Hotel Deals - (Gone) Possible Error: Barton Creek Resort & Spa (Austin) - $23/nt

I was looking for a hotel in AUS for Valentines Day weekend on Kayak and I came across something very unexpected.

The Barton Creek Resort & Spa (I've never been - don't know if it's a nice place or not, but its rated btwn 3*-4* on many sites) is listed via skoosh.com & gtahotels.com as only $23+/nt ($28, tax inclusive)

The rate directly through the property's website (and also Orbitz) is $249+ ($285 ai).

I didn't yet try to book it, so I don't know if it will go through, and I don't know what the skoosh/gtahotels cancellation policy is, but it seems like it might be worth a shot if you need to be in the area.

Since I've never used skoosh or gtahotels, I did a little further digging - skoosh seems to have a very :td::td: error policy:

Errors on Our Site

Prices and availability are subject to change without notice. Errors will be corrected where discovered, and Skoosh reserves the right to revoke any stated offer and to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions including after an order has been submitted and whether or not the order has been confirmed and your credit card charged. If your credit card has already been charged for the purchase and your order is cancelled, Skoosh will issue a credit to your credit card account in the amount of the charge. Individual bank policies will dictate when this amount is credited to your account.

The gtahotels policy is mildly better, but still :td::


Changes in published rates

Gtahotels.com reserves the right to correct any pricing or displayed errors and/or omissions. This includes errors and/or omissions from a supplier or hotelier.

In the event of a price error and/or omission, we will offer you the choice of either keeping the booking at the correct rates, cancelling the booking or subject to availability we will offer you a suitable alternate hotel. This applies to both confirmed and on request bookings.

Not all of the hotel rates are applicable for the local market and in such cases the hotel is within their rights to change the rates without prior notice.

More: Kayak's rate calendar shows availability from Feb thru Oct, 2010. Midweek rates as low as $13+ ($14 ai). Seems like Skoosh & GTA have different "error rate" availability depending on the dates - one might have it on a given day while the other lists the Orbitz rate, and vice versa.

Also, GTA at least sometimes offers two rates - one with Continental breakfast (the error rate) and one without (much higher [~$202], but still below the Orbitz rate). $14's a steal for breakfast alone! :D :D

I was looking for a hotel in AUS for Valentines Day weekend on Kayak and I came across something very unexpected.

The Barton Creek Resort & Spa (I've never been - don't know if it's a nice place or not, but its rated btwn 3*-4* on many sites) is listed via skoosh.com & gtahotels.com as only $23+/nt ($28, tax inclusive)

The rate directly through the property's website (and also Orbitz) is $249+ ($285 ai).

I didn't yet try to book it, so I don't know if it will go through, and I don't know what the skoosh/gtahotels cancellation policy is, but it seems like it might be worth a shot if you need to be in the area.

I just booked for a weekend in January on gta hotels. price was $ 14 incl. taxes for a room with view and breakfast. good thing: you are allowed to cancel without any charges up to six days before check in date.

I've been to a wedding reception at Barton Creek before and it is a very nice property, especially if you are a golfer.

Thank you, kopflyer.

And of course Expedia has no availability for the property on any date so no BRG :p

Looks nice! Booked a few rooms... thanks OP!

1800Hotels.com, Agoda.com and HotelPronto.com also have the rate.

Hotel appears to have a daily resort fee of $13.41

Booked 3 days on March at 26 euros! ^
Thanks OP!

1800Hotels.com, Agoda.com and HotelPronto.com also have the rate.

Happen to know what each's fine print says? Off to check...

Happen to know what each's fine print says? Off to check...

I did a quick check. As far as I can tell, GTA is the only site not charging anything if you cancel at least 6 days prior to check-in

^ Thanks. I was referring to the info in Post #2. Got distracted and will run a few searches in a bit.

I scanned the T&Cs on the three sites CalItalian posted. My eyes didn't hit on important key words such as error or mistake, but I may have missed something.

ADD: HotelPronto is in GBP.

Rate is gone

I think it is gone...booo

I just completed a booking for Jan 16-18 (holiday weekend) for 19 Euro/night, including taxes. It is possible that I just got it in before they pulled the rate, but I will see what happens with confirmation. I will happily head to AUS for a long holiday weekend.

Booking Tracking Number: *********

Dear Mr ************

Thank you for waiting for us to get back to you regarding your request for accommodation.

We have not managed to secure your booking at the Barton Creek Resort & Spa Hotel for the dates 5-Feb-2010 to 8-Feb-2010 because the hotel could not confirm this rate. The rate seemed different than the actual rate due to a technical error that arises from the hotel.

