Comments on: Tip: for last-minute hotel stays, look online before you book http://www.elliott.org/blog/tip-for-last-minute-hotel-stays-look-online-before-you-book/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Carver Farrow http://www.elliott.org/blog/tip-for-last-minute-hotel-stays-look-online-before-you-book/comment-page-1/#comment-2521 Carver Farrow Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:03:35 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/tip-for-last-minute-hotel-stays-look-online-before-you-book/#comment-2521 Hi Chris The same thing happened to me yesterday. I am staying at a hotel where I have platinum status. I asked how much to extend my room by one night. The front desk manager quoted me $299.00. I said, that can't be right. She explained that the front desk only had access to rack rates, but if I wanted to come back later she would call reservations and get a better rate. My final rate. $59.00 Hi Chris

The same thing happened to me yesterday. I am staying at a hotel where I have platinum status. I asked how much to extend my room by one night. The front desk manager quoted me $299.00. I said, that can’t be right. She explained that the front desk only had access to rack rates, but if I wanted to come back later she would call reservations and get a better rate. My final rate. $59.00

]]> By: T H http://www.elliott.org/blog/tip-for-last-minute-hotel-stays-look-online-before-you-book/comment-page-1/#comment-2492 T H Thu, 23 Aug 2007 06:01:31 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/tip-for-last-minute-hotel-stays-look-online-before-you-book/#comment-2492 This can work the other way around also. I used to work at a hotel (a Best Western). If someone called us for a rate, we charged the rack rate of $129/night. However, if someone walked in and was looking for a room for that night, we had some leeway with the pricing depending on how full the hotel was. If we had lots of rooms available, I could charge anywhere from $59 to $129. What some people learned was to: 1) Make a reservation so that a room is guaranteed for the night. 2) On the check-in day, walk up to the counter and ask how much a room is for the night without mentioning that they had a reservation. 3) If the price was the same or higher, they would check in with their reservation. If the price was lower, they would say that they wanted that price with their reservation. We never refused to give them the lower price once we quoted it to them. Also, if you do walk-in and ask for a price, be polite. If someone was being rude or demanding when they asked, I would always quote them the highest price I could. This can work the other way around also. I used to work at a hotel (a Best Western). If someone called us for a rate, we charged the rack rate of $129/night. However, if someone walked in and was looking for a room for that night, we had some leeway with the pricing depending on how full the hotel was. If we had lots of rooms available, I could charge anywhere from $59 to $129.
What some people learned was to:
1) Make a reservation so that a room is guaranteed for the night.
2) On the check-in day, walk up to the counter and ask how much a room is for the night without mentioning that they had a reservation.
3) If the price was the same or higher, they would check in with their reservation. If the price was lower, they would say that they wanted that price with their reservation. We never refused to give them the lower price once we quoted it to them.

Also, if you do walk-in and ask for a price, be polite. If someone was being rude or demanding when they asked, I would always quote them the highest price I could.

]]> By: Joe Farrell http://www.elliott.org/blog/tip-for-last-minute-hotel-stays-look-online-before-you-book/comment-page-1/#comment-2491 Joe Farrell Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:54:09 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/tip-for-last-minute-hotel-stays-look-online-before-you-book/#comment-2491 Hi Chris - another strategy - ask for the lower rate. I was traveling to Cleveland on business in July and had my family with me. I wanted to stay in a nice hotel, and checked the rates at the Ritz Carlton. They ranged from $279 - $599 depending on the nature of the room. I sent reservations at the hotel an email and made them an offer - $279 including tax, their lowest published rate, but for a club room. They accepted it. We stayed in a club room with 5 free food and beverage presentations a day. The free breakfast, free alcohol during cocktail hour, free lunch for my family during the noontime presentation, free coffee in the am, for about $50 a night net more than staying at a Radisson or Ramada. We received all the amenities a 5 star hotel is known for, saved on food away from home, had robes and good service, a key location, and very comfortable bed and super premium bed linens. It NEVER hurts to ask. Hi Chris – another strategy – ask for the lower rate.

I was traveling to Cleveland on business in July and had my family with me. I wanted to stay in a nice hotel, and checked the rates at the Ritz Carlton. They ranged from $279 – $599 depending on the nature of the room. I sent reservations at the hotel an email and made them an offer – $279 including tax, their lowest published rate, but for a club room.

They accepted it. We stayed in a club room with 5 free food and beverage presentations a day. The free breakfast, free alcohol during cocktail hour, free lunch for my family during the noontime presentation, free coffee in the am, for about $50 a night net more than staying at a Radisson or Ramada.

We received all the amenities a 5 star hotel is known for, saved on food away from home, had robes and good service, a key location, and very comfortable bed and super premium bed linens.

It NEVER hurts to ask.

]]>