priceline & smoking rooms

[CJK]

When I first started to use priceline for hotels, I'm fairly certain they used to guarantee a non-smoking room. However, in recent years, they no longer guarantee it. On TWO occasions now, we have arrived at our hotel and have been given a smoking room. We were told that all standard non-smoking rooms were booked. In one case, we were told we could upgrade to an executive room for an additional $25 (the room was simply a bit bigger - no other perk such as a hottub or anything). We were very, very angry. I did not want to pay for an upgrade that I did not want.

Why in the world can't they guarantee a non-smoking room? I'd rather my bid NOT get accepted, then be put in a smoking room. I'm not asking for anything but a standard, non-smoking room. I don't even mind getting a room close to the elevator or anything like that either. Now that this has happened to us twice, I'm really starting to rethink my priceline usage. I used to praise priceline to everyone I knew and have been using them for close to 10yrs now. Priceline has undoubtedly saved me A LOT of money over the years. However, without a non-smoking guarantee, I'm starting to think it isn't worth it anymore.

What are your experiences with priceline? Thoughts?

 

[JB2K]

When I first started to use priceline for hotels, I'm fairly certain they used to guarantee a non-smoking room. However, in recent years, they no longer guarantee it. On TWO occasions now, we have arrived at our hotel and have been given a smoking room. We were told that all standard non-smoking rooms were booked. In one case, we were told we could upgrade to an executive room for an additional $25 (the room was simply a bit bigger - no other perk such as a hottub or anything). We were very, very angry. I did not want to pay for an upgrade that I did not want.

Why in the world can't they guarantee a non-smoking room? I'd rather my bid NOT get accepted, then be put in a smoking room. I'm not asking for anything but a standard, non-smoking room. I don't even mind getting a room close to the elevator or anything like that either. Now that this has happened to us twice, I'm really starting to rethink my priceline usage. I used to praise priceline to everyone I knew and have been using them for close to 10yrs now. Priceline has undoubtedly saved me A LOT of money over the years. However, without a non-smoking guarantee, I'm starting to think it isn't worth it anymore.

What are your experiences with priceline? Thoughts?

I had some problems with this, several years ago -- now, if I book on Priceline, I just call the property in question and let my desires be known, then...

 

[Justsyd2]

I agree with the PP. Can't you just call the hotel and make your request? You do realize that it's just a request though, right? There's no way to "guarantee" a hotel room because they won't know what's available specifically until you check in.

 

[CJK]

I will try calling next time. I was just thinking that it may not work if there aren't any non-smoking rooms available at booking.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Like the OP, we have also had to pay an additional fee to upgrade a priceline reservation so that we would not have a smoking room. Still, the price paid for the upgraded room was less than we would have paid if we booked a standard room directly, so I was still getting bargain.

I just look at like this is a possible unanticipated cost of a priceline room that I may have to pay from time to time. It really goes against priceline's interest since it lowers the amount I am willing to bid, but I assume that priceline can no longer negotiate a "no-smoking guarantee" with enoguh hotels. -- Suzanne

 

[dd50]

It's the same thing when you want a smoking room and get a non smoking room. You either upgrade or you don't.

 

[neatokimmo]

OP, that is why I don't use priceline and only book non smoking places through hotwire. If you google the description listed you can find out which hotel it is in advance.

 

[tar heel]

We've been given smoking rooms twice. Both times the hotel said they couldn't move us b/c they didn't have any other rooms. One time it was true: a kids' sports tournament and a weddinghad taken over the entire hotel -- the manager was extremely apologetic. The other time was at a Hilton and it was a plain ole lie. The evening person told me there were no rooms. The morning person asked me how everything was and I told her it was a bummer to be in a smoking room, and she said they would have been happy to have moved us.

I've not bid on a priceline room lately but will try calling if we do it again.