made my first Universal reservation (actually, my first two!!)

[tfoster]

Yesterday, I called and made my first Universal hotel reservation! I thought early December was supposed to be a pretty slow time, so I was a little surprised by a couple of things.

First off, the original reservation was for club level at Portofino Bay:
Dec 6 - Dec 11, 2010
Deluxe Club Level
$315.20/night + tax
AAA Rate

Feeling like I'm probably crazy, I called back today and changed it already! I switched to garden view for $219.20/night + tax (same dates, AAA rate).

For two rooms, we couldn't justify paying the higher club rate even though we were excited about the idea. We decided to just stop at the grocery store on the way to the hotel.

Here's the info I found interesting:

I switched so soon because yesterday the receptionist commented that there were 35 club level rooms left for our dates and only 4 garden view rooms. Yesterday, I thought I was doing a good thing by locking in the club level; then I realized if she was correct, I should instead be locking in the garden view. Today also, the receptionist commented on there just being a few garden view rooms left. (She guaranteed ours would be connected which is nice, but how does that guarantee work? Are our rooms already assigned?!) I wanted to check the rates of the 1-bedroom Portofino Suites, but she said they're already all reserved.

She also looked at the rates at HRH for me. The cheapest rooms available there for our dates were the same as PBH ($219.20/night but for pool view). No King Suites available there at all.

I was surprised the cheapest rooms are exactly the same price for PBH and HRH (she did stress that one was garden view and one was pool view, but the view doesn't make any real difference to me) and that a couple types of suites would already be gone. Is that typical for this early?

I hope the scarce PBH garden view rooms and sell-outs of suites already doesn't mean early December will be particularly busy this year!

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for Stay More / Save More rates!!

 

[tfoster]

at PBH, I wanted one of the rooms to have queen beds and one to have a king bed. She said all of the rooms with king beds were already reserved. It seems so early to not have any rooms with king beds for early December.

 

[damo]

at PBH, I wanted one of the rooms to have queen beds and one to have a king bed. She said all of the rooms with king beds were already reserved. It seems so early to not have any rooms with king beds for early December.

Just keep checking back.

It is probably just because there aren't a lot of king bed rooms.

 

[patster734]

There could be several conventions planned for early December at the PBH, and the convention planners may have booked more rooms that they will actually need. I agree with Damo: Keep checking back to see if any cancellations occur.

 

[tfoster]

Okay - I'll keep checking for a king.

One other thing - I was never asked if I wanted smoking or non-smoking. Is the entire hotel non-smoking? If they didn't ask, is it safe to assume we'll be assigned non-smoking?

 

[macraven]

i agree with what patser and damo said.


i tried to book the pbh suite for october this year back in january.

none were available.
it was due to the rooms being blocked out for a convention.

ended up booking the other hotel in early feb then for a king suite.


checked in march and the convention canceled and suites reopened at pbh.

could very well be the same thing happening to youse.




if you are guaranteed connecting rooms, you will get it.
if you have kids, it is a shoe in.


when you do your grocery stop, pick up one of those $4 styrofoam chests.
fill it with ice from the machine on your hotel floor.

store items you want to be kept cold in it during the day when you are in the parks.
leave the chest in the tub and the maids will work around it.


there is i believe a walgreens and another store behind the walkway of pbh.
maybe a couple of blocks back until you hit the street to cross.
if you forget anything, you have another place to go to for it.

 

[donaldduck352]

Okay - I'll keep checking for a king.

One other thing - I was never asked if I wanted smoking or non-smoking. Is the entire hotel non-smoking? If they didn't ask, is it safe to assume we'll be assigned non-smoking?

Smoking is allowed on property in designated areas only.They do have smoking rooms but you will get a non smoking room if request it.At least thats the way it works at RPR.I smoke but get a non smoking room.Its to easy for me to go outside and do my nasty habit without bothering others!!