Super Bowl Award Cancelled
Jan 23, 2017, 11:22 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HH Gold, Marriott Gold, PC Plat, Emirates Silver
Posts: 2,677
Super Bowl Award Cancelled
Last night I was happy to see award availability for a room in Houston for Super Bowl weekend. It did have a Dec 2016 cancellation deadline so you could not book it on speculation.
I booked the room last night then got an email from the hotel this morning that they would not honor it based on the terms of the program. They said Wyndham would call me.
There are no blackout dates in the program so I wonder what terms it violates. I asked the hotel but they did not respond.
Do I have any rights here? I get that they want to make money (room rates are up 5x) but if the room is in inventory for an award I think it should be honored.
I booked the room last night then got an email from the hotel this morning that they would not honor it based on the terms of the program. They said Wyndham would call me.
There are no blackout dates in the program so I wonder what terms it violates. I asked the hotel but they did not respond.
Do I have any rights here? I get that they want to make money (room rates are up 5x) but if the room is in inventory for an award I think it should be honored.
Jan 25, 2017, 2:59 pm
#2
Company Representative - Wyndham Rewards
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: Wyndham Rewards
Posts: 395
Hi mileshound!
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I would like to look into this situation further. Can you PM me with your name, confirmation number, anticipated dates of travel and Wyndham Rewards member number so I can dig deeper.
--Wyndham Alison
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I would like to look into this situation further. Can you PM me with your name, confirmation number, anticipated dates of travel and Wyndham Rewards member number so I can dig deeper.
--Wyndham Alison
Jan 28, 2017, 9:43 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
But I noticed that some hotels which were sold out directly were showing up with prices like $3000/night on third-party booking sites with availability. I presume that's speculation?
Jan 31, 2017, 6:12 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HH Gold, Marriott Gold, PC Plat, Emirates Silver
Posts: 2,677
Allison reached out to me and I gave her the info. I also called in a formal complaint. We will see where it goes.
The hotel had emailed me and I believe it was the owner. He lied to me multiple times.
1) Lie: He said per terms of Wyndham he will not honor the rate. I sent a link back to him showing no blackout dates then (fact) he point blank admitted in writing he wanted the revenue and would not give out free nights.
2) Lie: He said Wyndham would call me about the cancellation and he contacted them. Fact: He never contacted them.
3) When I told him Wyndham never called me, he told me to call Wyndham to request my points back. He said (lie) they were aware of the issue and there would be no problems. Fact: Wyndham was not aware of the situation and even had to call the hotel to get authorization to cancel a nonrefundable reservation so they could return my points. They told him I was filing a complaint and he was not happy.
I have made other arrangements since if he had agreed to honor the reservation I was not comfortable about the way I would be treated. Even worse, I would be worried that he would turn me away when I showed up.
Note: The hotel is not sold out and the rates are varying from $450 - $650 a night when it usually charges $90. I guess price gouging is legal.
The hotel had emailed me and I believe it was the owner. He lied to me multiple times.
1) Lie: He said per terms of Wyndham he will not honor the rate. I sent a link back to him showing no blackout dates then (fact) he point blank admitted in writing he wanted the revenue and would not give out free nights.
2) Lie: He said Wyndham would call me about the cancellation and he contacted them. Fact: He never contacted them.
3) When I told him Wyndham never called me, he told me to call Wyndham to request my points back. He said (lie) they were aware of the issue and there would be no problems. Fact: Wyndham was not aware of the situation and even had to call the hotel to get authorization to cancel a nonrefundable reservation so they could return my points. They told him I was filing a complaint and he was not happy.
I have made other arrangements since if he had agreed to honor the reservation I was not comfortable about the way I would be treated. Even worse, I would be worried that he would turn me away when I showed up.
Note: The hotel is not sold out and the rates are varying from $450 - $650 a night when it usually charges $90. I guess price gouging is legal.
Jan 31, 2017, 3:45 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 629
It's only illegal during hurricanes. Florida is the same way.
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/price-gouging
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/price-gouging
Feb 1, 2017, 2:08 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Southern USA
Programs: Wyndham
Posts: 107
Hopefully Wyndham will make it right. I bet that owner cringed when he saw your go free booking on Super Bowl weekend! LOL! Hope you have a great experience at the game (something I have always wanted to attend)
Feb 1, 2017, 11:05 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: IAH
Posts: 94
I hope Wyndham comps you in some way and does something about this dishonest manager. Welcome to Htown! Check out Discovery Green, they are having lots of activities there. Also George RR Brown Convention center is having an NFL experience for $35. Not sure what it all entails but will be checking it out this weekend. Have fun!
Feb 8, 2017, 9:52 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,303
Allison reached out to me and I gave her the info. I also called in a formal complaint. We will see where it goes.
The hotel had emailed me and I believe it was the owner. He lied to me multiple times.
1) Lie: He said per terms of Wyndham he will not honor the rate. I sent a link back to him showing no blackout dates then (fact) he point blank admitted in writing he wanted the revenue and would not give out free nights.
2) Lie: He said Wyndham would call me about the cancellation and he contacted them. Fact: He never contacted them.
3) When I told him Wyndham never called me, he told me to call Wyndham to request my points back. He said (lie) they were aware of the issue and there would be no problems. Fact: Wyndham was not aware of the situation and even had to call the hotel to get authorization to cancel a nonrefundable reservation so they could return my points. They told him I was filing a complaint and he was not happy.
I have made other arrangements since if he had agreed to honor the reservation I was not comfortable about the way I would be treated. Even worse, I would be worried that he would turn me away when I showed up.
