Did Hojos Cancellation Policy Change?

[Mcky36]

I don't know... I think HOJO gets A LOT of business by positive word of mouth from THIS board. Sounds like there are a lot of unhappy people.

Agreed. I stayed just about everywhere BUT Hojos before I joined this board. I only tried it out after everyone here raved about it. As much as I love Hojos, I won't book again as long as they have this cancellation policy in effect for the ET/AP rate. Since I cannot ensure that we will never have to modify, change, cancel, or postpone our trip, I never choose a hotel that has such a policy. And at Hojos regular rate there are plenty of other comparable hotels to choose from in the area.

Finally......I don't particularly care for being called a "squatter" if I have to change my reservation for some unforseen reason. Life happens. I think it is unfortunate that Hojos has decided lump people into such a category, especially those who honestly have to change their reservation for an emergency, unforseen circumstance, etc.

 

[LisaCat]

I haven't stayed at HoJo yet, and now probably won't. When I book a trip, I secure the hotel first and then book airfare since that has change fees involved. This won't be possible using HoJo. The only reason I would stay that far from the park is for the special rate. For the $10 - $20 difference per night on the normal rates, I stay across the street from the main entrance.

 

[TiggerCat]

I don't know... I think HOJO gets A LOT of business by positive word of mouth from THIS board. Sounds like there are a lot of unhappy people.

Me thinks you my be overestimating the importance of this change with those who would choose to stay at HOJO. Granted, there are some individuals who are expressing their displeasure but I highly doubt that they will cause the owners to lose any sleep. You will also note that there was some positive responses as well. I will be very interested to see if this is even an issue in a month.

TC.

 

[shanni]

This makes me a bit nervous too. My dates haven't come up yet, (still crossing my fingers!!), but I have been hoping for them to. The last big vacation we took, my dd ended up getting strep the day before we were supposed to leave. We had to push back the vacation by a few days.

I can totally see why they feel the need to do something, but this seems a bit extreme. I could totally get back a cancellation/change fee, but to have absolutely NO option of cancelling without paying full price is a bit much. It certainly is making me rethink my hotel choice!!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

I too think it's a bit extreme. I understand the logic, but a fee that might equal one nights stay would be more appropriate.

Long distance visitors, like myself, must juggle so many aspects of a vacation to make it work. Many airlines don't open dates much in the future. I would love to make plans for my October trip, for example, but can't because there are no flights available.

I think I need to expand my hotel search. I wanted to make Hojo ressies next week after the school calendar is released, but I don't want to take a chance on not getting airfare.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

IMHO I tend to agree with HOJO's and TiggerCat's comments on this. The only people it affects are those who are using the Ent rate, and especially those who abusing their system when it comes to booking multiple dates, then cancelling the ones that they don't need at the last minute. I may be different than everyone else, but when looking at a vacation, I first figure out the dates that I want to go, make sure that they won't be changed. Then I figure out transportation, either driving down or flying, then I secure my hotel reservation, making sure I book all in advance with enough time to get the room that I want and the dates. I know alot of people tend to wait till the last minute to book the hotel, but it's a matter of choice.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

The policy makes perfect sense to me. This is no different than an "Advance Puchase" rate offered by most mainstream hotels. You get a great rate but it is non-refundable. That's the trade off. Let's face it, there are a large number of people out there who hoard dates and cancel at the last minute. This makes it difficult for the hotel to fill leaving them with a lower occupancy rate and lower profits. I'm betting that HOJOs will have no problem selling those discounted nights regardless of how many people say they won't go back.

TC.

Fair enough. Business is business. I think though it needs to be spelled out more clearly that the ET/AP rates are now an "advance purchase" rate that is non-refundable under any circumstance and people need to be told when exactly full payment is going to be charged to their credit card (booking or check-in date?). I'm not convinced that Hojo will have absolutely no difficulty selling nights out with this new policy. It seems like a big policy change to swallow for those who were used to the previous way, and it also seems like the presentation of this information could have been handled in a more public relations friendly way. Either they're not going to fill as many rooms as they are expecting to be able to, or they're going to have a different clientele, maybe more people who aren't so involved in the Disney fan boards all over the web that Hojo has worked so diligently to advertise on and sponsor.

