<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TrojanHorse:
Welcome aboard, its great to have you on FT!!!
I'm a Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond and SPG Plat... my question involves the guaranteed room
here is the MR promo and T&C's regarding this benefit:
48-hour/72-Hour Guaranteed Reservation: Limited to a Platinum member's personal guestroom. Guaranteed room availability for reservations booked 48 hours prior to arrival available at participating Marriott Hotels, Resorts and Suites; Renaissance Hotels, Resorts and Suites; and Marriott Conference Center locations. Guaranteed room availability for reservations booked 72 hours prior to arrival available at participating Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn by Marriott and SpringHill Suites by Marriott. Only during a very limited number of dates (for example, special events) are hotels unable to provide this service. This benefit cannot be used in conjunction with award usage or any type of promotional or discounted rates.
Supposedly I'm supposed to be able to get a room even if the hotel is sold out, unless there is a "special event" in town.. My question is what defines a special event, I would say 98% of the time, the hotel claims special event when I try to use my benefit.
I have become very frustrated with all three chains as my travels do take me to cities with large events (Super bowl, which I can understand) to not so large events (Rochester MN, Antique Fair).. which I can not understand..
I guess I want to know if hotels really try to make accomodations for this benefit?
Also one more question along the same line, When a hotel is sold out, is it really sold out? or do you hold back a few rooms for some high profile customers or ones who will pay extremely high rates at the last minute?
thanks for your responses.. what a great thread </font>
TrojanHorse -
Good questions.
Ahhh, the good ol' "except for special events clause". Special events usually depend on the estimated number of out of towners entering the city for a convention or event. For example the Radiology conference in Chicago brought something like 100,000 doctors into the city hence every hotel had a "special event" clause that week.
The truth is big cities really do have "special events" often. Small towns like Rochester, MN have very few hotel rooms relatively and so an antique fair IS a special event in a town like that. 98% seems like an awfully poor track record. Either your travel is based on these events or you have REALLY bad luck. The hotel should always genuinely want to accomodate you.
As for your 2nd question: hotels are rarely actually sold out. There ARE backup rooms. But the hotel will NEVER admit to this. Here's another secret: front desk managers often get bonuses for a "perfect fill". I.E. having the hotel full +/- 2 rooms. So, if you call at 3oclock and the hotel is full, you can call back at 10pm when most people have checked in (or cancelled) and you might get in. (Assuming you can wait until 10 to check in.) If not, always wait list, it couldn't hurt. Otherwise don't bother, just find another hotel.
Good luck!