Help! I won a priceline bid...

[cruisinonmymind]

I won a bid on priceline for the Hyattt Regency in Tampa for $65 per night. I called the Hyatt to request double beds and smoking and they said that they would enter the request, but cannot guaranty it. I told them that there will be 4 adults in the room, but they still cannot guaranty doubles. http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

How often has anyone been denied a request? I really need to know before I go crazy.

Married on Fantasy 9/95
Ecstasy 3/2001
Fantasy 9/2002
Sensational Cruise 7/24/04

[thebird]

I used priceline last summer on the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa in Albuquerque,NM. We had to call the hyatt, too, to request things like that, and the people we dealt with were very accomodating. They even gave me a mountain view room (premium view, more money-although I didn't have to pay any more for it). Maybe it depends on the person who picks up the phone. Go up the chain of command, if you can find out who that might be. Good luck!!

Lead, Follow, or Get the $&@* out of the way!

[tef43]

I have never had an accomodation request denied for a Priceline or Hotwire booking.

Tom <--- Curmudgeon of the Seas

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[JohnnyO]

Odds are pretty good that you will get but there is the fact that when you get a reservation through priceline they normally book a double/non-smoking (at least this is what they did while I worked at a Marriott)

If I were you....I would call the "Front Desk Manager" on a weekday and express your needs.....they normally will get you what you want....call back a few days later and have them check your resevation to see what room type you are booked into.....if it is what you want, great....if it isn't....call the hotel back and ask to speak to the "General Manager"....(unfortunately) explain your needs again....This should definately get you what you want because in over 3 years as the Night Auditor for Marriott....smoking rooms were the only rooms that nobody would take....smokers didn't even want them....so you would think that you would easily get what you want.

Make sure to check again tho....if you don't get what you want....you can always call priceline and tell them that you didn't get the room that you bid on.
I know for a fact that Priceline revenue is very important to any hotel because Priceline guarantees the hotel that they will pay for the room(usually alot less than what you paid PL) even if the guest is a noshow.....a guarantee like that is really special as to the fact that it cuts costs to the hotel concerning collection of lost revenue. Priceline will drop a hotel if their customers are not dealt with properly...another fact that I know. (we were threatened with that once and boy did things change quickly)

You could also skip the "Front Office Manager" and go straight for the "General Manager" to save on long distance costs.....you could always mention that you will call PL with a complaint...but that is your decision as we know the response to this could be good or bad.

Hope these ideas help.

P.S. (almost forgot)They are right tho...we never gave a guarantee to Priceline resevations except for the Non-smoking/Double....thats why it is important to talk to a manager and find out what you have before you leave. PL resv. were given the least attention as to their room type preference at the Marriott that I worked.

JohnnyO

[This message was edited by JohnnyO on 04-12-04 at 02:39 PM.]

[StefanieMS]

Your priceline request is only for DOUBLE occupancy. Not for 4 people, so calling priceline would be useless. Most hotels will accomodate you if they have the room available. You may just have to wait until you get there though. I think King rooms tend to sell faster than two doubles, so you should be fine. Good Luck!

Stefanie

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[SUSANITA]

I've always gotten 2 doubles with my priceline rooms. I also just won the Hyatt Regency in Tampa for May, we will have three adults in the room, and will be requesting a rollaway cot as well. When should I ask for this? When we arrive?

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[thebird]

Doulasue, I always call the hotel ahead of time, just so I will know what to expect. I'm kinda like that, when it comes to my plans. Don't like surprises, (bad ones), if I can help it.

Lead, Follow, or Get the $&@* out of the way!

[JohnnyO]

Ok...Just remember that I am giving you the facts from all the hotels that I have ever called and the 1 that I worked with.....

Stephanie....you are correct....but where I worked...a double meant that each person got a bed...2 double beds..... singles do got a lot faster and they only had one queen or one king bed....

doulasue....you can always try to do it maybe the day before you get there but our hotel only would take the request when the guest was right in front of us or in their room....that still all depended if we even had any available.

I have heard of hotels taking the "rollaway" request prior to the guest arriving and having it in the room when you arrive.....perhaps Hyatt works that way down there....wouldn't hurt to call....

JohnnyO

[errjordan]

If you read the fine print on Priceline you will find that you get a ROH or "Run of the House" room. Basically, with Priceline, you will get a room, but maybe not the kind of room you want. Unless the hotel is really full, you will probably get the room you want.

[cruisinonmymind]

When I called the Hyatt, the man in reservations stated that if there was not a room with 2 double beds he could get us a rollaway. But, I did tell him that there would be 4 adults, (2 couples) and I really hoped that we could get a smoking room with 2 doubles. I will call back in a few days and see if we were able to get that type of room.

Again, this is my first time trying Priceline. I am please with the hotel, I just want to make sure it is a room with 2 beds for the 4 of us.

Married on Fantasy 9/95
Ecstasy 3/2001
Fantasy 9/2002
Sensational Cruise 7/24/04

[Rdabadie]

JohnnyO

There's a good chance you'll get the room you want, I find that better hotels treat their priceline guests very well.

My experience has been that the King bedded rooms are in high demand at most hotels and with priceline I invariably end up with 2 beds even if I'm traveling on my own.

The other option is to try and get another room through PL, although there's no guarantee you'll end up at the same place.

I LOVE priceline for hotels! I booked 27 nights last year through them.

