jef7

I've been looking for hotels in Switzerland and came across this great deal at Art Deco Hotel Montana Luzern.

Here's the deal:

Time for Celebration Package which includes a stay in Junior suite, champagne, canapes, 5 course dinner, and buffet breakfast!

All for 172 chf (crazy!)

Book 1 person and click on special rates. Plenty of availability. Use the hotel's own site.

Hope somebody else could use this.

jpdx

Very good find! That's a really great offer, especially considering that it's available for Fasnacht. Thanks for sharing!

Flyer Jon

Great find Jef7. I have booked a few dates.

Renard

A very good deal for what one gets.

For those interested.
172 Swiss francs = 169.374764 U.S. Dollars as of 4/20

daveinsf

I am getting 698 on their web site. I'm not sure the rate would work for me anyway since I don't usually travel alone and I normally want to stay more than one night. Although at this rate I guess it would make it worthwhile to hotel-hop.

jef7

It's still very much available. Remember, plug in 1 person and choose Time to celebrate package. It's quite an unbelievable deal and I'm glad others have booked this. Lucerne is lovely!

skywalkerLAX

This seems to be price per person on a occupancy of 2 rate.

Any specific date you could demostrate this works ?

By the way for all THIS is the link.

Thanks

Flyer Jon

Here is part of my confirmation showing that the rate is for 1 person.

Reservation Details
Room: Junior Suite
Nights: 1
Quantity: 1
Rate: CHF 172/Night
Total: 172 CHF
Arrival: xxxxxxxxxxx08
Departure: xxxxxxxxxx08
Persons: 1
Special: Time for Celebrations
Packages: - Champagne with fine canapés, served in you specially decorated room
- surprise celebration kit
- 5 course Art Deco celebration menu in the SCALA RESTAURANT or on the terrace
- extensive breakfast buffet

Restrictions: - Credit card guarantee required.
- Cancellations allowed up to 48 hours before arrival.
- Rates applicable for selected stay-dates only.
(Changes can result in extra charges of 1-3 nights.)

Flyer Jon

Uh-oh! All good things quickly come to an end. Hotel picked up the error. Here's what they said:


Dear Flyer Jon


Thank you very much for your reservations through our new online booking engine.



Unfortunately, the rates you got are not the correct ones. Our webmaster was just updating our rates while your booking was made. For that reason, we may unfortunately not honour your reservation at these conditions.



With pleasure, we offer you the following special rates:



Arrival: xxxxxxx

Departure: xxxxxxxx

and

Arrival: xxxxxxxx

Departure: xxxxxxxx



1 Junior Suite for single occupancy at the special rate of CHF 355 (normal rate CHF 515)

or 1 double room for single occupancy facing the lake at the special rate of CHF 215 (normal rate CHF 305)



The above rates are per room and per night and include the rich Swiss breakfast from the buffet, service and VAT.



Would you like to have dinner in our SCALA RESTAURANT? With pleasure, we reserve you a table on request. The rate for a 3-course menu is CHF 79, for a 5-course menu we charge CHF 99.



Please let us know if we may reserve one of the offered rooms for you on the above dates. We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused and are waiting for your soonest reply.



Sunny regards from Lucerne



Nicole Rüedi



The sensation! Live Cam on www.hotel-montana.ch !!! Control it yourself…

________________________________

Nicole Rüedi, Front office manager

jpdx

Ah, Swiss efficiency! Good catch, Nicole!

jef7

Yikes indeed!

I was sent a similar explanation and offered slightly lower 'special' rate. Needless to say, still extremely disappointing.

Well, sorry we couldn't quite push for this deal to the end Flyer Jon. I had reserved a Junior suite for additional days, under their normal rates in conjunction to this 172 CHF rate, but unfortunately, not likely to push for it now.

Flyer Jon

Hey Jef7, did you receive the following pearls of wisdom from the hotel's booking system provider:

Dear Mr Flyer Jon,

We regret to inform you that a system error occurred while you were making a reservation for the Celebration package at Art Deco Hotel Montana Lucerne.

The CELEBRATION package is not available for the Junior Suite, 1 person, CHF172/night.

Below you will find your BOOKING ERROR RECORD.

Web Booking xxxx has not been booked, and your credit card has not been charged. If you would like to re-book, please visit www.hotel-montana.ch.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Art Deco Hotel Montana Lucerne at *+41 (0) 41 419 00 00. *

Best regards,
Synergy Booking Engine
Customer Support Team


Booking Error Record

Booking Error Record: xxxx8-xxxx
Guest: Mr. Flyer Jon

Room: Junior Suite
Nights: 1
Quantity: 1
Rate: CHF 172/Night
Total: 172 CHF
Arrival: September, 2008
Departure: September, 2008
Persons: 1
Comments Online Booking System was unable to create a room reservation for Web Booking Record xxxx.

IMHO - what a croc! The system generated a confirmation showing the terms and conditions. The hotel requires a credit card as a guarantee but does not charge.

It's probable that hotel is holding provider responsible for the pricing error and, instead of saying "mea culpa" provider is pulling reasons out of their hat.

As far as I am aware, Swiss lawyers, please comment, the hotel and I have entered into a contract where I agree to give them 172 Swiss francs and they agree to give me a junior suite with all the trimmings.

While I have no intention of holding them to the contract, I am somewhat annoyed with the provider's bullpoop. What they don't know is that I spent years in the hotel industry, was responsible for electronic reservation installations, and .......lived and worked in Switzerland. And, even if I hadn't, they should be more liberal with the truth. It's ok to say we messed up and we're sorry.

Wow! I don't think I've ever been so demonstrative on this board.

I'll see how it plays out. The ironic part -- I don't think any of the dates would have worked out, so I would have cancelled anyway.

jef7

No Flyer Jon I did not receive that additional information. Nevertheless, I am indeed very disappointed with the outcome. I was planning to spend a couple of days in Lucerne and was glad to have found this rate. Realizing that the package was only good for one day, I booked another night, the same junior suite for their regular rate of 500+ CHF. I really don't know about the legalities and the supposedly established contract, but all I know is that I was not about to send more business their way so I canceled all reservations and I also declined their offer. I certainly made sure I let them know of my displeasure with regards to their inability to provide accurate pricing for their customers and that I was happy to be booked on Grand Hotel National instead

Guy Betsy

Legalities? I'm quite sure they're so happy for you to go elsewhere too !

Basically as long as your cc has not ben charged, the hotel does not need to honor the rate to you. In fact, if you did show up at time stipulated and you did not receive a cancellation confirmation, the hotel is well within its rights to show you the door or to another hotel for CHF 172 a night!

Flyer Jon

Hi Guy Betsy, I'm not sure if your comments are based solely on the Lucerne hotel and provider responses to the specific reservations?

As I am sure you know, many hotels do not charge your credit card until you, either no-show, or check-out. A confirmation, especially if has been guaranteed by credit card, is a contract, and, if a hotel does "walk" you, they are expected to give you accommodation equal to/better than their own hotel, as well as paying reasonable expenses, such as taxis, and, if the original contract included it, meals.