New April 1, 2011 DD cancellation policy?
 

I screwed up and double booked myself in two hotels that both seem to have three day cancellation policies. (I knew one had a three day rule but not both). I called the DD for assistance and was told that as of April 1 they are no longer allowed to call hotels on a guest's behalf in this kind of situation. I can understand a hotel wanting to enforce the terms that I seem to have agreed to. I can't understand the DD not being allowed to call on my behalf. Has any:confused:ne else heard of this new policy?

I was able to call the hotel directly, by the way, and they were happy to cancel my extra reservation.

A while back I was told by DD that they are not allowed to call hotels overseas on behalf of guests (forgot what was the issue and which hotel). I thought that was odd as I had that service prior that DD called the hotel while I was on hold.

It is bad the DD has less and less options to help Diamonds.

The only thing I find unusual is that the OP was told that this was a new policy effective April 1. As far as I can tell the DD has been unable to intercede in matters of reservations for well over 12 years ( my first experience with this occured in 1998???)

On the few ocasions that I have double-booked or tried to cancel past the reservation cancel date I have had a successful outcome by contacting the property directly.

If one thinks about it this is the very same reason for the procedure involved in making a Daomond Special Request ....so the question of "less and less options" in this particular case IMHO is a misconception of the powers of the DD;)

Strange policy? I spoke with the European HHonors service last Saturday about a reservation for today, Monday. The reservation was made by the US diamond service. The European HHonors service canceled/called the hotel without any issue

Why not just cancel via hhonors website or call the hotel directly yourself? I've double booked myself at least twice in since September (once at the same property) and canceled online with no problems. When the blizzard shut down the midwest I canceled one reservation online and called one hotel just before check-in time and rescheduled with no problem (granted my rate was cancel by 6PM day of check-in).

If you are three days out why not just do it yourself????

I think you have missed the OP's point that point of his reservations where after their cancellation time as both apparently have 3 day cancellation policies. If it were before the cancellation time, then yes, it can easily be done via the website.

If I'm past the deadline, I've never had the DD call the hotel for me. I always call the hotel and I've been able to cancel every time I've asked as I'm a diamond. I know this is NOT a published benefit so I got away with it, so I was lucky.

I had to call about something else, realized I was double booked, and asked if they could help. I was most surprised by the fact that I was told that not only would they would not do so, but that they were specifically enjoined from d:eek:ing so.

I'd call later like when the night shift guy is working. They are typically more laid back.