Hilton HHonors - Hampton not honoring Confirmation

Hi,

I booked my reservation at Hampton Inn in Davenport, Florida about 4 months back for 8 nights. Each night was costing at that time 7500 points.

Recently Due to Hurricane Charlie, the hotel is closed down. So the hotel guys called me and said that they will cancel my reservation. They said that reservation is available at nearby Hampton Hotels but that require now 20000 points per night.

I talked to their supervisor and also at corporate office but they are not ready to help me transfering this reservation at 7500 points .

I said that it is not my fault or your fault that hotel is closed down but you need to accomodate me at some other place for the same number of points but they are not willing to help.

What shall I do ?.

Thanks for all your help.

I think it would be nice if someone would accomodate you at 7500 points a night but I don't see where they have an obligation to do so.

If you ordered a Kia and they stopped making them, would you expect the dealer to sell you a Cadillac for the same price? Of course you wouldn't.

Would you expect this if you were a paying customer? If I had a reservation at a Hampton Inn at $79/night and the Hampton burned to the ground, I wouldn't expect to be put up in a $200/night room at the Conrad and pay only $79. How is this fair?

I suggest you look for another Opportunity level property as close by as possible. The only alternatives would be the level 2 properties they offered or keeping your points and paying for a room somewhere.

I think arguably you had made a contract with the hotel for that stay. They certainly would be charging you if you failed to show up (assuming that the disaster hadn't occured). However, their ability to perform was affected by "an act of God" or in other words "force majeur." They MAY be able to cancel the contract because of such an act. You may want to call hhonors, politely explain your situation, and ask if they can treat you as a "walk," and make identical arrangments at a nearby location. It may help if you are diamond or gold.

If you receive no satisfactory result from the hotel or hhonors; I suppose you could make alternative arrangements for a different hotel, and later bring an action in small claims court for the difference in cost between your original reservation and what you actually had to pay. That may prove to be an exercise in futility or more hassle than its worth.

I guess you can look on the bright side and be thankful you weren't in the hotel when the hurricane hit.

I received a similar message from the same hotel, but they did not cancel my reservations (Gold), merely asked that I try elsewhere. I'll find out later if I can stay there. I don't think the hotel is closed since the manager said emergency crews are staying there.

I think it would be nice if someone would accomodate you at 7500 points a night but I don't see where they have an obligation to do so.

If you ordered a Kia and they stopped making them, would you expect the dealer to sell you a Cadillac for the same price? Of course you wouldn't.

Would you expect this if you were a paying customer? If I had a reservation at a Hampton Inn at $79/night and the Hampton burned to the ground, I wouldn't expect to be put up in a $200/night room at the Conrad and pay only $79. How is this fair?

I suggest you look for another Opportunity level property as close by as possible. The only alternatives would be the level 2 properties they offered or keeping your points and paying for a room somewhere.

I don't think this is a good analogy here. He's not asking for a Conrad at a Hampton price or a Cadillac at a Kia price. He's asking Hampton Inn for Hampton Inn. Come on, they're not that different.
I think that they should honor your reservation at a nearby Hampton Inn. I'd continue to push for that.

See my earlier post--

When we arrived to check in, the front desk woman advised that the water supply in the rooms was not guaranteed. Because of my Gold status, they booked us at another Hampton Inn at the same rate. The woman was very nice about the whole thing--o.k. by me.

I don't think this is a good analogy here. He's not asking for a Conrad at a Hampton price or a Cadillac at a Kia price. He's asking Hampton Inn for Hampton Inn. Come on, they're not that different.
I think that they should honor your reservation at a nearby Hampton Inn. I'd continue to push for that.

OK, I exaggerated. However, all HIs are not the same. If they were, we'd have a lot fewer posts on this forum.

It may be easier to accomplish a replacement at 7500 points if the owner has multiple properties. The OP should ask the GM.

I still contend that there is no obligation on the part of Hilton to honor the original price for a different hotel. Good public relations move to do so, however.

I don't think they are breaking a contract, as they said they were closed. If they overbooked you, they'd be obligated to honor your reservation and walk you somewhere else. If they are open for business and refused your reservation you could probably sue them. But since they were involved in a disaster and still managed to call you and suggest other arrangements, it sounds like they fulfilled their obligation.

I'd chalk this one up to bad luck and find somewhere else to stay.

If this was a normal situtation then I would say yes, you should get it. But we are talking a hurricane here, the place is shut down, they can't guarantee water, they have rescue workers all over the place, etc.

I would have to believe that the absolute last thing they care about right now is somebody who wants a free room, and I'm not really sure I blame them.

Just a thought. Did you get your reservation rebooked at another Florida HI? I hope this one isn't in the path of Frances.

Good luck to all of you Floridians.