Hilton HHonors - Hilton cancels my res., what should I expect?

I received an e-mail yesterday from diamond special services stating that my reservation at HGI in Athens, GA was cancelled due to a "technical system error." The e-mail stated that "the hotel had declared this as an Extraordinary Demand Date prior to you making the reservation but due to this system error the reservation was allowed." The res. was made on the web in Feb. under the rate description 48 PREF GOLD DIAMOND. The rate is $199.00. The date of the stay is October 7, 2006 when UGA plays Tennessee. I have no doubt that this will be the highest demand day of the year in Athens. I never requested a Diamond force for the res., I made the res. online. They have reserved a room at at Jameson Inn in Commerce, GA 21 miles away which is the closest they could find, which I believe but it really does me no good as I live 45 miles from Athens and will just drive home if I have no hotel room. I should note there is a Hampton Inn in Commerce as well as Athens.
They are asking if this acceptable. Obviously it is not, so what should I expect? I would really like to know what rates they have booked if they are doing this on a $199 rate. Normal rates are $106 to $140.

I would just reply that it is not acceptable and that you made the reservation in good faith.
I would point out that it was not a "Diamond Force".
I would ask that they walk a non-HH Diamond member and leave your reservation in place.
It would be very interesting to see how they reply.

If you have a email or letter copy of a confirmed valid reservation with a confirmation number they should honor it and a call to Hilton Guest Services should get you in. You should NOT be responsible for their "mistakes". If you dont have the copy of the confirmation and number you are probably SOL.

MisterNice

Does this bother everyone else as much as it bothers me? It looks like the OP has been singled out for cancellation because of Diamond status, when it should be just the opposite. I've had DL do this to me as well when equipment changes. Since they have your contact information, they try and walk you first.

Refuse their kind offer to screw you over! We all need to fight this if it happens to us.

At the same time, I think using some common sense is always a good thing. While you were able to make the reservation online, did you not question that it would be a really high demand, and think that perhaps either the rate was low for the demand, or that it was odd you could make a reservation? Having looked at booking Saturday night stays on football weekends at Penn State, all hotels in the area require a 2 night stay, and Hilton properties have the weekends blocked as Extraordinary Demand Dates, eliminating the possibility of a diamond force. I'd be curious to know if there are others who made similar reservations who are also finding that their reservations are cancelled.

Out of curiousity, why should a third party (read another guest, who probably made the reservation following hotel procedures, typically, at weekends like that, a separate paper reservation form, with deposits required) be punished for the hotel's mistake, in order to keep the OP happy? The hotel would probably make far more on the third party guest, since as I'm assuming it's similar to how the PSU ones are, they have the room for 2 nights, and have to deal with the hotel directly, not via the website and complete a contract, with a one night deposit required. If they walk a third party, in favor of the OP, they now have to fill the Friday night room, or walk the person for 1 night.

My suggestion to the OP is to ask for some points as compensation, and drive home after the game, leaving the hotel room for those who live at more of a distance than you do. Consider it being nice, allowing the hotel to make a profit, while apologizing in some way, by giving you some points.

Does this bother everyone else as much as it bothers me? It looks like the OP has been singled out for cancellation because of Diamond status, when it should be just the opposite. I've had DL do this to me as well when equipment changes. Since they have your contact information, they try and walk you first.

Refuse their kind offer to screw you over! We all need to fight this if it happens to us.

I agree with this. The OP should have been the last person they tried to walk. I am unable to understand how the Diamond Special Services people would have accepted the job of trying to "IDB" a Diamond member. I would have thought that they would have come to the defense of the OP and told the hotel to find another victim. :rolleyes:
It is very strange that it came from the Diamond Desk.

Bad situation, but about 40k points should make it better.

I agree with this. The OP should have been the last person they tried to walk. I am unable to understand how the Diamond Special Services people would have accepted the job of trying to "IDB" a Diamond member. I would have thought that they would have come to the defense of the OP and told the hotel to find another victim. :rolleyes:
It is very strange that it came from the Diamond Desk.
Not if the OP isn't hte only one who made a reservation online, as opposed to going through the hotel, and following their extraordinary demand date procedure.

Interesting some of the reactions here to something that occurs more often than some here appeaer to realise ( not that I am condoning the practice)

Last December I had a reservation at the Western Cape Sheraton in South Africa and fully two months after the booking was made the hotel e-mailed me to say that it had been cancelled since the hotel was going to full for a Charity event. The hotel offered to re-book me at the Arabella in Cape Town ( a hotel I was actually moving from to make my stay at the Western Cape) but a good 2 hours drive from the location of my original booking)
They did not mention or even slightly suggest that the alternate stay would be gratis or even disounted. I declined the offer anyway and made other arrangements.
No other offer of amenities or points were made or posted to my SPG account and I made no request for such.
Note I am Platinum in the SPG program.

It seems that when an Extraordinary Demand is declared at a property there is little the Diamond desk can do.
In many cases the booking at the property is taken over by a non-Hilton entity and all booking which are usaully package deal need to be made through them.

I can understand the OP's annoyance and the continuing problems we seem to have with ( and mean ALL) hotel booking sites, but at least it occured relatively close to home. I consider a one or two free night cert more than adequate compensation.

mike

I received an e-mail yesterday from diamond special services stating that my reservation at HGI in Athens, GA was cancelled due to a "technical system error." The e-mail stated that "the hotel had declared this as an Extraordinary Demand Date prior to you making the reservation but due to this system error the reservation was allowed." The res. was made on the web in Feb. under the rate description 48 PREF GOLD DIAMOND. The rate is $199.00. The date of the stay is October 7, 2006 when UGA plays Tennessee. I have no doubt that this will be the highest demand day of the year in Athens. I never requested a Diamond force for the res., I made the res. online. They have reserved a room at at Jameson Inn in Commerce, GA 21 miles away which is the closest they could find, which I believe but it really does me no good as I live 45 miles from Athens and will just drive home if I have no hotel room. I should note there is a Hampton Inn in Commerce as well as Athens.
They are asking if this acceptable. Obviously it is not, so what should I expect? I would really like to know what rates they have booked if they are doing this on a $199 rate. Normal rates are $106 to $140.


I believe the "48 PREF GOLD DIAMOND" is a Diamond force rate.

I believe the "48 PREF GOLD DIAMOND" is a Diamond force rate.


I believe that you are correct.

Whatever the rate, we have a situation where a room was offered and the offer accepted. The only squiggle here is if the OP was not a Diamond and not therefore eligible to book the rate.

If Hilton will not accept the deal then I believe that they should find comparable (or better) accommodation.

I believe the "48 PREF GOLD DIAMOND" is a Diamond force rate.

I just figured out what the PREF GOLD part means. Info in this thread.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=366979

My suggestion to the OP is to ask for some points as compensation, and drive home after the game, leaving the hotel room for those who live at more of a distance than you do. Consider it being nice, allowing the hotel to make a profit, while apologizing in some way, by giving you some points.

This is what I will do. I will reply back when Hilton responds. Thank you for all your replies.

I would think it'd be difficult to claim rate error on this one.

$199 isn't $1.99.

I would think it'd be difficult to claim rate error on this one.

$199 isn't $1.99.

The error is that a room was available at all, the website should have shown no rooms available.