Ever hear of this hotel policy?

[Canice]

DBF and I, out of desperation (all hotels in the area were sold out), accepted a room at a not-particularly-nice hotel. We were on the wait list for half a dozen places, and this one called with a cancellation, so we took it. Fortuantely, about two days later we were able to get a really nice hotel, so booked that one.
When we got the confirmation letter from the first place, I called and cancelled. $25 fee, no big deal. Afterward, I noticed a caveat at the bottom of the confirmation letter, which read: "Rates on check-in day apply. Rates are subject to change without notice." Huh? So you could pick a room based on cost, only to check in and be told the price has increased since you made your reservation? I never heard of such a thing, and can hardly believe it would even be legal.

Just wondering if anyone else has seen such a policy.

[RebelsLGB]

that doesnt surprise me. I'm having a hard time thinking of an example right now, but I've seen that same line for tons of other services, that prices and rates may change without notice.

[HejazSunKat]

I noticed a caveat at the bottom of the confirmation letter, which read: "Rates on check-in day apply. Rates are subject to change without notice." Huh? So you could pick a room based on cost, only to check in and be told the price has increased since you made your reservation? I never heard of such a thing, and can hardly believe it would even be legal.

Does the confirmation have your room rate on it or just the dates of your stay? I've never ever heard of such a thing either and I would call and find out what this fine print means exactly. That seems pretty shady to me.

[wallycat]

This happened to us when we were motorcycling from Wisconsin to Maine to hop a ferry to Nova Scotia.
We made reservations in advance at one of our stops and when we got there, the quoted price room was unavailable and we were told if we wanted to stay, it would be the higher priced room.
This was not a high-end hotel either so we were surprised but stuck.

[Canice]

Does the confirmation have your room rate on it or just the dates of your stay? I've never ever heard of such a thing either and I would call and find out what this fine print means exactly. That seems pretty shady to me.

Interesting! I just looked at the letter and it has the dates of stay, plus the amount put on the credit card to secure the room, but no mention of the actual room rate. Every confirmation I've ever gotten from a hotel had the rate on it.

Fortunately, as I say, we were able to get a much nicer place, and closer to our event, so we're off the hook. But I'd wondered about it when I was filing away the confirmation and cancellation information.

Sorry it happened to you, Ana. Looks like it's a trait of the kind of place not looking to build loyalty or recommendations.

[Debralynn]

Not unusual. If they print their policy on the confirmation letter, they can change the price at any time. I just had a co-worker return from Niagra Falls Canada, they stayed at the Embassy Suites at a decent rate, BUT were charged at check out $29 a day for PARKING!!!!!! How's that one? Debbie

[Canice]

Actually, that is very common to me; most hotels charge for parking.

[badunnin]

Actually, that is very common to me; most hotels charge for parking.

I definitely agree that that is common, especially in places where parking is at a premium (cities and tourist areas, like Niagara Falls).

[Lrimerman]

Yes, most hotels in major cities charge for parking. When we were in Chicago we had to pay $30 a day for parking.

I am sure it was in the fine print on her reservation, it was on ours.

Lisa

[aggie94]

Canice,

With all the traveling I've done for work and pleasure, I've never heard of a hotel that does that, and I would never stay somewhere where the rate wasn't guaranteed. How bizarre. :confused:

And ditto the responses on the parking. When we were in San Francisco in February, we stayed one night in SF before heading to Monterey for 2 nights, then returned to SF for one night - we debated picking up our rental car early so that we wouldn't be rushed trying to get off to Monterey, until I saw that parking at the hotel was $50/day. :eek: The car rental wasn't even that much a day so it was hardly worth it. Ouch.

[MikeC]

I just had a co-worker return from Niagra Falls Canada, they stayed at the Embassy Suites at a decent rate, BUT were charged at check out $29 a day for PARKING!!!!!! How's that one? Debbie
Umm, not unusual. Try parking for free at a hotel in the heart of Washington, D.C.; New York City; or Philadelphia.

[jmarie]

Happens here, everytime there is a Nextel Race, aound here. Scalpers Prices for the rooms and they are all filled. It does seem unfair, people aren't allowed to scalp their tickets, but the hotels/motels are allowed to scalp their rooms. :rolleyes:

I had a friend who searched the internet for a smoking allowed room and booked 3 months in advance for a bowling tournament. When she got there, they had changed ALL of their rooms to non-smoking and had not notified her. She purchased some vinegar, set it around in cups and smoked anyway.

You gotta do what you gotta do, I guess.

Sorry about your predicament :( .

