Usually, when multiple parties tell you that you don’t have a case, there’s something to it. So when Mary Kay Kachikis wrote to me about a Quality Inn in Washington that she claims “negligently” misrepresented itself, I have to admit — I was a little skeptical.
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Steve Rabin’s name might be familiar to some of you, especially if you’re active in the comments. He’s a faithful reader of this site who turned to me for help a few weeks ago after he booked a room at the Best Western in Pasadena.
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Best Western guarantees you’ll find the lowest rate on its website. Unless your name is Russ Thomas.
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Amy Hutt is no beginner when it comes to the vacation rental game. She’s booked several homes through VRBO.com, a site owned by HomeAway, in the past, and she felt confident about turning to it for a trip to Bali this fall.
But this time, she lost.
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Sometimes a best-price guarantee just isn’t worth the trouble. That’s what Lynne Fukumoto thought after trying to make a claim on a Priceline “Name Your Own Price” hotel room recently.
“I ended up with a room at the Ala Moana Hotel for $120 a night,” she says.
That’s the Ala Moana Hotel – Honolulu, a nice little property in Waikiki, and part of the terrific Outrigger Hotel chain, for your reference.
“I had never heard of this hotel and went to its website where rooms were advertised for $119 per night,” she says.
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Question: I am writing to complain about poor service I received in connection with Travelocity’s price guarantee. We recently returned from an 11-night trip to Cancun, Mexico. Our package, which included airfare and accommodations at the Valentin Imperial Maya all-inclusive resort, cost $4,615.
About a week before we left, I found the exact same package on Travelocity for $1,170 less. I filled out a form on its site and followed up several times by email. I sent screenshots as proof. Each time they responded they claimed to have not received the proof. Finally, I posted the proof to a website to be sure they could see it.
Last night, I called Travelocity and was told they would get back to me in a few hours by phone. They did not. I have always been happy with Travelocity’s service — until now. Why is this such a problem? Travelocity has a guarantee. Is it asking too much for them to honor it? — Steven Estrella, Fort Washington, Pa.
Answer: You qualified for Travelocity’s price guarantee, which promises a $50 coupon and up to $500 back if you find a “qualifying” lower rate up until the day before you check in. Travelocity should have processed your claim — or at least responded to it — promptly.
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Question: My wife and I checked into the Marriott Grand Flora in Rome on a reward stay. (I’m a Platinum Elite member of Marriott’s rewards program, which means I’ve stayed in its hotels more than 75 nights a year.)
One of the benefits is that my room type is guaranteed. My wife and I are both affected by cigarette smoke, and the ability to guarantee non-smoking rooms is welcome.
When we checked in, the front desk clerk waxed on about how we had received an upgraded room, but was in retrospect unclear about whether it was a non-smoking room.
The next day, we both felt sick; although there was no obvious smell of smoke, we looked around and finally noticed an ashtray tucked away on a table.
I immediately requested a room transfer. At first we were told the hotel was full. Eventually, after speaking with a manager, we were given a different room, but were told that we had to vacate our room as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, I did not pack everything.
After discovering the problem, I asked the hotel staff to let us back into our previous room. This request was refused, and repeated requests to the housekeeping staff to search the old room did not find anything left behind.
Several items of clothing (including a good portion of my socks and underwear) were left behind. Because we had been assigned to a smoking room in error, I asked the hotel to make good on the Room Benefits Guarantee for elite Marriott members. I was planning to use the money from the guarantee to purchase clothing so I wouldn’t have to do laundry in the bathroom sink on my vacation.
Marriott has refused to honor the guarantee, even though I escalated the complaint to the hotel manager and Marriott customer care back in the States. Is there anything you can do? — Matthew Gast, San Francisco
Answer: I feel for you. I just spent two days in a “non-smoking” room that happened to be next to a room occupied by a chain smoker. I smell like the Marlboro Man.
If Marriott guarantees a particular room type, and backs up that promise in its contract, I don’t understand why it’s stonewalling you. This is no way to treat a guest, let alone a frequent guest.
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