Priceline--Update Reservation Record Question
 

I booked two rooms via Priceline for the Sheraton Suites Houston Galleria. I want to add my SPG gold # to the record (for incidentals; and in advance, on the off chance of better treatment), as well as let the hotel I will be arriving late and would like a non-smoking room. I emailed SPG and they told me to call reservations. I called reservations and they said they cannot modify the record. I called the hotel and they sent me to SPG reservations, who this time sent me to SPG Web Help. After waiting on hold for 10 minutes, I thought someone might have a better way to address this. Any advice?

I've never done this, but what you'll need to do is speak with the hotel's ON SITE RESERVATIONS office. If they don't have one (and most still do, but not all), you can ask for the front desk. I imagine those are the only ways you'll be able to modify the reservation at this point.

You shouldn't need to alert the hotel to a late arrival as you've already paid in full for the room. You may have better luck showing up and presenting your Gold card vs. calling in advance.

It can't be done in most cases. If it can be, it has to be done from the hotel end.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

I have done this several times by e-mailing the hotel directly and it has not been a problem for them to add my SPG number. While I do get recognized as a Gold at check-in, I don't know if it's actually had any benefit (but it can't hurt).

Thanks for all of your responses. Per your advice, I emailed the hotel. William, how come this functionality is not allowed--I would think you would want to provide an automated way of having customers log preferences, such as non-smoking rooms. You can modify Priceline reservations on Marriott, including updating the name, room preference, etc. I understand that you cannot gaurentee these choices, but you should have an easy (and for you, non-labor intensive) way of trying to accomodate guests.

It isn't allowed through the Customer Contact Center because you did not book the reservation through us and Priceline has its own set of agreements with the hotels. One of these happens to be the preferences you mention, which are not guaranteed in any way, shape, or form by Priceline. If we start adding comments regarding preferences on reservations we do not book, it can lead to liability issues.

I imagine since Bill Marriott has never lost a legal decision in the history of his company that he is not concerned with such trivialities. ;)

Whether or not it can be done at the property very much remains a technical functionality issue. Some can, some can't, and some won't even if they could for reasons cited previously.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

FWIW, here's an interesting experience.

We have gone to Stamford, NJ for the second night of Passover for 3 years. For the first two years, we stayed at the Sheraton on a very cheap Cash & Points deal. This year, the prices skyrocketed as they had converted the entire hotel and kitchen for a large group coming for Passover - cheapest room we could get was over $350 w/ taxes.

Got two rooms on Priceline at the Hyatt Regency for $125 each. I'm a Starwood guy and I follow this forum religiously so I expected very, very little from the hotel. That said, I got an email from Priceline asking if I had any special requests! Wrote back that we would love a king bed for us and anything at all for our 25 year old son. They wrote back that it was included in our request along with our estimated arrival time and a request to contact them again if there was anything else they could do!

Yeah - I love mhy Starpoints but this was a great experience. We were treated like gold at the Hyatt - connecting rooms and our room was enormous. I'mnot saying that it's the answer every time, but I was in a bind here and it could not have worked out better.

"most still do"? Wrong. very very few Starwood hotels still have an on-site reservations office. Close to ZERO in North America. Sure, you can call the hotel and ask to speak to reservations, but you wont be talking to someone at the hotel...those calls go right to one of the Starwood call centers....

Yes and no. The function is still there. I don't think they are staffed like they used to be, and I'm pretty sure there is a new title, but it's same people, basically doing the same core things for the property. I talk to several offices on a regular basis for my business. However, the house operator is scripted to forward you to the 800 number.

If you do a lot of large group and event stuff you'll deal with them. Say you're a convention or event that has 99% of the hotel blocked off and want to allocate club floors for your own VIPs. The Starwood call centers just can't handle that well, but in house staff does.

Never ended up hearing from the hotel when I contacted them via email. I am going to try (a dangerous) experiment. I am going to see if they ended up getting my request when I check-in later today. :)

I'm not sure about what the department is called anymore or how the divisons may have changed. IIRC most chains have seperate Reservation, Sales, and Front Office divisons. I've never really thought to ask anyone about internal structure.

However the titles I see on the emails are "Reservations Supervisor", "Reservations Coordinator" or "Group Coordinator", which are the same titles I was dealing with when there was in house. I think if you call during the day shift and ask for either a In House Reservations Supervisor or Coordinator you'll should be able to get someone who's very nible with making things happen with reservation system onsite.

Turns out the hotel never had details of the email I sent them. So without a dedicated reservations office, someone who answers emails or a way of changing Internet reservations online, you've gor to rely on a bit of luck. Fortunately, the hotel was pretty empty and was able to accomodate my requests upon check-in.

Sorry, but you pricelined. This means, by virtue of what is said on both spg.com and on priceline that you are NOT guaranteed any special requests. I'm not sure I understand why you went to so much trouble knowing these parameters beforehand?? :confused:

You were fortunate that the hotel accommodated you, but I would hate to think how upset you may have gotten if they hadn't. If a particular type of room is important, then why didn't you book through spg?

Agreed. Priceline can be a great resource when the situation calls for it, but when you have specific requests that are important to you it is not the way to go.