Rob

Regal Empress 7/97, Nordic Empress 10/97, Sensation 11/98, Paradise 11/99, Ecstasy 11/00, Norway 5/01, Triumph 11/01, Explorer of the Seas 9/02, Paradise 5/03, Victory 4/04

[imlulu]

This has been our experience with Priceline and Hotwire. I call a couple of days before we are scheduled to come in and confirm my reservation direct witht he hotel. At that time I make sure the room is for double beds. Sue, that is when I would ask about the cart.We have never had a problem. Good luck!!!

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[JohnnyO]

Cruisinonmymind.....

Well it seems that you have done enough but if not....ask for a Manager....I say this only because of the fact that there is a high turnover as far as employees go and that invariably ends up meaning that all employees are not always trained properly... so start at the top....

Or you can use the "secret backdoor" option and talk to the night auditor(they work 11pm-7am)...I know for a fact that they can change anything on a resv. in an instant because I had to all the time.....you have to consider the fact that whatever changes to your resv. that anybody makes....may be changed(by other unknowing people) prior to you getting there....so call the day before you leave.

Johnny

[NewCruiseAddict]

cruisinonmymind,
When we stayed at the Hyatt last year pre and post cruise, all I did was call the Hotel direct (number on my priceline confirmation) and not only request 2 doubles but connecting rooms as well and they were very accomidating. On our return they even let us check in at 11:00. I called when we got off of the ship to see when we could check in and they said come right over. Their front desk had some of the nicest people I have ever seen at a hotel.

Cass

Disney Wonder 5/2001
Carnival Elation 2/2002
Carnival Ecstasy 6/2002
Voyager of the Seas 5/2003
Carnival Pride 6/04

[kristy]

Well, let me share my experiences.
I use PL all the time and have NEVER had any problems with requests, that is until last Wed.
I had won a bid for the Wyndham in DT St. Louis, called the day prior to give them my WBR # and to request 2 doubles, non smoking. I was told no problem.
Check-in is an entirely different story. We tried to check-in(there were 3 of us) at about 3, manager was on duty and he checked us in. He clearly saw 3 of us standing there, was very pleasant and gave me 3 room keys. Up to the room we go, small room(recently renovated, use to be ALL 2 room suites) with 1 double bed.
DH calls down and manager explains that PL only guarantees 1 double bed. DH explains that we have stayed there numerous times and have won plenty of PL bids and have never had any problems. Manager got very rude and refused to help us. We had to end up paying for an upgrade(which was no problem, just frustrating) but I did let the manager on duty upon check out know that we would NEVER be staying at that hotel again because of the way we were treated. No more 3* in STL for us.

I hope this is not a new trend for PL customers, because like I have said, we use them on many occasions and have several rooms booked throughout the rest of the year as well as next year. Hopefully this is just a Wyndham chain issue.

Good luck to you and like others have stated, call ahead and make your requests.

Kristyhttp://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/haloslip.gif
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[lcpagejr]

I just had a pre-cruise stay at the Hyatt Regency in Miami. 4 Adults (me, my wife and 2 grown children). My priceline winning rate was $40.I contacted the Hyatt before my stay requesting 2 double beds. They responded they would forward my request and do their best to accomodate me.

When we arrived at 9pm...They went out of there way to service me. Gave me a room on the 22nd floor overlooking the Port of Miami. They asked me the type of accomodations I needed and were eager to please.

I agree with earlier posts stating the higher end Hotels will treat you equal and maintain consistency in their service levels.

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[hlfdzn]

I called ahead both times I booked a priceline room and was told that my request would be noted, but not guaranteed. As stated before Priceline guarantees accomadations for 2 people, if you need it for 4 you should book 2 rooms. I took a chance and booked 2 rooms in Orlando at the Renassaince Orlando. I called once before I left for my trip and then I called at 3 pm that day. WELL my rooms were so far from each other that hubby and I had to split up for one of us to be with the kids and they gave us a king bed in one room. They did however bring 2 rollaways at no extra charge and extra towells. I think the reason they had to split us up was that we checked in late and it was spring break. I was slightly disapointed, but knew this could happen.

In Tampa In February, I requested 2 double beds, checked in at 3 pm at the Hyatt and my request was granted. I might note that it was the 100 yr anniversary of Gasparilla that weekend.

At both places I was never treated badly because I was a pricleine customer, you just have to have the thinking that they guarantee for 2 people never 4.

Go to Biddingfortravel.com for more information on bidding on priceline.

[jeremyh]

With 2 kids I can see trying to go for one room and doing request for quad occupancy, the kids can stand being on a rollaway or a sofa for a night. With 4 adults I would highly recommend bidding on 2 rooms, especially when you're getting them for so cheap (usually). But that's just me.

With 2 children and 2 adults, I've had the experience where they note it via a phone call and gave us a room with two queens, and the experience where they wouldn't do anything, not even make a note on our reservation, until we arrived at the front desk to check in. We ended up with a king, a rollaway, and used our porta-crib. I don't know what we would've done if the 2nd was older, since there was no room for a second rollaway. I suppose it would've been 3 in the big bed.


---
Jeremy
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[cruisinonmymind]

Just a follow-up. I called the Hyatt this morning and I was told that they had my reservation and a room for 2 double beds in a smoking room http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif. I am so happy. This was my first time with priceline and I hope it is great. I was really worried about the room. Now I just can't wait.

Married on Fantasy 9/95
Ecstasy 3/2001
Fantasy 9/2002
Sensational Cruise 7/24/04

[thebird]

Great news!
I'm glad everything worked out for you.
Now you don't have to worry about that anymore. (I love that)



Sensation 5/15/2004