Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Worse room because it's priceline?

I've booked once prior to this on priceline and the room was fine. But I've read several posts that implied that a Priceline reservation will get you a less desirable room. I am booked at the Renaissance Plantation FL and would like to know whether I will be treated as less than any other patron. Any information much appreciated.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Marysunshine:
..... I've read several posts that implied that a Priceline reservation will get you a less desirable room.</font>I have read similar posts - in my own experience, the only time I've experienced it was at a hotel in the Kansas City area which put me into accessible rooms (with one full-size bed) on two separate occasions.

My suspicion is that older hotels, which might have a greater variance in room size and configuration, might be more prone to this situation (witness the frequent comments about the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, which has smaller rooms in the older, pre-Earthquake section.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> I am booked at the Renaissance Plantation FL and would like to know whether I will be treated as less than any other patron</font>This hotel at the intersection of I-595 and Pine Island Road is less than one year old. Because the building is rectangle-shaped, I suspect that most rooms are similarly-sized. One side of the building does face the freeway, however, the building is set back well away from the roadway, so any road noise effects should be a non-factor if you end up with a room facing I-595.

If I owned (or managed) a hotel,I'd make sure that PL buyers got my less desirable rooms. Makes sense.
Even at a very nice resort,expect the non-view,smaller and standard room.If you keep your expectations low,it's easier to be pleasantly surprised. I,however,have had success nicely asking for a better room. You're chances of this happening is if you are a member of their frequent travel program (especially if elite).

As soon as my bid was accepted for the hotel, I immediately signed up for Marriot Rewards and requested my membership number be added to my reservation http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif. I am doing everything possible to ensure a reasonable outcome, but just tried to hear what others had experienced. Thanks for the info though.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Marysunshine:
As soon as my bid was accepted for the hotel, I immediately signed up for Marriot Rewards and requested my membership number be added to my reservation http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif. I am doing everything possible to ensure a reasonable outcome, but just tried to hear what others had experienced. Thanks for the info though.</font>

I also call the hotel reservation centers and give my number to add to the account, ask for a non-smoking room etc....
I never got a bad room, and I always was treaded well.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jabez:
If I owned (or managed) a hotel,I'd make sure that PL buyers got my less desirable rooms. Makes sense.</font>Up to a point, you're right. However, I think there's a big difference between times when the hotel is near or at capacity, and when the hotel is almost empty.

When all rooms are filled, I don't think anyone would argue with the logic of discounted prepay stays getting assigned to the most basic accomodations. What IS (IMHO) misguided is an attitude that the payment of a low rate via a third party ONLY deserves the most undesireable room, even as nicer rooms sit unused.

If I were running a hotel, I'd want to give ALL guests the best impression of my property. Today's PL or HW guest might be tomorrow's standard-rate paying guest.

Another scenario is when the PL/HW booking is made in your local city, to house a visiting relative or friend. If I went to see the visitor in the hotel and saw the inferior room and treatment, I'd surely be much less inclined to use or recommend that hotel for any activity in the future, such as a business meeting or a wedding.

So, priority for higher-paying guests, no problem. But "punishing" customers for availing themselves of an offered discount strikes me as short-sighted and ultimately counter-productive.

[This message has been edited by Non-NonRev (edited 07-30-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jabez:
If I owned (or managed) a hotel,I'd make sure that PL buyers got my less desirable rooms. Makes sense.
</font>

jabez
If and when you "own" a hotel, I hope I'll never have to stay at this place.
I give my customers the best service I can ... no matter how much they paid.
And no, it doesn't make sense. If "your" hotel is well booked, you don't need priceline. If "your" hotel has a low vacancy rate, why put customers in a bad room, when you have plenty of better rooms sitting empty ..?

In addition, the hotels want to encourage PL customers to spend money on their properties (room service, restaurant, bar). They'll do that better by treating them well like everybody else.

I use Priceline maybe once a month or so. I've only gotten a truly substandard room once, and even then it wasn't that bad.