I'm not of the mind that I'll never stay there again by any means. Hojos is still a clean, family-friendly hotel with interior corridors, pleasant grounds, a fun water play area, and free parking. However, the ET/AP rate and the flexibility to update dates and rates whenever, whether we needed to use it much or not, was also a great draw for us, and a "perk" that I was willing to make other trade-offs for. If I'm no longer able to combine the "perks" of great rates and flexibility, I am more than willing to review what other perks are out there, i. e. shorter walks, dedicated shuttles, free breakfasts, and so on when deciding if Hojo is still the best value for our family. Hojos hasn't lost my business, just my loyalty.

 

[tzeitel]

I booked 2 rooms on the 23rd and my confirmation email has the new cancellation policy. This is the only trip we have booked (for Oct) and in no way am I "squatting" or abusing their system, but like a lot of people have said - things happen and maybe my dates change by a day or two.

Is there a good way to contact them? I just sent them a message using their "contact us" link on their site but it does not say anything about anyone getting back to me. I will call them but I just want something in writing if they tell me that the new policy starts in Feb.

 

[dmked]

I see their view from a business point, if people are booking a ton of dates then canceling right outside the 48 hours window, I can see why they needed to implement something.

On my upcoming trip in March, I booked one one each side of my intended stay just until I was sure of my plans (not with the AP rate, but I would have done the same thing had I gotten the rate) then last week I canceled just one day since we figured out what we were doing for sure.

A lot of hotels have the no cancellation rule when you book an extremely good rate online, it would be nice if Hojo did a $15 or $20 fee instead of saying absolutely no cancellations and no changes. I still LOVE Hojos and this will not stop me from staying there, people need to stop throwing fits about this

 

[Hojoanaheim]

I thank you all for the constructive comments we’ve received, and I appreciate DISboards for this forum allowing us to share ideas with our Guests! We pride ourselves on our Customer Service and want to work together with our Disney Fans to develop a policy that is fair and flexible, while protecting our ability to provide rooms to sell to our Guests.

As I posted, “date squatting” has become an issue with these unique “Retro Discount” rates, and it became clear that a change was necessary to maintain fairness to our Guests. Remarkably, last year 43% of all HojoAnaheim reservations generated ended up as cancellations! Our team has reviewed the comments in this thread and agrees that there are some great ideas such as Disney-super-mom’s suggestion of tiered fees for cancellations and changes based on the number of days out. Crissiecutie also has some interesting ideas for reducing the squatter issue. We will investigate these great ideas to see which will work with the somewhat rigid Howard Johnson reservations system and also work for the majority of our Guests, and then make some adjustments.

This policy as it currently stands will go in to effect on 2/1/2011, so reservations booked prior are exempt from any fees. “Retro Discount” reservations booked after this date would be subject to 1 night’s charge if cancelled, and credit cards are billed at departure (not at booking). Standard AP (20%) and ET (15%) rates will continue to have a 48 hour cancellation policy. Any changes should be requested through our “in-house” Reservations folks for review. Taking care of my guests is why I'm in the hotel business! Regardless of what our policies state, if you have an emergency or special circumstance please call or e-mail us - I'm sure that once we review your situation we will arrive at a mutually agreeable solution.

Again, thanks for suggestions and criticisms! I invite you to post any additional thoughts or suggestions to add to our thought process. Please review this thread as well as our HojoAnaheim boards for updates to this policy.

PS. And thanks to Longtimedisneylurker for the heads up about our date selector – that’s a big issue! I’ve submitted it to our developer for correction.


Jonathan, GM

 

[Halloweenqueen]

That's one big problem with discussions on the internet....I see no post where someone is throwing a fit. We are just stating our opinion.

I'm a huge fan of Hojo, but I honestly think I will look into other options for my trips this year. We fly Allegiant or Southwest and I have to wait until dates are available. Hojo gave me the flexibility to get the ENT rate before I booked flights. I would often book an extra day for flexibllity and cancel as soon as I was able to buy airfare. The Ent. rates were often sold out if I had waited for my dates to open.

I think one of the biggest reasons Hojo has been so popular here on the board was because of the Ent. rate and the flexibility. This new policy changes this and I can understand everyone's frustration.

