Hilton HHonors - Is a "reward stay" different then a "reservation" ? Hattiesburg MS Hampton does!

I recently was moving from Texas to the Northeast and wasnt sure how far I would make it in my moving van I was traveling in...It was a Friday evening and I was near New Orleans and called up the Hilton Diamond desk to make a reservation for the night...

I had some points in my account and they told me I could use them at the Hattisburg MS location about 75 miles away...It was a little out of the way but I decided I could go this route...HHonors booked me a reward stay for that Friday night...A few hours later I made my way to the Hampton there...

I parked my moving van in the back and made my way to the front desk and told the girl I have a reservation for the evening...She then told me she didnt understand how I have a reservation because they were completely booked up...

So I asked her if she saw my reservation which she replied yes she saw it...But then said Hilton should have never made me a reservation that evening because again they were sold out...

I didnt really understand because a few hours earlier HHonors said they had two room choices (Double Non-smoking and King -Smoking)...I chose the double non smoking...

So the front desk girl is telling me its Hilton's fault for giving me a reservation when they didnt have any rooms...So I asked her if she would call HHonors and see what was going on...She then said it was something "I had to do on my own" Keep in mind there was no one waiting at the front desk although the lobby looked like it had some kind of party going on...

So then I tell her I have a guaranteed reservation and that I thought Hilton then tries to book you at another hotel...So then I dont believe what I hear...

She tells me A reward reservation is different then a regular one you pay for...And being a long time HHonors member I had never heard anything like that...

I noticed on my way in that there is a Hilton Garden Inn across the street...So I asked her if she could call over there to see if they had any room and she then told me they are not affiliated with that hotel...So I then said I am not asking you to book me a room over there...Just to please call over there to see if they have room...and the lady clerk would not even make the call...

So I walk out of the lobby...and I decide before I call HHonors that I will walk over to the HGI to see if they do have any room...I have a moving van thats difficult to move...So I decided to walk over through the field..And of course as I do I realize it had just rained there and its basically a swamp! And I end up sinking in what felt like quicksand and mud went all over my brand new white shoes and up my pants leg! I am not blaming the hotel for it...But If they would have helped me I would have not had to walk over there

So anyway the HGI is sold out and I walked back to the Hampton and sat in the moving van while I called the Diamond desk to tell them what just happened....After waiting around for supervisor....They finally called the Hampton and said to go back to the front desk and after two hours of all this... they would give me a room...

So I appear at the front desk again...and the clerk seems upset that I called Hilton up...She told me that she was giving me "someone elses" room and was trying to make me feel bad by saying some family might be out of a room for the night...

Of course they dont have a non-smoking room...At this point I dont care what room I get...I mean its now nearly 11 PM and I have been driving all day..So she puts me in a King smoking...

At this hotel they have a new wing with indoor rooms...and what looks like an old wing with outdoor rooms! I didnt even know Hampton had anymore Hotels with that old outdoor exterior but like I said at this point I didnt care...So I lug my suitcase up the stairs and Im walking down and the rooms are like the old Holiday Inn style where its glass and open curtains...I passed room after room and I could tell by looking in there (they had a light on in there sorry motel 6 lovers) that the rooms had never been stayed in...They were empty with nothing in them and the beds were perfectly made...And I thought well maybe some of the people havent showed up for their reservations yet even know it was 11 pm or so...But I passed room after room like this...7 to 10 rooms looked empty...I just feel like this clerk didnt want to honor my reservation even though she had rooms available just like it showed on Hiltons website...

When I finally get into my room...It had the new Hampton bed but the room was very out dated and the AC didnt work very well and I didnt have a good sleep at all! When I woke up...I could see sun shining through the crack of the hotel door...the door didnt even close all the way! I could not believe they charge 119.00 dollars for this room...Even though mine was a reward stay...

Everything I went through with the clerk and walking to the other hotel..and having to call them myself was just terrible and I just dont feel as a Diamond member I should have been treated that way...

Does anyone know if Hattisburg MS is the last remaining Hampton with Exterior doorways? And should I make a formal complaint about this or since it was free just except it as what it is?

Does anyone know if Hattisburg MS is the last remaining Hampton with Exterior doorways?Although they are few and far between, there are other Hampton Inn properties with exterior room entrances.And should I make a formal complaint about this or since it was free just except it as what it is?There is a common misconception that just because you used points for your stay means that it was free.

It is not free. You earned those points by staying at Hilton HHonors properties which at times you probably paid more than for what you might have paid at nearby lodging choices if you were not a Hilton HHonors member.

If you were not a Hilton HHonors member, would you have paid $119.00 for this room, or would you have found a less-expensive alternative nearby? I am familiar with Hattiesburg and know there are other lodging options nearby.

You paid for this room, albeit with points. I personally would make a formal complaint, but be sure you are civil and back your complaint up with provable facts.

It seems like you have checked out already but this sounds like a good time to invoke the 100% Hampton Guarantee and I would have made sure to speak to the manager in the morning before checking out.
http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/promotions/satisfaction_guarantee/index.jhtml

Even on points, you should be able to invoke the guarantee although I am not sure how HHonors interprets that option. As Canarsie says, points stays are not free.

I didn't read it but maybe this thread will help http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/465783-100-hampton-inn-satisfaction-guarantee-definitive-thread.html?highlight=100%25+guarantee+award

So was the parking lot full the next morning? Oh and I concur, I would write HHonors and tell them you were not satisfied with your stay.

