May 11, 2019, 9:00 am
Last edit by: SanDiego1K
Description of resolution can be found here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31088204-post759.html
Outrageous No-Show Fee Incurred At St. Regis Aspen
Mar 14, 2019, 3:16 am
#76
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,139
OP: When arriving at a destination early in the AM, I regularly book a room for the night before. Of course, I let the hotel know in advance that I won’t be checking in until 6 AM the following day. Never a problem. Essentially, this is what you did.
Mar 14, 2019, 3:39 am
#77
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
There is a difference between asking for the night to be credited back and the hotel unilaterally reimbursing the points so they could charge a cash fee 3 times the value of the points. The first did not happen so the hotel was paid, the second did happen which in most peoples minds would amount to fraud.
However, it is not up to OP to decide whether he is no-show or not. That's hotel's decision to make. And in a lot of hotel night audits, it is considered no-show technically.
Think about it in airline. The airline will not care why you missed the first leg and cancel your subsequent legs anyway. You can take your case with travel insurance or your connecting airline.
In this case, the hotel can cancel the reservation if OP did not accept the offer of "guarantee the room".
Mar 14, 2019, 3:56 am
#78
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: perth
Programs: SPG(LTG), QANTAS gold, Korean, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,500
for the record, I don't think the hotel treats OP right.
However, it is not up to OP to decide whether he is no-show or not. That's hotel's decision to make. And in a lot of hotel night audits, it is considered no-show technically.
Think about it in airline. The airline will not care why you missed the first leg and cancel your subsequent legs anyway. You can take your case with travel insurance or your connecting airline.
In this case, the hotel can cancel the reservation if OP did not accept the offer of "guarantee the room".
However, it is not up to OP to decide whether he is no-show or not. That's hotel's decision to make. And in a lot of hotel night audits, it is considered no-show technically.
Think about it in airline. The airline will not care why you missed the first leg and cancel your subsequent legs anyway. You can take your case with travel insurance or your connecting airline.
In this case, the hotel can cancel the reservation if OP did not accept the offer of "guarantee the room".
Mar 14, 2019, 4:10 am
#80
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 902
I don’t think OP informed us of when he did actually checkin on the second day. If it was after noon it is definitely a technical no-show for the whole stay, and cannot be equated to booking an extra night for an early morning check-in. However, given OP was in contact with the hotel, the property should have been understanding of the situation and should have accomodated OP’s late arrival without any issue.
Mar 14, 2019, 5:20 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
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Posts: 11,083
Wow, I'm speechless.
OP paid for the stay full with points, so in case he missed part of the stay, his points just got eaten up and won't be refunded, end of story. The hotel can easily checked in for him on the day he "supposed" to arrive and swipe his card when he actually got there. If the hotel is nice and value him as a guest, they can even refund the points for the day that he's not there.
That bogus charge is just like a scam. Does the hotel have extra cost to someone who have paid in full and not being there - I highly doubt that? The hotel might have rented his rooms out to someone else and get double revenue for those nights.
OP paid for the stay full with points, so in case he missed part of the stay, his points just got eaten up and won't be refunded, end of story. The hotel can easily checked in for him on the day he "supposed" to arrive and swipe his card when he actually got there. If the hotel is nice and value him as a guest, they can even refund the points for the day that he's not there.
That bogus charge is just like a scam. Does the hotel have extra cost to someone who have paid in full and not being there - I highly doubt that? The hotel might have rented his rooms out to someone else and get double revenue for those nights.
Mar 14, 2019, 5:32 am
#82
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Somewhere between AMS and ANR
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, United Platinum Premier, AF/KLM Platinum
Posts: 266
Wow, you've been BonVoyed!
As stated above, it really is a bogus charge, as the hotel didn't lose anything. You notified them "sorry, can't make it the first night due to flight delays/cancellations, but will be there the 2nd till 5th". You've prepaid everything (albeit with points, but that's not the issue). You're willing to forfeit that first night, as in, not demanding money or points back. That the hotel is now CHARGING you $2226 for a room that YOU ALREADY PAID FOR is just insane.
As stated above, it really is a bogus charge, as the hotel didn't lose anything. You notified them "sorry, can't make it the first night due to flight delays/cancellations, but will be there the 2nd till 5th". You've prepaid everything (albeit with points, but that's not the issue). You're willing to forfeit that first night, as in, not demanding money or points back. That the hotel is now CHARGING you $2226 for a room that YOU ALREADY PAID FOR is just insane.
Mar 14, 2019, 5:50 am
#83
In memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MAN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Spire, UA Silver, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 1,457
What follows needs to be read in the context that I fully agree and sympathise with OP and would challenge the credit card charge and if unsuccessful sue for a refund in the small claims court.
But what if this is the result of a new Bonvoy directive? A directive that tells the hotels that if the guest is a no-show then Bonvoy won’t pay the hotel for the redemption and it’s for the property therefore to charge the guest. Taking the St Regis Aspen in the winter, I bet it’s 95%+ full l and hence Bonvoy is on the hook to pay the franchisee ~90% of the ADR, say around $800. This way the moment the hotel enters the reservation as a no-show on its computer Bonvoy saves itself $800, more or less! Of course that leaves a headache for the St Regis and the guest, but Bonvoy rides outta town leaving everyone else behind arguing about the bill.
But what if this is the result of a new Bonvoy directive? A directive that tells the hotels that if the guest is a no-show then Bonvoy won’t pay the hotel for the redemption and it’s for the property therefore to charge the guest. Taking the St Regis Aspen in the winter, I bet it’s 95%+ full l and hence Bonvoy is on the hook to pay the franchisee ~90% of the ADR, say around $800. This way the moment the hotel enters the reservation as a no-show on its computer Bonvoy saves itself $800, more or less! Of course that leaves a headache for the St Regis and the guest, but Bonvoy rides outta town leaving everyone else behind arguing about the bill.
Mar 14, 2019, 5:58 am
#84
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
But what if this is the result of a new Bonvoy directive? A directive that tells the hotels that if the guest is a no-show then Bonvoy won’t pay the hotel for the redemption and it’s for the property therefore to charge the guest. Taking the St Regis Aspen in the winter, I bet it’s 95%+ full l and hence Bonvoy is on the hook to pay the franchisee ~90% of the ADR, say around $800. This way the moment the hotel enters the reservation as a no-show on its computer Bonvoy saves itself $800, more or less! Of course that leaves a headache for the St Regis and the guest, but Bonvoy rides outta town leaving everyone else behind arguing about the bill.
Mar 14, 2019, 7:19 am
#87
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Bounding Around The Good 'Ole USA In My Chevrolet
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 381
Calling the GM will only get your redirected back to another manager. In this day when everyone is contacting the GM (dont understand this phenomenon) very little is handled directly with them.
Mar 14, 2019, 7:35 am
#88
In memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MAN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Spire, UA Silver, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 1,457
I’m not denying that or asserting otherwise. I’m saying once the hotel entered OP as a no-show onto the computer, which is just what they did. The hotel did that. I’ve said in my view OP is entirely in the right. I’m considering how the change from SPGs policy works from Bonvoys point of view.
Mar 14, 2019, 7:40 am
#90
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
