Holiday Inn rip-off
 

Yesterday I was made aware of a new (to me) Holiday Inn policy. It seems if you book their Internet rates it is non-cancellable, unlike any other chains HiltonHonors, LaQuinta, Marriott, etc. They do CTA, if you stop to read the boilerplate. When I called to complain I was referred to the motel, the manager advised me there was nothing he could do it was "company policy". He gave me the number for Guest Services who, guess what, said it was up to the individual motel. They are wearing me out with this run-around but I will pursue. I, and my employees each stay overnight 40-50 nights a year and I have advised Holiday Inn I will sleep in my car before I check into any of their brands. By the way, I tried to cancel the reservation a week before the check-in date. In my 40 years of travel and 20+ years as a Priority Club member I have never heard of such a scam, or policy if you prefer.

Richard, not all Holiday Inns are corporate owned. The majority are franchises. I would go to the Bass Hotels (parent company) website and find someone to complain to.

It has been my experience that the best internet rates offered by hotel chains are non refundable. It is certainly true of Hilton and Starwood. One should always read the cancellation policy of any business before giving out a credit card number.<BR><BR>Caveat emptor.

Richard, did you read the cancellation policy? Many internet rates, INCLUDING Hilton and Marriott, are non-cancellable in exchange for being CHEAP. I'm not sure I agree with &quot;CTA&quot; as it usually states if plainly if you take the time to read.<BR><BR>I hope Holiday Inn will give you a break since you're a good customer but I don't think they are in the wrong.

Richard, always read the hotel's cancel policy. Many places have longer policies these days. It's not uncommon to see 72 hours, 7 days, etc. rather than the old &quot;6 pm day of arrival&quot; thing!<BR><BR>I checked the Holiday website and looked at some of the internet rates. It plainly stated that you can't cancel if you book that rate. You can book some higher regular rates and cancel those, if you wish.

Richard - add another voice to the caveat emptor chorus. I, too, am a long time Priority Club member and stay at many Bass properties. Sometimes I take advantage of the internet only rates, but only when I am fairly certain trip details won't change, as it clearly states on the website that these are nonrefundable. It is not unlike some of the hoel room re-sellers (hotels.com, Expedia, Travelocity, etc.) that offer special rates that must be prepaid and are nonrefundable. Sorry you had to learn it this way, but I can't fault the hotel in this case.

Agree with the other posters. I booked a very discounted rate for Holiday Inn for May on the net and the rate clearly states it is unrefundable. The only times these rates are good for you is if you know 100% your plans won't change. Like the other poster said, maybe you can get help if you go to the top (i.e. Chairman of the Board) and they may refund your deposit.

Radisson allow you to cancel the day before arriving at no cost, (even the cheapest deals) and just checking their website they are also allowing cancellation for free at anytime while the war is on.

Sara, I just tried a reservation on radisson.com. The &quot;Internet Saver Rate&quot; is nonrefundable if cancelled within 15 days of arrival so their policies aren't always as liberal as you described! May depend on the individual hotel, too. I entered San Diego as my choice. FYI.

I agree that the cancellation policy for the special internet saver rates on the Holiday Inn website are prominently displayed; in fact, I believe you have to check a box that says you have read and understand the policy for the rate you choose before the booking engine will finalize the reservation. These rates should ONLY be used when your plans aren't going to be changing. I've booked some great deals this way, but on other occasions I've had to maintain the &quot;insurance&quot; of a higher rate that I could cancel.

What you describe is not a rip-off. Just because you don't like the new policy does not make it a rip off.<BR><BR>Unfortunately many hotels have had to change their cancellation policies through the years because too many people make duplicate or triplicate reservations and then never bother to cancel. You can only get burned so many times.

Yes, that special non cancellable rate is common these days. I nearly booked an Intercontinental in Europe at an amazingly low rate. It was only my curiosity as to why it was such a good deal that made me click on the rules from a separate window and actually enlarge them to read them, and then realized there was no cancellation for any reason, as well as being charged in full to your credit card at the time of the booking.

I have found that this is true of most &quot;web specials&quot; now for hotels, airfare and even some car rental.<BR><BR>This certainly isn't as flexible as one would wish but to use the term &quot;rip off&quot; is almost as bad as the hotels not showing the NO CANCELLATION policy clearly.<BR><BR>Wendy

Yep, happened to me too with a Marriott property. Made a 'cheap' internet reservation, then remembered I had a 'Reward' certificate to use for a free stay. Tried to cancel, but to no avail. Wasn't happy, but entirely my fault for not reading cancellation policy before reservation was booked.<BR><BR>Caveat Emptor it is!

