Staybridge hotel cancelled reservation while we were on cruise!!!

[SIENA6334]

I reserved our rooms here in June of 2012 (they were prepaid). One night pre-cruise (Feb. 23-24) and 4 nights post-cruise (Mar. 3-7). We enjoyed our pre cruise night and asked if we could have the same room when we returned. He smiled and said "sure" and appeared to go into the computer and put the room number down. When we returned from the cruise - to our horror they told us they had a computer glitch and we no longer had rooms. They called us Monday while on our cruise (obviously we could not receive the call). They offered to put us in a Super 8 hotel in Slidell over 30 miles away meaning we would have to take a cab to see the city. We did not come prepared to that expense. I asked him to be shown that everyone staying had booked their room prior to June 20 when I did. Was told that could not be done. There was a big sign in the hotel lobby about a HiMSS conference. We asked some people as they were checking in when their reservation was made and were told about 6-8 weeks ago. I called ICHG guest services - they agreed that they rebooked our room and just offered 30,000 priority club points. Southwest was more than generous finding us a flight home and honoring our previous reservation at no extra cost. I checked my credit card statement and found the hotel sent a refund to my account on Feb. 25 less than 24 hours after we checked out for the cruise. I am not the only one this happened to. Other people (25 as the hotel told us) were also cancelled. This area (near Harrahs) had been sold out for over 3 months prior to our leaving. Just be aware!!!

[travelplus]

The hotel had to find you a hotel even if it was a more expensive hotel. I would have refused a Super 8 Motel(very shabby offer). I would have been fighting with the hotel to walk someone else as you booked and confirmed the reservation upon checkout before your cruise . 30,000 miles would be just the start of my compensation. I would find a 5 star hotel in New Orleans and booked it. Then I would ask for per diem for my breakfast.

 

Fly home early would not be an option for me nor would a taxi ride to some slum motel 30 miles away. The agent who confirmed your reservation had to honor it and this reservation was cancelled against your will. You were wrongly walked and took the easy way out by flying home. I would stand my ground and refuse to leave until they give me transportation to the new hotel in the city and give me per diem money for meals etc.

 

You should have said that all flights were booked months in advance and that we are stranded because the flights to return home would be too expensive for us. We booked the entire trip months in advance including the hotel. If you had to go up the chain and speak with the District Manager I would hae. I would have told them to walk the people who took your confirmed rooms no matter what the circumstances were. Clearly if someone booked the same rooms after the date you did and were given them and you were walked the Staybridge Suites should be held liable.

 

I hope you will get more compensation. A computer glitch is the fault of the hotel and IT and they should be contacted too, Calling you on Monday when they clearly knew you were on a cruise does not cut it in the mean time they had to secure you rooms even if it was at the Ritz.

[SIENA6334]

I couldn't agree with you more. Hindsight is 20/20 and I wish I had stood my ground more. I have a lot of regrets and do wish I had looked for a better hotel closer. That being said, I have sent registered letters to the CEO and V Pres of IHG. They were signed for a week ago and as yet - no response. Further research showed me they basically "breached a contract" and should have found me a "comparable" hotel and paid any overage. I need to learn to quit letting my emotions rule over common sense. Lesson learned.:rolleyes: