INDIANAPOLIS WYNDHAM HOTEL WARNING...
Feb 16th, 2006, 07:46 AM
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INDIANAPOLIS WYNDHAM HOTEL WARNING...
I have to travel frequently to Indianapolis for business and medical reasons and use priceline for most of my hotel stays. I recently won the Wyndham and prior to my stay researched reviews on Tripadvisor.com. and found that it is strongly recommended to request a quiet room.
At check-in I encountered one of the-most "rude" hotel employees ever. To cut to the chase she was only too happy to let me know that she was "checking in 94 rooms today and WILL not give me a King Room because your reservation was made through priceline and therefore, you do not have the right to make any requests".
When I requested a quiet room away from the highway I was told, again by the same most-pleasant employee, that "due to the fact that you made your reservation through a third party system you CANNOT get the quiet rooms unless you pay an add'l $20". This includes, by the way, Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline, etc.....
The hotel is clean, pleasant, the rooms are nice, the ammenities are great, but let me tell you, the noise in the room is unbelievable! While trying to sleep I could have sworn I was lying in the middle of the Indy 500 Speedway!
So - word to the wise out there - it appears that Wyndham/Indy will treat you like a second class citizen if you do not make your reservation through THEIR res system!
At check-in I encountered one of the-most "rude" hotel employees ever. To cut to the chase she was only too happy to let me know that she was "checking in 94 rooms today and WILL not give me a King Room because your reservation was made through priceline and therefore, you do not have the right to make any requests".
When I requested a quiet room away from the highway I was told, again by the same most-pleasant employee, that "due to the fact that you made your reservation through a third party system you CANNOT get the quiet rooms unless you pay an add'l $20". This includes, by the way, Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline, etc.....
The hotel is clean, pleasant, the rooms are nice, the ammenities are great, but let me tell you, the noise in the room is unbelievable! While trying to sleep I could have sworn I was lying in the middle of the Indy 500 Speedway!
So - word to the wise out there - it appears that Wyndham/Indy will treat you like a second class citizen if you do not make your reservation through THEIR res system!
Feb 16th, 2006, 08:03 AM
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Well I think this was mishandled by the front desk.
I do feel, based on availabiity, hotels have the right to hold premium rooms for top customers. Generally they will give you what you request if they have adequate inventory but when there are 10 rooms left and 9 people paid more (maybe much more) than you, guess what?
You may get the least desirable of the 10 rooms.
On the AA, I get the best seat selection as a premium traveler. When you book AA on priceline you do not get to choose your seats until you get to the airport. No difference.
It's the chance you take booking with priceline.
This only happens with the other websites if you book a discounted PREPAID rate.
Last week I paid 68.00 a night in Denver for a hotel that was running 183.00 everywhere else.
When I arrived I asked for an upgrade and they told me it would be an extra 25.00 a night.
GREAT! I STILL get the club level at a great hotel for 93.00 which was more than 100 less than any online price for that room.
I was happy!!!
I do feel, based on availabiity, hotels have the right to hold premium rooms for top customers. Generally they will give you what you request if they have adequate inventory but when there are 10 rooms left and 9 people paid more (maybe much more) than you, guess what?
You may get the least desirable of the 10 rooms.
On the AA, I get the best seat selection as a premium traveler. When you book AA on priceline you do not get to choose your seats until you get to the airport. No difference.
It's the chance you take booking with priceline.
This only happens with the other websites if you book a discounted PREPAID rate.
Last week I paid 68.00 a night in Denver for a hotel that was running 183.00 everywhere else.
When I arrived I asked for an upgrade and they told me it would be an extra 25.00 a night.
GREAT! I STILL get the club level at a great hotel for 93.00 which was more than 100 less than any online price for that room.
I was happy!!!
Feb 16th, 2006, 10:31 AM
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I travel VERY frequently, to areas throughout the country and use Priceline exclusively for my hotel stays if I have to pay for the room myself. I have never come across the issues that I did at this hotel.
My primary concern is that someone who books at orbitz, travelocity, etc... will be getting one of the rooms overlooking the highway - these rooms make up at least one third of the rooms in the hotel.
My primary concern is that someone who books at orbitz, travelocity, etc... will be getting one of the rooms overlooking the highway - these rooms make up at least one third of the rooms in the hotel.
Feb 16th, 2006, 12:32 PM
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Was the clerk RUDE, or HONEST?
If approximately half the rooms face the highway, and expected occupancy is over 50%, then somebody has to get assigned those rooms. Why should it be those paying FULL price?
Maybe the message the clerk was conveying was "We do have nicer rooms available but for a higher price". Did you ask how much more a more desirable room would be? That can be arranged outside of Priceline.
If approximately half the rooms face the highway, and expected occupancy is over 50%, then somebody has to get assigned those rooms. Why should it be those paying FULL price?
Maybe the message the clerk was conveying was "We do have nicer rooms available but for a higher price". Did you ask how much more a more desirable room would be? That can be arranged outside of Priceline.
Feb 16th, 2006, 12:39 PM
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RB, it's right there, in the OP's post: a nicer room is only $20 more!
Sure, the Priceline gets the leftovers!
As for Orbitz, Travelocity, etc... I disagree. Once I got a very nice room through Expedia (Seattle) and asked the clerk during the check-out how the assign the rooms. He told me, Expedia buys out a block of rooms, in his case, 3 floors of that hotel.