I was given a smoking room, even though (1) Priceline rooms are by default "non-smoking requested", (2) non-smoking rooms were available at the property and (3) I asked as nicely as I could whether I could have one. The desk guy made an issue over it being Priceline and said he had to leave the non-smoking rooms for the VIPs, or something like that. As a consolation he gave me an aerosol can of this Smok-B-Gon stuff I could spray inside the room. The smell ended up being not much of an issue.

The irony was that the property was a crappy little 2* Homestead Village. I've used Priceline on all manner of 4* and 5* Hiltons and Hyatts and Westins and whatnot and never got anything like the attitude of Mr. I-Am-King-Of-The-Homestead-Village-And-You-Are-Getting-The-Smoking-Room. I thought it was funny more than anything else.

From time to time I get a room next to an elevator or something with not much a view, but the room (or the attitude at the desk) still ends up not much of a problem.

I've bought well over a dozen hotel stays with PL. The only time I felt we really got the "PL" room was at the Hilton Resort, Mission Bay, CA. It's supposed to be 4 star, but certainly didn't feel like it. They gave us a room on the second floor, facing the parking lot http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/frown.gif Of course, the whole "resort" is only 100 yards from the freeway....so we could hear the freeway while we looked at the parking lot http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/frown.gif

Last weekend, at the Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills, they did give us a room next to the elevator, but we didn't hear the elevator. They told us it was the only remaining "king non smoking". We heard some traffic going to/from the elevator....but didn't stress over it because it was only one night.

I've been thinking that Priceline guests might help even out room usage patterns. From the point of view of regular renovations and repair, you would want all rooms to be used approximately the same amount.

For example, a less desirable room near the elevator might rarely be used (since hotels are usually not at full capacity, at least from what I've seen so far). But if the hotel regularly uses Priceline, this room will get as much use as the others.

A smoking room (even though Priceline is allegedly supposed to request nonsmoking rooms, this does not always seem to be the case) that has guests who refrain from smoking will not be as stinky as a smoking room used for such a purpose every night.

In different situations, I've gotten a room next to the elevator (it was noisy when operating, but did not run much at night) and I've gotten a smoking room (that did not smell). No big deal in either case. And of course even guests who pay full rates sometimes get such rooms.

[This message has been edited by WillTravel (edited 07-30-2003).]

USAFAN, a less desirable room is not necessarily a bad room. If I did own a hotel,I wouldn't plan on having any "bad" rooms. I,however,would not give my better rooms to priceline customers. If they want a view, executive floor, bigger room, etc., let them pay the published rate.
I understand the argument that giving them "more" will entice them to return. But,I'd want them to return at my higher rates. One of the priceline hotels I get is a very nice 4* in Branson. Wonderful hotel, great rooms and on a beautiful lake. I've stayed there in off-season when hotel was maybe 20% full,but I always get a room over the kitchen roof. I saw nothing wrong with their decision to delegate these less desirable rooms as the priceline rooms.
I think it can even be a disservice to those who pay the higher rates for views, exec. floors,etc. to give those same rooms to someone paying 50% less. It still makes sense to me.It doesn't stop me from asking for "more",but I understand that I'll probably get "less".This "less",however, does not mean that it should be a dump.

jabez:
Thanks for the clarification.
Still, I don't want to stay at "your 'less desirable rooms'" http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/biggrin.gif
Come in "my" hotel. I treat you, everybody like a king: red carpet, free drinks, friendly staff ... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/rolleyes.gif

Back to the topic: I always got nice rooms with my priceline reservations. No "aha, that's a priceline reservation http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/thumbsdown.gif - let's see what we have ..."
BTW, I 'consulted' Sheryl's (spelling?) website several times, and it helped me to save some bucks. Thank's Sheryl (spelling?)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by WillTravel:
And of course even guests who pay full rates sometimes get such rooms.
</font>

Good point. I haven't noticed any difference in treatment between my PL stays and non-PL stays. Just take a look at the hotel fora here and you'll see that being treated badly, or being stuck in a bad room, can happen to anybody -even elites- and whether on a PL stay or not or not.

