Originally Posted by
redbus
I'm a regular at this hotel - c. 75 nights per year. I know the staff well, and they treat me well. I love this place. They are very good with their upgrades: I usually book the cheapest room and get a King Studio. I am a smoker so this is particularly good as hotels with smoking rooms are rare in London these days.
Anyway, I booked on Monday for a 3 night stay, starting the same day. I emailed guest relations telling them to expect me (especially as I prefer a smoking room) and the reply said that my usual room was not available but I could have a smoking suite if I paid £50 per night extra.
Just seems a bit steep for a regular guest who is also a Spire member... I'm sure I read somewhere that the hotel has an 'obligation' (?) to upgrade to the best category of room on a complimentary basis regardless....
Anyway if anyone has any thoughts, I'd be interested to hear them.
Cheers
RB
Usual scenario, excellent hotel with excellent above required elite treatment, eg upgrade, lounge access multiple times, and then first time they need to charge you as you have special request(smoking room) you are unhappy
Hotel instead of +1cat always gives you a multi-cat upgrade which is not requirred, to a suite also, when suites are not included as an @rewards upgrade benefit,
I'd actually look on the £150 smoking-full-suite upsell, as a 1-off investment, at a very fair/low upsell-price so that hotel will continue to regard you as a "good customer" and keep treating you so well on future stays after this one.
You could of course elect for non-smoking room to save £150, which hotel will quietly note that you will stay w/o a smoking room, and in future hotel may prioritise other smokers over you for the smoking suite upgrade
Simply look at rate differential from entry-level room to suite (or +1cat from entry level to full suite rate) to see just how good £50/night upsell is.
And yes I guess you prefer to compare rates of Studio v Full Suite