters had planned the trip to celebrate her birthday and spend time with her sister. However, what started as a relaxing getaway quickly spiraled out of control. According to Pitt, the ordeal began late at night on their first evening when he heard a constant dripping sound coming from the bathroom.
“I got a face full of it,” Pitt said. “I look up and it’s coming from the ceiling.”
The water was not just dripping—it was pouring. In a video recorded on his phone, Pitt could be heard expressing frustration as he described the situation. “There’s so much (expletive) water leaking holy (expletive). The whole ceiling is just (expletive) coming down. I’m literally covered in (expletive) water. I need to (expletive) wash my hair.”
When Meghan woke up, she saw the damage firsthand. “I just see this massive waterfall coming into our room,” she said. She also noted the strong, unpleasant smell. “It smelled like fecal matter.”
Pitt immediately called the front desk for help, but the response was less than satisfactory. “He sees what’s happening and he just goes oh no,” Pitt explained. He set up buckets to try to contain the water while trying to salvage what he could.
Despite the obvious urgency of the situation, the couple said they were met with resistance when they asked to speak to a manager. “We asked maybe four times to talk to a manager and they wouldn’t even leave their office,” Waters said.
The hotel offered a partial solution, waiving a resort fee and comping one night of their stay. However, the couple felt this was insufficient given the circumstances. They continued to push for better communication and resolution.
After switching rooms, the couple’s entire stay was consumed by the incident. Back home in Oakland, they reached out to 7 On Your Side for assistance.
“At the very least we’d like an apology,” Waters said.
The involvement of 7 On Your Side led to a significant change in the hotel’s approach. Shortly after the outlet contacted the Golden Nugget, the hotel’s senior VP and assistant general manager reached out directly to the couple. They refunded the entire stay and agreed to compensate them for any cleaning costs or damaged items, including Meghan’s makeup.
In an email to the couple, the hotel expressed deep regret for the poor customer service they received. “I want to again express my sincere apology for our lack of customer service when you requested assistance from my team. I am embarrassed by their lack of responsiveness.”
The Golden Nugget also clarified that the water was not sewage, but rather a cracked clean water pipe connected to the fresh water tank. They explained that the water had traveled through the walls and ceilings, picking up dirt and dust along the way, which caused it to appear discolored.
Additionally, the hotel committed to retraining its front desk staff to prevent similar incidents in the future. They also offered the couple a complimentary two-night stay with dinner as a gesture of goodwill.
While the couple appreciates the resolution, they remain wary of returning to the same hotel. Their experience serves as a reminder of the importance of timely and empathetic customer service, especially in high-stress situations.