Also Analise's point <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In addition, the hotels want to encourage PL customers to spend money on their properties (room service, restaurant, bar). They'll do that better by treating them well like everybody else.</font> applies to me: the way I get treated by a hotel highly influences whether I'm going to spend any money there during my stay on items like bar, breakfast, etc.

Recently I had a very pleasant PL stay at an Intercontinental hotel. Staff was great, room was great (my request for a nice view was honored without any problems) and service in general was great. During my two nights stay I spent approx $300 in that hotel (other than the nightly PL rate). They wouldn't have seen much of that money had they treated my badly.


[This message has been edited by ql2112, because my English is slipping.]

[This message has been edited by ql2112 (edited 07-31-2003).]

Priceline guarantees a non smoking room and they've always been good to their word.

At least the hotels I've stayed at are relatively new and all the room are the same.

My only "bad" experience was at the Marriott in the Balitmore Inner Harbor. We wanted two doubles because my teenage daughter was with us. We got a kind sized bed, so I slept on a roll away. Also, the room was as far from the elevators as you could get, and that was far. But there was a large group of high school volley ball players staying at the hotel.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by traveler123:
Priceline guarantees a non smoking room...</font>

Actually, they request non-smoking, but they don't guarantee it.

Last night I stayed at the Millenium Biltmore on a PL stay. They had me preblocked into a room on the Club floor (but without club privileges). I thought that was very nice.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by traveler123:
Also, the room was as far from the elevators as you could get, and that was far. But there was a large group of high school volley ball players staying at the hotel.</font>

If there was a large group of highschool kids staying at the hotel you were probably better of with a room as far away from the elevator as possible.
Even without highschool kids around I prefer rooms as far away from the elevators (and ice and vending machines for that matter) as possible.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by thereuare:
Actually, they request non-smoking, but they don't guarantee it.</font>

I've been told by 3 different hotels that PL requested a SMOKING room. I said I understood that non-smoking was requested but not guaranteed. They corrected me and said no a smoking room was requested but they had no problem giving me a non-smoking room.

I think PL may have changed their policy but not their website.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Marysunshine:
I've booked once prior to this on priceline and the room was fine. But I've read several posts that implied that a Priceline reservation will get you a less desirable room. I am booked at the Renaissance Plantation FL and would like to know whether I will be treated as less than any other patron. Any information much appreciated.</font>

Unfortunately, often times, yes. As priceline is focused for people that are price-sensitive & not brand sensitive & most likely will not be repeat customers of that particular hotel, reservations managers & front office managers will generally block Priceline guests in the rooms that aren't as nice - not necessarily intentionally, but if the hotel is fairly full, there is little chance that you'll be getting the high-floor view room you've requested. A way to get around this, it to go ahead & call the hotel directly (ask for the front desk) & put in a request into your reservation - this will enter the request into their internal system & sometimes you'll get what you requested. I know that Ozstamps & Joh got a presidential suite at an 8.00 priceline rate and has been upgrade to conceirge or suites before. I stayed at the Portland Doubletree Downtown last week - got 3 rooms at 28/night/room & our smoking & bed-type requests were honored.

I have pricelined and stayed in over 50 hotels. To avoid getting the worst room, I signed up for every frequent hotel stay club and called ahead of time on my reservation to put my hotel # down. Since I have doen this (30 hotels) I have not once got an undesirable room. In fact with the number loaded in I always ask for non-smoking king and a 'higher up' room and receive this with no objection.

I suggest you sign up for the rewards company (Marriott Rewards for Rennaisance) and you will not get an undesireable room.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by lewisc:
I've been told by 3 different hotels that PL requested a SMOKING room.</font>

I've had this happen several times as well.

I have used Priceline on several occasions now, and have never been disappointed. It saved us a very considerable sum in Seattle last August, and at both Heathrow and Gatwick throughout the year.

