Consolidated "Getting Walked (or denied a room) - Experiences & Questions" thread
Sep 15, 2014, 11:24 am
#512
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Would not be surprised if a booster swung into town for the game and offered some BIG dollars for a couple of rooms, at the expense of OP. Pure speculation but who else would they walk a customer such as the OP for? I doubt some bum off the street.
Sep 15, 2014, 12:34 pm
#513
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Minneapolis, originally from Cincinnati
Programs: Diamond with Delta, Hyatt and Hilton. 2 MM and Plat with America (thank you citi:))
Posts: 2,345
The OP should also leave a negative review on TA
Sep 15, 2014, 1:04 pm
#514
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
For the first time in 30 years as a very frequent business traveler, I was 'walked' from reservations I had made at the Embassy Suites in Norman, OK on hilton.com almost a year before the dates that I reserved.
I planned an experience for an important customer where I would escort him on a trip that centered on staying at the team hotel for the University of Tennessee to watch their game college football game against the University of Oklahoma. I spent thousands of dollars on a pre-game trip to Las Vegas and a post game trip to Nashville with First Class Airfare and accommodations centering around the experience of staying at the team hotel and tickets to the game.
We were informed when we arrived at the hotel, that we would not only be denied the rooms we had reserved to accommodate a group booking, but that we would be placed at a substandard hotel thirty minutes away in Oklahoma City without any offer of transportation. I was shocked to be treated with such disregard. I refused the alternate accommodations and was able to cobble together, on my own, a plan to stay the first night at a local Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn with a stay in Oklahoma City the evening after the game.
I was also disappointed that no attempt was made to contact me at any time prior to my arrival at the hotel. Additionally, even though the hotel promised to pay for my hotel rooms both nights, they failed to do so for my second night in Oklahoma City, after a specific promise by the manager that afternoon to call the hotel that I again secured reservations with on my own.
I have written both customer service at hilton.com and the hotel's owner, the John Q. Hammons Company in Springfield, MO. So far the only result is the Hilton.com representative telling me that they couldn't do anything since my reservation had been cancelled (by the hotel, of course, after I tried to check in).
I think I am due compensation for the damages and inconvenience I and my client experienced and my review of Oklahoma law seems to allow for that. Where should I go from here?
I planned an experience for an important customer where I would escort him on a trip that centered on staying at the team hotel for the University of Tennessee to watch their game college football game against the University of Oklahoma. I spent thousands of dollars on a pre-game trip to Las Vegas and a post game trip to Nashville with First Class Airfare and accommodations centering around the experience of staying at the team hotel and tickets to the game.
We were informed when we arrived at the hotel, that we would not only be denied the rooms we had reserved to accommodate a group booking, but that we would be placed at a substandard hotel thirty minutes away in Oklahoma City without any offer of transportation. I was shocked to be treated with such disregard. I refused the alternate accommodations and was able to cobble together, on my own, a plan to stay the first night at a local Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn with a stay in Oklahoma City the evening after the game.
I was also disappointed that no attempt was made to contact me at any time prior to my arrival at the hotel. Additionally, even though the hotel promised to pay for my hotel rooms both nights, they failed to do so for my second night in Oklahoma City, after a specific promise by the manager that afternoon to call the hotel that I again secured reservations with on my own.
I have written both customer service at hilton.com and the hotel's owner, the John Q. Hammons Company in Springfield, MO. So far the only result is the Hilton.com representative telling me that they couldn't do anything since my reservation had been cancelled (by the hotel, of course, after I tried to check in).
I think I am due compensation for the damages and inconvenience I and my client experienced and my review of Oklahoma law seems to allow for that. Where should I go from here?
Just wondering if you managed a year ahead to boo your rooms before the local hotels revenue manager realised the event existed and ramped up nightly rates 3fold or more as is the usual practise.
If you had luckily bagged cheap rates, that would help explain why you were walked, hotel maximising extra revenue for walked guests, ie increased rate obtained for your rooms versus others paying mucg more for same rooms.
