Avoid bookings with Country Inn and Suites
 

To avoid unexpected cancellations and endless runarounds, do avoid booking a room with countryinns.com.

I booked a room on their website for graduation week-end at Texas A&M, College Station TX, and received a confirmation by email. Eleven days later I received a message on my phone that Country Inns had had a "computer glitch" and had overbooked; therefore, my reservation was cancelled. I called the 800 number for customer service as well as the local phone number for the hotel in College Station. Each said the other was to blame (of course). I was given phone numbers of two hotels "nearby" -- miles away! -- and they were, at best, undesirable. There are no other hotel rooms available within 60 miles of the university.

Although they admit a "computer glitch," no one seems to be able to fix it. As I write this, the website still shows I have a confirmed reservation. Service at "customer service" was dismal and they refused to send me an email stating the reason for the cancellation, saying it was the business of the local hotel to deal with the problem. They offered to give me a cancellation number, but I want a statement that the cancellation was due to their error. I then spoke with the local manager. After assuring me that it was the fault of the Country Inn website, not his fault (of course!), he said he would send me an email with my requested information. We'll see. If I don't receive a written cancellation notice with number and reason for cancellation, I plan to show up in his lobby on graduation night, sleeping bag in hand, and make myself as comfortable as possible on the floor.

I did point out to the manager that, although it certainly wouldn't bankrupt him, I would never, ever book at his hotel again. I have 3 other grandchildren enrolled at A&M and I will be traveling there often for various events during their college careers. Neither will I ever book again at any Country Inn and Suites because of their inability to run a reservation system and their pathetic lack of customer service.

While I hope everything works out for you (graduation should DEFINITELY be a time of celebration instead of frustration!) maybe threatening the manager before you get there wasn't the best timing. Waiting until the weekend was over and letting them all have it might have been a better idea. It's hard to hold anger in sometimes though, isn't it? Good luck!!

Please re-read. That wasn't a threat. It was a promise. How was telling them I shall never book with them again going to worsen the situation? How was waiting until the week-end is over going to solve it? No room is no room. Doesn't get any worse. But thanks for the gentle upbraiding.

Giving credit reluctantly, the local manager emailed me the letter I requested along with a cancellation number. There was no help from national customer service - no re-booking into another hotel, only phone numbers which I had already called; no offer of a voucher for future use; nothing other than "I'm sorry but ---" Why would I ever want to do business with these people again?

Yes, seeing my first grandchild graduate is a cause for celebration and I won't miss it. As it now stands, I will probably sleep in my car rather than drive 70-80 miles late at night to a hotel. Incidentally, his parents, brother, aunts and cousins have also been bumped from this hotel. Guess we'll all bunk together in some parking lot.

You are expecting way too much from a mid-priced hotel chain. Sure, they made a mistake by overbooking, but they provided you notice of their mistake weeks in advance of your stay. "Doesn't get any worse." Sure it could - you could have shown up and had no room.

What's the purpose of demanding the manager send you a letter stating that the cancellation was their error? Are you just looking to make work for people? Take a deep breath and move on.

I don't think I'd even consider Country Inns & Suites a mid-priced hotel chain. It is more of a roadside motel. I just stayed in one this past weekend along Interstate 75. University graduation weekends are often chaotic and crowded, particularly in smaller college towns like College Station. You had an unfortunate experience and there's really not much you can do about it.

crckwc1: That's a real bummer! Hope you can find alternate hotels that will be more suitable and more responsive.

Sorry to hear about your issues with the hotel but let me ask you this: what's with the entitlement mentality?

They made an honest to goodness mistake, they didn't "screw" you or waited till you got there to throw you out. They apologized, they let you know in plenty of time to book another hotel (even though it might not be as convenient) - why do you want them to give you a voucher or book you in another hotel or "make up" for their mistake?
I mean, if they did do that would you trust them?

By the way, since you are going to have lots of family there why don't you all pull together and see if you can rent a house or an apartment for the time you'll be there.

I'm sure there are many people around the university who leave their houses around graduation time and rent them to out to families.

Sorry to hear of your troubles. I know hotel rooms are difficult in BCS during events. I checked VRBO.com for you, but nothing was available.

Here are my suggestions. Call some of the hotels directly and get on a waiting list. You never know what can happen.

Also, there is a Best Western Executive Inn in Madisonville that has availability. It is 40 miles away but could be used as a backup.