If you wish to consider an alternate hotel we are happy to be able to offer the following properties. Please click on the web address below:

hartd, with which site did you book? TIA

gtahotels.com

I had 3 rooms, 3 nights in Feb. My cancellation did not offer alternative hotels but did indicate that they charged my credit card and will be refunding the amount. I think that is BS but the deal came and went so small we can't make a public relations stink.

They will get a letter though. :(

A friend, who booked through Skoosh, received the following cancellation e-mail a half-hour ago:

Hi,

I hope this email finds you well. I am emailing you concerning your reservation in January for the Barton Creek

It has been brought to our attention that unfortunately there has been an error with your booking. I am sorry to inform you that the hotel will not be able to honour your booking. The error has occurred in the pricing and has been generated by a genuine mistake on the hotels side.

The hotel have asked that we kindly inform you of this and apologise on their behalf for this error and any inconvenience it may cause you. Your booking will be cancelled and of course you will be refunded fully.

As a gesture of good will and for any inconvenience that may have been caused I have applied a 5% discount code to your Skoosh account which you may use on a future booking.

If you have any queries or need any assistance making an alternative booking, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind Regards

[Name removed] Skoosh Reservations

Maybe we can get the local barrister to represent us contingent fee with a letter or whatever to extract a compensation????

If I got two nights and two rooms I'd give him 50%

gtahotels.com

my reservations are still good with gta. have not received any cancellation notice.

my reservations are still good with gta. have not received any cancellation notice.

It's coming.

On the Nov 4, 09 - 18:29, Ticket number #XXXXXXXXhas been created for you.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Message ;
Booking Tracking Number: GI-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dear Mr KOE,

Due to high demand, we have not managed to secure your accommodation at the Barton Creek Resort & Spa Hotel for the dates 16-Jan-2010 to 18-Jan-2010. We have also made a separate search for alternate hotels, but regret that we are unable to offer any hotels with instant confirmation for these specific dates. However, you can keep checking our website as the number of available hotels we offer constantly changes over time.

We are sorry that we have not been able to arrange your accommodation on this occasion, but hope that we can assist you in the near future.





GTAHOTELS.COM TEAM

I booked on 1800Hotels.com and got an immediate confirmation email, including a "voucher" to present to the hotel when checking in. Anyone else go that route? I went with them because it was the only one I had heard of, and I wasn't planning on cancelling.

No cancellation email yet, and since i was already marked as confirmed, I'm not sure that I'll get one..

Sorry to hear about all the cancellations, although I can't say I didn't see that coming. After looking into jayzee9's claims of a voucher, I looked into 1800Hotels' policies...

...Payment in full is due at the time you make a reservation, whether the reservation is made via the Website or via telephone with one of our agents...

...Your Voucher must be presented to the operator at the time you check in to you accommodations, along with any valid government-issued photo identification card. Your Voucher provides confirmation of your reservation and confirmation that you provided pre-payment for your reservation. In some instances, you may be required to provide a credit card imprint on arrival for the purpose of guaranteeing payment of any incidental or extra charges. Incidental or extra charges will be due in connection with any extras not specified on the Voucher, such as meals, drinks, mini-bar, car parking, etc...

Additionally, I don't see any error rate wording in their policies, although I may have overlooked something.

I didn't know 1800Hotels is a pre-paid model, although now that I know that, I'm more willing to send my business their way in situations like this. ^

I booked on 1800Hotels.com and got an immediate confirmation email, including a "voucher" to present to the hotel when checking in. Anyone else go that route? I went with them because it was the only one I had heard of, and I wasn't planning on cancelling.

No cancellation email yet, and since i was already marked as confirmed, I'm not sure that I'll get one..

i booked through gta, and also received vouchers to present at the hotel. no cancel notice yet, either.

Reserved last night and paid for 7 nights for next September. Should be plenty of time to see what will happen with this...I've been lucky so far... (Osaka Hilton $3pn (9 nights)-Expedia; Imperial Hotel, Vienna $55pn (5 nights)-Priceline; etc). Maybe this will hold up. I saw nothing in the T&C regarding price mistakes, but I don't think that means much if the hotel decides to cancel..Good luck!

Deal is gone. oh well!http://rewardslink.info/flash/images/18.gif

I was wondering: those people reporting canceled reservation, did you receive vouchers before? or did you make a reservation, never received vouchers and finally were canceled?

Booked through Agoda. Booking confirmed and voucher recieved. No notice about cancelation yet.

So, of the non-canceled voucher-holders, who's arriving first?

So, of the non-canceled voucher-holders, who's arriving first?

still not canceled, but wont be going before early next year

First week of Feb....

