Originally Posted by
Ancien Maestro
I was just offered this option to upgrade to a better suite for the difference in retail rates at the Pacific Rim for our stay in November. Sounds like Fairmont is offering this option at multiple hotels. It would be interesting to note if this option is now corporate wide and at all Fairmonts.
I don't think this is a Fairmont corporate policy, although I would love it if it were. I called a couple of agents 2 nights ago to try to do exactly this at Banff (trying to pay the difference to get the Terrace suite) and LL (trying to get the Lakeview one-bedroom), and it was a no-go at either. Could only get 1-bedroom at Banff and Jr. Suite Lakeview at CLL (which are still great rooms, so I can't complain too much).
All they could suggest was that I try to make a deal directly with the hotel (which I had already tried), but will see what happens on check-in.
Last year, I was able to take advantage of a nice e-standby upgrade at CLL to take me into the 1-bedroom lakeview suite at check-in. Unfortunately, and a supervisor at FPC admitted it's a problem they can't do anything about because the system is run by a third party site, when using a suite upgrade to confirm a better room, the e-standby upgrades are offering options based on the room category paid, not the room category confirmed into. So, it's asking me if I'd like to pay more for a chance at a room worse than the one I'm already in! Last summer, I was given options to upgrade further from the upgraded room category I was already confirmed in.
I'm a little surprised they won't do this. You have a customer asking to pay more for a better room, and they can't accept. And I'm not even asking for a discount, as I'm willing to pay the full published difference between the 2 options. That would seem like a good deal for Fairmont?