Reservation rant...

steveinaz

What's the purpose of a reservation anymore? I noticed last night, while making reservation's for our annual Vegas trip, all the disclaimers attached to the reservation:

"We cannot gaurantee your choice of room"
"Particular rooms cannot be requested"
"Your room assignment will be given upon check-in"

Then what the hell is the purpose of "reserving" a room? I called the Luxor last night and reminded them that this will be our 5th time staying there and asked that they give us a "strip-view" room. I didn't ask for a free night, or a free dinner, or free comps---just a room with a decent view. "Sir we can't do that, your room is assigned....blah, blah, blah. All of the hotels are like this, it's not just the Luxor. I had the same experience at the Venetian. I sent an email to management, which I'm sure I'll hear the same blabber as I heard from the booking clerk.

Service is a thing of the past...

faster100

It sure is, we go to north florida every year for easter and go to the same hotel, we havent been getting our hotel club thing marked in our account and now we are up for a free room after like , 7 stays or 9 LOL and they say.. sorry we don't have records that far back.. and it shows you stayed in 2001 and last year, damm start all over, they show like 2 stays..

bobman1235

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode, where he has a reservation for a rental car, but they don't have any cars left.

RENTAL CAR AGENT: I'm sorry, we have no mid-size available at the moment.

JERRY: I don't understand, I made a reservation, do you have my reservation?

RENTAL CAR AGENT: Yes, we do, unfortunately we ran out of cars.

JERRY: But the reservation keeps the car here. That's why you have the reservation.

RENTAL CAR AGENT: I know why we have reservations.

JERRY: I don't think you do. If you did, I'd have a car. See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation and that's really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody can just take them.

RENTAL CAR AGENT: Let me, uh, speak with my supervisor.

......

(The agent returns.)

RENTAL CAR AGENT: I'm sorry, my supervisor says there's nothing we can do.

JERRY: Yeah, it looked as if you were in a real conversation over there.

RENTAL CAR AGENT: But we do have a compact if you would like that.

JERRY: Fine.

RENTAL CAR AGENT: Alright. We have a blue Ford Escort for you Mr. Seinfeld. Would you like insurance?

JERRY: Yeah, you better give me the insurance, because I am gonna beat the hell out of this car.

RENTAL CAR AGENT: Please fill this out.

polkatese

steveinaz wrote:

What's the purpose of a reservation anymore? I noticed last night, while making reservation's for our annual Vegas trip, all the disclaimers attached to the reservation:

"We cannot gaurantee your choice of room"
"Particular rooms cannot be requested"
"Your room assignment will be given upon check-in"

Then what the hell is the purpose of "reserving" a room? I called the Luxor last night and reminded them that this will be our 5th time staying there and asked that they give us a "strip-view" room. I didn't ask for a free night, or a free dinner, or free comps---just a room with a decent view. "Sir we can't do that, your room is assigned....blah, blah, blah. All of the hotels are like this, it's not just the Luxor. I had the same experience at the Venetian. I sent an email to management, which I'm sure I'll hear the same blabber as I heard from the booking clerk.

Service is a thing of the past...

That's true with any major chains and all of the big hotels in Vegas, Steve. I can't really speak of most Vegas hotels, since they are non chain, but the chain one, the secret is to deal when you check-in. I travel a lot for work, so I earned membership at the highest level with Starwood, Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott. What you need to do is, when you check in, make sure that the front desk is fully aware that you've been there so many time, it helps to mention that specific particular of the hotel, such as the floor's layout of where the room you are interested, why you like that room, etc. Most of the front desk of the higher-level chains (level 3 and up) consider themselves as management trainees, and they do have some leverage to please customers (within reasons). The other strategy is to ask for that room off the bat, so let them tell you why they can't do that (i.e. room is not available) I've been in situation in which I demanded a specific room, but it wasn't available that day, so they gave it to me the next day.

Have fun in Vegas!

PhantomOG

why are airlines allowed to overbook?? just because statistically a person or two doesn't show up for each flight doesn't mean they should be able to screw the customer. they should sell a ticket for each seat. beyond that, the "overbooked" tickets sold should be sold that way with HUGE disclaimers stating that the flight is full and you won't get a seat unless someone else doesn't show up.

Skynut

Hotels act like they want you to stay there once. So that is what we do.
We need to get extremly good service or view to return to the same hotel.

What we do in Vegas is stay someplace new everytime and tell them we were there before. Then we always ask for a room with a view.

Last time (two weeks ago) we made a reservation for a non smoking, king bed, room with a view. When we got there we got the same "sorry nothing available" so we waited. We left our bags with the bell desk and went out for the night. We came back (stinking drunk) and got our room with a view.

Service is going away. They figure they will sell out so who cares who they sell out to.

Skynut

PhantomOG wrote:

why are airlines allowed to overbook?? just because statistically a person or two doesn't show up for each flight doesn't mean they should be able to screw the customer. they should sell a ticket for each seat. beyond that, the "overbooked" tickets sold should be sold that way with HUGE disclaimers stating that the flight is full and you won't get a seat unless someone else doesn't show up.

Totally agree. It's like buying a car.
Me: I want the Blue Ford.
salesman: ok let me get the paperwork together. Sign here.
Me: ok thanks, where are the keys?
salesman: I'm sorry but we are out of Blue Fords, maybe on the next shipment you can have one.
Me: BUt I paid for that one.
salesman: yes sir but that one is sold.
Me: WTF is wrong with you?????

I do not understand how they can start your vacation or any trip this way.
If they can not seat me on a plane that I paid for I should get a free flight and 110% of my money back.

brettw22

Statistically, it's not just one or two that don't show up for flights.......it's closer to 20-30%. If you were the business, would you rather ensure all seats are sold, or see flights leaving with 80% filled seats?

PhantomOG

brettw22 wrote:

Statistically, it's not just one or two that don't show up for flights.......it's closer to 20-30%. If you were the business, would you rather ensure all seats are sold, or see flights leaving with 80% filled seats?

If it were my business, I would clearly indicate on all tickets sold beyond capacity that they were standy. Not doing so is almost false advertising.

brettw22

Except that you can't guess which passengers are or are not going to show up. Just because passenger 3 and 4 have a ticket on a 150 seat flight, doesn't mean that only passenger 151 and higher are more likely to no-show........

steveinaz

polkatese wrote:

What you need to do is, when you check in, make sure that the front desk is fully aware that you've been there so many time, it helps to mention that specific particular of the hotel, such as the floor's layout of where the room you are interested, why you like that room, etc. Most of the front desk of the higher-level chains (level 3 and up) consider themselves as management trainees, and they do have some leverage to please customers (within reasons).

I figured if the email to management didn't work, I'd try that. They tend to be more cooperative when other customers are listening, especially when you're a return customer...they don't want to look bad in front of the first timers checking in. ****.

PhantomOG

brettw22 wrote:

Except that you can't guess which passengers are or are not going to show up. Just because passenger 3 and 4 have a ticket on a 150 seat flight, doesn't mean that only passenger 151 and higher are more likely to no-show........

irrelevant. First BOUGHT, first served. Tickets should be numbered in the order bought. Tickets 1 through N (max capacity) are RESERVED a seat. Beyond that, N+1 only get a seat (in numerical order priority) if ticket holders 1 thought N don't get on the plane at the appropriate boarding time which should be clearly designated.

krabby5

I once reserved a moving van from U-Haul when my wife and I still lived in an apartment. We had reserved the van for the Friday, because the next day we had to leave and get the apartment inspected to get our deposit back..

Well I call on Thursday just to verify (I'm anal) and they proceed to tell me that they wont have it...long rant later I was lucky to find a truck from another company that saved my ****...

U-Haul didnt even respond to my letter to corporate, either..nice customer service..

I especially like the fact that I was the one who called them the day before. You think they would have the balls to call me and tell me..

nice company

steveinaz

Response from Luxor management:

>Mr. Rose,
>
>
>
> Thank you for your comments. I have noted your reservation number XXXX
> arriving Friday June 30, 2006 to have a strip view. Please accept my
> apologies regarding the call center agent you spoke with. I am sorry he
> or she did not assist you properly. If you require further assistance
> you may call Room Reservations or reply to my email address
> nrosenberg@mrgmail.com.

They just may restore my faith....

PolkThug

cool. Now just play your cards right and move up to the Rain Man Suite! You're money!

audiobliss

Well, that's good. At least you'll get a good view. Maybe!

polkatese

cool, Steve! now if Rosenberg is serious of making you happy, an upgrade to a junior suite with strip view, is a given, at least in my past experience, don't know about Luxor though.

Skynut

Good luck getting your way with them.
I think they will bend if you push but if you do not then....

Wifey and I may be in Vegas again the same time you are.
We are thinking about a trip with the kids.

Good luck with the games if you play, try to do better than I did last time.

steveinaz

My wife & I aren't high-rollers, that's for sure. So to the casinos we're small potatos, I thought it was a nice gesture on their part. They sent me another room confirmation, and this one stipulates a strip-view room. Cool.

szhleppy

It's amazing what they will give you if you just ask...especially in Vegas! Have a great time Steve.

Dennis Gardner

I love it...........to get service at the Egyptian pyramid hotel, you got to go through the jewish guy named Rosenberg.:D

Ain't Vegas grand?

I got onto this thread assumin' Steve was gonna complain about Native American living standards. Now that is something I can discuss!!!;)

Strong Bad

Steve:

Hope you and the wife get a nice b ig F*** Tub to play around in.

Rock on!


John

polkatese

Dennis Gardner wrote:

I love it...........to get service at the Egyptian pyramid hotel, you got to go through the jewish guy named Rosenberg.:D

psst...what happen in Vegas stays in Vegas! too funny