If you have paid the full uprated prices, were you a late arrival, and hotel simply allocated rooms in order of arrival so nothing left when your party arrived?
Another hotel reason to walk guest, not-walk some guests is
a)women, children not walked
b)walk short non-multiple night stays
c)walk those rooms that sold cheapest and earn most for walk to pay for walking the guest.
d)Later arrival, to overbooked hotel and guest had not let desk know they would arrive late, so hotel hopes/assumes will be no-shows
e)walk small group rather than big group, OR to accomodate big group booking late when not enough rooms left.
f)walk non-status guests first but not (a) types
All said and done, this unfortunately happens when hotels oversell for big local events, but walking a Diamond is so unusual, I wonder about your arrival time, length of stay, booked rate etc.
However the walk ofered to cheaper inferior hotel, no HH-D compensation, no hotel provided transport, no management follow up etc is very poor.
Sep 15, 2014, 1:33 pm
#515
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Globalist, M life Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 918
Just wondering if you managed a year ahead to boo your rooms before the local hotels revenue manager realised the event existed and ramped up nightly rates 3fold or more as is the usual practise.
If you had luckily bagged cheap rates, that would help explain why you were walked, hotel maximising extra revenue for walked guests, ie increased rate obtained for your rooms versus others paying mucg more for same rooms.
If you had luckily bagged cheap rates, that would help explain why you were walked, hotel maximising extra revenue for walked guests, ie increased rate obtained for your rooms versus others paying mucg more for same rooms.
Oh, that is exactly what I think happened. We don't know the specifics, but in general, we all know what happened. Event is announced --> Customer books on the event's dates --> Hotels raise rates for event --> Managers look for a way to dump the cheap reservations.
The management took in some later, high priced reservations after simply calculating that the cost of walking some guests (namely, the price of a taxi) was less than foregoing the revenue of the last minute guests.
This is not the first time a story has been posted on FT about a hotel cancelling/walking a customer when a big event comes to town. It is horrendous customer service, but there are unscrupulous managers in the hotel industry just like anywhere else.
This is exactly why we stay at chain hotels. If I wanted to be treated like a bum off the street, I could stay anywhere. The point of being loyal to Hilton is to be assured of getting the Hilton standards no matter where I stay.
This ES flagrantly disregarded written standards that are required to fly the ES flag. The OP should take the time to get this resolved satisfactorily, first through the HH DD, through the BBB, and if that does not work, with a stern letter from a lawyer.
BTW, this is something that will hopefully improve with Hilton's online checkin. It will be pretty hard to walk a guest after the computer has told them their room number.
Sep 15, 2014, 2:19 pm
#516
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 233
According to the OP, this was the team hotel. With multiple guests being walked, it sounds like the team needed some extra rooms.
This could be some high $$ boosters wanted rooms and the team got them as part of their group.
Or maybe Smokey wanted extra privacy and no one in the rooms next door, above, or below.
This could be some high $$ boosters wanted rooms and the team got them as part of their group.
Or maybe Smokey wanted extra privacy and no one in the rooms next door, above, or below.
Sep 15, 2014, 3:00 pm
#517
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: HHonors Diamond, AA Executive Platinum, National Executive Elite, Avis First
Posts: 494
IANAL, but you could probably bring suit in your home count based on Tenneessee's long arm statue. Personally I would not bother with a lawyer but would just pursue this in small claims court. You will be limited to actual damages, unless you request punitive damages.
http://www.tennesseedefenselitigatio...try.aspx?id=59
http://www.tennesseedefenselitigatio...try.aspx?id=59
Last edited by adambrock; Sep 15, 2014 at 3:02 pm Reason: Added link
Sep 15, 2014, 3:05 pm
#518
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: TYS
Programs: Delta Diamond 3MM, AMEX Delta Reserve, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 208
That wouldn't surprise me if someone did offer to pay rack rates, but why walk a diamond instead of a lower level HH member? They should have walked someone else that came in before the OP if they knew they were going to be in a situation to walk someone. I'm sure the $200 a property has to give diamonds is a control that HH has in place to help make sure a diamond doesn't get walked.
