Morons in the hotel

[InsanityInc]

*Hugs* I caught the idiots who would call for a room.... I had one woman call in for rooms in Carlisle, PA. For those who don't know, there is a HUGE car show there every year. All the teams (Chevy, Ford, etc) reserve their rooms for the next year when they stay the year before. There's only like 3-4 hotels/motels in a 30 mile radius. All of them are small. They are NOT going to piss off the teams who stay there every year. She couldn't understand why all the rooms were sold out. I had a half hour argument with her about why *SHE* couldn't get one of these reserved rooms.

Or the ones who call in on New Years...in New York City... Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Super Bowl Sunday in whatever city...

[earl colby pottinger]

One day

I agree that this person should not have been penalized for a miscommunication error, but you have to realize, instead of doing the right thing (asking for assistance as to where there might be a room available), this person decided the employee was dumb and would prove them wrong by getting a room somehow.

The thing is the reservation was for the very next day. Hotels can not lock down a room, turn away possible renters, then have the person who reserved it release in the afternoon.

My cruise trip will give 100% refund if I cancel 60 or more days before the cruise because they think they can sell to someone else in that time, but for 59-30 days only get 50% back, 26-8 days only the deposit and 7 days or less nothing. Why because the less time they have to sell it, the more they have to discount it to make sure it sells. And don't forget paperwork and employee time and thus the costs every time someone cancel a reservation.

Reserve on short notice, expect it to cost money no matter what you then end up doing.

[MadMike]

*Hugs* I caught the idiots who would call for a room.... I had one woman call in for rooms in Carlisle, PA. For those who don't know, there is a HUGE car show there every year.

I'm not far from there myself. In fact, my brother lives there. I try not to go over there when the car show is in town, but the traffic along I-81 still gets quite heavy for miles.

[Emrld]

There are many people who do not work in the Hotel/ Hospitality industry.
They do not always understand about year ahead reservations.
They don't even understand about the overbooking . . . .(results in people extending their stay, percent of actual double book etc)

You have to remember that not everyone travels. I can think of all kinds of scenerios that fit this . . .but that is a waste of time.

Remember when you work in a Hospitality Industry - not everyone understands how it works. Part of the Industry is to make people feel comfortable and relaxed . . . .not like an idiot.

People coming from the airport and getting in late most likely have already been through an ordeal . . .even may have ended up stranded in a strange airport and at that point and time have had the run arround from the airline . . .and don't believe that anyone can help them.

To sum up this post what I am saying is you don't know where these people are coming from with travel experience or what their day has been like.
With the V.I.P. this may be a work related VIP and they don't understand how it really works . . . .they may not understand that it is a larger group of people than they imagined. But for some reason corporate wants them handeled with kid gloves . . .so that is part of your job to do so.

[Brightglaive]

I have to say... the easiest time I ever had getting a room or a suite was a week after New Years Day (January 8th).
Everybody has gone home after spending their money a week before to party it up at a hotel. Nobody has any money to rent rooms because their next paycheck isn't for a week.

I actually receive good discounts for the rooms. The hotels can't fill them and I benefit. Even when it's on the weekend. I still make sure I give them 3 weeks notice but I probably could book the night before and still receive a great discount.

[smileyeagle1021]

I had one these "VIP" people come in this weekend and thought that since they are a "Platinum Rewards" member, that I can magically squeeze a room out of my ass for them to stay in.

ME: Hi, how may I help you today?
SC: I need a room for tonight and tomorrow night.
ME: I am sorry, but I have no rooms available for this weekend.
SC: I am a Platinum rewards member, I need a king.
ME: Sorry sir, but we have no rooms available, I can however, point you to some places that might.
SC: You mean you don't have a room for platinum rewards members?
ME: Sir, we have no rooms available, member or not.
SC: So you mean to tell me that you have no rooms?
ME: Yes sir, unfortunately (for you), we are sold out for the next two nights.

SC calls the 1-800 number for card members and asks them, giving me this "I don't believe you" look the whole time. After a couple minutes, he hangs up the call and storms out.

Was it that hard to believe that we have no rooms available? Do people really not get the concept that hotels do indeed run out of rooms because, well, we have a limited supply.

Do you work for Holiday Inn (or any other Intercontinental branded hotel)? I get at least one of those calls a week, but I'm a PC (priority club) platinum member, I'm supposed to have a guaranteed room... well, yes, if you call at least 72 hours in advance.

one of these days i'll go into more background on my job, but for the time being I'll say that the department I work in handles overflows from hotels reservation departments... when a hotel sends us a call we have all the "knowledge and authority" of in house reservations. And here is my favorite call
me- duh
sf- shatner fan... ie someone who has seen the priceline commercial too often

-me: "thank you for calling the reservation desk at (insert name of hotel that forwarded call), this is the smileyeagle speaking, may I ask with whom I have the pleasure of speaking with?"
-sf: "yeah, i was just wondering what you can do for me this weekend"
-me: "ok, which nights would you be staying this weekend?"
-sf: "i don't care, just give me the cheapest room"
-me- i'll do friday, saturday, those are usually the cheapest nights
-me: "ok, and how many will need to stay in the room?"
-sf: "I need 2 beds"
-me: "will this be smoking or non"
-sf: "most definitely non"
-me: "ok, I do have a room with 2 queen beds available, just to let you know about the property (i'll use my spiel for one of our new york properties), we are an upscale property conveniently located in Times Square. We have an indoor pool as well as restaurant and lounge to enjoy during your stay. Our rooms our newly renovated with new bedding, we will throw in a sleep amenities kit and a sleep cd both of which you will be free to keep, and we'll even guarantee your wake up call so if you don't recieve you wake up call the night is free, and right now our best flexible rate is $xxx.xx (normally around 400)"
-sf: "ok, so how much can you take off of that?"
-me: "do you have AAA or AARP"
-sf: "no, but I know I can negotiate a price"
um, no you can't, priceline can because they buy a double digit percentage of our inventory
-me: "let's see, while still allowing cancellation I can take that down to xxx-20"
-sf: "that's not good enough"
-me: "ok, well, if you don't mind making a reservation that cannot be cancelled I can make that xxx-40"
-sf: "no, i can still get lower using priceline"
-me: "i'm sorry, that's the lowest I can go, if priceline has the rate you want you will have to make it on priceline"
-sf: "i can't use priceline though, they don't guarantee a room type and they don't allow cancellation (entirely true)"
-me: "well, then the only way we can guarantee a room type and allow cancellation is at the rate of xxx-20"
-sf: "so why will a 4 star on the strip give half off but you won't budge more than 20"
-me: "because the hotels on the strip don't make their money on their rooms, and because we are in the most expensive real estate on the planet *mute* and you won't find a hotel in manhatton for the rate you want anyway"
-sf: "fine i'll just keep shopping"
-me: "thank you for calling, and have a good day"