Note: The hotel is not sold out and the rates are varying from $450 - $650 a night when it usually charges $90. I guess price gouging is legal.
The hotel had emailed me and I believe it was the owner. He lied to me multiple times.
1) Lie: He said per terms of Wyndham he will not honor the rate. I sent a link back to him showing no blackout dates then (fact) he point blank admitted in writing he wanted the revenue and would not give out free nights.
2) Lie: He said Wyndham would call me about the cancellation and he contacted them. Fact: He never contacted them.
3) When I told him Wyndham never called me, he told me to call Wyndham to request my points back. He said (lie) they were aware of the issue and there would be no problems. Fact: Wyndham was not aware of the situation and even had to call the hotel to get authorization to cancel a nonrefundable reservation so they could return my points. They told him I was filing a complaint and he was not happy.
I have made other arrangements since if he had agreed to honor the reservation I was not comfortable about the way I would be treated. Even worse, I would be worried that he would turn me away when I showed up.
Note: The hotel is not sold out and the rates are varying from $450 - $650 a night when it usually charges $90. I guess price gouging is legal.
Feb 13, 2017, 1:23 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cockeysville, MD
Programs: Marriott Rewards Lifetime Titanium, Amex Plat, Hertz Gold 5*, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 9,467
Not Wyndham-or award related, but similar. The Ravens won the SB in 2013. I was SO sure of a repeat-- 
-- that I booked a great rate at the Courtyard near the Meadowlands for the SB. Booking was done in late Feb 2013 for SB happening in 2014. Standard 24 hour cancellation-no deposit.
About a month later, GM of hotel emails me saying they were changing all of the terms of my reservation. I had 10 days to agree or my reservation would be canceled. 1) They were charging my Credit Card in full for the three nights I had reserved upon my acceptance of terms. 2) no cancelations
I called the property and said no way. I had booked under agreed terms. Cannot change now. He waffled a bit then said "don't worry about it. I also called Marriott. They noted reservation and contacted property about doing this to existing reservations-a def. no-no.
Ultimately, the Ravens didn't make it. I did cancel with tons of notice.
I get the idea of avoiding speculation. But, they set the terms. I agreed to them. Put in what you want if you want guests locked in.
-- that I booked a great rate at the Courtyard near the Meadowlands for the SB. Booking was done in late Feb 2013 for SB happening in 2014. Standard 24 hour cancellation-no deposit. About a month later, GM of hotel emails me saying they were changing all of the terms of my reservation. I had 10 days to agree or my reservation would be canceled. 1) They were charging my Credit Card in full for the three nights I had reserved upon my acceptance of terms. 2) no cancelations
I called the property and said no way. I had booked under agreed terms. Cannot change now. He waffled a bit then said "don't worry about it. I also called Marriott. They noted reservation and contacted property about doing this to existing reservations-a def. no-no.
Ultimately, the Ravens didn't make it. I did cancel with tons of notice.
I get the idea of avoiding speculation. But, they set the terms. I agreed to them. Put in what you want if you want guests locked in.
Feb 13, 2017, 1:39 pm
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
There are threads like this every year at venues around major national events such as the Superbowl. While it is bad practice, unethical, and everything else, it is not illegal.
It is rare that these are mistakes and it is rare that these are overbooking or oversales. Simply that properties which can get $100 on a good night, will cancel a cash booking at $100 to get $700 and a points booking to get that for certain.
The chains ("corporate") won't do anything and some number of people lose out every year.
The FTC, which could do a post-purchase rule just like DOT's rule for commercial air carriers, has not done one (not just for major events, but for all bookings), so the practice continues.
It is rare that these are mistakes and it is rare that these are overbooking or oversales. Simply that properties which can get $100 on a good night, will cancel a cash booking at $100 to get $700 and a points booking to get that for certain.
The chains ("corporate") won't do anything and some number of people lose out every year.
The FTC, which could do a post-purchase rule just like DOT's rule for commercial air carriers, has not done one (not just for major events, but for all bookings), so the practice continues.
Aug 22, 2017, 4:46 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
If you want to see even wider (over?)booking (also largely on speculation?), look at any hotel in or near the eclipse path in Oregon or Wyoming for Aug 20, the night before the eclipse. Bend (which is slightly outside) is 0 availability, Salem is 0 availability, Jackson WY is 0 availability, etc, etc. I got the last hotel room in the area of The Dalles a while ago (not a Wyndham). In another thread here, people a few months ago were booking up a Super 8 for 15k points in Jackson WY when all other hotels there were sold out already and rates were many hundreds of dollars cash.
But I noticed that some hotels which were sold out directly were showing up with prices like $3000/night on third-party booking sites with availability. I presume that's speculation?
But I noticed that some hotels which were sold out directly were showing up with prices like $3000/night on third-party booking sites with availability. I presume that's speculation?
And Days Inn in Bend did honor my reservation with no problem. Plus for the morning of the eclipse, they set out the hot breakfast by 4:15 am (they had promised hot by 4 am and maybe continental by 2 or 3 am, but I didn't check until 4:15 am). I guess they realized that many people wanted to get an early start on the drive north to the totality path, given all the news in recent days about coming traffic nightmares. And, in fact, I did want to leave before 5 am myself, as I was heading an hour-plus north to Mecca Flats Recreation Area, beyond Madras and right before Warm Springs.
So a shout out about one Days Inn which really went above and beyond for eclipse chasers. ^ ^ ^
Aug 23, 2017, 1:47 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tampere
Programs: BA EC Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,233
