UPDATE: WSJ says policy will change from excessive $$ penalty for no show
Jul 28, 2009, 12:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA - EXP, AAirpass, SPG - PLT, DL - GM
Posts: 138
UPDATE: WSJ says policy will change from excessive $$ penalty for no show
Situation is I booked a free weekend night at a NYC hotel for my mom under my name so she could have a true NYC tourist experience. After dinner decided just to have her crash at my place rather than check her in. She actually asked me if it would be a problem and I said 'nah...I booked with a free award so I'm sure it's not a big deal'
I think you can imagine where this one's going....checked my credit card statement today and was surprised to see a $350 dollar charge for the hotel. Made a couple of quick calls and no dice on getting it waived / reduced....
Painful oversight
I think you can imagine where this one's going....checked my credit card statement today and was surprised to see a $350 dollar charge for the hotel. Made a couple of quick calls and no dice on getting it waived / reduced....
Painful oversight
Jul 28, 2009, 12:51 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,080
You didn't call to cancel? 
Did you read the terms and conditions when making your reservation? Ouch. This has to hurt.
Did you read the terms and conditions when making your reservation? Ouch. This has to hurt.
Jul 28, 2009, 12:54 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA - EXP, AAirpass, SPG - PLT, DL - GM
Posts: 138
This is funny...for how wound up I was, it was actually a bit therapeutic to write on FlyerTalk
Jul 28, 2009, 12:58 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: UA 1K, SPG Plat
Posts: 384
Yea, luckily for me, when I booked the St. Regis San Francisco, the CSR was really explicit in telling me that should I cancel inside the 24hr window or not show up, the hotel would charge me $650 even though it was a free award night. I found it strange, but I guess its to deter people from hedging multiple reservations.
Jul 28, 2009, 1:20 pm
#5
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,746
Ouch. How painful. I've never understood why it is Starwood practice to charge the room rate instead of just keeping the award - but it's clearly spelled out and it is what it is. 
I know my rump would be black and blue from me kicking myself. There's just nothing good to say, is there? other than it being a good admonitory tale for the rest of us.
I know my rump would be black and blue from me kicking myself. There's just nothing good to say, is there? other than it being a good admonitory tale for the rest of us.
Jul 28, 2009, 1:24 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Point Place, Wisconsin
Programs: LH HON, BA Gold, EK Gold
Posts: 14,505
Ouch !
Jul 28, 2009, 1:28 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LAX
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Posts: 17,392
I know this is probably insult to injury, but I also presume you weren't able to collect points for this?
Jul 28, 2009, 1:39 pm
#8
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,116
I just don't understand why Starwood has to be so punitive about this.
When you make a reservation, you are going to pay in a currency -- either money or points. If money, and you fail to cancel by the deadline and you don't show up, you lose the money. If points (or other free night award), why not just lose the points or the free night? It's still painful. You're still losing the currency that you were offering up for the stay. It's not costing the hotel any more because you didn't show up. In fact, it's arguably a savings to the hotel.
I recall there being some discussion in the past around the idea that the hotel doesn't get reimbursed for the free night unless the guest actually shows up -- and that being a justification for this policy. If true, that's a short-sighted policy that could quickly be changed and the a mechanism similar to that used to bill a no-show to the credit card company could be used to bill SPG for the reimbursement.
I just don't get why treating frequent customers so harshly is necessary in this situation.
When you make a reservation, you are going to pay in a currency -- either money or points. If money, and you fail to cancel by the deadline and you don't show up, you lose the money. If points (or other free night award), why not just lose the points or the free night? It's still painful. You're still losing the currency that you were offering up for the stay. It's not costing the hotel any more because you didn't show up. In fact, it's arguably a savings to the hotel.
I recall there being some discussion in the past around the idea that the hotel doesn't get reimbursed for the free night unless the guest actually shows up -- and that being a justification for this policy. If true, that's a short-sighted policy that could quickly be changed and the a mechanism similar to that used to bill a no-show to the credit card company could be used to bill SPG for the reimbursement.
I just don't get why treating frequent customers so harshly is necessary in this situation.
Jul 28, 2009, 1:55 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,455
I just don't understand why Starwood has to be so punitive about this.
When you make a reservation, you are going to pay in a currency -- either money or points. If money, and you fail to cancel by the deadline and you don't show up, you lose the money. If points (or other free night award), why not just lose the points or the free night? It's still painful. You're still losing the currency that you were offering up for the stay. It's not costing the hotel any more because you didn't show up. In fact, it's arguably a savings to the hotel.
I recall there being some discussion in the past around the idea that the hotel doesn't get reimbursed for the free night unless the guest actually shows up -- and that being a justification for this policy. If true, that's a short-sighted policy that could quickly be changed and the a mechanism similar to that used to bill a no-show to the credit card company could be used to bill SPG for the reimbursement.
I just don't get why treating frequent customers so harshly is necessary in this situation.
