FlyerTalk Forums

FlyerTalk Forums (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php)
-   Marriott | Rewards (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marriott-rewards-427/)
-   -   Major Problems on a Priceline Stay -- Who to talk to? What to ask for? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marriott-rewards/1186088-major-problems-priceline-stay-who-talk-what-ask.html)

GregL Feb 20, 2011 2:38 am

Major Problems on a Priceline Stay -- Who to talk to? What to ask for?
 
We're staying at the London Marriott Maida Vale for a two night Priceline Name Your Price stay over the holiday weekend.

Check-in was absolutely fine -- ended up with a room with one queen bed, located as part of what would be a large suite if all three rooms were thus needed.

Get back to the hotel last night about 10pm and the worries began. A young woman (perhaps with her mother and/or friends) had rented the main part of the suite and was having a party. While tired, we weren't going to bed immediately so I hoped things would quiet down before long.

At 11:30, it was clear that wasn't going to happen and I called the front desk. The person answering appeared to be fully aware of the issue once I told them the room number and said it would be taken care of.

Over the next hour, I was able to hear someone from the hotel staff come up to the room on three separate occasions to talk with the occupants -- including references to having already spoken to them on the phone. The young woman who rented the room blatantly lied to them on multiple times (telling them they were about to leave, etc. -- including having a number of the people there leave the room temporarily, only to return ten minutes later).

Things quieted down for a bit... but with comings and goings increasing and loud talking in the hallway, I called the front desk again at 2:30. The manager called back and asked if *I* wanted to change rooms -- which I said really wouldn't be an option as my partner had actually fallen asleep. (If that had been offered at 11:30, I would have probably accepted.) The manager came up to the room and spoke with the guest again, indicating if they received any additional complaints, they would be forced to leave. Over the next half hour, it was loud on occasion, but I managed to fall asleep for a bit.

With another group of visitors arriving and/or talking in the hallway at 5:30, I had enough and called again. The manager said he would take care of the situation. While I didn't hear him outside my door, the noise did quiet down although the comings and goings seemed to continue.

Eventually, I did fall asleep again -- but I'm not a happy camper. 5-6 hours of sleep on the first night of a two day London trip isn't enough. So the question is what do I do now?

I plan to visit the front desk and speak with the manager. Hopefully s/he has been told of what happened by the night manager. If the same people are in that room tonight, I am going to demand a new room.

But what else? Since this is a pre-paid Priceline stay, I can't ask them to comp me the room -- although I think that's clearly warranted. Do I complain to Priceline -- how successful that will be I don't know? Do I complain to Marriott Corporate? If so, what's the best way to reach them? What is reasonable compensation for a situation like this?

Thanks,
Greg

EricH Feb 20, 2011 4:10 am

This should have nothing to do with Priceline or Marriott. Speak with the manager. The hotel certainly owes you. If the same people are in the room next door, the hotel should offer you another room. Since they can't comp last night, they should offer something else (a meal, a nice upgrade). If the hotel doesn't come through, you can go up the line, but I would expect the hotel to come through.

GregL Feb 20, 2011 4:05 pm

Talking to the front desk this morning, they were aware of the issues.

I spoke to someone at the front desk who offered to comp breakfast for both of us today and tomorrow -- not something we would get much benefit out of as we were ready to leave this morning and will be heading to the airport tomorrow.

After approaching one manager who sent her to have someone else speak with us, we were moved to the executive floor.

While I appreciate it as a gesture of apology for what we went through, I don't necessarily consider it just compensation. It amounts to breakfast tomorrow (which, like I said before won't count for much since we're leaving early in the morning), internet access today (~10 GBP) and a few sodas -- as there is no happy hour on weekends.

If we had been here on a week's stay and they provided the upgrade for multiple nights, I would have considered it even. But since we lost 2/3rds of one of two nights sleep we had at the hotel, I don't consider it equal.

I'll be following-up with Marriott when we get back to the States.

Greg

artemis021 Feb 20, 2011 4:29 pm

I'm not sure what you want here. It seems that the hotel did everything they could, given the situation. You could've asked to change rooms at 11:30, or 12:30. And the fact your partner fell asleep doesn't bode well for you. You could've asked to move to another room, leaving a note for your partner and they probably would've given you both for the night.

And you probably got the room for half-price anyway.

escapefromphl Feb 20, 2011 4:48 pm

Just curious, we're staying at the Maida Vale as well this weekend for 3 nights, I considered doing Priceline but found a last night free deal which worked out to be about 73 pounds a night and includes breakfast, I figured with Megabonus etc this was a better deal...

The staff seem very helpful here, I would email Marriott anyway though.

jayer Feb 20, 2011 5:28 pm


Originally Posted by GregL (Post 15900768)
I'll be following-up with Marriott when we get back to the States.

I shouldn't, but I have to ask. What did you throw out to the hotel as a suggestion?

MDtR-Chicago Feb 20, 2011 5:30 pm

For the record, it IS possible to receive a refund on a priceline stay. A colleague has had to walk priceline guests before and was able to call priceline and convince them to refund at least the room charge. It's not typical but it's also not impossible.

justspg Feb 20, 2011 5:58 pm

just wondering if GregL was a marriott rewards member.. if so I would ask to put your number on and ask for points as compensation. If not, nothing wrong with having the hotel contact priceline to do a refund.

dd992emo Feb 20, 2011 6:07 pm

I'm with artemis021 on this. It appears the hotel has made an effort to make the situation right. It's beginning to appear that the OP is fishing for comps on a cut-rate stay. I hope that's not the case.

socrates Feb 21, 2011 7:26 am


Originally Posted by GregL (Post 15897816)
But what else? Since this is a pre-paid Priceline stay, I can't ask them to comp me the room -- although I think that's clearly warranted. Do I complain to Priceline -- how successful that will be I don't know? Do I complain to Marriott Corporate? If so, what's the best way to reach them? What is reasonable compensation for a situation like this?

