A major hotel group is under scrutiny after a customer reported receiving a threatening message following a reservation cancellation. The incident occurred shortly after the company had been questioned over unfair contract terms.
A recent complaint alleges that after canceling a booking at an Orange Hotel location in Nanjing, the guest received an intimidating message from the hotel around 1:18 AM. The message contained threatening language of a sexual nature.
The hotel involved has stated that police are investigating the incident and confirmed that the threatening message was not sent by hotel staff. A representative from H World Group mentioned that the matter would be escalated to specialists for follow-up, with results expected within 72 hours.
Similar complaints alleging intimidation by Orange Hotel staff have appeared on consumer rights platforms. The central question remains whether this incident stems from management failures or system vulnerabilities.
According to chat records provided by the complainant, the threatening message was received five hours after canceling a reservation at the Orange Hotel Nanjing Xinjiekou Jinling Central Place location. The guest decided to cancel after being informed that the newly renovated room required front desk assistance to enter, raising safety concerns.
While the hotel maintains that the message did not originate from staff and the IP address was not from the front desk, public skepticism remains high. On social media platforms, discussions about the incident have garnered over 22.89 million views, with many users questioning the hotel's explanation. Some commentators suggested that hackers would have little motive to target Orange Hotel specifically, implying the hotel might be using this as an excuse.
The incident has raised consumer concerns about system security and potential data privacy issues at Orange Hotel properties.
An IT professional from an online travel platform noted that even if the IP address wasn't from the front desk, hotel staff could potentially send messages from other locations through the backend system. The specialist added that while third-party booking agents might be responsible, the hotel would still bear responsibility for choosing unreliable partners. The final determination awaits police investigation.
This is not the first time Orange Hotel and its parent company H World Group have faced safety-related complaints. In January, a security guard at an Orange Hotel in Kaifeng was reported for intimidating behavior toward a guest who complained about noise issues. The hotel attributed the incident to a conflict arising from the guest's strong language, noting they had upgraded the guest's room as compensation, though the complainant expressed dissatisfaction with this resolution.
Beyond intimidation incidents, security breaches involving unauthorized room access have repeatedly placed Orange Hotel and H World Group under scrutiny. Last December, a female guest reported her room door being opened three times by strangers at an Orange Hotel in Qingdao. Another similar incident occurred in September where a guest reported their room being accessed unexpectedly while they were undressed.
H World Group currently operates 12,702 hotels globally with over 1.246 million rooms, ranking as Asia's largest hotel group after Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. However, quality control issues are emerging as a significant challenge to its expansion.
On February 11, the company's membership and booking platform, Huazhu Hui, was questioned by Beijing Consumer Association over unfair terms that required customers to seek arbitration in Shanghai rather than their local jurisdictions, potentially costing thousands of yuan in fees. The association deemed these terms as restricting consumer rights and gave the company 10 days to rectify the situation.
With the rectification period still ongoing, H World Group faces renewed criticism over its hotel management standards. As the company continues to expand its hotel network, improving franchise management and staff training has become crucial for maintaining corporate reputation and service quality.
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