When you make a reservation, you are going to pay in a currency -- either money or points. If money, and you fail to cancel by the deadline and you don't show up, you lose the money. If points (or other free night award), why not just lose the points or the free night? It's still painful. You're still losing the currency that you were offering up for the stay. It's not costing the hotel any more because you didn't show up. In fact, it's arguably a savings to the hotel.
I recall there being some discussion in the past around the idea that the hotel doesn't get reimbursed for the free night unless the guest actually shows up -- and that being a justification for this policy. If true, that's a short-sighted policy that could quickly be changed and the a mechanism similar to that used to bill a no-show to the credit card company could be used to bill SPG for the reimbursement.
I just don't get why treating frequent customers so harshly is necessary in this situation.
Jul 28, 2009, 1:57 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2002
Programs: UA 1MM, JAL JGC Diamond, SPG Lifetime PLT, AMEX PLT
Posts: 1,231
The rule is the rule, but I do not like this particular rule at all.
I always be careful about free night/SPG point award reservations because of this rule.
The hotel gains much more if the customer does not show up.
I guess its revenue from SPG is much less than $350.
I hope SPG would change the rule and take our points or free night award away and SPG just pays to the hotel whatever their contract price is.
I have no idea
why the hotel takes only cash payment.
I am not sure everyone's case, but does anyone successfully waive the cash payment and change to point deductions?????
.I always be careful about free night/SPG point award reservations because of this rule.
The hotel gains much more if the customer does not show up.
I guess its revenue from SPG is much less than $350.
I hope SPG would change the rule and take our points or free night award away and SPG just pays to the hotel whatever their contract price is.
I have no idea
why the hotel takes only cash payment.I am not sure everyone's case, but does anyone successfully waive the cash payment and change to point deductions?????
Jul 28, 2009, 2:00 pm
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
I just don't understand why Starwood has to be so punitive about this.
When you make a reservation, you are going to pay in a currency -- either money or points. If money, and you fail to cancel by the deadline and you don't show up, you lose the money. If points (or other free night award), why not just lose the points or the free night? It's still painful. You're still losing the currency that you were offering up for the stay. It's not costing the hotel any more because you didn't show up. In fact, it's arguably a savings to the hotel.
I recall there being some discussion in the past around the idea that the hotel doesn't get reimbursed for the free night unless the guest actually shows up -- and that being a justification for this policy. If true, that's a short-sighted policy that could quickly be changed and the a mechanism similar to that used to bill a no-show to the credit card company could be used to bill SPG for the reimbursement.
I just don't get why treating frequent customers so harshly is necessary in this situation.
When you make a reservation, you are going to pay in a currency -- either money or points. If money, and you fail to cancel by the deadline and you don't show up, you lose the money. If points (or other free night award), why not just lose the points or the free night? It's still painful. You're still losing the currency that you were offering up for the stay. It's not costing the hotel any more because you didn't show up. In fact, it's arguably a savings to the hotel.
I recall there being some discussion in the past around the idea that the hotel doesn't get reimbursed for the free night unless the guest actually shows up -- and that being a justification for this policy. If true, that's a short-sighted policy that could quickly be changed and the a mechanism similar to that used to bill a no-show to the credit card company could be used to bill SPG for the reimbursement.
I just don't get why treating frequent customers so harshly is necessary in this situation.
Yester year it made sense when we had to present a paper cert to the Hotel, then w/o the cert the Hotel wasnt paid.
But I hear you especially today when everything electronic and we dont have to present anything at check-in but ourselves
It would be nice if all we lost was the pts or cert. But I wouldnt expect anything to change
In the OPs case the hotel made out like a bandit and much better then if he had actually checked in
Jul 28, 2009, 2:13 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K MM, SPG Plat
Posts: 94
Even worse is the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort that has a $675 fee and no cancellation one week before the check-in date. If you take an award there, you'd better be sure you can make it.
I agree with others here that this policy is unnecessarily punitive to the guest and that a no-show is a windfall for the property.
I agree with others here that this policy is unnecessarily punitive to the guest and that a no-show is a windfall for the property.
Jul 28, 2009, 2:14 pm
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Potomac Falls, VA
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Posts: 41,109
there isn't any incentive for SPG to change.. they have the members over a barrell and they do it b/c they can.. plain and simple
Jul 28, 2009, 2:29 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: United 1k, American Executive Platinum, Hyatt - Diamond Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 197
You should have checked in b4 dinner to get the room squared away. Ppl aren't thinking straight after dinner and drinks. That sux about your situation.
Jul 28, 2009, 2:37 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: From: PWM
Programs: United GS, Fairmont Platinum,SPG LTPlat, Hilton Diamond, MarriottGold..like the rest of the world
Posts: 4,401
I feel for the OP ...
The policy isn't totally without reason. There are a limited number of rooms available for award reservations, and the punitive policy discourages booking rooms that one is not going to use. I agree it feels punitive, and it's definitely a bit annoying, but I also appreciate that Starwood has a policy that tends towards making sure people who want award rooms get them.
I think this would be a policy worth revisiting for *wood corporate.
Perhaps there's something I'm missing here -- is there another side to this? I'm open to a reasonable explanation ......