Beware Intercontinental Miami

[enjoyinglife]

Update:

 

Just spoke with someone in the corporate office who was very apologetic and explained the situation they are having. Long story short, Miami has increased their prices, and the corporate office is trying to get them to honor any prices with a confirmation number. Miami is stalling but the corporate office will honor the rate, but the process is the same way that Charmgrrl was told - pay the 157.00 that the Miami office has increased to, then fax or mail the receipt to the corporate office and they will reimburse me the difference. The corporate office is very apologetic and hopes to resolve this problem with the Miami office soon.

 

Oh well, at least the dispute is solved with only a little inconvence. If I didn't find out about it on this board, the corporate office may not have wanted to reimburse us. So thank you to the original poster, and all who have helped.

 

Extra: since this hotel is with the Holiday inn group, the representative did check to see, per my asking, if one of the holiday inn express hotels had some availability. She said it looked like the one I asked her to check didn't. If they would have honored the government rate at 108 or 107, I would have switched.

 

There are several events in town that weekend, which would make it difficult to find another hotel at this late date.

[bvocruise]

I have a room booked for the military rate later in the year. I spoke to the hotel and had them look up my confirmation number. They told me the rate was for $107. The Hotel's website is still posting rates of $107 for the night I want.

I would expect them to update their website to offer the changed rate. I'm going to wait and see what happens. I feel the hotel should honor a rate that was quoted with a valid conformation number.

[bouhunter]

It is perfectly legitimate for them to raise those 108.00 quotes to the CURRENT GOVERNMENT RATE of 157.00, and no one should feel like going to war over it. If I'm going on a 3,000.00 cruise I'm not going to make myself miserable and upset and spend hours on the phone to save 49.00 on a room rate:rolleyes: . Regardless of what rate was "confirmed" originally, the government changes their per diem rates each year on October 1st and at that time it increased to 157.00. The hotel has no idea until September what the rate will be for the new fiscal year, so their system is just set up to quote the current rate until the new one is known. 157.00 is the February 2007 government rate there now, and that's still a BARGAIN!

 

Not a perfect analogy, but look at it this way. If your reservation quoted taxes of 10%, and before your stay the local taxes increased to 13%, would you really expect the hotel to charge you the old tax rate?

[bouhunter]

Update:

 

Extra: since this hotel is with the Holiday inn group, the representative did check to see, per my asking, if one of the holiday inn express hotels had some availability. She said it looked like the one I asked her to check didn't. If they would have honored the government rate at 108 or 107, I would have switched.

.

 

There is no government rate of 108.00 now, it's 157.00 in Miami. At least for the winter months. Maybe lower in the summer.

[enjoyinglife]

It is perfectly legitimate for them to raise those 108.00 quotes to the CURRENT GOVERNMENT RATE of 157.00, and no one should feel like going to war over it. If I'm going on a 3,000.00 cruise I'm not going to make myself miserable and upset and spend hours on the phone to save 49.00 on a room rate:rolleyes: . Regardless of what rate was "confirmed" originally, the government changes their per diem rates each year on October 1st and at that time it increased to 157.00. The hotel has no idea until September what the rate will be for the new fiscal year, so their system is just set up to quote the current rate until the new one is known. 157.00 is the February 2007 government rate there now, and that's still a BARGAIN!

 

Not a perfect analogy, but look at it this way. If your reservation quoted taxes of 10%, and before your stay the local taxes increased to 13%, would you really expect the hotel to charge you the old tax rate?

 

 

Actually the thing I was the most upset about was the fact that they claimed to have called at my house one time on December 8th and no one answered. I know for a fact that they didnt call and were just lieing about the call. There was no message, and no call on my phone that I looked up which goes back all the way to October. Anyhow, one call to notify us of the rate change (and then lie about placing the call) is not good practice.

 

Although this is not a perfect analogy either, look at it this way; If I am gettting braces put on my child, and his orthodontist quotes me one price, I make my appointment expecting that one price, and they raise the price,

good buisness practice would be to notify the customer of the rate change, no matter how many phone calls it takes. Plain and simple. The hotel had my address; did they bother to mail a notice to me. No. They could have really called here, and if no one was home, they could have left me a message and I would have known what to expect. It did make me worry that if they are lieing about the price change, how do I know they are not lieing about having my room set aside for me.

