KrustyVT

We've all bemoaned the meager benefits afforded to Spire members, however this was a first for me - we were walked last night from the Holiday Inn Chicago-Mart Plaza River North, with the staff stating that the hotel was completely full. Although this was a late arrival (11:30pm), the reservation was made weeks ago, so it wasn't a last-minute booking. Everything appeared normal with the reservation through my arrival, and the system had correctly upgraded the room as I would expect a few days before my arrival date. This was a two night reservation, from 5/7 - 5/9, booked directly on the IHG website.

The late-night staff was less than helpful, insisting that the only option available was the Doubletree Magnificent Mile - a location that would add at least 30 minutes commute time in rush hour traffic in order to make my morning meeting. Further complicating things, with multiple conferences over these few days, the city is nearly completely booked. We did our own calling around to hotels, and eventually secured a room at the Ace Hotel for last night. The Ace was sold out for Tuesday night, so we were unable to secure both nights at this property. The HI assumed the one-night room charge at the Ace, updated our HI reservation to be 5/8 - 5/9, and told us to return on Tuesday (today) for the 2nd night of our reservation. In addition to assuming the room charge at the Ace Hotel, the property provided $40 in cab fare, and a certificate for free breakfast when we return for the 2nd night.

While the Ace Hotel was an "upgrade" in terms of location (in proximity to my meetings) for one night, the entire hassle of the situation + the extra logistics of checking in / out / in / out over the span of two days at two different hotels is certainly frustrating. Neither the late-night staff at the property, nor IHG "Guest Relations" on the corporate phone line were able to provide a reason why a room wasn't held for a Spire member, or provide any assistance or compensation other than what I mentioned above.

I'm curious to hear opinions on what others would do in this situation - I have no doubt that I have a battle ahead regarding compensation, points/credit posting, etc.

Gongzuokuang

Frightening story.

Was the room guaranteed with a credit card?

craigthemif

Chicago is really full this week. Even airport hotels were close to sold out for Tuesday night. Not sure why... but luckily I booked in advance, even though I wanted to cancel my stay at the Kimpton Monaco and stay elsewhere.

It appears that you have received fairly standard compensation. The hotel night is free. All transportation costs are covered, and the hotel is comping your breakfast. This might not mean much if your employer is receiving the benefit of the free night / breakfast. You might get some additional points if you complain enough - enough for a free night at that specific hotel might be a good starting point. Status credit will actually be the hardest to receive I suspect since IHG customer service is useless.

Why wasn't a room held for a Spire member? Good question. This problem isn't limited to just IHG or this particular hotel but no hotel booking is 100% guaranteed. Like the old Seinfeld joke about accepting reservations but not honouring them...

KrustyVT

Absolutely - the usual, flexible room rate (specifically, IHG member rate), guaranteed with my IHG mastercard!

mcgahat

I am not entirely surprised this happened. IHG is one of the weaker programs when it it comes to "taking care of" their elites in my opinion. I think they just simply the guests as they come at most properties and let the chips fall where they may....even if you are Spire. It could happen with a Marriott or Hilton property also but less likely I think if you are top tier. I know it sucks when you are just ready to crash and have to deal with this though, definitely been there myself. Crowne Plaza in Minneapolis told me and my team to pound sand, no rooms and I was left to find accommodations on my own for us as a Plat, back then there wasn't a Spire level.

Super Mario

At what point would you say is a good cutoff time where the hotel thinks you aren't coming? No hotel is going to leave rooms available during a busy time. It's like the airlines. Better to overbook, and pay out in the rare case everyone shows.

KrustyVT

In my (perhaps overly optimistic) view of the landscape, if there's a room reservation for a higher-level elite that's guaranteed with a credit card, you keep the room available and then just follow the policy to charge the card in the event of a no-show. That way the revenue remains intact, the elite remains happy, and worst case (best case?) you have one less room for housekeeping to clean if the person doesn't show.

r0me0

Sadly “best case” for the hotel is giving your room away, charging your card for no show, and charging the new occupant.

