Hotels FAQ

Question:

Just back from a quick trip to Germany. I had a reservation for one night at a hotel affiliated with Steigenberger.   Booked through Travelocity and SRS Worldhotels. Turned out they had no room for me. Of course, they were quite apologetic.  They found me an alternate place to stay, although 5 miles away from the city center.  Paid my cab fare to get there.  The alternate place was more or less OK, but not nearly as nice; price was EUR 14 cheaper.   Restaurant was not bad. Still, this isn’t the way to do business.  And given the rules that apparently exist in Germany, as per a previous thread here, I wonder whether I should get angry and do something about it.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Just back from a quick trip to Germany. > I had a reservation for one night at a hotel affiliated with > Steigenberger.   Booked through Travelocity and SRS Worldhotels. > Turned out they had no room for me. > Of course, they were quite apologetic.  They found me an alternate place > to stay, although 5 miles away from the city center.  Paid my cab fare > to get there.  The alternate place was more or less OK, but not nearly > as nice; price was EUR 14 cheaper.   Restaurant was not bad. > Still, this isn’t the way to do business.  And given the rules that > apparently exist in Germany, as per a previous thread here, I wonder > whether I should get angry and do something about it.

Maybe that depends upon whether you plan to use that hotel chain again, elsewhere – although they might like to know if that sort of thing is happening frequently. (I probably would simply book other hotels in future – if I get cheated once, I can blame it on my own inexperience, but I make damned sure it doesn’t happen again!)  FWIW, although I have booked accommodation through Expedia.com and a "Discount" hotel site (for the U.S.), I always get a confirmation directly from the hotel, too – I don’t like trusting in third parties to do things right.

Response:

< I always get a confirmation > directly from the hotel, too – I don’t like trusting in > third parties to do things right.

In Europe, if I’m arriving in the late afternoon or later (even with a credit card guaranteed reservation) I usually give a call around 10 in the morning to tell them what time I’ll be getting in.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Just back from a quick trip to Germany. >I had a reservation for one night at a hotel affiliated with >Steigenberger.   Booked through Travelocity and SRS Worldhotels. >Turned out they had no room for me. >Of course, they were quite apologetic.  They found me an alternate place >to stay, although 5 miles away from the city center.  Paid my cab fare >to get there.  The alternate place was more or less OK, but not nearly >as nice; price was EUR 14 cheaper.   Restaurant was not bad. >Still, this isn’t the way to do business.  And given the rules that >apparently exist in Germany, as per a previous thread here, I wonder >whether I should get angry and do something about it.

I’m afraid this has become standard practice these days, I hear about it frequently. Hotels now overbook. A truly cool book: The World Is Already Yours Conscious living in the real world www.alreadyyours.com (sample chapter, etc…)

Response:

> Just back from a quick trip to Germany. > I had a reservation for one night at a hotel affiliated with > Steigenberger.   Booked through Travelocity and SRS Worldhotels. > Turned out they had no room for me. > Of course, they were quite apologetic.  They found me an alternate place > to stay, although 5 miles away from the city center.  Paid my cab fare > to get there.  The alternate place was more or less OK, but not nearly > as nice; price was EUR 14 cheaper.   Restaurant was not bad. > Still, this isn’t the way to do business.  And given the rules that > apparently exist in Germany, as per a previous thread here, I wonder > whether I should get angry and do something about it.

Such things happens.  Reason to believe you’re disappointed as Steigenberger is an upclass chain.  But anyway as they did the best to accommodate you I think there’s not so much to do.   They paid the cab OK , but I think a voucher for a free dinner or so couldn’t be wrong. Was on a business conference recently where they had missed something in the booking, got nevertheless adequate and nice accommodation and was satisfied with that.  In addition I got a voucher for "a free drink,an aperitif and an avec ".           L.P

Response:

devil schrieb: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Just back from a quick trip to Germany. > I had a reservation for one night at a hotel affiliated with > Steigenberger.   Booked through Travelocity and SRS Worldhotels. > Turned out they had no room for me. > Of course, they were quite apologetic.  They found me an alternate place > to stay, although 5 miles away from the city center.  Paid my cab fare > to get there.  The alternate place was more or less OK, but not nearly > as nice; price was EUR 14 cheaper.   Restaurant was not bad. > Still, this isn’t the way to do business.  And given the rules that > apparently exist in Germany, as per a previous thread here, I wonder > whether I should get angry and do something about it.

