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Originally Posted by keeton
(Post 8597988)
It has been my observation that a "few" rooms are held in anticpation for those who would be exercising the PO. I have noticed on occasion that ostensibly sold out hotels all of a sudden are available at the last minute - even for standard award rooms.
A Plantinum (and most likely Gold) guest will not be walked. I would worry about the one who booked the $49 room on Priceline. |
55,000 teenagers in town?:eek Sounds like it's time to leave town!
My son's high school graduation was Indy 500 weekend. My out of town relatives had to pay the high 'race' rates. Very frustrating! Good Luck! |
Originally Posted by socrates
(Post 8598441)
Just some clarification here:
I dont recall mentioning either a governmental or military takeover of a hotel, but they do have legal standing to do so, infact it has occurred very recently Large citywide events know they are in a buyers market - they demand (and have for decades) that hotels turn over all of their inventory or they will take their event to another city - can hotels say no, absolutely they can - is it worth the risk of loosing the event, I'll defer to the specific hotels for that answer |
Originally Posted by pinniped
(Post 8601625)
I don't doubt you - if you say it's true, I believe it, and even in the United States I could see scenarios where it could happen. Can you share the example? Did it happen to a Marriott hotel in a developed country during peacetime? (Off the top of my head, I am thinking one of the Marriotts near the WTC or Pentagon on 9/11, or perhaps the New Orleans props during unrest immediately following Hurricane Katrina.)
That's different...I'm sure that happens to hotels all the time. In fact, for a downtown hotel in a popular convention city, it seems like they might major convention business on more nights than they don't. At least more weeknights anyway... on the first topic yes it did occur in a developed country during peace time (yes it's recently happened in this country)...the examples you gave are appropriate - times where a disaster has occurred are most often when you'll see this happen BTW: I'm sure the folks in Cleveland are breathing a little easier this morning - events like the Indy 500 (mentioned somewhere below) are consistant, events like the WS give you hardly any advance notice (sports contracts are very unique in their expectations - hotels are very good at planning to meet these but it does create a few very interesting weeks at the end of September and into October) |
Originally Posted by Copilot23
(Post 8572124)
Chalk this up to benefits only apply when it is convenient for the Corporation and the property. The week of October22, Indianapolis plays host to the Future Farmers of America convention (I think thats the reason.) Anyway, every Marriott hotel has pretty much inflated their rates (I'm sure for business people because I can't see students paying these exorbitant rates.) Platinum overide rates at hotels offering rooms are cost prohibitive (meaning I'd never get reimbursed what I'm required to spend.) In the past during conventions I've occasionally been able to Platinum Overide at a particular Fairfield Inn in the metro area at a rate acceptably close to what I'm reimbursed. However today when I tried to invoke my Platinum Override benefit, the reservation agent at Marriott told me it had been locked out "by corporate." She said corporate allows properties to not accept Platinum Overrides when convention business is anticipated to be high. So the one benefit that is supposed to mean loyal customers can always find a room when business demands it is really arbitrary, and up to the property, if the property can convince corporate that accomodating once a year conventioners is a better business practice than serving those customers that bring you 100+ a nights a year every year.
I'm in elsewhere near Indy that week, but in a strange hotel where I've never stayed and miles away from where I want and need to be. I've stated elsewhere the Platinum Override is little benefit to me. This week proves it even further. |
Copilot12:
So it appears that the MAIN issue at hand here is not the platinum override but the reimbursement policy you are asked to follow. I'm not sure why it is Marriott's fault that your reimbursement policy and its rate aren't in sync. |
Tell you what, Copilot12, PM me and you can crash on my couch.
;) $50/night and you will still be reimbursable! ;) No need to leverage the PO:p . . . Complain all you want but having the FFA convention in town helps my local economy just like when you are. ^^^^^ Hopefully your "strange hotel" treats you well & the FFAers don't drive you crazy. Good luck! |
Originally Posted by prattat
(Post 8605286)
Complain all you want but having the FFA convention in town helps my local economy just like when you are. ^^^^^
I remember we used to have the FFA in Kansas City. Locals hated it, so every year the mayor, local convention/tourism bureau, and other city officials would always make a point to emphasize how many millions of dollars it brought to the city. Rumor has it that KC is once again trying to woo the FFA back for future conventions. Personally, it wouldn't bother me if they stayed in Indy forever, but I guess I should root for the local economy, huh? |
Originally Posted by socrates
(Post 8475280)
I can assure you the "loophole" isn't that big, it is limited to events where the hotel has turned their inventory (all of it) over to an event...these type of events tend to be citywide conventions (really really large ones such as SAE where the group takes over all of the rooms in Detroit and all of the suburbs) or large sporting events such as world series, indy 500, super bowl
Latest example – Renaissance Polat Erzurum in Turkey. No availability from Dec 15 to Apr 1. That's 3.5 months of "really really special event" – ski season... |
In my experience, you can make the override reservation online. The website will only show you the rack rate for a quality room, when there is no availability.
Also, you can only have one platinum override reservation in effect at any time. |
Originally Posted by BigYellowDog
(Post 8690635)
The website will only show you the rack rate for a quality room, when there is no availability.
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Go check out the Renaissance Reißersee Hotel in Garmisch Germany for anytime next year and you will find that there is no availability. Sign in and you will find a Platinum Override rate of 999.99 € per night (for US folks that is about $1500/night after Visa adds its 3%) for a room that normally goes of 99-114 €.
On a side note, my guess is that this hotel might be leaving Marriott since there is no availablity anytime next year. I assume the owner may still be in negotiations to stay with Marriott since the hotel is still listed on Marriott.com. It would be a bummer if they were to leave as that is a property I have frequented for a few years. A great Category 4 property. If Renaissance Reißersee wasn't associated with Marriott I would probably stay at a Gasthaus downtown instead. |
Almost every marriott property in Houston is sold out this week due to a huge convention. I called the reservation line and got an override at the Ren Greenway. Worked out no problems.
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Originally Posted by elva
(Post 8690583)
I believe socrates is talking about how it should be done, or was being done, not how it happens now...
Latest example – Renaissance Polat Erzurum in Turkey. No availability from Dec 15 to Apr 1. That's 3.5 months of "really really special event" – ski season... |
I just booked the weekend in Montreal for the F1 race next June - $169 including breakfast, parking, internet, etc. - same rate as the following weekend. This is probably the highest demand weekend of the year.
The 2-star Hotel St. Denis where I stayed for the 1995 race - lower quality than almost any FI I've stayed in - is listed at $522. That's what good it is. |
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