habshabs444

I was just on the fairmont website to book a night at the Queen Elizabeth in Montreal on our way back from Quebec City after 3 nights at the Chateau Frontenac before we fly back to YYC after christmas and I got a room for $69! under a "Fairmont Famous Travel Agent Rate" which is also a refundable rate. I'm not sure this is a glitch on the website or what as I had checked a few days previous and the best rate was a prepaid rate of $120 which is still pretty good. I'm hoping they don't ask me for some sort of travel agent ID when I check in.

I'm not sure if this applies to other hotels but I thought I would let everyone know nonetheless.

Edit - I just checked the Royal York in Toronto as I'm there next weekend and booked the same $69 rate for Friday and Saturday!

Often1

There's only one way to find out and that's by calling. The QE isn't going to miss this. If it's a mistake, they will almost certainly honor the rate. If it isn't, would you rather know now and make a decision or be stuck paying up to the best rate available at the time of check-in. This is a risk tolerance question only OP can answer.

Jasper2009

The rate you´re quoting indeeed is exclusive to travel agents and it´s not uncommonto be asked for ID. Also that rate is non-qualifying and non-upgradable.

Did the rate just pop up or did you enter some promo code?

habshabs444

The rate was included in the list of those that were available which is why I questioned it as I have never seen it before on any past bookings. I guess it's not worth the risk of having to pay the rack rate when it isn't honoured at check-in, thus I will just book the $120 non-refundable rate which is still a very good rate.

Jasper2009

Interesting. Presumably just another IT glitch - no surprise there.

tcook052

IME FF (Fairmont Famous) rates are pulled up only by manually enterting the actual TA promo code or by signing in at a password protected Fairmont Famous TA-only website.

And yes, as I experienced in Chicago last week they do ask for TA I.D. at check-in.

annehamnitz

The Fairmont TA rates were popping up without any particular codes being entered (last week - have not checked in last few days). I presume a glitch but the rate rules listed no restrictions.

Re Aeroplan points. Check your profile. My aeroplan number spontaneously disappeared and needed to be re-entered.

Cascadia

Big mistake. You were lucky.

CanuckFlyHigh

They will ask for ID and you will be turned down.

jumpdogjump

Then they will ask you to stand on a big "X" mark, 5 seconds after which a large metal anvil will come crashing down on your head.

Ubud

I saw the 'Famous' rate showing up at the Fairmont Scottsdale for Nov, as well as a 'regular' travel agent rate. Definitely did not enter a TA promo code.

CanadaDH

Just had the same thing happen to me just now when trying to make a booking.

Entered the dates, clicked 'check availability and rate', and the only rates that appeared were the "Famous Agent Travel Rates".

Clicking back to the Step 1 Check Availability page, the site seems to have automatically populated a Promotion Code "PAGT", but nothing in the box for the Agent #. It's only after clearing the "PAGT" code that I can see the other rates come up.

Must be some glitch that the code would keep self-populating. I can't imagine they would honour the rates.

privacylawyer

If we stay often enough (am platinum pres.), might be worth registering as a famous travel agent. Are there legal certifications? Or will biz card suffice?

Jasper2009

Yes, you not only need valid travel agent identification (IATA card etc.), but also need to prove that you´re actively involved in the TA business (vs. just having earnt a license a decade ago) in order to enroll in the Famous Agent program.