Hotels FAQ

Question:

Thank you to everyone who posted or emailed me about my reception dilemma (original post below for those who missed it!) Here’s where we are now……. Luckily we managed to find another reception location not very far away – the only problem was that their similar package is $16.00 per person more expensive (for 75 guests), but we didn’t have the option of being picky as we only had 10 days left to go at that point…thank heaven for savings accounts!!  They could also accommodate our guests from the UK, but again at a $25 per night increase in price, so we are all quite out of pocket!  Saying that, it’s a nicer place and they have been wonderfully helpful (this is at The Holiday Inn) We followed up with a lawyer to see if there was anything we could do about the Best Western breaking their contract, but as the original place was sold as just the real estate and not a going concern they say that there is *nothing* we can do.  Central Best Western say it’s nothing to do with them as all the hotels are individually owned and run. I’m now just glad to have a reception happening!!  2 days to go and still too much to do!! But it does make me think that if it had been us that had broken the contract for any reason we wouldn’t have escaped so lightly!!! Joanne – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Time for me to say hello to you all after reading the wonderful >discussions and advice on the newsgroup for the past few months, I just >wish it was in happier circumstances!! >With only 13 days to go to the wedding, this morning I discovered that >the site we have chosen for our reception (a Best Western hotel) has >been sold and taken over by someone else and will not be carrying on as >a Best Western. >The new owners say they have *no* record of our wedding booking nor of >our 15 guests flying from England over the next few days.  They will >gladly hire us a room, but they have no liqueur license and ‘might’ be >able to find a chef for the food….but they aren’t sure.  The rest of >the guests could stay there of course, but they don’t know when the hot >water will be back on, and the bar/restaurant won’t be open until they >get their license (40 days or so) >So I have exactly 13 days to find somewhere else for 70 reception guests >and 20 residents!!!! >I know I can spend the next 2 weeks on the phone and find somewhere >(anywhere!), but does anyone know if I have any recourse to the Best >Western group?  I was under the impression I had a contract with them, >but as the hotels are all independently owned and run, will that mean >anything now? >Joanne >…who knew things were going far too well for her own good! :-/

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Time for me to say hello to you all after reading the wonderful >discussions and advice on the newsgroup for the past few months, I just >wish it was in happier circumstances!! >With only 13 days to go to the wedding, this morning I discovered that >the site we have chosen for our reception (a Best Western hotel) has >been sold and taken over by someone else and will not be carrying on as >a Best Western. >The new owners say they have *no* record of our wedding booking nor of >our 15 guests flying from England over the next few days.  They will >gladly hire us a room, but they have no liqueur license and ‘might’ be >able to find a chef for the food….but they aren’t sure.  The rest of >the guests could stay there of course, but they don’t know when the hot >water will be back on, and the bar/restaurant won’t be open until they >get their license (40 days or so) >So I have exactly 13 days to find somewhere else for 70 reception guests >and 20 residents!!!! >I know I can spend the next 2 weeks on the phone and find somewhere >(anywhere!), but does anyone know if I have any recourse to the Best >Western group?  I was under the impression I had a contract with them, >but as the hotels are all independently owned and run, will that mean >anything now? >Joanne >…who knew things were going far too well for her own good! :-/

Hi… 1. If you have a contract, then you must immediately sue the previous owners in Small Claims Court for the return of your deposit money (if it’s not immediately returned to you). 2. If you put the deposit on a credit card, it will be immediately refunded to you. 3. For all of you out there, you now know to put it in your contract that if the property changes hands, the owners are responsible to refund your deposit money. All the best, Deb McCoy, author, "For the Bride" Mgr. Wedding Pages FAQS, for more info: www.debmccoy.com or weddingpages.com

Response:

The agreement for the reception is in writing and we had paid a deposit. I’m not too worried about the rooms for guests as there are plenty places they can stay.  Unfortunately the new owners are just a 2 man partnership, they were both there yesterday and tell us the Best Western contract means nothing. They are quite happy to still take the guests for accommodation, but without a bar/restaurant and hot water I don’t think any of them will really want to stay there.  The new owners are trying to be helpful as much as they can, but I was hoping we could prod the Best Western as a group to honour what they had originally agreed, I don’t fancy the tension of hanging on with the new people ‘just in case’ they *don’t* manage to find a chef!!.  I’ll no doubt find more out when I do my calls today!  Fingers crossed! Joanne – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Any sort of "agreement" should have been in writing and confirmation >numbers  should have been issued for your reserved rooms, as most hotels >won’t guarantee without a credit card number or deposit of sorts.  Find >out who the new owners are and contact their offices about this too. >In the meantime, tell any other hotel you are trying to use about your >dilemma and how the other hotel refuses to accommodate your group.  A >little goodwill can go a long way! >Susan

Response:

Time for me to say hello to you all after reading the wonderful discussions and advice on the newsgroup for the past few months, I just wish it was in happier circumstances!! With only 13 days to go to the wedding, this morning I discovered that the site we have chosen for our reception (a Best Western hotel) has been sold and taken over by someone else and will not be carrying on as a Best Western. The new owners say they have *no* record of our wedding booking nor of our 15 guests flying from England over the next few days.  They will gladly hire us a room, but they have no liqueur license and ‘might’ be able to find a chef for the food….but they aren’t sure.  The rest of the guests could stay there of course, but they don’t know when the hot water will be back on, and the bar/restaurant won’t be open until they get their license (40 days or so) So I have exactly 13 days to find somewhere else for 70 reception guests and 20 residents!!!! I know I can spend the next 2 weeks on the phone and find somewhere (anywhere!), but does anyone know if I have any recourse to the Best Western group?  I was under the impression I had a contract with them, but as the hotels are all independently owned and run, will that mean anything now? Joanne …who knew things were going far too well for her own good! :-/

Response:

We do have a signed contract for the reception, but the new owners say that it is null and void as it was not *they* that signed it and also they are not the Best Western any more.  Luckily the final numbers were only due this week and we hadn’t paid the full amount yet, just a deposit – if we *had* paid the full amount and lost it all, then we would be going to McDonalds for the reception!! :-/ …and who knows, maybe that’s where we’ll have to end up yet if we don’t get another site at such short notice!! Accommodation for the guests I’m not too worried about, there’s plenty places to try.  Although it would have been nice to have the guests stay at the same place as the reception, but at the moment I can hardly be too picky about that!! I really just wondered if anyone knew how these chain type places worked and if the head office could be held responsible for maybe helping accommodate us at another Best Western.  I’ll see what happens after calling today. Joanne – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Do you have a signed contract with the Best Western?  Any reservation >numbers? If not, I think you had better get calling on the phone to find >alternative arrangements just in case things thoroughly fall through >with the new owners of the BW.

Response:

> The new owners say they have *no* record of our wedding booking nor of > our 15 guests flying from England over the next few days.  

Do you have a signed contract with the Best Western?  Any reservation numbers? If not, I think you had better get calling on the phone to find alternative arrangements just in case things thoroughly fall through with the new owners of the BW. "When you tell the truth, have one foot in the stirrup." – Mongolian proverb http://www.mindspring.com/~thinds/jmh/

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The new owners say they have *no* record of our wedding booking nor of > our 15 guests flying from England over the next few days. > Do you have a signed contract with the Best Western?  Any reservation > numbers? If not, I think you had better get calling on the phone to find > alternative arrangements just in case things thoroughly fall through > with the new owners of the BW. > "When you tell the truth, have one foot in the stirrup." > – Mongolian proverb > http://www.mindspring.com/~thinds/jmh/

Any sort of "agreement" should have been in writing and confirmation numbers  should have been issued for your reserved rooms, as most hotels won’t guarantee without a credit card number or deposit of sorts.  Find out who the new owners are and contact their offices about this too. In the meantime, tell any other hotel you are trying to use about your dilemma and how the other hotel refuses to accommodate your group.  A little goodwill can go a long way! Susan

Response: