I am staying here at Calgary Sheraton Cavalier for one night. I made the reservation 3 days ago specifically asking for a non smoking room and was told no problem. When I got here, I was put in a smoking room, I called down to front desk immediately complaining, the front desk response by saying that all non smoking rooms are gone, and told me that I'll have to stay in a smoking room. He further told me that the only non smoking room available is suite. I ask him to upgrade me for the night since I am only staying one night. He refused and said "Oh, it's over $200". I am extremely upset by this.

Is there anything I can do (talk to starwood?).

Regards,
Empress

Did you ask fof the Hotel Manager? I had the exact same problem at the Hyatt in Indianapolis a few years ago. The desk person said "sorry" and offered nothing else. After demanding the manager, I got upgraded to a Junior Suite for the night.

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Same thing happened to me at the Midland, TX hilton about a year ago. Front Desk clerk told me it was the LAST room. Turns out when talking to the manager the next morning there were other rooms, she just didn't want to upgrade me because my rate was too low, even though I was at the time Gold VIP. Anyway, I talked to the manager, and also talked to the Regional Manager for Hilton after I didn't feel it was well resolved. I was given a CRAPLOAD of HHonors points and learned later that the lady was fired for lying. Just keep going up the chain of command...

I did talk to the manager. He told me that Starwood was the one that booked me in a smoking room so they can't do anything about it. So I am sitting here, with all my suits and shirts soaking up smoke odour. They said they can't upgrade me to either Club Level and suite even thoough they will be empty tonight.

I can tell from the tone of both the front desk clerk and the hotel manager that they just don't want to upgrade me for free. They instead lay the blame on Starwood. What they have shown is that they are not going to try to satisfy/make a customer happy. Instead they try to make you blame someone else.

I don't think it's that big of a deal to let me stay at a non smoking room on either the Club level or suite for the night since they are empty anyways. I am sure I'll have a different feeling toward the hotel completely.

Anyone I can talk to so that I can get something as compensation?

This hotel will definitely be on my "Not to stay" list.

Regards,
Empress

[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 11-09-1999).]

Please repost on the hotel boards too. Sometimes those hotel people scan them for customer input.

I would bet that Starwood HQ will make it right. Get everybody's name and email the whole story to Starwood. I did that and got far more compensation than I expeced.

It depends. Was your reservation confirmed non-smoking? At least with Marriott, I can confirm king non-smoking. When I make reservations with Courtyard (one step down the hotel scale) I normally can not confirm, even if I make it a while in advance. It's always requested.

If you had a confirmed reservation then yes you are due compensation. If not, I don't really see it. Of course, Starwood might handle these things differently.

Luckily I've only been put in smoking rooms once in nearly hundred hotel stays; and that hotel just royally sucks in terms of customer service (Marriott Raleigh Crabtree). I stayed there a week once and every little thing that could go wrong did.. but that's another story.

FWIW, I would have called Starwood reservations right away. If they confirm that you booked NS, then they may perceive that it's the hotel's fault (or even that the hotel is LYING), and may intercede for you. Remember, the hotel is only concerned (particularly if independently-owned) with return business from you at that location. Starwood is concerned with your feelings toward Starwood in general, and may be more disposed toward making you happy.

Back before it was Starwood, we had a problem with a reservation and contacted Sheraton's Gold Customer Service. The woman there got everything straightened out, though it took a while. Since we found out about the problem in advance and it was resolved we did not get any compensation. In our case, the reservationist had the wrong date in the computer and, when I checked just before leaving town, the date we needed (air tix in hand) was sold out for the 50th birthday of the Sultan of Brunei. Sheraton booted some ambassador to squeeze us in!!! It is the ONLY hotel above 2 stars in town.

One big problem is not having confirmations in writing. We have occasionally had other problems with what we thought we ordered and what turned up on the hotel's screen also. Like at the Hawaiian Village Hilton for the PIP! And we were not alone...