WWYD? Hotel Over booked

[ronandannette]

The guest should never pay more. If I was charging $200 for the room we walked in the hotel that you were being sent to was $250 I cover the difference. That hotel bills me the difference

If it is a case where we want to make everything go extra smooth then I will walk the guest and pay everything and the receiving hotel just bills me the whole thing

Regarding third-party like Expedia they are easier to walk. The guest does not know our rate and we can pass you off to pretty much any hotel that has room and then that guest pass to take it up with Expedia

Remember you may pay Expedia $175 but the hotel is only maybe getting $125 so I will over book for a direct booked guest who is paying the same rate but I get more room revenue and then we can drop the third party guest off at another hotel

3rd party sites are not ideal for hotel. Sort of a necessary evil that you put up with to get some base occupancy

Feels sort of weird to hear customers like me are actually held in contempt. It's not our fault whatever agreement you've made with a third party isn't to your liking. I wish I knew what brand you represent so I could be sure to stay out of your hair.

 

[piglet too]

Feels sort of weird to hear customers like me are actually held in contempt. It's not our fault whatever agreement you've made with a third party isn't to your liking. I wish I knew what brand you represent so I could be sure to stay out of your hair.

I honestly believe most chains are like this, not just the one he works for. I always look for a hotel on one of the “booking sites” but then book directly with the hotel.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Feels sort of weird to hear customers like me are actually held in contempt. It's not our fault whatever agreement you've made with a third party isn't to your liking. I wish I knew what brand you represent so I could be sure to stay out of your hair.

We always book on the site with the best price, but this doesn't surprise me at all. It makes sense from a business perspective. I'm sure all hotel brands do the same thing. What business wouldn't prefer to receive full price, rather than have to share the profit? IMO, this has been a good reminder to book directly, if booking a popular destination at a busy time.

 

[tasha99]

I got walked from an airport hotel to one miles away and was specifically told they walked the 3rd party bookings before direct customers. I didnt find the accommodations comparable at all, and ended up getting a free hotel night because Expedia just reimbursed me when I complained. Financially it was a good deal for me, but I no longer stay at that hotel because of the inconvenience I faced.

 

[sam_gordon]

Feels sort of weird to hear customers like me are actually held in contempt. It's not our fault whatever agreement you've made with a third party isn't to your liking. I wish I knew what brand you represent so I could be sure to stay out of your hair.

Sounds like you're taking this personally when it's really nothing more than a business decision. No different than you going to a 3rd party site to save a little money, the hotel is going to maximize their profit (as they should).

 

[smokeyblue]

I worked at a hotel in college. On the rare occasion where we had to walk someone, we would pay for their night at another local hotel.

 

[gotomu212]

Feels sort of weird to hear customers like me are actually held in contempt. It's not our fault whatever agreement you've made with a third party isn't to your liking. I wish I knew what brand you represent so I could be sure to stay out of your hair.

I don’t think it’s contempt, it’s just that when you book directly with a hotel you have an agreement with say Marriott. When you book through Expedia you only have a deal with Expedia. If a hotel has to decide who to walk they’re going to work more to keep the people they have a direct agreement with and who have paid more to them.

It’s the trade off for using a “discount site”. Airlines are starting to do some of this too. I had a flight cancelled with American a few months ago and the people who had booked directly with American were given priority rebooking and third party site passengers were on standby and given later flights.

 

[Nancyg56]

Feels sort of weird to hear customers like me are actually held in contempt. It's not our fault whatever agreement you've made with a third party isn't to your liking. I wish I knew what brand you represent so I could be sure to stay out of your hair.

Lets make this a Disney hotel. If I booked my Coronado Springs resort room with Priceline and you booked your CSR room with Disney, and the resort was overbooked. One of us is getting moved to a different resort hotel, who do you think should be moved? Me or you? My room was booked through the 3rd party and I got a better price than you did. I think it is really the same thing. WDW makes more on your room, and knows you have a level of loyalty that I may not have. Frankly, if I was the manager at CSR I would bounce me in a heartbeat if I had to make the choice who got moved.

 

[Wishing on a star]

You have to also factor in loyalty programs.
Those who are established members have the expectation of perks. They are outlined, if not guaranteed, in writing.
It just makes sense that these customers are going to be the ones that the company is going to give first consideration.

If I book with my Marriott points, at a member rate, directly thru the company's website, with the hopes of certain perks... I would certainly hope that I might get more consideration than somebody who booked a last minute promo on a third party website. And, I am not assuming that I paid more for my room than the other person.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I once booked a night at a Residence Inn for my family of 4. I selected a suite with 2 queens, a sofa bed and 2 bathrooms. When we arrived, the desk clerk said they didn't have any of that room type left. Apparently the one we were supposed to get had some kind of issue that needed to be fixed. He offered a room with 1 king, a sofa bed and 1 bathroom, saying it would still sleep 4 people. I told him that my 2 adult sons could not share a bed and asked if we could get a roll-away. He said they didn't have any. So I said we would need two of that room type. So he said OK and quoted me the price. I said I would pay the same price for both rooms that I was quoted for the suite we booked in the first place. Why should we pay more when switching room types was not our choice? He finally agreed and discounted the rooms to our original price.

 

[CrankyDad]

Feels sort of weird to hear customers like me are actually held in contempt. It's not our fault whatever agreement you've made with a third party isn't to your liking. I wish I knew what brand you represent so I could be sure to stay out of your hair.