Thanks,
Greg

The hotel can't comp the room as you weren't their customer Priceline was - contact priceline customer service, the intern will contact the hotel

socrates Feb 21, 2011 7:28 am


Originally Posted by MDtR-Chicago (Post 15901055)
For the record, it IS possible to receive a refund on a priceline stay. A colleague has had to walk priceline guests before and was able to call priceline and convince them to refund at least the room charge. It's not typical but it's also not impossible.

yes it is...if the hotel simply refunds the charges to priceline without contacting Priceline.com though the OP wont receive the refund....it's easier to contact PL.com customer service (I've issued refunds to priceline.com in the past and everytime my teams contacted their customers service they were confused why and what we were trying to do, they've always recommended letting them handle it first)

CJKatl Feb 21, 2011 9:12 am


Originally Posted by artemis021 (Post 15900869)
And you probably got the room for half-price anyway.


Milk costs about $4.00 a gallon. Teddy Roosevelt was the first of 72 Columbia University grads to be awarded a Nobel Prize. Cream of tartar can both stabilize whipped egg whites and remove unwanted colors from white fabrics in the wash.

Just though I'd add to the irrelevant information.

If the hotel has agreed to the guest stay and the rate, the guest deserves the same treatment as all other guests. If one bargains for a better price on a car than the next guy, is the car going to be less safe? If I choose to go to an afternoon matinee, is the movie going to be different? I didn't realize one should avoid better rates if one expects standard service.

I have no problem with the hotel putting the Priceline guest in the lesser room, nor denying the guest certain amenities, like points, based on the Priceline deal, but one expects minimal service at a hotel, which includes help in ensuring there is no noise so loud that it makes sleep impossible. Just because someone's not paying rack rate doesn't change that.

artemis021 Feb 21, 2011 5:57 pm


Originally Posted by CJKatl (Post 15903979)
.

I didn't realize one should avoid better rates if one expects standard service.

I have no problem with the hotel putting the Priceline guest in the lesser room, nor denying the guest certain amenities, like points, based on the Priceline deal, but one expects minimal service at a hotel, which includes help in ensuring there is no noise so loud that it makes sleep impossible. Just because someone's not paying rack rate doesn't change that.

A hotel is a business. Clearly business prefer the higher paying, and loyal customers to the ones who go with the lowest rate. There is no loyalty in priceline; Marriott has less of a reason to court his busines and compensate him for things outside of their control. Moreover, a discount is often given as compensation for problems; if someone on a rack rate was given 50% off their stay, they would probably be satisfied and call that compensation fair. However, if the OP already got 50% off his stay from the PL rate, the hotel still gets the same amount of money for the stay as the discounted rack rate loyal customer. But the rack rate customer with the problem and the discount is satisfied, but the PL customer is not, unless the hotel gives add'l compensation.

Rebelyell Feb 21, 2011 7:18 pm


Originally Posted by artemis021 (Post 15900869)
I'm not sure what you want here. It seems that the hotel did everything they could, given the situation. You could've asked to change rooms at 11:30, or 12:30. And the fact your partner fell asleep doesn't bode well for you. You could've asked to move to another room, leaving a note for your partner and they probably would've given you both for the night.

And you probably got the room for half-price anyway.

No, he did not get the room for half price. He paid 100 percent of the asking price or he wouldn't have gotten the room. Half price is when you agree on a price and then only pay half. They agreed on a price and he paid the full amount.

What they could have done is throw the offenders out or station a hotel employee to the hall to make sure no more noisemakers returned. It is not reasonable to expect someone to leave their SO without notice and move to another room at midnight or 2 a.m.

What is called for here is a certificate good for a free night at any Marriott, or a significant number of Marriott points. Obviously if the OP has to spend any time at all arguing about it, he should receive double or triple this amount for his effort.

The fact that someone got their room off Priceline does not justify treating them like dirt.

MyTravels Feb 22, 2011 5:06 am


Originally Posted by GregL (Post 15900768)
I spoke to someone at the front desk who offered to comp breakfast for both of us today and tomorrow -- not something we would get much benefit out of as we were ready to leave this morning and will be heading to the airport tomorrow.

After approaching one manager who sent her to have someone else speak with us, we were moved to the executive floor.

While I appreciate it as a gesture of apology for what we went through, I don't necessarily consider it just compensation. It amounts to breakfast tomorrow (which, like I said before won't count for much since we're leaving early in the morning), internet access today (~10 GBP) and a few sodas -- as there is no happy hour on weekends.


Originally Posted by jayer (Post 15901048)
I shouldn't, but I have to ask. What did you throw out to the hotel as a suggestion?


Originally Posted by dd992emo (Post 15901206)
I'm with artemis021 on this. It appears the hotel has made an effort to make the situation right. It's beginning to appear that the OP is fishing for comps on a cut-rate stay. I hope that's not the case.

It sounds like at first you were offered breakfast and accepted. Then you spoke with a manager and accepted an additional offer to be moved to the exec floor.

If you're offered breakfast and accept, then latter offered an upgrade to an exec floor & accept that offer as well, it sounds like the issue was resolved (twice) at the hotel.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 9:26 am.


This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.