Not cancelled, voucher printed.

May be gone? I checked several dates in Nov and Feb. Most came up with no availability, and one with $299/night (obviously not a mistake).

I'll update the thread title to reflect that the deal is, indeed, gone.

--jpdx, Hotel Deals Moderator

So, of the non-canceled voucher-holders, who's arriving first?

My stay coincides with AUS DO, late Feb.

Any update on this?

Any update on this?

Called hotel and they said they won't honor any vouchers issued by GTA hotels etc. Called GTA and they said the reservations have to be honored once vouchers have been issued. I do not really know what to make of this. Fact is, my vouchers/reservations still show up in my gta account.

Called hotel and they said they won't honor any vouchers issued by GTA hotels etc. Called GTA and they said the reservations have to be honored once vouchers have been issued. I do not really know what to make of this. Fact is, my vouchers/reservations still show up in my gta account.

I wouldn't have called to ask. Doing so suggests a lack of confidence in the enforceability of the reservation. Unless and until you receive written notification that the reservation is not being honored by the hotel or the booking engine, I think both entities would be in a precarious predicament should the reservation be dishonored upon arrival.

I wouldn't have called to ask. Doing so suggests a lack of confidence in the enforceability of the reservation. Unless and until you receive written notification that the reservation is not being honored by the hotel or the booking engine, I think both entities would be in a precarious predicament should the reservation be dishonored upon arrival.

Well, I don't want to go ahead and book flights before knowing the reservation will be honored...

Well, I don't want to go ahead and book flights before knowing the reservation will be honored...

I'm in the same boat. Just got an email alert airfare from my home airport to AUS is down by $90+, BUT in all my ~4 yrs on FT, in booking these special rates/fares, not once have I ever tipped my hand & initiated a call to any company/agency.

Now, thinking out loud, should I book my air or not? :(

I have a voucher confirmation. And no one contact me to cancel anything.
Im not sure what they can argument upon arrival.

Well, I don't want to go ahead and book flights before knowing the reservation will be honored...

A legal concept called "detrimental reliance" would be your friend. Except, now that you've called and gotten a personal indication that you reservation will not be honored, that concept is likely no longer operative.

A lawyer at SAT! You seem exactly what we need... or what we will :) (or if there is any AUS Lawyer please show up!)
Thanks for the legal help. ^

A legal concept called "detrimental reliance" would be your friend. Except, now that you've called and gotten a personal indication that you reservation will not be honored, that concept is likely no longer operative.

To be honest: I would never take something like this to court. It's simply not worth it. On the other hand, flying to Austin and finding out that the rate is not honored would really p...s me off...

To be honest: I would never take something like this to court. It's simply not worth it. On the other hand, flying to Austin and finding out that the rate is not honored would really p...s me off...

Just show up and cause a bigger and bigger stink in the hotel lobby until they honor it or have you escorted off the premises. If you didn't get greedy with this (read: booked 2-3 nights, not 19, or even 7) I bet they will honor. In the first case, they don't want the other guests observing the stink you're making and in the second case, the PR nightmare of turning away guests who "flew in from out of town" with a "confirmed reservation."

Either way, its not a question of bringing it to court, its a question of HORRIBLE publicity for a resort thats not part of a major chain.

I say book the tickets and be ready to be stoic if you're not honored.

This comes from someone who very sadly got the "We can't confirm your room" e-mail from GTA....

Just show up and cause a bigger and bigger stink in the hotel lobby until they honor it or have you escorted off the premises. If you didn't get greedy with this (read: booked 2-3 nights, not 19, or even 7) I bet they will honor. In the first case, they don't want the other guests observing the stink you're making and in the second case, the PR nightmare of turning away guests who "flew in from out of town" with a "confirmed reservation."

Either way, its not a question of bringing it to court, its a question of HORRIBLE publicity for a resort thats not part of a major chain.

I say book the tickets and be ready to be stoic if you're not honored.

This comes from someone who very sadly got the "We can't confirm your room" e-mail from GTA....

Can you enjoy staying there with a lot of argument when you check in?
That is always my problem.
If we stay at the resort, we want to enjoy from check in to check out.
For me, it is not worthwhile to argue in front of other guests.
If the hotel honors it in advance, I am sure we can enjoy the resort.
However, if the hotel says the reservation will not be honored, we shall just find other resorts where we can enjoy(no matter what the price is).

Stinking until being removed is probably not the best advice..... and doesn't sound like a great vacation to me either.

