W Times Square Rate Disaster
Jan 23, 2002, 12:04 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Hotel Guru
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Posts: 1,457
W Times Square Rate Disaster
Is it possible that anyone makes a summary on that rate disaster at the new W Times Square as many of us, which have not seen the start of this thread, don't know what it's all about without reading the whole topic with its 256!! posts.
Thanks in advance
Muerz
Thanks in advance
Muerz
Jan 23, 2002, 12:25 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Sunny Switzerland
Programs: BD / BA / AF
Posts: 4,388
In a nutshell, there was a rate glitch in that existed on Starwood's website for a few days. By reserving a room at the W Times Square with very particular settings, a rate of $25 per night came up (which should have been $295, I believe, but was mis-entered).
To make a long story short, several hundred poeple reserved rooms at this rate representing over 1000 room-nights. The glitch was exposed, and there were mixed reports about whether Starwood would honour the rates.
Initially, the hotel called people to tell them that their reservations would be changed to the correct, higher rate -- or in some cases, very small (10-20%) discounts were offered. About two days after the incident, the Wall Street Journal published a statement from a Starwood spokesperson confirming that the hotel would honour the $25 mistake rate as a gesture of goodwill.
End of story? Not quite -- some FTers have reported that despite the WSJ story, the $25 rate was not honoured by the hotel. Judging by the fact that I haven't heard many horror stories here recently, I'm assuming that the hotel is now honouring all of the $25 rates as promised.
Hope this helps!
PS -- these are the facts from the thread. The rest of the thread is taken up with legal and ethical discussions about whether Starwood could/should be obligated to honour the $25 rates
To make a long story short, several hundred poeple reserved rooms at this rate representing over 1000 room-nights. The glitch was exposed, and there were mixed reports about whether Starwood would honour the rates.
Initially, the hotel called people to tell them that their reservations would be changed to the correct, higher rate -- or in some cases, very small (10-20%) discounts were offered. About two days after the incident, the Wall Street Journal published a statement from a Starwood spokesperson confirming that the hotel would honour the $25 mistake rate as a gesture of goodwill.
End of story? Not quite -- some FTers have reported that despite the WSJ story, the $25 rate was not honoured by the hotel. Judging by the fact that I haven't heard many horror stories here recently, I'm assuming that the hotel is now honouring all of the $25 rates as promised.
Hope this helps!
PS -- these are the facts from the thread. The rest of the thread is taken up with legal and ethical discussions about whether Starwood could/should be obligated to honour the $25 rates
Jan 23, 2002, 12:29 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Irvine, CA
Posts: 184
Real quick..
A $25 rate for the Times W was discovered and posted here. A lot of us booked nights at that rate. Starwood said that the rate was an error and at first it seemed like Starwood was not going to honor the reservations at $25 but Starwood DID honor it.
(I'm sure someone will provide more detail)
EDITED: I guess I was too slow
[This message has been edited by Billy Bandit (edited 01-23-2002).]
A $25 rate for the Times W was discovered and posted here. A lot of us booked nights at that rate. Starwood said that the rate was an error and at first it seemed like Starwood was not going to honor the reservations at $25 but Starwood DID honor it.
(I'm sure someone will provide more detail)
EDITED: I guess I was too slow
[This message has been edited by Billy Bandit (edited 01-23-2002).]
