Advice on booking a sold out hotel
Oct 27th, 2004, 10:00 AM
#22
Guest
Posts: n/a
press, what are the dates of your stay?
A convention will reserve a block of rooms at a hotel. The hotel will pull that block out of central reservations. 30-45 days prior to arrival any rooms not reserved by the group get put back in reservations circulation.
If you can call back to the hotel, ask to speak to the Director of Sales or his or her assistant. Explain your circumstances and see if the group is going to have used its entire room block. Maybe they will release one of those rooms to you.
If it is within 30 days, I'm sure they are oversold.
Did that make sense?
A convention will reserve a block of rooms at a hotel. The hotel will pull that block out of central reservations. 30-45 days prior to arrival any rooms not reserved by the group get put back in reservations circulation.
If you can call back to the hotel, ask to speak to the Director of Sales or his or her assistant. Explain your circumstances and see if the group is going to have used its entire room block. Maybe they will release one of those rooms to you.
If it is within 30 days, I'm sure they are oversold.
Did that make sense?
Oct 27th, 2004, 10:12 AM
#23
Many chains are doing as airlines and car rental agencies do, offering the lowest rate, guaranteed, (except for opaque sites such as Priceline or Hotwire), through the hotel's own website. It's an on-line rate only, not available through phone reservations. Any number of chains are offering that guarantee now. You should know that many of those are pre-paid and non-cancellable.
If you are booking through a central res #, you must ask for AAA, Sr, whatever, discounts I believe.
I guarantee they aren't holding back rooms--that just isn't done, and as GoTravel said, and I indicated, when they are saying sold out, they are generally over-sold. Computer generated programs take all the variables, including city-wides, and compute by how much a hotel can be oversold, and have cancellations to make it a wash the day in question. I'm quite certain any of the well known chains use these programs, just as airlines do. As in airlines, occasionally it backfires and everyone shows up, surprise surprise. That is a black day for the front desk--who are wishing they are anywhere but there! Small independents, no, I doubt they use them. But with any hotel you could call one hour and find it sold out and the next and find availability as cancellations are on-going.
As for getting rooms through Travelocity or Expedia when none are available through the hotel itself, yes, that can happen--they buy and pay for blocks of rooms. That block is then gone from the hotel inventory but they've been paid by travelocity/expeida for them. The same is not the case with Priceline and Hotwire. They are not given blocks of rooms...the hotel sells to them on a room by room basis and closes availability to them when occupancy reaches a certain point.
The only case I can think of where a travel agent might have rooms when the hotel does not is in a Super Bowl or Final Four situation, where they have bought a block of rooms knowing they can re-sell them as part of a package (hotel, air, game tickets) to groups coming for these high demand events. Otherwise, travel agents are in the same boat as everyone else.
CarlosSandoval mentioned another scenario I forgot about....required minimum stays (often run into for St Patricks Day in Savannah for instance, Valentines Day weekend packages, New Years packages etc).
If you are booking through a central res #, you must ask for AAA, Sr, whatever, discounts I believe.
I guarantee they aren't holding back rooms--that just isn't done, and as GoTravel said, and I indicated, when they are saying sold out, they are generally over-sold. Computer generated programs take all the variables, including city-wides, and compute by how much a hotel can be oversold, and have cancellations to make it a wash the day in question. I'm quite certain any of the well known chains use these programs, just as airlines do. As in airlines, occasionally it backfires and everyone shows up, surprise surprise. That is a black day for the front desk--who are wishing they are anywhere but there! Small independents, no, I doubt they use them. But with any hotel you could call one hour and find it sold out and the next and find availability as cancellations are on-going.
As for getting rooms through Travelocity or Expedia when none are available through the hotel itself, yes, that can happen--they buy and pay for blocks of rooms. That block is then gone from the hotel inventory but they've been paid by travelocity/expeida for them. The same is not the case with Priceline and Hotwire. They are not given blocks of rooms...the hotel sells to them on a room by room basis and closes availability to them when occupancy reaches a certain point.
The only case I can think of where a travel agent might have rooms when the hotel does not is in a Super Bowl or Final Four situation, where they have bought a block of rooms knowing they can re-sell them as part of a package (hotel, air, game tickets) to groups coming for these high demand events. Otherwise, travel agents are in the same boat as everyone else.
CarlosSandoval mentioned another scenario I forgot about....required minimum stays (often run into for St Patricks Day in Savannah for instance, Valentines Day weekend packages, New Years packages etc).
Oct 27th, 2004, 10:42 AM
#26
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,131
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BeachBoi,
I've been in the hotel business for 20 years. I've worked only in upscale hotels, not the Super8's you are obviously referring to. If someone tries to pull a fast one by booking one day & changing to a sellout, we can sniff them out. They are refused.
I've been in the hotel business for 20 years. I've worked only in upscale hotels, not the Super8's you are obviously referring to. If someone tries to pull a fast one by booking one day & changing to a sellout, we can sniff them out. They are refused.
