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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,462
Instead of accepting $50 for the downgrade, OP might be better off to have the room rate reduced to what a reservation in the actual type of room/suite that's available had been made *at the time of the original reservation* or the prevailing rate if that's more advantageous.
In these situations, I always take the stance that if the customer had wanted to book a regular room and stay in a regular room at the regular room rate, the customer would have done so at the time of the original reservation. Hotels don't have an option to give or not give us the premium room/suite suite that was confirmed at the time the reservation was made.