Jan 23, 2002, 12:46 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 7,149
A Long Time Ago, In a Galaxy FAR, FAR, AWAY,
The W Times Sq. loaded a rate of $25 into their system. Problem was that they meant to put an extra 9 on the end. At the same time, Princess Leah sent out a message in a droid, saying "Help me Obi-wan, you are my only hope". Also, a young Dirk Diggler was being introduced to Rollergirl while washing dishes. The Droid made its way to the Skywalker ranch on a planet with two suns, where the message was seen by young Luke. Luke and Ben Kenobi, the aforementioned Obi-Wan hooked up, went to a bar bearing little resemblance to the Unnderbar at W Union Square, and hooked up with smuggler Han Solo. Anyway, news spread throughout the galaxy like wildfire about the $25 rate at the W Tines SQ, many FTers who populated the bar at which Hans met Luke, booked numerous nights at this rate. The hotel was chagrined and closed the loophole, angering the dark side and Lord Darth Vader, who decided to build a mighty Death Star. Hemming and hawing went on, threats of silly lawsuits and accusations of invasion of privacy were bandied out. Dirk meets the Colonel and becomes a big star ("Well, thank you, Eddie."), Luke meets Yoda, who tells him "When all else fails, just remember that hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Luke then becomes a Jedi, then he destroys the Death Star while using the force along with Brock Landers and Chest Rockwell, and there is some serious incestual attraction between Luke and Leah. Luke gets a coke problem, though and screams at obi-wan "You know what, I'm the biggest star here, that's the way it is! ... You're not my boss! You're not the king of me! I am the (expletive) king of Luke!" In the end, the W decided to honor the rate, Darth Vader was knocked into space, and Dutin Hoffamn stood on the balcony of the church and screamed "Mrs. Bouvier" trying to convince her not to marry Mr. Burns. Meanwhile, Matt Damon breeaks down crying in the arms of Robin Williams, who says "It's not your fault , Will, It's not your fault. It's not your fault. It's not your fault . It's not your fault ." Then Hoffman gets on a bus with Jon Voight and "Everybody's Talkin' at me" comes on in the background, and he dies. Red then takes the same bus to El Paso, and for the second time in his life, is guilty of a crime. Oh yeah, and Rocky loses.
The end....
The W Times Sq. loaded a rate of $25 into their system. Problem was that they meant to put an extra 9 on the end. At the same time, Princess Leah sent out a message in a droid, saying "Help me Obi-wan, you are my only hope". Also, a young Dirk Diggler was being introduced to Rollergirl while washing dishes. The Droid made its way to the Skywalker ranch on a planet with two suns, where the message was seen by young Luke. Luke and Ben Kenobi, the aforementioned Obi-Wan hooked up, went to a bar bearing little resemblance to the Unnderbar at W Union Square, and hooked up with smuggler Han Solo. Anyway, news spread throughout the galaxy like wildfire about the $25 rate at the W Tines SQ, many FTers who populated the bar at which Hans met Luke, booked numerous nights at this rate. The hotel was chagrined and closed the loophole, angering the dark side and Lord Darth Vader, who decided to build a mighty Death Star. Hemming and hawing went on, threats of silly lawsuits and accusations of invasion of privacy were bandied out. Dirk meets the Colonel and becomes a big star ("Well, thank you, Eddie."), Luke meets Yoda, who tells him "When all else fails, just remember that hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Luke then becomes a Jedi, then he destroys the Death Star while using the force along with Brock Landers and Chest Rockwell, and there is some serious incestual attraction between Luke and Leah. Luke gets a coke problem, though and screams at obi-wan "You know what, I'm the biggest star here, that's the way it is! ... You're not my boss! You're not the king of me! I am the (expletive) king of Luke!" In the end, the W decided to honor the rate, Darth Vader was knocked into space, and Dutin Hoffamn stood on the balcony of the church and screamed "Mrs. Bouvier" trying to convince her not to marry Mr. Burns. Meanwhile, Matt Damon breeaks down crying in the arms of Robin Williams, who says "It's not your fault , Will, It's not your fault. It's not your fault. It's not your fault . It's not your fault ." Then Hoffman gets on a bus with Jon Voight and "Everybody's Talkin' at me" comes on in the background, and he dies. Red then takes the same bus to El Paso, and for the second time in his life, is guilty of a crime. Oh yeah, and Rocky loses.
The end....
Jan 23, 2002, 1:03 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Sunny Switzerland
Programs: BD / BA / AF
Posts: 4,388
BoSoxFan45, repeat after me:
"I will not drink before posting to Flyertalk..."
"I will not drink before posting to Flyertalk..."
"I will not drink before posting to Flyertalk..."
ROTFLMAO -- thanks for a much needed laugh!
"I will not drink before posting to Flyertalk..."
"I will not drink before posting to Flyertalk..."
"I will not drink before posting to Flyertalk..."
ROTFLMAO -- thanks for a much needed laugh!
Jan 23, 2002, 1:08 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 7,149
You think I'm drunk???? I wish! 
I've just been working on an appellate brief all day and, well... punch drunk is more like it...
I've just been working on an appellate brief all day and, well... punch drunk is more like it...