What I do, and have done, in the past with success is simply pay the charge they think you owe, inform them that you will be contacting your credit card company to dispute the charge, and leave it at that. I have a confirmed/paid room for 3 nights - thats where it stands and I haven't been informed otherwise and both GTA and BC know where to find me. I've taken advantage of BRG's where they hassle me (I've been reimbursed every time) and in this case if its true that they are going to hassle the customers that is not very nice; its obviously a problem between GTA and Barton Creek, not Barton Creek and the customers who are, quite frankly, powerless to do more than hand over more money for confirmed and paid rooms.

What I do, and have done, in the past with success is simply pay the charge they think you owe, inform them that you will be contacting your credit card company to dispute the charge, and leave it at that.

Brilliant! ^^

Can you enjoy staying there with a lot of argument when you check in?
That is always my problem.
If we stay at the resort, we want to enjoy from check in to check out.
For me, it is not worthwhile to argue in front of other guests.
If the hotel honors it in advance, I am sure we can enjoy the resort.
However, if the hotel says the reservation will not be honored, we shall just find other resorts where we can enjoy(no matter what the price is).

That's exactly the point: I want to enjoy mz stay - I do not want to argue.

BTW: I just received an email from GTA which was kind of strange. They told me the rate I paid was exceptional and that I would not be able to make any changes to the reservations.... I am one of those guys having received vouchers and having not received any cancel notices...

I received the following e-mail regarding my reservation an hour ago, as did one of my friends who also partook in this opportunity:

Dear [SAT Lawyer]

I am contacting you regarding the reservation that you made for the Barton Creek Resort & Spa Hotel for the period of [date removed] to [date removed]

It has been brought to my attention that the rates that you have paid for this booking are quite exceptional and that no name changes or amendments can be accepted.

Thank you in advance for your kind understanding

Kindest Regards

Caroline
Customer Care Manager

We both booked through GTA. It looks like we are good to go.

BTW: I just received an email from GTA which was kind of strange. They told me the rate I paid was exceptional and that I would not be able to make any changes to the reservations.... I am one of those guys having received vouchers and having not received any cancel notices...

That should be your cue that you are good to go. To me, the e-mail, is not particularly strange. It looks like the rate will be honored, but the hotel wants to discourage its use to the extent that anybody would be incline to try to transfer the reservation to somebody else because they can't or don't want to use it themselves.

I just checked my spam folder and sure enough I received the same email.

So it looks like there is no problem with the original reservation and as stated, if there is, just pay what they want and dispute it with both GTA and BC, but it looks like they took care of it without involving the customers...which is very nice and ^^^!

Can you enjoy staying there with a lot of argument when you check in?
... if the hotel says the reservation will not be honored, we shall just find other resorts where we can enjoy(no matter what the price is).

That assumes you can afford it. For many, booking this mistake fare makes barton creek affordable. Say you booked 4 nights: ~$100. If you show up you could be looking at a $1000+ bill. Not everyone can afford that for the pleasure of staying, and many wouldn't much enjoy their stay if they knew it was costing them through the nose. Booking at other nearby resorts wouldn't cost you any less. For $900, I believe many could afford the slight disruption to the beginning of their stay. I've read many on this forum who would go to much greater lengths for much lesser values.

Stinking until being removed is probably not the best advice..... and doesn't sound like a great vacation to me either.

What I do, and have done, in the past with success is simply pay the charge they think you owe, inform them that you will be contacting your credit card company to dispute the charge, and leave it at that. I have a confirmed/paid room for 3 nights - thats where it stands and I haven't been informed otherwise and both GTA and BC know where to find me. I've taken advantage of BRG's where they hassle me (I've been reimbursed every time) and in this case if its true that they are going to hassle the customers that is not very nice; its obviously a problem between GTA and Barton Creek, not Barton Creek and the customers who are, quite frankly, powerless to do more than hand over more money for confirmed and paid rooms.

The "take it up with my credit card company later" approach is a very reasonable one, and one that is likely to often work, but it still opens up the consumer to a level of risk that they should not have to deal with at all. Like you said, this is a problem between GTA and Barton Creek. It shouldn't be a problem between GTA, Barton Creek, you and your credit card company. The consumer still risks the extra $900+ bill, which I think is unreasonable and unfair.

No word in either my inbox or spam folder.

Am I assuming correctly the email was from GTA and not BC? Great news anyway. Will have to use GTA more often.

No word in either my inbox or spam folder.

Am I assuming correctly the email was from GTA and not BC? Great news anyway. Will have to use GTA more often.

mine was from @metglobal.com. I think thats GTA. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I got the GTA email. ^ Nicely handled. I have no problem using them for any/all non-point earning stays I will have.

ETA: A bazillion thanks again, kopflyer!