In my experience even IHG hotels do try to walk elites last, but it has happened to me as well when arriving very late, so if I know there’s a chance the hotel is sold out and I arrive late, I always ring up the front desk or email them the day of with my ETA.

i would definitely email management and IHG with your experience/complaint.

markle

deleted

craigthemif

Most definitely.

Perhaps not so much amongst FTers, but I suspect you'd hear a lot more of "my secretary booked my hotel" rather than "I double checked my hotel price a few days in advance to see if the price decreased, but instead I noticed that the hotel is sold out so I'd better call to be safe".

Gongzuokuang

Why anyone would tolerate this sort of dishonesty is beyond me.

Does this mean there is the same risk with pre-paid rooms?

notquiteaff

My personal threshold for calling is usually 8pm or later arrival. Small effort compared to the (unlikely) alternative.

scubaccr

BAR/Flex/Award have same issue when hotel is oversold, and too few guests fail to show. That mainly happens on event days, or holiday dates.

1. Not dishonesty by hotel in any sense, accountants/statisticians (also empirally) know that nn% of BAR prepaid_nobncancel bookings will not turn up. Also BAR guests won't even bother to tell hote they cant use room, unlike flex guests...
Except with flex now cancel 24/48hours (1-2 days before arrival) instead of old version 4pm on day-of-arrival, means even flex bookings now have higher noshow numbers as can no longer cancel day-before or morning of arrival when flex guest plans change.
2. It is not just hotel chains that oversell, airlines do this too
3. The hotel owners/accountants would argue differently (whether right or wrong) that overselling by the known+expected number of noshows, charging for such, enables hotel to lower cost per night
then
4, You acknowlege local event soldout hotels in area, no doubt elites invoked 24hour force in sold out hotels, which compounds issue.... And it could be last room key given out was also to a Spire elite

Super Mario

Of course that sounds good here. What happens when you are a hotel, and people very frequently don't show? Saying what is popular on the internet does not make you a successful business owner/manager. Do you hold the room only for Spires? Platinum? Gold? What if a Spire wants to make a walk-in reservation at the higher rate? Then the Spires are complaining again that they can't be accommodated. One less room for housekeeping to clean is not even close to being a concern of a hotel. In the hotel business, you will not be successful if you don't maximize every possible room.

Now, I think it would be better policy if the hotel tried to contact you after a certain time, before they sell your room. Especially for loyalty members. I'll give you at least that. Whenever I arrive late, I always check into the app. At that point my room key has always been there, waiting for me. Unfortunately, status does not let us do whatever we want. Why risk it when a few button clicks will solve the problem?

Gongzuokuang

Very dishonest. They are charging TWO people for the same room. If the room is prepaid or guaranteed, then the hotel is being paid for the room by the guest... regardless of whether they choose to use it or not. Why should the hotel care if the guests "won't even bother to tell hote they cant use room". As mentioned earlier, a no-show means they get paid for the room, but save money because they don't have to clean it, or in the case of HI Express, don't need to provide breakfast.

Yes, a horrible practice that also sucks and causes far too much unnecessary stress for passengers who need to worry right up until the time of boarding whether they will actually be allowed on the plane. IDB is perhaps a small percentage of travel, but it is a reality.

Furthermore, in many cases someone that pays for a flight but misses it for whatever reason is often allowed to book on a later flight, sometimes with a fee. But in the case of a hotel no-show, there is no "free or discounted night" in the future. You pay, whether you use it or not.

That argument might hold water in the case of airlines because they (sometimes) allow you to reschedule. But it is nonsense here. It is double-dipping. Even if they did apply it to their pricing formula, I don't imagine it happens enough to have any significant impact whatsoever on the room price. On the other hand, it has SIGNIFICANT to the weary traveller that arrives at midnight ready to sleep only to find that the promised room has been given away. And it's downright insulting that they would do it to one of their most loyal, best customers.

This is a legit point, and IHG should not offer this "perk" unless they have a way of accommodating those that are displaced.

In the end, I'm just astonished that anyone can defend this sort of behavior.