Nov
03
2022
Marriott told us that next year’s award pricing will be worse than what it is today. We should believe them.
Why Buying Marriott Points At 25% Off Is A Fool’s Game
Hotels
Category Archives for Hotels.
The Sad State Of “Daily Housekeeping” At Hotels That Pretend To Still Offer It
Oct
30
2022
IHG Hotels has a training video for housekeepers that explains how to move through a room quickly for ‘daily housekeeping’. Just because a hotel says they offer housekeeping during your stay – either automatically, or only “on request” – doesn’t mean you’re getting the service you think.
What’s most striking to me about the 5-step daily refresh process is the freshener spray at the end of the service. Spraying a smell that signals clean – which usually comes from cleaning supplies being used – seems like great marketing when cleaning supplies are actually used. Spraying the smell to communicate cleaning supplies were used when they weren’t just seems dishonest.
Luxury Hotels Are In An Arms Race Posting Fake Reviews To Outcompete Airbnb
Oct
30
2022
Luxury hotels are more likely to post fake reviews than cheaper properties. That appears to be because people deciding on price are less influenced by reviews, while a decision to drop $500 or more per night on a resort will be influenced by more subjective and experiential elements of a stay.
It used to be that hotels would post fake negative reviews of competitors. But they’ve shifted away from that and more towards posting more fake positive reviews of their own properties, as Airbnb has grown.
Owner Discovers Home Rented Out Online When Guests Show Up. Airbnb Wouldn’t Remove Listing
Oct
30
2022
Just because you own a home, and live there, doesn’t mean that it’s not also listed for rental on Airbnb. There are so many scams out there, including listing homes for rent that are not – in fact – for rent. People pay the scammer, show up at the front door. And do you think Airbnb takes swift action?
Normally if you stick to Airbnb Superhosts offering properties with numerous good reviews, you figure you’re safe. But just because a property has been rented in the past, doesn’t mean the listing isn’t a scam now.
Hotel Check-In Clerk Secretly Records Customer Demanding An Upgrade
Oct
30
2022
A man checking into a Holiday Inn Express in Bloomington, Minnesota became irate when the front desk agent wouldn’t upgrade him to a room type he had refused to pay for, and she decided to record it. We need more crazy hotel guest videos, please.
Guests Shows Up At Hotel, But It’s Now A Homeless Shelter And No One Told Them
Oct
28
2022
A pregnant woman showed up at her hotel reserved at Booking.com to find it was no longer a hotel – it had been converted to a homeless shelter. And the online travel agency’s customer service had no hoots to give.
President Biden Announces War On Hotel Resort Fees
Oct
26
2022
President Biden has declared war on ‘add-on’ fees, including hotel resort fees. While we can all sympathize with the sentiment, his announcement is unlikely to do much to benefit hotel guests.
IHG: 15% Off Hotel Redemptions For Platinums, Diamonds, And Cardholders
Oct
24
2022
IHG One Rewards promised to run award redemption discounts for Platinum and Diamond members and the latest one is out. It includes co-brand cardmembers as well.
Should Hyatt Partner With A Corrupt Former Illinois Congressman?
Oct
22
2022
Ben Schlappig from One Mile at a Time reviewed the Hyatt House/Hyatt Place LAX and offered “I wouldn’t stay again, because I have issues supporting the owner and developer of the property (Aaron Schock).” He did not explain further, so I thought I would offer ‘the rest of the story.’
Schock is a former Illinois Republican Congressman who was indicted (but paid a fine as part of a deferred-prosecution agreement) for misappropriation of campaign funds. He came out as gay in 2020, but had a zero percent rating from the Human Rights Campaign.
One Way To Get Upgraded At Hotels, That Anyone Can Do
Oct
22
2022
Most ‘how to get upgraded’ stories are filled with half-truths, falsehoods, and urban legends. That’s especially true for airlines, but it’s also true for hotels, too. But here’s something that works, more often than not, and that I’ve used successfully in the past.
