PHL
Feb 28, 08, 8:56 am
I'm looking for 1 night - 3/3. On the hotel 'offers' listing for the Sheraton Gateway Suites at O'Hare, there is a AAA one that plainly states:
AAA members receive even more benefits when staying at Sheraton! Stay with us on the below dates and receive a percentage off your stay.
January – March 31: 15%-20% off
April 1 – October 31: 15% off
November 1 – December 31: 20% off
So I click the "book now" button and it lets me punch in my date choice. Back comes a AAA rate (that's supposed to be already discounted) of $349.
A bit high for an airport hotel, I thought. Maybe they're nearing 100% occupancy. I noticed that this promo inserted SET #298940, too. It didn't just select the AAA rate plan from the pull down. So I cleared the SET# and chose just the AAA from the pull down. Same rate. $349.
So I cleared all rate/discount fields to see what the standard rate would be... $169. This is a normal rate that allows cancellation until 24 hours prior.
How is it that the AAA rate is higher than the standard rate. And almost double!?
How many people get suckered into clicking the 'book now' button on promos like this and just accept the rate without checking the standard, non promo rates?
Another case in point - I was looking to book the Sheraton Madison, which is in the double points promo. That rate was almost $50 more than the standard rate(s). Someone wanting double points would probably book this without seeing what the standard/non promo rate is. Is $50/night worth the double points? What is that - 100 points/night?
The "best available rate" guarantee is convoluted, at best.
AAA members receive even more benefits when staying at Sheraton! Stay with us on the below dates and receive a percentage off your stay.
January – March 31: 15%-20% off
April 1 – October 31: 15% off
November 1 – December 31: 20% off
So I click the "book now" button and it lets me punch in my date choice. Back comes a AAA rate (that's supposed to be already discounted) of $349.
A bit high for an airport hotel, I thought. Maybe they're nearing 100% occupancy. I noticed that this promo inserted SET #298940, too. It didn't just select the AAA rate plan from the pull down. So I cleared the SET# and chose just the AAA from the pull down. Same rate. $349.
So I cleared all rate/discount fields to see what the standard rate would be... $169. This is a normal rate that allows cancellation until 24 hours prior.
How is it that the AAA rate is higher than the standard rate. And almost double!?
How many people get suckered into clicking the 'book now' button on promos like this and just accept the rate without checking the standard, non promo rates?
Another case in point - I was looking to book the Sheraton Madison, which is in the double points promo. That rate was almost $50 more than the standard rate(s). Someone wanting double points would probably book this without seeing what the standard/non promo rate is. Is $50/night worth the double points? What is that - 100 points/night?
The "best available rate" guarantee is convoluted, at best.