The OP should also leave a negative review on TA
The OP should also leave a negative review on TA
And yes. I had a reasonably inexpensive (for ES) AAA rate when I reserved the room on September 18, 2013, so it sounds like that they made money on walking me.
Thanks for all of the information, Flyertalk friends....I'm still waiting on my money, though!!!
Sep 15, 2014, 3:11 pm
#519
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
That wouldn't surprise me if someone did offer to pay rack rates, but why walk a diamond instead of a lower level HH member? They should have walked someone else that came in before the OP if they knew they were going to be in a situation to walk someone. I'm sure the $200 a property has to give diamonds is a control that HH has in place to help make sure a diamond doesn't get walked.
The OP should also leave a negative review on TA
The OP should also leave a negative review on TA
Sep 15, 2014, 3:34 pm
#520
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: BCT. Formerly known as attorney28
Programs: LH HON,BA GGL GfL,Hyatt LT Glob,Mrtt LT P,Hilt LT D,IC Amb,Acc P,GHA Tit,LHW Strlg,Sixt/Av/Hz D/Pres
Posts: 6,825
Are you serious? Do you "reconfirm" every single hotel reservation you have? The whole point of having a confirmed and guaranteed hotel reservation is that you don't need to "reconfirm".
Sep 15, 2014, 4:57 pm
#521
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,870
2. No, I don't reconfirm every reservation. However, if I had as much riding on a junket as the OP claims, I'd make damn sure all the pieces were in place to avoid embarrassment.
3. I'm fully aware of what comprises a confirmed and guaranteed hotel reservation; in fact I very rarely do, except on day-of-travel when I absolutely need assurance that everything is as expected. I also am aware that STUFF happens when traveling and I own some responsibility to make things go as smoothly as possible when properties make moves such as those noted in this thread - especially if I don't want to look like a moron in front of a customer.
Last edited by Canarsie; Jan 15, 2016 at 6:21 pm Reason: Removed attempted bypass of the profanity filter.
Sep 15, 2014, 5:51 pm
#522
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
Absolutely. There is no obligation to "reconfirm" a confirmed reservation. FT "blame the victim" syndrome run amuck here.
I personally would sue the hotel. Unlike the airlines, they are not essentially immune from liability for screwing their customers. But then I don't have to pay for a lawyer
I personally would sue the hotel. Unlike the airlines, they are not essentially immune from liability for screwing their customers. But then I don't have to pay for a lawyer
Sep 15, 2014, 6:03 pm
#523
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
PLUS if hotel oversells rooms, just like airlines that know they will have issues, online checkin can be suspended for overbooked nights.
And hotel won't see the difference between walking an arrived guest with a)confirmed reservation versus b)confirmed checked in reservation , as until guest arrives and has room keycard guest does not have the room.
I am already waiting to see what Hilton do when all the ADR guests who can not make their stays, and where hotel previously enjoyed double income on room booked, can and will now do online checkins with no intent to turn up and actually occupy the prepaid room on the sem-legit basis they have paid for their room.
Also fails when incumbent room guest decides to extend stay in full hotel in the morning. I am not 100% sure but in some USA states I think guests have such "extend stay" rights legally and hotel can't shift the guest? If so, open to abuse, book the night before a sold out stay and refuse to vacate next morning on sold out day! I think some hotels with soldout big events make guests sign a form guaranteeing to leave and forfeiting right to extend stays on such night before stays.
eg just like eg KLM do on my flights for AMS->LONDON , several times a year, when one can only checkin at airport, on the day of flight, and not usual option online 30hours before flight, hotels will also do when oversold.
Last edited by scubaccr; Sep 15, 2014 at 6:13 pm
Sep 15, 2014, 6:06 pm
#524
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,993
If, as the OP indicated, they arrived at the hotel check in at 6pm then this is toward the extremity of the more common walks - more often seen for very late arrivals.
