So is check-in at 3 or isn't it?
May 12, 2015, 9:42 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,106
Contrast this to my recent experience at the Park Towers, Luxury Collection in Buenos Aires.
Checked in at an absurdly early hour, 10am. Had been pre-upgraded to a suite. Was expecting to have to kill 5+ hours sightseeing. Agent apologized saying the suite wasn't ready. Offered me a regular room that was ready right now. Was so excited. Then realized she meant it would only be until the suite was ready, and then I would switch. Was floored. Got my suite and a free day room. Wow. Now that's customer service.
Checked in at an absurdly early hour, 10am. Had been pre-upgraded to a suite. Was expecting to have to kill 5+ hours sightseeing. Agent apologized saying the suite wasn't ready. Offered me a regular room that was ready right now. Was so excited. Then realized she meant it would only be until the suite was ready, and then I would switch. Was floored. Got my suite and a free day room. Wow. Now that's customer service.
May 13, 2015, 1:41 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: IHG Spire, Marriott
Posts: 574
I would have expected by the time you got to speak with a manager, that he put you in a lower category room for the time-being and upgrade you to a sizable suite by 5pm for the trouble.
Considering they didn't make a move with *wood corp/plat concierge involved, I would name and shame the property.
Considering they didn't make a move with *wood corp/plat concierge involved, I would name and shame the property.
May 13, 2015, 5:16 am
#18
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,455
Personal feeling regarding the OP post (without having gone trough the whole thread): If the hotel can't have his (nice) room ready by CI time, offer him any other available room (so he can deposit his stuff, take shower, change etc.) and offer to move his luggage once the other room is available. And offer some (small) compensation for not having the room ready.
What happened here, well, I wasn't there so can't comment on it. Did the hotel offer you a standard room "for the moment" with the option to transfer later when you reached the hotel, or only after the longish waiting time?
What happened here, well, I wasn't there so can't comment on it. Did the hotel offer you a standard room "for the moment" with the option to transfer later when you reached the hotel, or only after the longish waiting time?
May 13, 2015, 5:28 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: PHL
Posts: 656
Personal feeling regarding the OP post (without having gone trough the whole thread): If the hotel can't have his* (nice) room ready by CI time, offer him any other available room (so he can deposit his stuff, take shower, change etc.) and offer to move his luggage once the other room is available. And offer some (small) compensation for not having the room ready.
What happened here, well, I wasn't there so can't comment on it. Did the hotel offer you a standard room "for the moment" with the option to transfer later when you reached the hotel, or only after the longish waiting time?
What happened here, well, I wasn't there so can't comment on it. Did the hotel offer you a standard room "for the moment" with the option to transfer later when you reached the hotel, or only after the longish waiting time?
I think I may have wound up with one of the rooms in the original category, but not the others [edit: I remember now when we finally got keys, FD said they could give me one of the rooms in original category on lower floor. I don't care about the floor so that wasn't a problem]. I'd have to look back more carefully at the reservation; to be honest, I probably wouldn't have realized I was in a diff't room category. It was the FD who kept saying the room type I was booked in wasn't ready. I didn't remember what the room type was.
No, there was no offer to move us later. It was either take what they had at the time (and even then it took some time for them to determine if anything was open) or wait 2 hours for my room. I suppose I should've mentioned that as an alternative in the beginning but again, at first, it didn't seem like a big deal. It was after waiting an hour and a half and being told it could be two more hours that I got frustrated.
At that point, I was happy to take anything. I had hoped to go to the gym before dinner but didn't have anywhere to change or freshen up after working out. It was nearing 5 when I got into my room and I had to leave at 5:30, so I just needed to be settled.
Last edited by TimesTwo; May 13, 2015 at 5:58 am Reason: remembered something
May 13, 2015, 5:59 am
#20
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,938
So all 3 rooms weren't ready until really late?
Free breakfast, bottle of wine, and points are what you should be asking for/expecting here.
Free breakfast, bottle of wine, and points are what you should be asking for/expecting here.
May 13, 2015, 6:26 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: SPG
Posts: 31
I get the rooms not being ready at 3pm but to expect a guest to check-in around 7PM after already waiting a few hours is ridiculous.
You have every right to be upset over this. So far I've never had any trouble checking in early, as early as 10am some days even.
You have every right to be upset over this. So far I've never had any trouble checking in early, as early as 10am some days even.
May 13, 2015, 6:36 am
#22
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: MCO-The Mouse House
Programs: AA EXPlt, SPG Plt, Nat EE
Posts: 1,542
OP, I realize you say you don't want to throw your weight around but I get the feeling you might have been a bit too passive. I'm not saying this is your fault, not at all. The hotel provided poor service. However, sometimes you need to stand up for your rights!
This doesn't mean you should make a scene but when a property is too lazy, stupid, uncustomer focused, etc to make a reasonable accommodation it helps to offer them a solution. In my experience, it's quite often that front line staff have trouble offering things for either fear or because they aren't empowered. Giving them the solution sometimes gets to the point faster than calling SPG.
Next time feel free to suggest they put you in one room and then move you. Or compensate you for the downgrade. Or any of the other suggestions on this thread.
This doesn't mean you should make a scene but when a property is too lazy, stupid, uncustomer focused, etc to make a reasonable accommodation it helps to offer them a solution. In my experience, it's quite often that front line staff have trouble offering things for either fear or because they aren't empowered. Giving them the solution sometimes gets to the point faster than calling SPG.
