shimps1

For a trip coming up in two days, I just got an upgrade confirmation email. Great! The problem is, the room I originally booked had a large balcony (lounge chairs, etc), and the one I got "upgraded" to, is a smaller balcony (standing room only), but on a higher floor. Since this is a resort property, the higher floor is a "Deluxe Oceanview room," while the original booking is just "Oceanview." Besides the size of the balcony, the rooms are identical.

I specifically booked the larger balcony room, since my wife and I are traveling with two little kids, so we'd like a place to hang out while they are napping in the afternoons. The balcony would be perfect for that, and the upgraded room does not have a large enough balcony for it.

I am on the phone with Hilton now, but I am being told the "deluxe" room is an upgrade, although everything about the room on the hotel website shows it as the exact same room, but on a higher floor. I would much rather be on a lower floor with a usable balcony, than a higher floor with an unusable one.

This is a points booking, if that matters. Re-booking today to get the room I want would be significantly more, as there is no standard room availability left.

Has anyone declined an upgrade before? I'll report back on how the call goes, but I am curious if anyone else has experience with a similar situation.

It's not relevant, but this is at the Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe, a recent Hilton addition.

:D!

Contact the hotel.

If the original room type is still available to book, then of course they can put you back there

shimps1

To clarify a bit, this is in essence a room downgrade, because the total square footage of the room is smaller by about 120 sq ft, after factoring in the balcony. However, since it's on a higher floor, the hotel considers it an upgrade. We really need that balcony for a place to hang out, otherwise, we'll be sitting in the dark in silence every afternoon from 1-3pm while the kids are napping. Sounds trivial, but it's significant, and why I booked the original room type I did.

Original booking: Ocean View 2 Queen Beds - Large Balcony
"Upgraded" booking: Deluxe Ocean View 2 Queen Beds- Juliet Balcony
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/cun...-resort/rooms/

I finished up my call, and the CSR was not able to get the hotel in house reservations office on the phone to try to get it squared away. She said she put a note on my reservation to switch me to a room with the large balcony as originally booked, but as this is a new Hilton member, and all-inclusive resorts are notorious for not being the best about room things, I'm nervous about it. She said to call back tomorrow to try to confirm, or to confirm with the hotel when I arrive, but that isn't really the path I'd like to go down. Further, today is the cancellation deadline, so I'd like to get this firmly squared away today, or switch to a different hotel in the area, if needed.

Baze

I have turned down an upgrade. Was Hilton at London Heathrow. Traveling with my sister we booked a room with 2 queens. When we were checking in they smiled and said we have upgraded you to an executive room with 1 King. I politely said thank you but that won't work. My sister and I don't want to share a bed. Took them about an hour to get us back to a 2 queen room and they apologized.

shimps1

I don't mean to be xenophobic, and I'm sure it's my problem, but when trying to explain a situation like this to an AI in Mexico, I don't think it would work out. I can speak a little spanish and typically am very patient, but I don't think I could explain why I don't want this "upgrade" very clearly over the phone. The language barrier can be significant. I figured calling Hilton was my best course of action, and I think I will still call back again later today.

The original room type is not available to be booked with cash or points any longer on the website.

the810

Language barrier at Hilton when you speak English? Surely anyone working at travel industry has decent enough English to deal with what is a very simple request, especially at a chain hotel?

Schnit

Call the hotel and ask, as it might be hard to tell the difference online

If its still available I am sure they will move you back.

MichaelA380

I can confirm that I have had exactly the same experience - for me it was in Hilton La Romana, an All-Inclusive Adult Only Resort, and it was also an award booking. Of course I had noted down our preferences as part of my reservation and also emailed the hotel in advance, however why read emails ... When we arrived (around 9pm), they wanted to "surprise" us with an upgrade, which of course did not work, so I politely but firmly told them to sort it out. The room type we had originally booked was fully sold out for this night, so they offered us to stay for free in the "upgraded" room for just one night (they would have credited back the points to my account) and then they could move us to what we had originally booked for the rest of the stay - which I turned down as well. To the hotel's credit, they recovered from this brilliantly - they had a room that was an upgrade of three categories above what we had booked and had just been vacated a couple of hours ago (6pm late checkout), so they called back some of the cleaning staff, made the room look like new in no time, a supervisor inspected it and it was ours for the entire stay of 3 weeks. The whole thing took roughly 1.5 hours, which we spend in the lounge - I could not have been happier with the outcome, and of course rewarded the staff appropriately.

I have also had cases turning down upgrades in other geographies without even having to provide reasons (e.g. Dubai), so I fail to be convinced why your situation is so different ...

You are not painting a very positive picture of yourself with this to be honest ... In a destination like this, which is as touristic and as international as it could get, invoking the language barrier as an excuse is not serious. I mean, even in France, where they refuse to speak English, even though they fully understand what you are saying, I have had no issues managing much more complex issues than an undesired room upgrade. After all, if you are that risk averse and cannot resolve the situation to your complete satisfaction, just cancel the booking and choose an alternative hotel to stay in.

smmrfld

Don't waste your time here or with HH...just deal with the property directly. Take the advice you've been provided on this forum.

scottishpoet

Call the hotel, or ask them to move you back when you get to reception.

There is one hilton i do not like their executive rooms and if i get upgraded to one i always ask to get put back to a regular room. It has never been a problem

dmarge18

Same thing happened in Doha last year for the World Cup. My dad and I got an upgrade at the Hampton of all places to a beautiful corner King with sweeping views of the harbor. Problem is, we both valued getting sleep so we begged them to put us back in a 2 Queen (even with no windows basically). They fought back with us but eventually did it.

For the OP, I definitely get factoring the 1-3 naptime for kiddos. That's an important part of booking rooms for us right now, too. There needs to be a separate area. I'd just try and politely work the front desk when you're there. If all else fails, go to the new room and then tell them it's not acceptable and not what you booked (if it is indeed smaller).

aww3583

Would not wait til I get to the front desk. Too many what ifs. There could be none of your desired room type available, travel issues, etc. Handle now while time is on your side.

TravelinSperry

What hotel? Get the email and email the FD.

shimps1

To provide an update. I called the hotel three times today, followed the phone tree to reservations, and the line disconnected every time. I called, as well as chatted with Hilton, and they have also not been able to reach the hotel. One rep tried three times, one rep twice. I assume they are calling the same number, and the same thing is happening. Close to 10 total attempts to reach the property directly over about a day. Hilton says they have noted the reservation to have them give us the room back, but there's no way to know without being there, they say, as the property has to make the change.

Cancellation window closed last night at midnight, so I'm stuck with just hoping the front desk can sort it out. Otherwise, I guess maybe I will try for compensation after the trip if the room doesn't work out. The inability to contact the hotel is unacceptable, and the new room is really a downgrade for how we need to use the room.

Time is not on my side, as this "upgrade" happened about 8 hours before the cancellation window closed. It has since passed.

I personally have never had a problem at an AIs, probably close to 10 or so trips to them between the Dominican and Mexico, but I have seen plenty of other people have issues. A/C not working in their room, incorrect room, etc. Very rarely has it been an easy situation, from what I have seen. You know, the typical person who is lingering around the front desk waiting for someone, or the couple you make friends with during your trip tells you their story. I have never been to a Hilton AI, so hopefully it will be better, but I shouldn't have said it was a language barrier thing, more of an observation from past trips.

As to your risk averse comment, this situation arose less than 10 hours prior to the cancellation window, and multiple attempts to reach the hotel have failed. That was essentially not an option. I don't want to take two children under 4 on a four hour flight to Mexico, only to have to sit in the dark silence for 2 hours every afternoon while they are napping. I wouldn't call that risk averse.

Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe. If you could point me to where to find their email, it'd be great. I scanned their whole website and only found phone number and address.

TravelinSperry

A quick search on TripAdvisor showed this email: [email protected]. Guillermo Villegas, Marketing Mgr at the hotel provided it. Perhaps reach out to him