AppleApe

I used Hotwire and got a room at the Hyatt house for $51 per night. ($69 with all the fees/taxes included)

That's a lot cheaper than booking directly from Hyatt's website. Rate was $119 for double room, or about $130 after taxes.

Since I bought my room from Hotwire, I fully understood that the hotel would give me whatever room is available at time of check-in. The last two times I booked using Hotwire, I got Hyatt Place near O'Hare, so all rooms were identical, except for number of beds.

When I checked in, I asked if I could get a double room. The front desk guy looked it up and said that I would have to pay $30 extra. Instead, I had to "settle" for a one-bed room suite with king bed and kitchen. There were 3 adults, so one of us ended up on the sofa bed. The room was extremely nice. The breakfast was awesome. Considering we only paid $51, it was even better. 3 people eating breakfast at the IHOP across the street would have been at least $30 plus tips. We each had so much for breakfast(two omelettes each and other stuff), we were so stuffed that we skipped lunch that day.

Still... I don't understand why they would ask for $30 extra for a double room with 2 beds, which should be cheaper, no? Double rooms have no kitches, right? can someone explain the logic to me? (or has logic died with Mr. Spock? )

RTW1

It's the same logic you yourself are using, they want to maximise revenue.... Why give away something for free when you can charge for it, and a percentage might pay.

todorovic

Different room type = different rate (even though the $ amount may be the same as another room type). Similarly to the airlines, the logic is not straightforward when it comes to revenue management; maybe there was a higher demand for double rooms that night, which prompted the hotel to charge a higher rate for that room type.

MSPeconomist

Some hotels charge different rates for two double versus oe king rooms, but it isn't consistent which room type is more expensive.

GUWonder

You didn't try picking a room on Hotwire for 4 people? Some people book hotels on Hotwire with phantom/possible family/friends included in the consideration when booking, and it seems to work for up to at least four people in one booked room.

platbrownguy

These are hotel rooms, not commodities. Price ≠ cost (nor does price vary with cost).

Surely if you ran a hotel that sold rooms on priceline/hotwire, you'd charge some nominal fee for any request to change bedding types (all else equal), wouldn't you? If the guest had a king and wanted 2 doubles, you'd charge $30, and if the guest had 2 doubles and wanted a king, you'd charge $30. At least, if you were a rational seller, you would charge some fee like that. You certainly wouldn't decide to the detriment of yourself and consumers that you were going to forego potential revenue by letting people who paid for a king and desired a double room switch to that double room at no cost.

And the world is better off because of it.

Suzyrox

I recently stayed at a Hyatt House on points, and was quoted and agreed to pay an additional $30.00 per night for a double with pull out couch and kitchen.