You know, I understand the whole bit about the website clearly stating the cancellation policy. However, this does not make the policy RIGHT. I was recently duped by their policy and I am livid. I had booked a room for a really expensive price ('book early and SAVE?!?!') and then found pretty much the same room at another hotel chain for $100 cheaper. Yes, Holiday Inn is up front about their (terrible) policy, but I just think it's wrong to make the reservations 100% non-refundable. I spoke to two customer service representatives that both told me the same thing- no refunds. I agree with Richard- I would rather sleep in my car than stay at a Holiday Inn or any of its affiliates because of this policy. It's just wrong. I was told that they use this policy as an INCENTIVE for people to stay- the only incentive it has given me is to never stay with them again.

You think it's "wrong" even though you knew about it up front? Ummmm, those were the terms of your agreement! And what the heck does the price of a room at another chain have to do with the price of fish? If the price was better elsewhere, I guess you should have booked there in the first place.

It is not good practice to piggyback on a nine year old thread.

Next time you might title your post "Holiday Inn Still At It"

Why? Because many people with a lot of information will not look at a post this old, on principle.

You should also know that many people do not respond positively to someone whose first and only post is a complaint about a policy that you yourself say was clear and which you accepted, whether you knew it or not, when you made the original reservation. It was a contract between them -- to give you a room for a certain price -- and you, to pay that price according to the terms on their website.

Would you expect to drive your new car back to the dealer and return it if you found a better price later?

New poster with an axe to grind.

This thread is 9 years old...........

Well, the thread might be nine years old but the latest complaint is apparently new.

Oh, for pete's sake!! It is STILL ridiculous to be mad about a clearly defined no refund policy. Or be mad because it "wasn't the best deal". You'd think people (and especially someone who has employees who sleep in hotels all the time) had never made a reservation before.

I was reading this thread, unable to understand how anyone who travels that much was NOT AWARE of cancellation policies. Now I see that the thread is 9 years old. It just shows us how much has changed. Today it is almost impossible to find any hotel that does NOT offer their lowest rates with a "no cancellation" policy!

But Sarah_B75, are you telling us that you actually booked and clicked the box that you read and understood the rates without reading that it was clearly NON REFUNDABLE? I just looked again at a Holiday Inn site, and I can't imagine how anyone could miss that? And yes, that is often the "book early and save" gimmick. It's hardly a scam -- it's just a way that those who want to take a risk and commit themselves can save a fair amount of money. I rarely do it -- but I can't imagine how people could miss the cancellation policies if they read even the major print -- I have yet to see the information cleverly hidden!

By the way, Sarah, I suspect you may be sleeping in your car a lot in the future if you refuse to stay at ANY hotel that does a non-cancellable rate. If you find such a hotel (at least a major chain) that doesn't, please let us know.

Yes, you have to watch the conditions for rates very carefully. I was surprised to learn that at Holiday Inn the "Entertainment Book" rate is also pre-paid and non-refundable.  When I erroneously booked the rate for the wrong dates I was told there would be no refund, but I was somehow able to get the property to accept the rate for the dates I actually intended to book.

I chalk this up to an unwanted learning experience and now book only the AAA rate.

Franchised businesses often have latitude that a customer might not anticipate. When a McDonald's across from Macy's in down town Seattle refused to give me a glass of water with my meal, I called the corporate office and learned that whether a store gives water it at the digression of each store. I made a big stink and, as a result, received coupons for free sandwiches, but I am still outraged that McDonald's condones this lack of hospitality.

HTTY

Am I reading that right? You had a meal at MacDonald's and they refused to give you a glass of water? Or was this because the water is in a self serve machine with the ice and soft drinks and they wouldn't give you a cup because you could use it for a soft drink?

Considering the ORIGINAL POST IS From 2003, I would say that 10 years is enough time to learn the WEB booking policy...

The websites CLEARLY state Non-refundable...(the OP Richard now has 50 years of travel under his belt IF God willing, he's still alive)

<i>Am I reading that right? You had a meal at MacDonald's and they refused to give you a glass of water? Or was this because the water is in a self serve machine with the ice and soft drinks and they wouldn't give you a cup because you could use it for a soft drink?</i>

I was denied a glass of water and was offered to buy a bottle of water. The same thing happened a couple years ago at the McDonald's on the Las Vegas Strip (the one near MGM). However, I accepted rudeness in Las Vegas that I did not expect in Seattle.

The soda dispenser in both stores is behind the serving counter.

At the McDonald's In Sunnyside WA I was charged $.35 for a "medium" water and was not given the choice of "small" water, which I later learned is free.

I hope my complaint has helped to change the policy of the store at 3rd Avenue and Pine Street in Seattle.

<i>Considering the ORIGINAL POST IS From 2003, I would say that 10 years is enough time to learn the WEB booking policy...</i>

I didn't check the date on the OP, but the same problem still exists and I didn't encounter it until a few months ago.

<i>The websites CLEARLY state Non-refundable.</i>

It's not clear if you're not looking for it and if you are supposing the policy is the same for all rates to Priority Club members.

HTTY

PS All caps suggest you usually post in the dreaded Lounge.

I don't see anyone posting in all caps. Putting a single word in caps is an easier way for a reader to understand the emphasis meant by the poster. It's no different from putting a word in Italics or bold, but easier to do. And clearly the emphasized word is the word the poster wants emphasized -- with no way for the reader to know otherwise which word in the post is the most important to the poster. I have no idea why that upsets people. It's nothing like posting entire sentences or an entire post in caps -- nothing like it! Why does a single word in all caps somehow send some readers into orbit?

This is weird. A "new" poster comes in, pulls up an old thread from 2003? How did she know? The search is in 3-year increments.

THANKS NEOPATRICK

Here are alternative points of view:

"Sometimes it may be just a word or two. Other times, it might be whole lines of text. In either case, the effect is as if the sender were SHOUTING at you."

http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacke...use-them/30182

"If you USE ALL CAPS in your email or message board posts, you will immediately make yourself seem inexperienced or ignorant. Most experienced computer users consider the use of all capital letters to be the Internet equivalent of shouting."

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/do-not-use-all-capitals.html

HTYY

PS I don't find that all caps are indicative of inexperience or ignorance. Rather, they convey to me (and others I know) a petulant plea for attention, which I suppose is not what is intended by those who use them.

STOP. IT IS 9 YEARS OLD

HTTY is in all caps... is that a petulant plea for attention?

PS Quit trying to pretend you are smarter than everyone... your ongoing drone is annoying and your reliance on posts from blogs called "profhacker" and "hoax slayer" as fact only illustrate a high level of ignorance... LOVE YA

I would keep this bander going were it not that I need a good night's sleep so I'll be fresh for tomorrow's drive to Penticton.

HTTY

<McDonald's across from Macy's in down town Seattle refused to give me a glass of water with my meal>

Wow HTTY... That specific Mickey D's is nasty, it's a hang out for druggies and/or folks living on the street. I can't believe you even went in there!

As far as Sarah topping this ancient thread, yup you need to read the rules before buying something. That is true enough.

<i>Wow HTTY... That specific Mickey D's is nasty, it's a hang out for druggies and/or folks living on the street. I can't believe you even went in there!</i>

You're right. It's a pretty spicy crowd, but with all those surveillance cameras I felt safe. And, I like diversity.

Much better is the new restaurant at the corner of East Harrison and 15th Avenue East. We went there for lunch today, and it was delicious. We shared a porchetta sandwich, an antipasti, and a baguette (on request). Several tables were sharing a salad and pizza. It's an Ethan Stowell enterprise, and the food is a cut above what is served anywhere nearby for lunch. Enjoy!

HTTY

But for the fact that the Sarah has likely gone after posting her screed, I would be tempted to offer her a share in a certain NYC bridge, since she reads and understands the warnings but assumes they don't apply to her.

HTTY, you seem confused about this all caps thing. I mentioned that using them for a word or two is nothing like using them for an entire sentence or post. But you responded and cited two different sources with slightly different points of view from each other. In fact one of your links clearly says this:
"Capital letters are best left for their intended usage and, sparingly, to emphasize a particular word or phrase."

The other article used a number of words in all caps -- and I honestly don't think it was merely meant to show how annoying they are, but rather to show the correct use of caps for emphasis. In any case that articles occassional use of words like "SHOUTING" worked perfectly to make the writer's point.

I completely agree that entire sentences or certainly entire paragraphs in all caps is annoying and hard to read, but I think you need to get over your fear of a word or two in ALL CAPS. They really won't hurt you. Meanwhile if they really bother you that much, you should start signing your posts htty, not HTTY. Four letter in all CAPS, is annoying to you, isn't it?

Ha! Thanks for pointing out a contradiction in my argument.

I must be off to Penticton. Ta.

htty