Far from getting poor rooms we have been upgraded to suites and superior rooms. I have to add that although I dislike smoking and always request a non-smoking room, coming from Europe where lip service is paid to non-smoking) I am not phased if it is ignored. As long as there are clean sheets and the lampshades have not gone yellow with tobacco I can manage.

No, I think that Priceline is for us the best thing since sliced bread.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by traveler123:
Priceline guarantees a non smoking room and they've always been good to their word.

At least the hotels I've stayed at are relatively new and all the room are the same.

My only "bad" experience was at the Marriott in the Balitmore Inner Harbor. We wanted two doubles because my teenage daughter was with us. We got a kind sized bed, so I slept on a roll away. Also, the room was as far from the elevators as you could get, and that was far. But there was a large group of high school volley ball players staying at the hotel.</font>

The hotel I'm booked at wants to charge me 50% additional for 2 beds.



[This message has been edited by Terri77 (edited 08-24-2003).]

Thought I would add this tid-bit. I called our hotel in Paris received through PL and was told that PL guests ONLY receive rooms with two twin beds. If I wanted something better, it was EUR45/nt extra.

I normally call ahead and make my requests, non-smoking and a king bed. I also note with whom I spoke to, as often times they end up being on duty when we arrive. However, I am not sure that this does the trick for us as much as checking-in late does. We have consistently been given better rooms because the not-so-good ones were already assigned earlier in the day.

I almost wish that a two-twin-bed room was the default Priceline room in the US, like it seems to be in Europe (from limited experience). If I'm travelling with a child or friend, I'm always a little nervous that I will end up with one king bed or something not terribly helpful. It's worked out every time so far, though.

I used Priceline at least 80 times in the last 5-6 years and have only once known that we were put in the special "Priceline section". That was on our first stay for one week at a Clarion Hotel near SFO.

Another time we used Priceline for a 30 day road trip and stayed at different hotels nearly every night-some for only $12/night. At one Best Western in Georgia we were accidentally given a room that hadn't been cleaned.

These were the only negative PL experiences I recall, including at least two car rentals through PL.

I am a die hard PL user. I also call ahead and request the NS room. When traveling with family, I call ahead and request the 2DB & NS option. I have always been accomodated.

Only once I felt that the room was sub standard. I requested a change ( nicely) and got it.

Let us face reality people. The hotel is under no obligation to give the PL customer their concierge floor!

Secondly, I do agree with the one of the previous poster's information. The average PL user is not loyal to a specific brand. On the other hand a savvy PL user ( a lot of them on this board ) gets a little ticked off when he/she does not win at the PL game!

[This message has been edited by MSP2000 (edited 09-10-2003).]

Only one problem in about 25 Priceline stays. Doubletree in Lowell Mass gave me the "Priceline" room. it was on the main floor (same as checkin desk) smokey and no window. I showed my HHonors Gold card at checkin, but that was no help.

I returned an requested another room. Different clerk on duty gave me a nice highup overlooking the waterways room.

I have never had a smoking problem with Priceline reservations. I always want NS and I've always gotten it.

I have never had trouble getting 2 double beds when I've wanted that, but I occasionally have trouble getting a king.

The worse cases of getting substandard Priceline rooms, IME, has been when I've been assigned to one of the Homestead-type properties. On a couple of occasions, I've been assigned the "2nd bedroom" of a larger apartment with my PL rate. TINY rooms!

I've now learned to focus on the standard big-chain hotels for my PL bidding, where possible - regardless of the level at which I'm bidding. I'd rather get a clean Hampton Inn than a 4* hotel that is either unknown or known for sticking prepaid guests in the broom closet.

many PL rooms, never felt I received sub standard room.

------------------
Visit FlyerTalk Dining http://flyertalk.com/diningfr.shtml

I use PL about 50 times a year and they do try to give you the worst rooms when they are full. I do the following when I check in. I tell them that I would like a room on a high floor because of my problems with noise (can't sleep). Then I tell them I don't want the Handicap room, near the ice machine nor the elevator.
This usually gets me a better room.

I have used PL for approx 40 stays over the past 2 years. My experience has been pretty good.
I have never been put in a room that I considered substandard.