 

Going back to the orthodontist analogy, and this hotel situation, had they gotten in touch with me, I would have paid the difference and just have not trusted their business practices. However, it would have given me choices in the matter; go to another orthodontist (or hotel), pay the price difference, and i am sure there are other choices. But then I would have had choices in the matter.

 

The point is a matter of trust. How do you or I not know that they may have decided not honor the military rate and therefore, I would have had to pay the price difference which would have been a few hundred dollars a night? This way, I feel that since the corporate office has gotten involved, that I can relax, that I will have a room, and that I will get the rate I have a confimation number for - and wont have to pay a 300+ dollar a night rate.

[enjoyinglife]

There is no government rate of 108.00 now, it's 157.00 in Miami. At least for the winter months. Maybe lower in the summer.

 

 

Yes, but there was when I made the reservation. Nothing was said at that time that there could be a rate hike. If they did, at least I would have known that it was a possibility.;)

[enjoyinglife]

 

"What really gets me about the Miami guest relations or whatever they are calling themselves, is that they said they tried once on December 8th to notify me of the price change and could not get me, and gave up notifying me. No email, second (or thrid) phone calls, or message left on my answering machine." (end quote)

 

They also had my home address and didn't mail anything. They didn't call. Looking back at my caller id on my phone, they never called here on December the 8th, the day they quoted me that they called here to notify me.

[bouhunter]

I guess if the government set per diem rates for orthodontists it would be understandable:D

[jerseygirl3]

It is perfectly legitimate for them to raise those 108.00 quotes to the CURRENT GOVERNMENT RATE of 157.00, and no one should feel like going to war over it. If I'm going on a 3,000.00 cruise I'm not going to make myself miserable and upset and spend hours on the phone to save 49.00 on a room rate:rolleyes: . Regardless of what rate was "confirmed" originally, the government changes their per diem rates each year on October 1st and at that time it increased to 157.00. The hotel has no idea until September what the rate will be for the new fiscal year, so their system is just set up to quote the current rate until the new one is known. 157.00 is the February 2007 government rate there now, and that's still a BARGAIN!

 

Not a perfect analogy, but look at it this way. If your reservation quoted taxes of 10%, and before your stay the local taxes increased to 13%, would you really expect the hotel to charge you the old tax rate?

 

I shouldn't feel like going to war over this? Don't make myself upset and miserable? Are you kidding???!!! I've got 3 rooms booked for two nights and they raised my rate from $108/night to $349/night. Instead of paying a total of $648 plus tax, I'd be looking at $2,094 plus tax. Don't make myself upset and miserable? Well, if that wouldn't upset you, you're a better person than me.

[enjoyinglife]

Just to let you know, I am not sure if it is "perfectly legitamite" to raise the rates, but I do know that the corporate office says that is NOT THEIR POLICY, and that the Miami hotel is the only one who is not following the price increase to their knowledge. They are still working on getting the Miami Hotel to honor the price since that is the Corporate policy. The representative I spoke to even stated that I may consider faxing the copy of my receipt from the Miami hotel when I am checking out to expediate this matter. I just may do this and then call the corporate office to make sure it was faxed.

 

Jerseygirl, if you dont have the fax number and you need it, let me know and I will give it to you, or call the corporate office. I have spoken to three different and extremely nice people there who are very apologetic over the Miami hotel's resistence to follow the corporate policy.

 

Good luck, and you are right about that being a big difference in amount for you. If I had to pay the 157 rate, it would not be too bad since I only had one room, but it does make me mistrust them and wonder if they would have made me try to pay full amount, or worry that I may not have had a room.

 

What a way to start a vacation - paying 2000.00 more than planned, or not have a room!

 

Enjoy yourself and let us know how it went, especially if it is prior to February 18th, when I go!

