Community Chat

[Tori3569]

There may have been a late checkout booked, which can be done and paid for online.  I have also found when booking hotel meeting rooms online, that the communication from the website to the actual property doesn't always go through with notes.

As for me, I'd be ok with moving the next day, but that's just me.  I'm pretty easy going with people in the service industry because I'm in it too and understand mistakes happening.  Unfortunately the travel and hospitality industry had been severely impacted and who knows how many new people have been hired. 
I hope you enjoy your trip! 

[Somertime]

@MamaWick I would suggest you call the hotel directly and speak with the front desk manger because you have a specific request you want honored that is the only way you will get what you request.  Mention as well that you are a repeat guest and have been for the last 3 years.  So any special requirement you have when booking a hotel do not use ANY online booking and expect your request to be honored, only direct communication works.  Make sure when you receive your confirmation it contains the room number you have requested since you wish to have a specific room.

[Mz iMac]

@spumoni99  At this particular hotel, check in is 1:00p-4:00.  If you arrive AFTER 4:00 you are SOL unless you call to tell them you will be late.  Then they extend your room reservation till 6op.

Maybe because it's in a "shore" community & rooms are sold out from May-Oct.  Check out is 12:00p.

I always make my reservation during "hotel/motel spruce up time" which is during March-April in shore towns.

[kate2357]

I have had two experiences with this sort of thing. In one case they required us to pay one night in advance, nonrefundable,  to get a specific room. In the other instance they said they would try their best to accommodate our request, but could not guarantee a specific room would be available.

But if I had been promised a specific room only to arrive and not get that room, I would be steamed. Happens a 2nd time? Oh, I am sure I would go on a " full Karen" rant and embarrass myself and never go back, ever. Also would have left a less than great TripAdvisor review before I even left the parking lot.

[chrystaltree]

Something similar happened to us.  We requested the 2nd floor suite with a accessible bathroom in the master bedroom.  We had to settle for a third floor and neither bathroom was accessible.  With my fatigue and knee issues, I couldn't go out as much as I wanted to.  The thing is, hotels are not legally required to honor room selections.  

[Trailrun23]

The same thing has happened to us on more than one occasion and at more than one hotel. There is a tiny disclaimer on the sites that says that special requests aren't guaranteed. DH is disabled and we must have a  first floor room. Last spring we had booked a room in Nashville and as I always do, requested a first floor room. We don't require a handicapped room that meets ADA requirements, just a first floor room. The reservation indicated we would have one.  When we arrived, we were told sorry, no first floor rooms available, the clerk shrugs, and then asks for my credit card. I had printed out the reservation and showed it to the clerk. No response. It was late so we had to take a third floor room and it required a lot of energy from DH which he did not have at that time. I ripped them on their website. 

[sweetee2]

I have always made reservations ahead of time when we travel some a year in advance.  I've notice though during and since Covid though they always tell me they can't guarantee the room I ask for.  

One hotel  we've been going to for our family vacation for over 20 years said the same thing. Needless to say I was pretty miffed. I told them we had been reserving those same rooms for 20 years. Didn't matter. Luckily we got our rooms. 

I don't understand why or what the big deal is now.

[Cakers3]

Sometimes reservations get mixed up.

It can be frustrating but it is not going to ruin the whole vacation . 

Ending up with the wrong room is not the same as not having a room available at all.

Personally I wouldn't pull the "repeat customer" card-sometimes you just have to accept a person made a mistake (and online bookings can be iffy at best).  I think it is kind of (I'll get creamed for this one) Karen-ish.

The manager or GM or whoever still cannot pull the other guests out of the room so one might get a night comp or a discount but one still has to accept the situation.  Certainly bring it up but let the issue of being a repeat customer go.

Life will go on.

[RollTide2008]

I’ve been in the hotel business for 28 years. Claiming to be a repeat customer who stays once a year for three years doesn’t have any clout.

Assigning rooms is called blocking the house. It’s far more complex than you might expect. I currently have 15 properties. All of them are running at least 85% occupancy and dealing with staffing shortages and supply chain issues. We’re all doing the best we can.

[MamaWick]

All...I understand there are no guarantees.

Want to clear up a few things. This is not the first time it has happened, but the third. Our repeat business is not once a year, but several times a year. Missouri is where we were born and raised, living here until 2005, so we are frequent visitors. I did call the hotel directly earlier this week.

On check in, they said they did see my note made at the time of the original booking through their site (not Priceline, etc). Check-in is after 3pm and we checked in at 3:20 Central Time.

Now, for my latest gripe. I love oatmeal and they have instant packages which are fine. But, there was no water (hot or cold) available for this and no microwave to heat it. The attendant took it back into the kitchen to do it. Interesting.

Finally, we are not going to move to the requested room. We are all unpacked for our 5 nights. I let them know so they don't have to rush turning over the room.