keggerz Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 (edited) how do they not have a F'n room for you when you get there? drove up for the eagles carnival this weekend and had a confirmation # for our room at the Holiday Inn Stadium... i call at 4:51(I know the time because I ckd my dialed call time when I dialed 411 to call them)....anyway I just wanted to let them know that we would be checking in late and I was told that was fine and that she would note that on the reservation....well we hit traffic(bad traffic in DC area) and we didnt get in until about 11:10(normally would have arrived by 10)...i go to the desk to check in and the "mgr" says we dont have any rooms...i said what do yo mean...i have a confirmation # and this has been booked since 7/28....he said we have been sold out for this nite since the end of June...I said really then why do i have a reservation and confirmation #...him I dont have any rooms...well lets just say I wasnt very happy or pleasant to be around...he said he could put us up in the Holiday Inn at the airport...I didnt book at the airport because I wanted to be able to walk to the stadium!!....after realizing that this guy wasnt going to give me a room I huffed out and we went to the HI Airport it was just plain NASTY and not the best area in the world(philly guys will know)...anyway wife and i are both on the phone trying to see what happened etc...wife got a supv from corp(so he said) on the phone....he said well i dont know why he didnt put you up at the crowne plaza 3 miles away(much nicer then the HI Airport and about 10 miles closer too)....but then he said No sorry they dont have any rooms either....so while she was still talking to him i called the Crowne Plaze and asked if they had any rooms....they said YES...asked the lady if she would take a "walk paper"(whatever it is in hotel lingo) and she said yeah...had the "mgr" that came in at 11:30 at the HI Stadium take care of it and we ended up getting in the room we would stay in for the night at about 1:30AM... how F'n ridiculous is it that i had a confirmation # and they didnt have a room? I almost asked that 1st manager if they were owned by Verizon....in the end the Crowne treated us right. Edited August 20, 2007 by keggerz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big F'n Dave Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 You lost me at "eagles carnival." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted August 20, 2007 Author Share Posted August 20, 2007 You lost me at "eagles carnival." i fixed it just for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 They probably overbooked and you got the short end of the deal. Hotels do this all of the time. I always get nervous about this happening to me whenever I get to a hotel late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Jerry: I don't understand. Do you have my reservation? Car Rental Assisstant: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars. Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here, that's why you have the reservation. Car Rental Assisstant: I think I know why we have reservations. Jerry: I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Happened to me at the Trop in AC once. Manager was called and problem fixed within a few minutes. We always call and confirm a few days before we leave now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budlitebrad Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Jerry: I don't understand. Do you have my reservation? Car Rental Assisstant: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars. Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here, that's why you have the reservation. Car Rental Assisstant: I think I know why we have reservations. Jerry: I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them. You beat me to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Jerry: I don't understand. Do you have my reservation? Car Rental Assisstant: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars. Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here, that's why you have the reservation. Car Rental Assisstant: I think I know why we have reservations. Jerry: I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Trick Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Jerry: I don't understand. Do you have my reservation? Car Rental Assisstant: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars. Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here, that's why you have the reservation. Car Rental Assisstant: I think I know why we have reservations. Jerry: I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them. finish it, finish it, this is probably my favorite episode, or one of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myhousekey Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Jerry: I don't understand. Do you have my reservation? Car Rental Assisstant: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars. Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here, that's why you have the reservation. Car Rental Assisstant: I think I know why we have reservations. Jerry: I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them. Happened to me a few weeks ago on a business trip.....unreal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Happened to me twice in Vegas. Both times I was a late checkin and both times I was put up over at the Monte Carlo in a killer room. Also both times I was given the killer room at the MC for free but my room at the Flamingo would have been free anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted August 20, 2007 Author Share Posted August 20, 2007 Happened to me at the Trop in AC once. Manager was called and problem fixed within a few minutes. We always call and confirm a few days before we leave now. but i called to make sure i was still good that same day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 but i called to make sure i was still good that same day yeah, i've never had that happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 but i called to make sure i was still good that same day Ahh. That's worse... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeductiveNun Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Jerry: I don't understand. Do you have my reservation? Car Rental Assisstant: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars. Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here, that's why you have the reservation. Car Rental Assisstant: I think I know why we have reservations. Jerry: I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them. This was the exact scenario that happened every time I tried to rent a truck from Enterprise for work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 i've only had that happen to me once.... was in munich. they quickly got us into their sister hotel (which was closer to the marienplatz). alle war gut. one winter i worked the front desk of a hotel in vail... it happens every once in a while.... the standard is to place you in a comperable or better hotel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclones Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Jerry: I don't understand. Do you have my reservation? Car Rental Assisstant: We have your reservation, we just ran out of cars. Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here, that's why you have the reservation. Car Rental Assisstant: I think I know why we have reservations. Jerry: I don't think you do. You see, you know how to *take* the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: the holding. Anybody can just take them. Car Rental Assitant - Here we are, Mr. Seinfeld, we have a compact for you. Would you like the insurance? Jerry - Yeah, you better give me the insurance, cause I am gonna beat the hell outta this thing. (paraphrase, just got off 13 hr flight from Manila and sitting in LAX.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i_am_the_swammi Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 As a consultant to the industry, Keg, I can say you got the shaft on a number of counts. First, though a confirmation number is not iron-clad (as you learned), it is pretty close. You typically only get a confimration number when you guarantee your reservation with a credit card (which I am sure they required when you booked your room). This credit card serves as your form of payment, should you not show up for your stay. So you should have been OK on that front. Second, the only time a hotel really should be unable to honor a confirmed reservation is when they get an unexpected amount of stayovers (that is, guests from the previous night who then decide to stay an additional night). This happens a lot, but since you called at 4:00'ish, they should have known for sure how many rooms they had to sell, since check-out from the previous night is 11:00AM. By 4:00, all "stayovers" should have been confirmed. My guess: you booked your room at a lower rate, and once they realized the demand for that evening from walk-ins, they sold your room at a higher rate, knowing they could move you to a lower-rated hotel. Here is the math: You booked your room for, say, $125. Walk-ins showed up, willing to pay $200. The Holiday Inn knew they could move you to the HI Airport, and probably only be charged $100 (since this is a less-desirable location). So the HI Stadium nets an extra $100 for the night at your expense and frustration. Third, and most disturbing, is where they chose to walk you, knowing there was a closer room at the Crowne Plaza. Hotels set up "walk rates" at nearby hotels in case of an oversold situation. I am guessing that the walk-rate at the Airport is much less than the walk-rate at the Crowne. They tried to pawn you off to the lower-end hotel to make themselves an extra few bucks, rather than walk you to the nicer, closer property at their expense. That is brutal. Here's what you should do: call the hotel, and ask for the phone number of their owner and/or management company. Call either one, and explain your experience to them, and let them know (if they are unwilling to bend) that your next call is to Franchise Relations at Intercontinental (parnet company of Holiday Inn). Make sure you let them know how badly you felt you were treated, that you didn't appreciate getting walked to the dump at the airport versus the Crowne Plaza(which obviously had room for you), and that you have all the back-up you need (print-out of the time you called the hotel to confirm your stay...you should be able to get it from your cell carrier) to let Intercontinental know how badly you were treated. The last thing a hotel wants is their franchisor coming down on them...they get scored on their guest feedback, and their franchise fees are tied to their peformance in the market place. You should be able to get: (1) your money refunded to you, or (2) a comp stay for a future date. PM me if you need any help, or want me to make the call on your behalf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Good info by swammi... With all the business and non-business travel I've done, I've yet to get bumped from a hotel. Knock on wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Good info by swammi... With all the business and non-business travel I've done, I've yet to get bumped from a hotel. Knock on wood. Thats cause you stay in sh1tholes liek Ocala. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebellab Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 The human resource manager of the Ritz spoke at a convention I attended. It was interesting that the Ritz gives their employees $2000 per day per guest to remedy a problem. Someone from the crowd asked him if he ever used all of his. He was working in Honolulu and a couple staying at the Ritz there arrived for their honeymoon at midnight and he had no room for them. They were given a room at a comparable hotel and little cabana boys moved them back to the Ritz the next day while they were out touristing and they were transported by limo the rest of their honeymoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted August 21, 2007 Author Share Posted August 21, 2007 As a consultant to the industry, Keg, I can say you got the shaft on a number of counts. First, though a confirmation number is not iron-clad (as you learned), it is pretty close. You typically only get a confimration number when you guarantee your reservation with a credit card (which I am sure they required when you booked your room). This credit card serves as your form of payment, should you not show up for your stay. So you should have been OK on that front. Second, the only time a hotel really should be unable to honor a confirmed reservation is when they get an unexpected amount of stayovers (that is, guests from the previous night who then decide to stay an additional night). This happens a lot, but since you called at 4:00'ish, they should have known for sure how many rooms they had to sell, since check-out from the previous night is 11:00AM. By 4:00, all "stayovers" should have been confirmed. My guess: you booked your room at a lower rate, and once they realized the demand for that evening from walk-ins, they sold your room at a higher rate, knowing they could move you to a lower-rated hotel. Here is the math: You booked your room for, say, $125. Walk-ins showed up, willing to pay $200. The Holiday Inn knew they could move you to the HI Airport, and probably only be charged $100 (since this is a less-desirable location). So the HI Stadium nets an extra $100 for the night at your expense and frustration. Third, and most disturbing, is where they chose to walk you, knowing there was a closer room at the Crowne Plaza. Hotels set up "walk rates" at nearby hotels in case of an oversold situation. I am guessing that the walk-rate at the Airport is much less than the walk-rate at the Crowne. They tried to pawn you off to the lower-end hotel to make themselves an extra few bucks, rather than walk you to the nicer, closer property at their expense. That is brutal. Here's what you should do: call the hotel, and ask for the phone number of their owner and/or management company. Call either one, and explain your experience to them, and let them know (if they are unwilling to bend) that your next call is to Franchise Relations at Intercontinental (parnet company of Holiday Inn). Make sure you let them know how badly you felt you were treated, that you didn't appreciate getting walked to the dump at the airport versus the Crowne Plaza(which obviously had room for you), and that you have all the back-up you need (print-out of the time you called the hotel to confirm your stay...you should be able to get it from your cell carrier) to let Intercontinental know how badly you were treated. The last thing a hotel wants is their franchisor coming down on them...they get scored on their guest feedback, and their franchise fees are tied to their peformance in the market place. You should be able to get: (1) your money refunded to you, or (2) a comp stay for a future date. PM me if you need any help, or want me to make the call on your behalf. and yeah i had reserved with a CC and I did get a great rate and short of saying I know they sold my room for a higher rate...lets just say thats what i THINK happened too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinL Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Here is the math: You booked your room for, say, $125. Walk-ins showed up, willing to pay $200. The Holiday Inn knew they could move you to the HI Airport, and probably only be charged $100 (since this is a less-desirable location). So the HI Stadium nets an extra $100 for the night at your expense and frustration. I didn't quite follow this part. Before the switch, HI was +$125 (keg). Net +$125 After the switch, HI was +$200 (walk-in) but -$100 (keg moved). Net +$100 It seems like they lost money. What am I missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Thats cause you stay in sh1tholes liek Ocala. I never stay in Ocala. On that particular trip, I always stay in Orlando and then a night in Vero Beach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted August 21, 2007 Author Share Posted August 21, 2007 I didn't quite follow this part. Before the switch, HI was +$125 (keg). Net +$125 After the switch, HI was +$200 (walk-in) but -$100 (keg moved). Net +$100 It seems like they lost money. What am I missing? they didnt lose my rate was $120 they sent me to a hotel with a published rate of $129(they didnt pay that rate) and they sold my room for $250 i ended up in the crowne plaza where the rate was $179(i asked prior to telling them my problem) and I got walked there...they made money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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