Check the hotels in Hearne too.

Best of luck to you!

I have one more idea - University Towers. It is a private dorm but also has hotel rooms. I assume it is still around.

http://www.texasescapes.com/hotels/hotelinfo/93508.html

It looks like the Hilton in College Station has rooms.

I too am curious why you insist you want them to tell you in writing it was their fault. Is there something I'm missing about them sending you a cancellation number?

They made a mistake and they let you know it was a mistake in plenty of time. Sure it's aggravating, but frankly I understand, because I think I once made a mistake myself (or perhaps I'm mistaken about that). Mistakes happen. The unforgivable would have been arriving without their having warned you.

While some of you may think they let the OP know way ahead of time, the reality is that graduation is only a month and a half away. College Station is not a big city with hundreds of hotels to choose from, so no wonder every hotel in town has been fully booked already for graduation weekend. Essentially, the OP is being bumped out of the hotel he had made a reservation; and no one from that hotel company admits they were wrong or able to fix the problem. I can see how frustrating the experience is.

Anyway, having gone to school in a city with lots of college graduations in May, when I grauduated, it was very very difficult to find an affordable hotel that's available and not a fleabag, even though I had looked months in advance.

I feel sorry for the OP and hope he will find an acceptable alternative.

Thanks to jcb, cranachin and easytraveler for constructive suggestions and good wishes. I had a rental agent looking at condo rentals -- nothing. Hearne was booked solid, Hilton and University Towers in CS both booked, so I'll reserve a room at BW Madisonville. I actually had checked there yesterday and didn't find vacancy, but today had success. I appreciate your taking time to research for me.

To you others who took me to task for "entitlement mentality" and more, the error made by Country Inn involved far more people than my family. They had a computer problem that had, according to management, booked and booked and booked until there were many overbookings. Why did this go on so long? And two days after they notified me of the cancellation, why did the website still show I had a confirmed reservation? Does this not strike you as more than just a little problem? Frankly, I can't understand how on earth it happened. Who was running the program? They claim dozens of people are being contacted about cancellations. While I'm not an "entitlement" person, some hotels do offer gestures of good will when they have royally screwed up -- and this hotel along with its national .com reservation system did royally screw up. I simply pointed out that they chose not to do so. It's simply a matter of PR, or lack thereof.

Why did I want a letter of cancellation rather than just a number? Read the above paragraph. I wanted more than just a number plugged into a faulty system; I wanted words and a name signed at the bottom. I do not trust their system to enter numbers correctly. Had my cancellation number been entered incorrectly, my reservation might not have actually been cancelled within the system and my credit card would then have been charged as a "no show." It has happened.

True, it could have been worse had I arrived and then been told there was no room at the inn. I guess I should send them a bouquet of roses for their thoughtfulness? Or just take a deep breath and move on? Businesses that make mistakes this huge deserve to be singled out as ones to avoid, and this is what I did by posting here.

Thanks again to those who took the time to offer real-time help.

---and a huge thank-you to yk! Your reply came in as I was typing mine, so I left out your name in thanking others. You really have a handle on the problem and I appreciate your support.

Hello crckwc1, I just read this thread of your's and assumed that you wanted an email with the cancellation number so that you would not be charged for the room since it is not going to be available to you. We one time received the cancellation number over the phone from a hotel but they charged us for the room anyway and refused to deal with their error. Thanks to our CC Co. and I guess our good reputation with them we got the charge reversed but it was a pain in the neck.

Having many grandchildren I understand your dissapointment but I hope that your time with your graduating grandchild is a joyous and relaxing occassion.

I totally understand your frustration and being upset, but I think you feel this has only happened at Country Inn & suites and only to you. I am sure many other hotel chains (as well as other businesses) have computer glitches once in a while and I don't know how they could have handled it except by doing what they did and notifying you that they had too many reservations for that date. Unfortunately, computers and computer programmers aren't perfect and this is one of those things that can happen. I hope you have found another place and can go to the graduation and enjoy it and not let this bother you anymore. It isn't worth it.

I understand your anger, especially since I went through the "where are we gonna stay" thing for our two daughters' graduations last year (One day apart, in Boston and NYC)

Have you checked with the school to see if they have guest housing? Many universities move the underclassman out earlier than the seniors and let parents rent dorm rooms.

I do have to comment on your conversation with the manager though. I have always found that businesses are more likely to help an unhappy customer when they feel that their help will result in your continuing business. When you promise-- before the fight is over-- that you will never, ever patronize them again, you have told them that they should save their energy and favors for a client that may appreciate their help.

At the very least, being nice, but firm. might have snagged you a spot on the standby list, although with such a big group, it's unlikely.

Many above missed a point in OP - the OP apparently JUST made this reservation and 11 DAYS later received the notice of a problem. That means he was attempting to book a room for college commencement 2 months prior to the event. I am surprised he was able to find a room anywhere in a small college are with big housing needs for a specific event. I have a college sophomore and have already been advised to book rooms for graduation 364 days ahead in the small town - as soon as we can.

But, I would be as angry as OP if this had happened to me (might have handled it a bit differently - but just as angry). I never even considered such a thing could happen - but have to admit that on full occupancy times, like Parents Weekend, I always feel better once I have a key and a room.

I know you don't want to hear this, but lcuy has it right: "When you promise-- before the fight is over-- that you will never, ever patronize them again, you have told them that they should save their energy and favors for a client that may appreciate their help." I completely understand being upset, but once you say something like that, it's game over.

You're going to a wonderful event (no matter where you stay), so I think you should follow your own advice to "just take a deep breath and move on." Don't let this ruin your enjoyment of your grandchild's graduation.

YK, I don't think anyone here doesn't agree it's frustrating, and yes, as gail says the graduation is a month and a half away, but if I'm following this right, the OP only booked 11 days before that -- so within two months -- not "months and months" ahead of time. Frankly she would have apparently been lucky if there were rooms avaialable then and they were wrong to say they were when they were overbooked. But does that mean that during those particular 11 days the OP lost a chance at dozens of other places? This would have been far different if they waiting until the week of graduation or worse, upon her arrival to say they had made a mistake.

What most of us are saying is that mistakes happen and yes they are frustrating, but what are you trying to accomplish by insisting they put in writing it was their fault? What difference does that make? It's still not going to get them a room is it?

I don't blame you for being upset - anyone would. I've had to scramble for similar situations with my sons in the past.

But, I agree with 321go's 1st paragraph. It may not be easy to 'keep your cool' but, it may have be more advantageous. You were smart to get a name on the cancellation.

All that said, I guess now you know to book WAY in advance of any of your other grand children's events. I might go so far as to research which weekend these events normally occur & go ahead & book.

Good luck!

Hello, my name is Paulette and I am contacting you on behalf of Country inns & Suites Customer Service. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please contact us at 800-967-9182 and ask to speak with either Saige or Mary Kay of our customer service team so we can see how we can provide further support and resolve the situation.

Aha! A new idea. Complain on Fodors and let someone notify the offending business that you've posted on a very busy travel board and see what that gets you. Good luck! Seriously. I'm trying to word this so it doesn't sound sarcastic as I really don't mean it to be.

Gail, your advice is good even in a big city. We booked out hotel in Boston exactly 365 days in advance of DDs graduation last May. The rooms at the Commonwealth Hotel sold out in one day!

At Columbia, we booked a guest room on campus. I got on the computer at 2 am (Hawaii time as the online site started working at 7 am EST), and the 300 rooms sold out in about 5 hours.
Even if not all 12,000 graduates have guest or family coming, thats a lot of hotel rooms needed!

My advice here is to go for future guaranteed ressies for your grandkids future events ( somehow )! :)

Olesouthernbelle, We did have a guaranteed reservation. The guarantee went away, as did my reservation -- gone with the wind, so to speak.

I think it's time to put this thread to rest. I called Country Inn central reservations and spoke with Mary Kay (as advised above). She was polite and sympathetic and gave me phone numbers of 3 hotels "nearby." We don't wish to be out on the highway at midnight or after, so we have opted not to book a room 30-40 miles away. Instead, we have found a private home in College Station where we can bed down on an air mattress on the floor.

Other posters are right -- I should have booked months ago.

The fact remains that I cannot trust their reservation system and choose not to book with them in the future.

Wow. So the post here from them offering to help was to give you phone numbers of other hotels to call? Wow. They offered you yellow pages service? Are we to be impressed with their offer?

crckwc1: I realized you had a guaranteed ressie prior. Guess, I was hoping they'd make you a really good offer in future to make up for this foul up. I understand your not wanting to do business with them again. But, if they'd offered me a free room in future, or put me in the front of the pack in future, some great deal like that, I'd have reconsidered.