[SueSea]

Actually the thing I was the most upset about was the fact that they claimed to have called at my house one time on December 8th and no one answered. I know for a fact that they didnt call and were just lieing about the call. There was no message, and no call on my phone that I looked up which goes back all the way to October.

 

While they certainly should have made more of an attempt to contact you, that doesn't necessarily mean they lied to you about trying to call. They may have simply misdialed your phone number and got no answer at whatever number they happened to call. Now, that doesn't excuse them from not trying back or following up with a mailing, or for not honoring the confirmed rate.

 

Regarding the military rates changing - I work for a small consulting company. We do business with numerous large companies across the country, many of whom have their own negotiated rates with hotels. We charge our expenses to the clients, and we are sometimes required to follow their travel policies. We book hotels at their negotiated rates. Different companies have differing contract terms and it is our responsibility know what rates we should be paying every time we stay, or we risk not being fully reimbursed. If I were booking a hotel for the coming January for a client whose negotiated rate term is Jan - Dec, it doesn't matter what rate I received when I booked back in November, the rate I'll be charged upon my stay is the rate in the new contract in January. Or if the hotel is no longer on the preferred lodgings list, I'll pay whatever the rack rate is. Hotels are under no obligation to adhere to anything but the negotiated rate in the current contract.

[emdia43]

It seems to me that if they have agreed in writing to a price,then that is what's called a CONTRACT and they have to honor it...... right?:)

[sweetdardar]

I am also booked under a military rate of $107 at this hotel. I booked this last week after reading about all of the problems. I called the hotel directly that stated that they will honor whatever I was quoted. I told her that there had been some complaints regarding the hotel not honoring the rate and she stated that this shoyld not be happening. I still have plenty of time to change hotels or bid for this hotel if this rate is not honored so will those that are traveling prior to November 2007 and using the military rate, please let us know how it works out.

[setsail]

I hope the OP sends this thread to to head office and the gm in miami and points out to them how many hits this thread has gotten and how this could affect their future business. Also I would send it to the Miami paper.

[JudyOh]

With the big boat show in Miami the weekend of the 17th is funny they just happened to raise the rates. Someone didn't program that weekend in the computer correctly and all of a sudden they realize they could raise the rate because of the Boat Show. Don't think I'll every stay there again.:mad:

[dreamalittle]

Okay after reading this thread, I am really worried about my rate of $208 on March 23, 2007. I booked through easy click . com. Did anyone else book with a third party and have issues at checkin? I really need to look into other places bc it is only three weeks away. Yikes. Any input or experiences would be welcomed.

[snausman]

Okay after reading this thread, I am really worried about my rate of $208 on March 23, 2007. I booked through easy click . com. Did anyone else book with a third party and have issues at checkin? I really need to look into other places bc it is only three weeks away. Yikes. Any input or experiences would be welcomed.

 

I have booked this hotel with easyclicktravel last Nov. Thanksgiving weekend. Had no problems at all. THey were wonderful. I am using easyclicktravel again on March 15. If I should have problems I will post it here.

 

snausman

[enjoyinglife]

Just a follow up. We stayed there, and it is a wonderful hotel. Once I finished checking in, I asked them to fax my copy of the emai that the corporate office sent me, and they did. They read it, and didn't mention anything, just went and fax it, and brought it back to me and I left for my room. I recieved my check with the difference in price from the corporate office yesterday, which was not even two weeks after my stay there (tomorrow will make two weeks.) It was the corporate office's suggestion for me to fax it to them from the hotel. I am really satisfied, and thankful to the original poster for the heads up. Most importantly, I am thankful to the corporate office for honoring what they said is their policy - that when a conformation has been sent to a customer with a reduced rate, the reduced rate should be honored.

 

Thanks, Intercontinental Corporate Office

[jerseygirl3]

Dream, I don't know if you'll have problems with your rate or not. But the problem isn't with Easyclick, it's with the hotel itself. They are the ones changing the rate.

[enjoyinglife]

Dream, I don't know if you'll have problems with your rate or not. But the problem isn't with Easyclick, it's with the hotel itself. They are the ones changing the rate.

 

Yes, and I belive it was only with government / military rates.