Next time feel free to suggest they put you in one room and then move you. Or compensate you for the downgrade. Or any of the other suggestions on this thread.
May 13, 2015, 6:58 am
#23
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: LA
Programs: Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Delta Platinum Medallion, AAdvantage Platinum Pro
Posts: 600
I am aware of at least 2 GMs within the past 2 years at this property, and the turnover can't help their consistency.
May 13, 2015, 7:11 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,482
Please bookmark and read this thread when you demand your 4PM check out from your suite.
May 13, 2015, 8:28 am
#26
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 233
I would guess the OP wanted the 3 rooms to be near each other.
This is tough from the hotel side. Do you split the rooms up to get ready rooms or wait to have the rooms together whenever they are ready.
If you become a guest in this situation, speak up and let the hotel know what you want the most. If staying together is more important, let them know. However, if having clean rooms is more important, then say that. They may be able to find you a room that's ready, but different floor, room category, etc.
This is tough from the hotel side. Do you split the rooms up to get ready rooms or wait to have the rooms together whenever they are ready.
If you become a guest in this situation, speak up and let the hotel know what you want the most. If staying together is more important, let them know. However, if having clean rooms is more important, then say that. They may be able to find you a room that's ready, but different floor, room category, etc.
May 13, 2015, 8:38 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Just a bit confused on the timing here. When you arrived none of the three rooms were ready and your room wasn't ready until last, I get that. What was the timing of the other two rooms being available? Granted you missed the gym time you wanted, but you did have a place to stash your stuff. I'm sure you could have used one of the other rooms to get ready for dinner.
Juggling rooms is a lot like tables at a restaurant. You never know exactly when the room will come available (nor do you know when the next guest is going to arrive). I'm surprised this situation hasn't been reported more (may be happening though). No where I have seen the 3pm check-in listed as a guarantee. I know I have shown up early at some properties and many have been able to put me in a room, some have not. All have provided some accommodation (lounge or lobby) until the room was ready.
Juggling rooms is a lot like tables at a restaurant. You never know exactly when the room will come available (nor do you know when the next guest is going to arrive). I'm surprised this situation hasn't been reported more (may be happening though). No where I have seen the 3pm check-in listed as a guarantee. I know I have shown up early at some properties and many have been able to put me in a room, some have not. All have provided some accommodation (lounge or lobby) until the room was ready.
May 13, 2015, 9:45 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: PHL
Posts: 656
I would guess the OP wanted the 3 rooms to be near each other.
This is tough from the hotel side. Do you split the rooms up to get ready rooms or wait to have the rooms together whenever they are ready.
If you become a guest in this situation, speak up and let the hotel know what you want the most. If staying together is more important, let them know. However, if having clean rooms is more important, then say that. They may be able to find you a room that's ready, but different floor, room category, etc.
This is tough from the hotel side. Do you split the rooms up to get ready rooms or wait to have the rooms together whenever they are ready.
If you become a guest in this situation, speak up and let the hotel know what you want the most. If staying together is more important, let them know. However, if having clean rooms is more important, then say that. They may be able to find you a room that's ready, but different floor, room category, etc.
May 13, 2015, 9:47 am
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: PHL
Posts: 656
Just a bit confused on the timing here. When you arrived none of the three rooms were ready and your room wasn't ready until last, I get that. What was the timing of the other two rooms being available? Granted you missed the gym time you wanted, but you did have a place to stash your stuff. I'm sure you could have used one of the other rooms to get ready for dinner.
Juggling rooms is a lot like tables at a restaurant. You never know exactly when the room will come available (nor do you know when the next guest is going to arrive). I'm surprised this situation hasn't been reported more (may be happening though). No where I have seen the 3pm check-in listed as a guarantee. I know I have shown up early at some properties and many have been able to put me in a room, some have not. All have provided some accommodation (lounge or lobby) until the room was ready.
Juggling rooms is a lot like tables at a restaurant. You never know exactly when the room will come available (nor do you know when the next guest is going to arrive). I'm surprised this situation hasn't been reported more (may be happening though). No where I have seen the 3pm check-in listed as a guarantee. I know I have shown up early at some properties and many have been able to put me in a room, some have not. All have provided some accommodation (lounge or lobby) until the room was ready.
May 13, 2015, 10:49 am
#30
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Victoria BC
Programs: AC *50K MM; WS Platinum; Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 811
This!! I get that inventory management can be a challenge when you've got large numbers of people coming and going, but to suggest that it is "business as usual" to expect someone to wait for one room (let alone three) well past the posted check-in time is ludicrous. Sure, it happens, probably more frequently than we realize, but for staff at the hotel to put forward an "It is what it is" attitude is completely inappropriate. "Let me see how else we can accommodate you", "May we offer you complimentary [whatever - drinks or a meal while you wait, SPG points, bottle of wine, plate of cheese or fruit] to make up for the inconvenience", "We'll reduce the daily rate and comp you some SPG points" are far more appropriate responses.
IMO, it's not that this happened that's the problem (stuff happens!), it's that the staff (and several posters on FT) seem to think that this is an acceptable business practice. If you've got people who haven't checked out yet (because of business decisions you've made), then making it right for the next guest is just another cost of doing business.
IMO, it's not that this happened that's the problem (stuff happens!), it's that the staff (and several posters on FT) seem to think that this is an acceptable business practice. If you've got people who haven't checked out yet (because of business decisions you've made), then making it right for the next guest is just another cost of doing business.