As a matter of interest, a few questions. 1. which city and which hotel 2. was a trade fair on 3. did you show up late 4. did you have a guaranteed booking. Normally, if you have a guaranteed booking and announced late arrival, they will keep the room for you all night. Conversely, if you have a guaranteed booking and announced late arrival, they will charge you for a no-show. If you had neither a guaranteed booking nor announced late arrival, then they provided excellent service. Tom — Note: the sender’s address which is displayed in the header may be different from the real address.  To reply, please be sure to mail "tandp at freenet dot de" but I guess you knew that already.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > devil schrieb: >Just back from a quick trip to Germany. >I had a reservation for one night at a hotel affiliated with >Steigenberger.   Booked through Travelocity and SRS Worldhotels. >Turned out they had no room for me. >Of course, they were quite apologetic.  They found me an alternate place >to stay, although 5 miles away from the city center.  Paid my cab fare >to get there.  The alternate place was more or less OK, but not nearly >as nice; price was EUR 14 cheaper.   Restaurant was not bad. >Still, this isn’t the way to do business.  And given the rules that >apparently exist in Germany, as per a previous thread here, I wonder >whether I should get angry and do something about it. > As a matter of interest, a few questions. > 1. which city and which hotel

Osnabrueck.  Remarque. > 2. was a trade fair on

Not that I am aware of. > 3. did you show up late

No.  Actually, I showed up in the morning.  They told me they had no room let, and you can check in later all right, and we’ll keep your luggage. > 4. did you have a guaranteed booking.

Yes. > Normally, if you have a guaranteed booking and announced late arrival, > they will keep the room for you all night. > Conversely, if you have a guaranteed booking and announced late arrival, > they will charge you for a no-show. > If you had neither a guaranteed booking nor announced late arrival, then > they provided excellent service.

But I had.

Response:

Originally posted by Devil: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Just back from a quick trip to Germany. > I had a reservation for one night at a hotel affiliated with > Steigenberger.   Booked through Travelocity and SRS Worldhotels. > Turned out they had no room for me. > Of course, they were quite apologetic.  They found me an alternate > place > to stay, although 5 miles away from the city center.  Paid my cab fare > to get there.  The alternate place was more or less OK, but not nearly > as nice; price was EUR 14 cheaper.   Restaurant was not bad. > Still, this isn’t the way to do business.  And given the rules that > apparently exist in Germany, as per a previous thread here, I wonder > whether I should get angry and do something about it.

Give us more details. Was your reservation credit card guaranteed (ie whether you arrive or not, they still get full payment)? If not, no sympathy if you arrived later than 5pm as hotels need to make a profit and there are lots of no-shows in the industry. — Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Originally posted by Devil: >Just back from a quick trip to Germany. >I had a reservation for one night at a hotel affiliated with >Steigenberger.   Booked through Travelocity and SRS Worldhotels. >Turned out they had no room for me. >Of course, they were quite apologetic.  They found me an alternate >place >to stay, although 5 miles away from the city center.  Paid my cab fare >to get there.  The alternate place was more or less OK, but not nearly >as nice; price was EUR 14 cheaper.   Restaurant was not bad. >Still, this isn’t the way to do business.  And given the rules that >apparently exist in Germany, as per a previous thread here, I wonder >whether I should get angry and do something about it. > Give us more details. Was your reservation credit card guaranteed (ie > whether you arrive or not, they still get full payment)?

Yes it was guaranteed. > If not, no sympathy if you arrived later than 5pm as hotels need to make > a profit and there are lots of no-shows in the industry.

And I actually first showed up at 10:30 am.  Which was too early and they had no room yet.  So I just left my bag and proceeded dealing with my business.  When I came back around 8 pm, they had no room for me. But they did for other folks arriving when I was already there.

Response:

>Of course, they were quite apologetic.  They found me an alternate place >to stay, although 5 miles away from the city center.  Paid my cab fare

Same level (stars)? >Still, this isn’t the way to do business.  And given the rules that

ACK >apparently exist in Germany, as per a previous thread here, I wonder

The rules says, that a hotel has to find you a place with the same level and they have to pay additional transports – which means not only the way to the other hotel but also the way back. (I remember a hotel here in Cologne – 20 years ago -, which did overbook during a trade show. The next hotel with the same level was nearly 100 km ago – and the hotel did pay two times a day the taxi.) Greetings from Cologne Andreas — Hans-Hasso Stamer in de.comp.sys.mac.soc: F’ups sind die kr