 

[munchkinsmom]

Fair enough. Business is business. I think though it needs to be spelled out more clearly that the ET/AP rates are now an "advance purchase" rate that is non-refundable under any circumstance and people need to be told when exactly full payment is going to be charged to their credit card (booking or check-in date?). I'm not convinced that Hojo will have absolutely no difficulty selling nights out with this new policy. It seems like a big policy change to swallow for those who were used to the previous way, and it also seems like the presentation of this information could have been handled in a more public relations friendly way. Either they're not going to fill as many rooms as they are expecting to be able to, or they're going to have a different clientele, maybe more people who aren't so involved in the Disney fan boards all over the web that Hojo has worked so diligently to advertise on and sponsor.

I'm not of the mind that I'll never stay there again by any means. Hojos is still a clean, family-friendly hotel with interior corridors, pleasant grounds, a fun water play area, and free parking. However, the ET/AP rate and the flexibility to update dates and rates whenever, whether we needed to use it much or not, was also a great draw for us, and a "perk" that I was willing to make other trade-offs for. If I'm no longer able to combine the "perks" of great rates and flexibility, I am more than willing to review what other perks are out there, i. e. shorter walks, dedicated shuttles, free breakfasts, and so on when deciding if Hojo is still the best value for our family. Hojos hasn't lost my business, just my loyalty.

I totally agree with everything said above by "longtimedisneylurker"! While I've been satisfied with other hotels in the area, the Hojo was our primary "go-to" hotel, especially due to the AP/ENT rates. I don't hoard rooms, and I'm an advance planner, but I've never been comfortable booking rooms with a non-refundable policy. With this policy in place, I will now be more inclined to research other hotel price options for us.

I understand why they decided to do it; however, I think they've committed a PR gaffe with their customer base by implementing it without any opportunity for compromise.

Edited to add: Just read the post above. Thank you for reviewing the policy...you are moving in the right direction with regards to PR.

 

[dalepool]

Thank You HOJO !!!!!!!!!!!!!

You were listening and heard our thoughts on this matter. I have a saying for just this sort of situation. "I just want to be heard and know you are listening." Used that so many times when daughter was growing up .

You are doing the best you can. I respect that and I am sure others do as well.

Thank you again for reviewing the new cancel policy.

Patty


See you real soon

 

[GrandBob]

Thank you, Lorealle and Jonathan, for agreeing to review your policies. Given your history of excellent customer service, I just knew you'd take this feedback and go back to the drawing board. Thanks for justifying that faith.

I think that one measure you could take to reduce squatting (and BTW, using that term to refer to all cancellations is pretty offensive), but one measure you could take would be to simply not release the ET/AP rates so early! If you were to hold them until 90 days in advance, the "squatters" wouldn't be able to grab so many dates.

Oh, and despite your comment about the policy taking effect on Feb 1, note that if you go to your website right now and try to get an ET rate, the "no cancellations, no changes, no refunds" policy comes up on the reservation. Is that a bug, or are you wrong about the start date?

-Bob

 

[Hojoanaheim]

Oh, and despite your comment about the policy taking effect on Feb 1, note that if you go to your website right now and try to get an ET rate, the "no cancellations, no changes, no refunds" policy comes up on the reservation. Is that a bug, or are you wrong about the start date?

-Bob

The HoJo website does say "no cancellations, no changes, no refunds" today, but our "in-house" folks (714.776.6120) can make, change, and cancel reservations until 2/1/2011 with no fees. As I mentioned, the Howard Johnson reservation system is a bit inflexible and part of the reason change fees and other modifications are difficult to implement, but we're the "deciders" for dates, rates and charges.

 

[DangerMouse]

HOJO ROCKS

Thanks to Jonathan and Lorealle for keeping their loyal customers' interests in mind. You guys are awesome.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I'll raise my hand in stating I am part of that 43% cancellation. Why?

1) Originally booked for October and Halloween party. But with the increased cost of the party last year, we decided not to go then but add a day and move our trip to November for the Xmas season. (cancellation #1 3 months in advance, 2 rooms booked)

2) Our new November reservations ended up having to be cancelled as well due to financial reasons. We were taking my sister and my dad was paying her way. But her roommate unexpectedly moved out and my dad had to help her find a new place so he couldn't pay for the trip too. (cancellation #2 2 months in advance, 2 rooms booked)

Honestly, I don't know if I'd book HOJOs again with the policy as is. If they changed it to a tiered cancellation rate then I'd reconsider. I get why, but there's a reason I don't book those special advance purchase rates unless its at the last minute.

 

[Queenbillabong]

IMHO I tend to agree with HOJO's and TiggerCat's comments on this. The only people it affects are those who are using the Ent rate, and especially those who abusing their system when it comes to booking multiple dates, then cancelling the ones that they don't need at the last minute. I may be different than everyone else, but when looking at a vacation, I first figure out the dates that I want to go, make sure that they won't be changed. Then I figure out transportation, either driving down or flying, then I secure my hotel reservation, making sure I book all in advance with enough time to get the room that I want and the dates. I know alot of people tend to wait till the last minute to book the hotel, but it's a matter of choice.

There is absolutely no way you could be sure that dates won't be changed. I have booked vacations months in advance, planned every detail, then had unexpected illness and surgery so the vacation had to be cancelled. Life happens. I always check the cancellation policy before booking a room - whether or not I have to pay the first night or not. You can never be 100% sure you will not have to cancel. If there is a cancellation policy, you have to be sure you can live with whatever that is before you book.

As a matter of fact, we had rooms booked at the ET rate in May to go to the Food & Wine Festival, which was already being advertised and dates were out. This was cancelled, so we are no longer planning on going. Yes, we were going specifically for F&W. How could we have known that would happen?

This policy as it currently stands will go in to effect on 2/1/2011, so reservations booked prior are exempt from any fees. “Retro Discount” reservations booked after this date would be subject to 1 night’s charge if cancelled, and credit cards are billed at departure (not at booking).

This is different than no cancellation or changes.

and BTW, using that term to refer to all cancellations is pretty offensive

Agreed.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Ok, here's the deal:

Due to the high demand of our "Retro Discount" we have implemented a non cancelable/non changeable policy on these reservations to prevent "date squatting" by making multiple tentative reservations.​

Jonathan, GM

Can you please clarify further? I interpreted this quote in the following way: Once you have booked, no changes can be made, so no adding, subtracting, or shifting dates at all. No adjustment to rates. No changing room type. No cancellation.

This policy as it currently stands will go in to effect on 2/1/2011, so reservations booked prior are exempt from any fees. “Retro Discount” reservations booked after this date would be subject to 1 night’s charge if cancelled, and credit cards are billed at departure (not at booking). Standard AP (20%) and ET (15%) rates will continue to have a 48 hour cancellation policy. Any changes should be requested through our “in-house” Reservations folks for review. Taking care of my guests is why I'm in the hotel business! Regardless of what our policies state, if you have an emergency or special circumstance please call or e-mail us - I'm sure that once we review your situation we will arrive at a mutually agreeable solution.

Jonathan, GM

OK. So with a cancellation, the customer is not on the hook for the entire cost of the reservation, just the first night? Then a comparison to an advance purchase is not correct. Charge would be made at check-out, not booking, but I presume, if I were to call and cancel I would at that time be charged for the first night of the reservation I'm canceling? Since I can't make changes, if I had booked 5 nights but suddenly decided I only wanted to stay for 3, do I still pay for all 5 nights?

How would mixed reservations be handled? At Thanksgiving, we stayed for 7 nights. The first 5 nights were the excellent AP rate. The remaining 2 nights were at the also very good 20% off AP rate. What happens with a reservation like that? What if this new policy was in effect, and I had at some time decided I wanted to drop the 2 nights of the reservation that were booked at the 20% off rate? What if instead one or both of those 2 nights had gone down in price since booking? I used to be able to call and ask for the lower rate even though I had already booked. Would this be a change, and, therefore, not permitted?

I appreciate that you are interested in what your customers have to say and are actually willing to consider reviewing this policy change. In any case, making clear whatever the actual policy is, whether it changes or not, would be most helpful.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

hum so those who made it before the 1st of Feb can still call to cancle if we must?

Not that im going to im planing to go an like hojos. but I must say im not happy with the change an next year ill have to find a diffrent place in less the policy changes.. an thats sad. My son loves hojos an this time we are doing the kids room.

Sorry for the policy hope you guys change it to like 30days out or soemthing.