Oct 27th, 2004, 11:09 AM
#27
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,406
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Leona,
How could the agent possibly know the reason that you're changing a reservation date? Like BeachBoi, I also have to adjust my schedule frequently. For every hotel reservation I make, I will probably change the dates at least twice before I arrive. Are you saying that if my new dates happen to be sold out, the reservation agent will think that I'd purposely booked an alternate date before? That's ridiculous! BTW I have never stayed at a Super8 or Motel6.
How could the agent possibly know the reason that you're changing a reservation date? Like BeachBoi, I also have to adjust my schedule frequently. For every hotel reservation I make, I will probably change the dates at least twice before I arrive. Are you saying that if my new dates happen to be sold out, the reservation agent will think that I'd purposely booked an alternate date before? That's ridiculous! BTW I have never stayed at a Super8 or Motel6.
Oct 27th, 2004, 11:16 AM
#28
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,131
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What I'm saying is that no decent hotel will take your reservation on a sold out date when there is no chance the arrivals on that date will drop off. BeachBoi said that he deliberately books and then changes his arrival date.
In other words, they won't bump someone else to make room for you.
In other words, they won't bump someone else to make room for you.
Oct 27th, 2004, 11:16 AM
#29
Guest
Posts: n/a
I think what she is saying is that the computer program will not let you change the days to accommodate a sold out day.
I know the programs I've always used will reject the change on the reservation if there isn't space available.
If there isn't space available, there isn't space available. It is pretty simple. You can't build on hotel rooms.
I know the programs I've always used will reject the change on the reservation if there isn't space available.
If there isn't space available, there isn't space available. It is pretty simple. You can't build on hotel rooms.
Oct 27th, 2004, 11:32 AM
#30
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,406
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I guess I didn't interpret BeachBoi's post to mean that he deliberately booked and changed, but rather that the changes were necessary due to changes in work schedule, meetings, etc. I understand that sold out means sold out. I was commenting more on the "sniff them out" remark. Since reservation changes happen on a very frequent basis, I can't imagine that a reservation agent would think there was anything to "sniff out".
And in the case of hotels that I frequent, yes they will bump someone else to make room for me
but that's another topic entirely.
And in the case of hotels that I frequent, yes they will bump someone else to make room for me
but that's another topic entirely.
Oct 27th, 2004, 11:44 AM
#31
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,711
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Leona
Where in my post do you see that I say I have EVER actually done this?And "deliberately" at that?? I happen to know that it has been done and can be done, theru the various GDS systems.But you are assuming...and you know what happens when you assume....Besides, what Front Desk Clerk in their right mind would turn ME away?The most unpresupposing hotel guest in the history of history.Charming too.And I always make sure my teeth are freshly scrubbed when I check in.....
Where in my post do you see that I say I have EVER actually done this?And "deliberately" at that?? I happen to know that it has been done and can be done, theru the various GDS systems.But you are assuming...and you know what happens when you assume....Besides, what Front Desk Clerk in their right mind would turn ME away?The most unpresupposing hotel guest in the history of history.Charming too.And I always make sure my teeth are freshly scrubbed when I check in.....
Oct 27th, 2004, 12:28 PM
#34
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,711
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Leona
My choice of words was rather shortcoming.I should have said "were I" not what I said.You are most kind and generous to invite me to stay with you.Were I to know which establishment that might be, I assure you patronage and loyalty.Perhaps , well maybe I have stayed there.Most assuredly,if you have an indoor pool.You would have remembered me as the blue-eyed redhead in the Speedo.
My choice of words was rather shortcoming.I should have said "were I" not what I said.You are most kind and generous to invite me to stay with you.Were I to know which establishment that might be, I assure you patronage and loyalty.Perhaps , well maybe I have stayed there.Most assuredly,if you have an indoor pool.You would have remembered me as the blue-eyed redhead in the Speedo.
Oct 27th, 2004, 05:46 PM
#35
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 902
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Author: GoTravel
Date: 10/27/2004, 04:10 pm
Message: .....and insist upon the penthouse suite with butler for $25 per night....
********************
Ok, now I'm embarrassed....
Seriously though, thanks for the great advise. This post sheds some interesting light on the subject.
Date: 10/27/2004, 04:10 pm
Message: .....and insist upon the penthouse suite with butler for $25 per night....
********************
Ok, now I'm embarrassed....
Seriously though, thanks for the great advise. This post sheds some interesting light on the subject.
Oct 28th, 2004, 05:03 PM
#37
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,107
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"yes they will bump someone else to make room for me .."
Well, not really. They'll overbook and pray that some cancellations or no-shows prevent someone from getting bumped. Decisions to overbook and gamble are the only way that hotels can get those "extra" rooms, and it's worthwhile to gamble a little bit.
(sorry if this posts twice ... first attempt doesn't show this, unusual)
Well, not really. They'll overbook and pray that some cancellations or no-shows prevent someone from getting bumped. Decisions to overbook and gamble are the only way that hotels can get those "extra" rooms, and it's worthwhile to gamble a little bit.
(sorry if this posts twice ... first attempt doesn't show this, unusual)
Oct 28th, 2004, 05:50 PM
#38
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,406
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And if they don't have enough cancellations or no shows, they'll have to walk someone won't they? That's what I meant by "bump". I didn't mean that they would actually cancel another guest's reservation.