In any case, in recent years, walking a diamond had the provisions as noted in this post:
In any case, in recent years, walking a diamond had the provisions as noted in this post:
Several links are posted at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16656183-post26.html
The 2010 Hilton manual says this:
The 2010 Hilton manual says this:
8.1.8. Relocation of members policy:
The following Standards apply to all members with guaranteed reservations who are relocated:
The following Standards apply to all members with guaranteed reservations who are relocated:
a. The hotel must coordinate complimentary accommodations at an equal or greater value local hotel.
b. The hotel must pay for the first night’s room and tax, plus one telephone call.
c. The hotel must offer and/or provide transportation to the alternate hotel and back, if necessary, at no cost to the member.
d. The hotel must complete the “Reservations Emergency Stay Credit” form online via Focus HHonors to provide the member proper Points & Miles, stay credit, and applicable bonuses for the eligible stay they would have consumed.
e. A Diamond VIP or Preferential Gold VIP member is the last guest to be relocated.
b. The hotel must pay for the first night’s room and tax, plus one telephone call.
c. The hotel must offer and/or provide transportation to the alternate hotel and back, if necessary, at no cost to the member.
d. The hotel must complete the “Reservations Emergency Stay Credit” form online via Focus HHonors to provide the member proper Points & Miles, stay credit, and applicable bonuses for the eligible stay they would have consumed.
e. A Diamond VIP or Preferential Gold VIP member is the last guest to be relocated.
c. Relocation/Dishonored Diamond VIP reservations.
In addition to actions listed in Section 8.1.8. a. – c., the following actions must also be followed:
In addition to actions listed in Section 8.1.8. a. – c., the following actions must also be followed:
i. A Diamond VIP (and Preferential Gold VIP) member must be the last guest to be relocated. The hotel must follow the following Standards for all guests with guaranteed reservations who are “relocated”:
· Relocated guests must receive the best available accommodations if returning to the hotel on a multiple night stay after being relocated.
ii. For Diamond VIP members ONLY:· This relocation and all pertinent information must be reported to Guest Assistance as soon as possible and no later than one hour after the actual relocation. If possible, communication should take place in advance of the relocation.
· An immediate inconvenience compensation of $200 cash must be paid to the member.
· The hotel’s General Manager or General Manager’s representative must immediately telephone the Diamond VIP member to apologize for failing to honor a reservation.
· The hotel must also provide the Diamond VIP member with Points & Miles credit for any nights the member was relocated. The hotel must pay the normal cost of the points and miles.
· An immediate inconvenience compensation of $200 cash must be paid to the member.
· The hotel’s General Manager or General Manager’s representative must immediately telephone the Diamond VIP member to apologize for failing to honor a reservation.
· The hotel must also provide the Diamond VIP member with Points & Miles credit for any nights the member was relocated. The hotel must pay the normal cost of the points and miles.
Sep 15, 2014, 6:12 pm
#525
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: TYS
Programs: Delta Diamond 3MM, AMEX Delta Reserve, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 208
1. Yes, I'm serious.
2. No, I don't reconfirm every reservation. However, if I had as much riding on a junket as the OP claims, I'd make damn sure all the pieces were in place to avoid embarrassment.
3. I'm fully aware of what comprises a confirmed and guaranteed hotel reservation; in fact I very rarely do, except on day-of-travel when I absolutely need assurance that everything is as expected. I also am aware that sh#t happens when traveling and I own some responsibility to make things go as smoothly as possible when d-bag properties make moves such as those noted in this thread - especially if I don't want to look like a moron in front of a customer.
2. No, I don't reconfirm every reservation. However, if I had as much riding on a junket as the OP claims, I'd make damn sure all the pieces were in place to avoid embarrassment.
3. I'm fully aware of what comprises a confirmed and guaranteed hotel reservation; in fact I very rarely do, except on day-of-travel when I absolutely need assurance that everything is as expected. I also am aware that sh#t happens when traveling and I own some responsibility to make things go as smoothly as possible when d-bag properties make moves such as those noted in this thread - especially if I don't want to look like a moron in front of a customer.
So I actually 'reconfirmed' my reservation the last time 3 hours before check-in.