Reward stays are reimbursed by a token amount (usually in the low double-digit dollars) to the property so, while it is not free, it is not a money maker for the property. Nonetheless, it is a valid reservation and it does not excuse the front desk clerk's behavior.

Now, the part about slogging over to the HGI was a situation of your own making and was not the Hampton's or Hilton's fault. If you have a cell phone, you could have called the HGI yourself - or called the diamond desk to inquire as to the property's availability.

Does anyone know if Hattisburg MS is the last remaining Hampton with Exterior doorways? And should I make a formal complaint about this or since it was free just except it as what it is?

I can assure you it isn't the last remaining Hampton Inn with exterior entrances. I'm currently in a Hampton Inn in Hickory, NC with an exterior door.

Reward stays are reimbursed by a token amount (usually in the low double-digit dollars) to the property so, while it is not free, it is not a money maker for the property. Nonetheless, it is a valid reservation and it does not excuse the front desk clerk's behavior.

Now, the part about slogging over to the HGI was a situation of your own making and was not the Hampton's or Hilton's fault. If you have a cell phone, you could have called the HGI yourself - or called the diamond desk to inquire as to the property's availability.

If they were as sold out as the clerk claimed to be, the property would have automatically gotten a higher (like 90% of rack, I believe) reimbursement for your reward stay.

Their other option, since you had reserved the room, was to do their own %#$@% legwork, find a vacant hotel that was comparable or better, and pay for your stay and transportation there.

A lot of FT'ers throw around the "If you had read the rules, you should have known..." line. In this case, that applies to this Hattiesburg property.

I can assure you it isn't the last remaining Hampton Inn with exterior entrances. I'm currently in a Hampton Inn in Hickory, NC with an exterior door.
That's just how we are in Hickory :) Not exactly alot of competition hotel-wise in the town...

So was the parking lot full the next morning? Oh and I concur, I would write HHonors and tell them you were not satisfied with your stay.

Yes the parking lot looked pretty full at night and in the morning...but walking to my room...I kept seeing what looked like empty rooms with the light on that didnt look like anyone had been in that day...beds perfectly made and no belonings in the room...I think they had room just like HHonors said...But they just didnt want to give it to me because it was a reward stay

I can assure you it isn't the last remaining Hampton Inn with exterior entrances. I'm currently in a Hampton Inn in Hickory, NC with an exterior door.

I just didnt know there were any Hampton's with exterior corridors left...I used to stay at a Hampton in Wilmington NC that did...But when I tired to book a room there I noticed it wasnt a Hampton anymore...I guess there still are some left in the Hampton chain

I just didnt know there were any Hampton's with exterior corridors left...I used to stay at a Hampton in Wilmington NC that did...But when I tired to book a room there I noticed it wasnt a Hampton anymore...I guess there still are some left in the Hampton chain

There is one along I-75 and SR50 in Florida.

...I think they had room just like HHonors said...But they just didnt want to give it to me because it was a reward stay

:confused:

That doesn't make any sense at all. They DO get reimbursement (even though it's usually small) for reward stays. If they had rooms available, they should have just given you one with no argument.

Absolutely agree!

I'd certainly pursue a complaint and getting my points back.

I am assuming the OP is about the Hampton Inn at 4301 Hardy Street in Hattiesburg, MS 39401... ;)

:confused:

That doesn't make any sense at all. They DO get reimbursement (even though it's usually small) for reward stays. If they had rooms available, they should have just given you one with no argument.

Not 3 hours ago I booked a Hampton award stay for a small town in Stephenville Texas. The print out says 'Reservaton Confirmation' as big as brass. Now you have me worried. I'll telephone out there before I depend on that reservation.

Not 3 hours ago I booked a Hampton award stay for a small town in Stephenville Texas. The print out says 'Reservaton Confirmation' as big as brass. Now you have me worried. I'll telephone out there before I depend on that reservation.

:confused:

I don't see the necessity of that. The OP made the award booking last-minute, by phone. NO printed confirmation, if I understand correctly. Plus, the desk clerk at Hattiesburg was an idiot and/or exceedingly ill-trained.

You have a printed confirmation.

Or, are you perhaps suggesting that hotel desk clerks in small towns tend to be incompetent? ;)

I called and made a formal complaint... HHonors gave me the choice of getting my 10,000 points back or a free certificate for any US Hampton...So I excepted the latter and the manager of the Hattisburg, MS Hampton called me personally to apologize which was nice...The one thing he said that I didnt understand was when I asked if the old exterior corridor section was cheaper then the newer interior corridor section...And the manager says both sections are the same price but several people have complained that the older rooms are not as nice as the newer ones and should be cheaper...

He then said he has mentioned it many times to the owners over the past few years to no avail...

I guess the owners dont listen to their customers...because 119.00 a night for a weekend rate in the old out door section is silly...I was on a reward stay and didnt think it was worth 10,000 points!

Anyway thank you to all the Flyertalk members for the advice!

I am not sure if this is what happened to you, but here is how hotel reservations systems used to work many years ago...

Corporate could dump reservations (download) into a property over the VSAT system pretty much any time they wanted to as long as a property was showing available rooms. Properties didn't report walk up reservations (upload) to corporate but 2-3x per day.

What this meant was that if the property experienced several walk ups in a short period of time then they could essentially sell out without corporate knowing. This often happened at airport properties when a grounded plane would take 50+ walk up rooms instantly.

On the other side it makes for a neat "trick" to get you out of tough situation when you can't find a room (i.e. grounded plane).