Sure, the Priceline gets the leftovers!
As for Orbitz, Travelocity, etc... I disagree. Once I got a very nice room through Expedia (Seattle) and asked the clerk during the check-out how the assign the rooms. He told me, Expedia buys out a block of rooms, in his case, 3 floors of that hotel.
Feb 16th, 2006, 12:44 PM
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Well you are simply wrong in your blanket statement "someone who books at orbitz, travelocity, etc..."
This could happen if you book a reduced, prepaid reservation but if you book traditional published inventory (ie guaranteed, not prepaid) you are on the flip side.
These prepaid and opaque (priceline/hotwire) rates are sold wholesale to the online agency and marked up for resale.
A rate of 100.00 via Hotwire will probably net the hotel 65.00 if they are lucky.
If you book a rate that requires a guarantee on hotels.com, the hotel is not profit sharing with the online agency.
BIG difference.
This is my business. I know.
The problem was with the front desk clerk. Honesty is not much of an excuse.
They could have simply explained that this was all that was available... sorry.
This could happen if you book a reduced, prepaid reservation but if you book traditional published inventory (ie guaranteed, not prepaid) you are on the flip side.
These prepaid and opaque (priceline/hotwire) rates are sold wholesale to the online agency and marked up for resale.
A rate of 100.00 via Hotwire will probably net the hotel 65.00 if they are lucky.
If you book a rate that requires a guarantee on hotels.com, the hotel is not profit sharing with the online agency.
BIG difference.
This is my business. I know.
The problem was with the front desk clerk. Honesty is not much of an excuse.
They could have simply explained that this was all that was available... sorry.
Feb 16th, 2006, 12:50 PM
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I work p/t as a clerk in a Choice hotel, and we don't sell specific "blocks" of rooms to anyone, so I wonder if the clerk was bamboozling you, Faina.
We want our guests to enjoy their stay, and while we don't (or seldom, anyway) try to put people in the less desirable rooms, we sure don't put our highest paying or most frequent guests in them either. It's not a personal decision, but a financial one. Unless a hotel is experiencing very low occupancy, you're not gonna get a better room when you're paying "distressed" prices. Why don't people understand that?
We want our guests to enjoy their stay, and while we don't (or seldom, anyway) try to put people in the less desirable rooms, we sure don't put our highest paying or most frequent guests in them either. It's not a personal decision, but a financial one. Unless a hotel is experiencing very low occupancy, you're not gonna get a better room when you're paying "distressed" prices. Why don't people understand that?
Feb 16th, 2006, 12:54 PM
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TxTravelPro - we cannot divulge what the booking agency pays us on those pre-paid reservations, but I have checked people in who paid more than they would have if they'd made reservations on the chain's website. I agree the clerk could have been more diplomatic; the o.p. is just mad that the hotel won't serve steak at hamburger prices.
Feb 16th, 2006, 05:09 PM
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I still don't understand the complaint. Is this noisy room in a nice hotel warrants a 3* on Priceline?
And, yes, different hotels have different attitudes towards Priceline bidders. I think if one's not happy, one can reflect to Priceline about that in the questionnaire, if asked. [I seem to get one after most Priceline stays.]
Meanwhile, the only complain I can see if the "rudeness" of the front desk clerk. But since the OP put that in quote, I don't even know if he/she's really rude, pretend to rude, or what.
---
BTW, I'd usually sign up for the hotel chain's frequent stay program. Show the card to the front desk clerk. It's particularly useful for Starwoods properties, I've found. More than once, I was give a room on the Preferred Guest floor, even if I used Priceline/Hotwire; even when I didn't ask.
The clerk will often remind me that I won't earn points for the stay, but I'll reply, "Yeah, I know. But the extras, like room service, will; right?" And they're always happy to confirm that.
And, yes, different hotels have different attitudes towards Priceline bidders. I think if one's not happy, one can reflect to Priceline about that in the questionnaire, if asked. [I seem to get one after most Priceline stays.]
Meanwhile, the only complain I can see if the "rudeness" of the front desk clerk. But since the OP put that in quote, I don't even know if he/she's really rude, pretend to rude, or what.
---
BTW, I'd usually sign up for the hotel chain's frequent stay program. Show the card to the front desk clerk. It's particularly useful for Starwoods properties, I've found. More than once, I was give a room on the Preferred Guest floor, even if I used Priceline/Hotwire; even when I didn't ask.
The clerk will often remind me that I won't earn points for the stay, but I'll reply, "Yeah, I know. But the extras, like room service, will; right?" And they're always happy to confirm that.
Feb 16th, 2006, 05:45 PM
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maybe the complaint was that the op could not get a "quiet room" because the room was booked on priceline. I would think that regardless if someone paid $50 or $100 they should still get a quiet room. Not a BETTER room, but a QUIET room.
AND, it was noted that not only are priceline guests not entitled to a quiet room, but either are any other third party reservations....would that include travelocity, orbitz, etc???
AND, it was noted that not only are priceline guests not entitled to a quiet room, but either are any other third party reservations....would that include travelocity, orbitz, etc???
Feb 16th, 2006, 06:12 PM
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cfntmpn - What would you have the hotel do if 1/3 of their rooms are not quiet? I've stayed in hotel rooms facing freeways - it's not pleasant! But once the hotel is built, somebody has to sleep in those rooms.