Neo: [They offered you yellow pages service? Are we to be impressed with their offer?].

Not anyone here, I doubt. I don't know why they even bothered with that. Seems like adding insult to injury.

I'd be willing to bet that all the people "booted" due to a "glitch" had booked in at a low rate, and all the people who'd booked at higher prices still find their reservation intact.

It's good to know that some people never make mistakes.

I think I'm going to book a room sometime soon at a Country Inn and Suites. It's been a while since I stayed in one - in Tennesses - but I enjoyed it very much. The staff was particularly helpful.

starrs: I thought the post was more about how the mistake was handled. Of course, everyone does make mistakes.

But, when you do stay at CI&S, do give us a assessment on your stay. Please make your ressies on a high demand date, so we get a true comparison. ;)

osb, it was a computer glitch. There was a problem. They contacted the OP to let her know.

I think the OP is over-reacting and making a mountain out of a molehill. Fodorites helped and found other rooms available on the day she posted. It seems that the point of the post was just to vent and bad-mouth CI&S.

The OP has vented and has chosen not to book a room anywhere for this event.

I don't find any fault with CI&S in this. They handled the situation well IMO.

starrs, I agreed with you about over reacting to what really was a simple and often made mistake, but was handled as well as could be expected, right up to the point when the firm posted here offering to help -- which apparently was only to give her phone numbers of other places to call. That seemed kind of silly in my book.

Duly noted.

I'm sorry you had this experience.

I have not had such a problem. I make all hotel bookings on line and I print out copies and take them with me when I travel.

What is a "computer glitch"? I don't have them on my computer.

When I have a problem getting satisfaction at a chain hotel, I call the chain's customer service for help and they have invariably gotten me satisfaction.

However, I have never stayed at a Country Suites.

I didn't notice until after I wrote the above that Country Suites actually posted here and told you to do what I have learned to do. It works. People such as Paulette are there to help you, and they are eager to do so.

I disagree with those who believe you should be more understanding if a hotel cancels a reservation that has been guaranteed with your credit card.

HTTY

happytrails, I'm a little confused.
So you think it's fine that you have learned to do what she did in this case? Call after an actual contact here from the offending firm and have them "help" you by offering the phone numbers of other hotels you can call? What good does that do? You say that customer service has invariably gotten you satisfaction. Would this have been satisfaction in your case?

I'm glad that you seem to indicate that kind of customer service is just fine, but that you don't understand how the hotel could have possibly made a mistake in over booking to begin with. Most of us (I think) feel the opposite -- that the hotel can and did make a mistake and they did what they could -- they notified the person about two months before the reservation was scheduled to say sorry. But I'm curious why you'd think their simply offering names of other hotels to call is something you've happily "learned" to do.

And most of us agreed it was a terrible thing to happen, but we seem to be saying mistakes DO happen and they did what they could about it. It's only a very few who totally do not understand how anyone can ever make a mistake in the first place -- I guess they're the ones who have never made a mistake themselves.

I'm sorry I have been unclear.

I travel three months a year.
I guarantee my arrival with a credit card.
A "glitch" has never cancelled any reservation for me anyplace in the world.

When I have a problem with a chain hotel, I call corporate.
I explain my problem calmly and clearly.
I have always received satisfaction.

I hope this will not turn into one of those disagreeable back-and-forths we had before this forum was upraded.

I was a road warrior for 12 years = flying somewhere each week and in a hotel room every weekday night. I was only "walked" once in that time. Good odds, I would say.

Most of us who travel regularly have been on flights that were overbooked and heard the call for volunteers <b>who have confirmed reservations </b>to step off the flight so someone else can have a seat.

I only book directly with the hotel chain/ airlines.

Glitches happen. Overbooking happens. It's part of life.

IMO it's MUCh better to get a phone call early enough to make alternate plans than to arrive tired after travel and learn you are being "walked" to another hotel. On this thread I've learned that others don't agree - even to the extent of preferring to camp out in the hotel lobby. Different strokes for different folks.

<<<I was a road warrior for 12 years = flying somewhere each week and in a hotel room every weekday night. I was only "walked" once in that time. Good odds, I would say.

A "glitch" has never cancelled any reservation for me anyplace in the world.>>>

Which is why I actually do not believe this was a "computer glitch". You've both made the point -- mistakes of this sort <i>don't</i> happen.