Last year I was booking weekly stays in Philadelphia, using PL. On week 1 I got a room in the Crowne Plaza which the heat wasn't working, so they moved me.
I bid again for a room the following week and wound up in the Crowne Plaza again.
When checking in I mentioned my experience of the previous week. The clerk remembered me and moved me to the business level floor with free breakfast. All for $40/night.

I agree the margins are getting slimmer, but I always look at the Bidding for Travel web site to gauge rates before I decide whether to go w PL or not.

Just got a mid week 3* in NYC (Marriott East Side) for $90. The best web price I could find for this hotel was $284.

DTWFlyer

Certain properties do have a tendency to put PL customers into substandard rooms. These are of course the properties that have substandard rooms. Generally, that means one-off hotels (not the big chains), and older properties with efficiency-type room layouts (big cities). I always ask for two beds, which generally precludes an "efficiency single" which, for example, the Boston Park Plaza has in spades.

Have you ever had any problem with the 2-bed request?

Boston Park Plaza - ick!

I booked in there and checked out all within 10 minutes. The hallways look like an insane aslyum -- if you have been there you know what I mean. The room was tiny and reminded me of a college dorm room. Plus there was only one chair - the type you find in an Elks meeting hall. Did I mention the hairs on the toilet?

When I went to check out the front desk lady was not surprised on bit. It must happen all the time there. And I had popped in there weeks before and the lobby is nice, so I mistakenly thought the rooms would be too. Should have checked that at the time. You can't go by their website either.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by suzy1K:
Boston Park Plaza - ick!

I booked in there and checked out all within 10 minutes. The hallways look like an insane aslyum -- if you have been there you know what I mean. The room was tiny and reminded me of a college dorm room. Plus there was only one chair - the type you find in an Elks meeting hall. Did I mention the hairs on the toilet?

When I went to check out the front desk lady was not surprised on bit. It must happen all the time there. And I had popped in there weeks before and the lobby is nice, so I mistakenly thought the rooms would be too. Should have checked that at the time. You can't go by their website either. </font>

I had the same experience, though I managed to tough it out for the weekend. I simply won't use PL in Boston. Too risky.

I've only had one bad experience with a PL room, at the Tarrytown Hilton, where I got stuck with a handicapped room with a full bed, after being told the hotel was full (which appeared to be true due to a bar-mitzvah).
Most of the time it's not been a problem. My success in getting points varies with the chain and how busy the front desk is. I stayed at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, and while I didn't get Gold Passport points, I got a beautiful corner room and 500 Sky Miles.

VIP treatment often reserved for those willing to pay more
http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-insider26oct26,1,3019202.column?coll=la-travel-headlines

In the article, hotels say they give worse rooms to people who do not book through their web site. Priceline is not mentioned specifically. I suspect hotels that do discriminate don't really care whether you have used Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline, Hotwire, or whatever.

The article mentions someone who got a good deal on a 5* hotel, and then found he would be sleeping on a Murphy bed. This is an example of hotel unfairness. If the hotel is going to give substandard rooms for the cheap price, the hotel should specify that it is doing this. Otherwise, I would rather have a 2* with a comfortable bed.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by murrayhill:
I've only had one bad experience with a PL room, at the Tarrytown Hilton, where I got stuck with a handicapped room with a full bed, after being told the hotel was full (which appeared to be true due to a bar-mitzvah).
Most of the time it's not been a problem. My success in getting points varies with the chain and how busy the front desk is. I stayed at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, and while I didn't get Gold Passport points, I got a beautiful corner room and 500 Sky Miles.</font>

Are you saying that you received SkyMiles points on a priceline stay. I thought the hotel didn't have to give you points on priceline stays. Do you think this is something they did because you have Gold Passport status?

Have others had success with getting award points on PL stays?

As long as you have any incidental charge you do get Hyatt points, and you can get the gp1000, gp1500, or gp2000 bonus points if the hotel is offering that. You also get Faster Free Night credit as long as you charge incidentals to a Mastercard.