Joyce

[Robyn1007]

Happens here, everytime there is a Nextel Race, aound here. Scalpers Prices for the rooms and they are all filled. It does seem unfair, people aren't allowed to scalp their tickets, but the hotels/motels are allowed to scalp their rooms. :rolleyes:

Joyce

That's actually a very different kind of situation. A hotel can price their rooms in advance based on whatever kind of event is going on. It's a matter of supply and demand, it's not scalping. If you know ahead of time that it's the rate then you can make a decision and it happens every day in every city in the world. However, they know about the event far in advance and change the price before booking the room. If they are changing the price after book the room and not notifying the person who has reserved it that's a very different thing.

As far as the smoking goes, I can understand your friend's frustration that she wasn't notified but personally, I am allergic to smoke and can no longer sleep in a room that has been smoked in. I'll wake up with very red puffy eyes, can't breathe etc. I think it's highly rude that your friend can't walk outside to smoke if the room is now non-smoking.

[luv2cook]

I am Shocked that parking is that much! I was grumbling over a $9 a night parking at a hotel that is charging me $130 a night + 10% tax + car.

Speaking of which, does anyone know what the deal is w/blocked rooms? I called the hotel last night to make my reservation in a reserved "block" of rooms for a convention I'm going to be going to in August.

I was booking wed-Sat. night. I was, again, shocked to discover that there were no Sat. night rooms in that "block." When I questioned the reservationist about it, she said she couldn't book it under that rate and I would have to pay their sat. night rate (which was I think $235?)

Umm, I am already there. You mean to tell me that I have to pay more when I'm already there???? They're already getting a bunch of money out of me. I mean, it just doesn't make sense not to give me that room at that rate when I'll already be there!

Can anyone explain the logic to me????

[Robyn1007]

It's a simple matter of supply and demand again. Whatever is going on there on Saturday night means they can charge more because if you don't pay it, someone else would. I have frequently stayed in hotels where the rate varies during the stay.

Oh, and I recently stayed at a hotel that was $190 including tax and I was charged $25 for parking. :rolleyes:

[Canice]

I think $40/night is pretty normal for parking at a downtown hotel in San Francisco, though Eva (perched on Leland Stanford's original property!) paid more.

As far as Saturday rates go, well, to take it one further: it had been several years since DBF and I had tried to book a hotel in the wine country, and we'd forgotten: you can't book just Friday - they have a two-night minimum for weekends. Oh darn, we'll be spending the weekend in Yountville instead of coming home on Saturday. I hope it's not too onerous. ;)

[oceanjasper]

Speaking of which, does anyone know what the deal is w/blocked rooms? I called the hotel last night to make my reservation in a reserved "block" of rooms for a convention I'm going to be going to in August.

I was booking wed-Sat. night. I was, again, shocked to discover that there were no Sat. night rooms in that "block." When I questioned the reservationist about it, she said she couldn't book it under that rate and I would have to pay their sat. night rate (which was I think $235?)


Generally, when there is a convention held at a hotel, whoever is organizing the event negotiates a special rate for a certain number of hotel rooms for the period of the convention. If the convention is midweek, then the rooms are only blocked for those midweek dates. Having you extend your stay, either before or after the convention, at the regular non-convention rates, is exactly what the hotels are hoping for! :)

[MikeC]

I was booking wed-Sat. night. I was, again, shocked to discover that there were no Sat. night rooms in that "block." When I questioned the reservationist about it, she said she couldn't book it under that rate and I would have to pay their sat. night rate (which was I think $235?)

Umm, I am already there. You mean to tell me that I have to pay more when I'm already there???? They're already getting a bunch of money out of me. I mean, it just doesn't make sense not to give me that room at that rate when I'll already be there!

Again, not unusual. I go to a workshop in the Poconos every summer. The motel gives special rates to the people attending the workshop, but the workshop actually ends on Friday afternoon. I always stay Friday night, but I pay more for the room on Friday night than I do the other nights.

[luv2cook]

my seminar isn't over until Sunday, tho... i will actually be in a seminar all day on saturday so i don't feel like they should stick it to me...

[MikeC]

my seminar isn't over until Sunday, tho... i will actually be in a seminar all day on saturday so i don't feel like they should stick it to me...
At the motel in the Poconos, it's still a special rate, though. But the Poconos is a resort area, and their rooms are more expensive on Friday and Saturday nights.

I remember when I would sometimes stay in Washington, D.C. overnight. In some hotels in D.C., the rooms are less expensive on weekends. If I stayed in D.C. on a Thursday and Friday night, I would sometimes pay more for the Thursday night than I would for the Friday night.

The point is that if a hotel charges different rates for different days of the week, they will often vary the rates even for special discount blocks.