Hotels

Category Archives for Hotels.

Guests Are Standing In Line 3-4 Hours Just To Check Into Las Vegas Hotels

by Gary Leff on July 12, 2023

Jul 12 2023

A guest checking in at Caesars Palace Las Vegas gave up when faced at a 3 to 4 hour long line at the desk. They left, with their luggage, and enjoyed Vegas returning shortly before 2 a.m.

Still faced with impossible check-in queues, they report giving up – and managing to get into a different hotel at 4:30 in the morning.

Caesars had been overbooked, and there were no more rooms left by the time they got to the front of the line. Altogether, venture capitalist Benjamin Lee notes, “it took..9.5 hours” to get a bed.

Hyatt & MGM Break Up: Partnership Ends September 30, 2023

by Gary Leff on July 11, 2023

Jul 11 2023

Hyatt and MGM will end their relationship September 30, 2023. Hyatt members will no longer be able to redeem points for MGM stays after that date or match their status to MGM Rewards. Status matching is expected to end July 14.

Get 20% Back On Hyatt Award Stays At 3 Brands For The Rest Of Summer

by Gary Leff on July 11, 2023

Jul 11 2023

Hyatt consumer co-brand credit card customers can receive a 20% rebate on award nights for stays at 3 brands completed between July 11 and September 17, 2023: JdV by Hyatt; Destination by Hyatt; and The Unbound Collection.

Marriott Hotel Claims No Elite Breakfast, ‘Corporate Exempted Them From $100 Benefits Guarantee’

by Gary Leff on July 10, 2023

Jul 10 2023

Within North America, Autograph Collection hotels are required to offer an amenity choice of restaurant breakfast (resorts) or a food and beverage credit (hotels). And Marriott has a cash guarantee that hotels will honor this.

The Muir Autograph Collection in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada says no elite breakfast, and that Marriott corporate has exempted them from the elite benefits guarantee. According to Marriott customer service there are no standards, “each hotel has its own policies and offerings.”

When You Want Late Check-Out, Hang This Sign On Your Door

by Gary Leff on July 9, 2023

Jul 09 2023

Hotels often offer guests late check-out, sometimes just if they ask and other times for an extra charge. Loyalty programs frequently make this a benefit of status – Hyatt and Marriott guarantee this benefit for qualifying members, while Hilton and IHG make it ‘subject to availability’.

However when you ask for late check-out, and the hotel agrees, two things invariably happen.

Hotels Should Stop Shaming Guests That Don’t Donate To Charity During Their Stay

by Gary Leff on July 9, 2023

Jul 09 2023

Marriott partners with UNICEF in the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific in a program where hotels can add donations to guest folios on an opt-out basis. Generally $1 is added per night automatically, but guests can tell the front desk to remove the charge.

Autopilot opt out is the opposite of thoughtful philanthropy, so I was sympathetic to a reader who complained about feeling shamed by hotels that do this.

Los Angeles Will Vote On Whether Every Hotel In The City Must House The Homeless

by Gary Leff on July 8, 2023

Jul 08 2023

New York’s mayor says half of the city’s hotel rooms are being used to house asylum seekers. Los Angeles said: hold my beer.

In March, voters in LA will consider an ordinance requiring hotels to report their number of vacant rooms each day, and make those rooms available to the homeless.

What People Believe About Rewards Programs That’s False, But Shouldn’t Be

by Gary Leff on June 30, 2023

Jun 30 2023

An interesting twitter thread asks for the ‘cheapest thing you do’ and a business broker makes the claim that “points cards” for hotel chains “usually give you lobby privileges.” That’s simply not true, although people use hotel lobbies for meetings and to work all the time having nothing to do with their loyalty program memberships or co-brand rewards cards.

5 Seniors Evicted From Airbnb At Midnight Before Family Funeral After Refusing $5,000 Extortion

by Gary Leff on June 29, 2023

Jun 29 2023

A senior citizen – an Airbnb Superhost himself – booked a house for 8 siblings to stay in for their brother’s funeral. A total of 5 of them actually stayed at the property. Over the course of the week several people came over to pay condolences and care for the family.

Earn 50,000 Points Sitting In Front Of Your Computer For 90 Minutes [Deal Dead]

by Gary Leff on June 25, 2023

Jun 25 2023

Timeshare presentation deals can be pretty lucrative. There may be a great rate on a stay and then credits to spend on property and even points in a loyalty program, and all you have to do is give up a bit of time on your trip to listen to a sales pitch.

I’d far prefer a good deal plus points! But I don’t want to give up time on a trip.