Gretchen

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.

NeoPatrick

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!

NeoPatrick

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.

happytrailstoyou

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

NeoPatrick

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?

garyt22

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)

happytrailstoyou

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 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.

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

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.

The websites CLEARLY state Non-refundable.

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.

NeoPatrick

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?

Dayenu

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.

garyt22

THANKS NEOPATRICK

happytrailstoyou

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.

Gretchen

STOP. IT IS 9 YEARS OLD

garyt22

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

happytrailstoyou

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

suze

<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.

happytrailstoyou

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!

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

Ackislander

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.

NeoPatrick

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?

happytrailstoyou

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

I must be off to Penticton. Ta.

htty