You took that very personal. I was sharing info on how the industry works. No need to act like that.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Lets make this a Disney hotel. If I booked my Coronado Springs resort room with Priceline and you booked your CSR room with Disney, and the resort was overbooked. One of us is getting moved to a different resort hotel, who do you think should be moved? Me or you? My room was booked through the 3rd party and I got a better price than you did. I think it is really the same thing. WDW makes more on your room, and knows you have a level of loyalty that I may not have. Frankly, if I was the manager at CSR I would bounce me in a heartbeat if I had to make the choice who got moved.

I agree with your example except for the loyalty part.

You'd get laughed at here on the Boards if you booked at rack rate. People often talk about booking with Expedia, travel agencies, etc. People always advocate for getting the better deal. Those who are 'loyal' in a sense that they often go to Disney and stay onsite at least here seem to be the very savvy bookers. I'd say they have a higher percentage of going to 3rd party. Your once in a lifetime guest might be more likely to book directly through Disney, rack rate or discounted rate, and calls it good.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I would hope that at least the difference, including resort fees and parking fees, would be paid for should a person find themselves in this situation. It's more I think about good PR to me rather than what they might do as part of policy. If I'm getting shafted at least let me feel better about it so I have a more positive impression of the situation lol.

 

[Nancyg56]

I agree with your example except for the loyalty part.

You'd get laughed at here on the Boards if you booked at rack rate. People often talk about booking with Expedia, travel agencies, etc. People always advocate for getting the better deal. Those who are 'loyal' in a sense that they often go to Disney and stay onsite at least here seem to be the very savvy bookers. I'd say they have a higher percentage of going to 3rd party. Your once in a lifetime guest might be more likely to book directly through Disney, rack rate or discounted rate, and calls it good.

I never mentions rates at all except that the priceline was a discounted room rate. I imagine that there are times that rate is less than a discounted rate that Disney offers. I did say that if one booked directly with Disney, and one booked with Priceline, and the resort was overbooked, I woudl think the 3rd party person would be bounced.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I never mentions rates at all except that the priceline was a discounted room rate. I imagine that there are times that rate is less than a discounted rate that Disney offers. I did say that if one booked directly with Disney, and one booked with Priceline, and the resort was overbooked, I woudl think the 3rd party person would be bounced.

You said:

knows you have a level of loyalty that I may not have.

I'm saying booking directly through Disney especially for those here on the Boards (though I know the OP's case isn't about Disney your example however was) isn't indicative of loyalty. Loyalty to me means you'll come back. When I mentioned pricing I just meant that people often book with the 3rd party here (meaning the Boards) or with travel agencies rather than directly through Disney because it saves them more money which in turn can mean more trips possible or longer trips possible.

I agree on your booking directly part means higher chance you won't be pushed out that just wasn't what I was commenting on.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

You have to also factor in loyalty programs.
Those who are established members have the expectation of perks. They are outlined, if not guaranteed, in writing.
It just makes sense that these customers are going to be the ones that the company is going to give first consideration.

If I book with my Marriott points, at a member rate, directly thru the company's website, with the hopes of certain perks... I would certainly hope that I might get more consideration than somebody who booked a last minute promo on a third party website. And, I am not assuming that I paid more for my room than the other person.

Exactly. Some hotels have it written into their loyalty membership programs that if they walk you they will give you $, a voucher for a free night, or some other perk. Someone who isn't a loyalty member booking with a third party wouldn't have to be given those perks, so it makes sense that a hotel would want to save themselves the extra expense of giving out perks and walk a third party res over a loyalty member res booked direct.

 

[Poohforyou]

So you just said "ok" and left?

You really needed to deal with this at the time. That hotel should be picking up the tab for any additional costs for staying somewhere else vs there plus something for inconveniencing me.

 

[nkereina]

I used to work for Hyatt and whenever we were oversold, we would preemptively contact other hotels in the area to see if they had availability for us to walk guests to. If they did, we would send the guest there (in our van, if they didn't have a car) and the guest would be out nothing. We worked out an "industry" rate behind the scenes with the other hotel, and it usually didn't cost us anymore than our own rate whenever this occurred. Hotels know when an oversold situation will happen with enough notice to make other arrangements. If they can't contact the guest in advance (that wasn't typical in my experience), then they should have other arrangements on deck for if/when that guest shows up. You should really be out nothing at any point - not during or after. You shouldn't even need to be reimbursed for everything. And if the hotel has good customer service, they should give you a voucher for something for the inconvenience of having to change hotels during your stay.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I don't understand why the airline and hotel industries think this is acceptable behavior.

I don't care that people cancel at the last minute. If I make a reservation I should expect to have a room reserved. That's what the word means!

 

[dominiondad]

Lets make this a Disney hotel. If I booked my Coronado Springs resort room with Priceline and you booked your CSR room with Disney, and the resort was overbooked. One of us is getting moved to a different resort hotel, who do you think should be moved? Me or you? My room was booked through the 3rd party and I got a better price than you did. I think it is really the same thing. WDW makes more on your room, and knows you have a level of loyalty that I may not have. Frankly, if I was the manager at CSR I would bounce me in a heartbeat if I had to make the choice who got moved.

I get the decision on who should be bounced. My issue is that if CSR had 200 rooms, they should only accept 200 reservations. If they make the customer-unfriendly decision to overbook, and now there are 201 reservations for 200 rooms, they should immediately notify whoever is going to get walked so they can set up alternate arrangements then. Using your example above, what if you and I were family and were meeting at CSR to vacation together, to include sharing a rental car? Now half of our group is at another location. That stinks, all because the hotel can't plan. Perhaps the chains should ask third-parties to include some kind of disclaimer when you book through them. Perhaps "Please understand that when booking through Expedia, HotelXYZ has determined you are their lowest priority customer. As such, for profit purposes, you may be asked to leave the hotel immediately upon arrival. We'll let you know when you get there."