Update: After sending the URL of this blog post to the Hilton Website Internet Help Desk on April 15th, they replied two days later that they had forwarded my email to Hilton Guest Relations at Corporate. 7 days later, I still have not heard from Corporate…
However, I was able to get my schedule (and rate) moved to the desired week through a corporate travel agent backchannel.
Recently I booked a one-week business trip at a Hilton hotel, which I would usually do with Expedia or Hotels.com, and decided to use the Hilton web site instead.
WHAT A HUGE MISTAKE.
When I needed to move the trip (it was weeks away, and I only needed to move it one week later)- United Airlines actually sent me a REFUND since the new fare had dropped! Hertz similarly had no problem changing me – these are professional travel companies, why would they?
However, when I called the Hilton reservation line and told her my reservation number, the Hilton Representative on the phone awkwardly paused and apologetically told me I needed to call another number because I had a ‘special prepaid reservation’.
OK, so I booked on the Hilton website, called the Hilton reservation number on the Hilton website, but somehow I called the wrong number (?) – and cannot be transferred – how does that happen?
So, I call the new number, and I get this rep on the phone – I can tell from her voice – she is one of those phone reps who has been designated to give people bad news all day long.
I gave her my reservation number and told her the original Hilton Representative on the ‘other’ Hilton Reservations Line had told me to call this number because I had a ‘special prepaid reservation’, and that I needed to move it a week.
She instantly informed me that I could not move it.
I can’t move it
I can’t get it refunded.
I can’t reschedule it – even with a change fee!
Nothing.
Period.
If I don’t spend that week at the hotel,
I just LOSE MY MONEY.
ALL OF IT.
They are going to take my $659.12, taxes and all, and put it in the bank.
No services rendered.
I was stunned. I have booked probably over 100 hotel stays in the last 30 years, and I have encountered change fees and what-not, but I have never heard of a reservation that could not be moved – at the forfeit of the entire reservation cost!
I have also stayed at this hotel before – which is why I was coming back, I liked it – and planned on coming back for my annual business trip to the area.
I mean – I am staying at the same hotel – JUST ONE WEEK LATER. I’m still your guest! (or could be!)
I could still stay their customer – they could still have their money AND keep a customer who has stayed at this hotel before (just last year).
But she refused.
She was unyielding.
She offered my no quarter, no compromise, no nothing.
I asked to speak to her supervisor – and, of course, I got the ‘I am the supervisor’ line.
Well of course you are.
She told me that the terms of my reservation were made clear on the website when I checked the box which indicated I understood the terms of the reservation.
I told her that every transaction on earth has that box, and that every single one of them has more terms and conditions to read then any normal consumer could possibly be expected to digest.
She told me this one was especially clear.
Later, I called the hotel directly and asked to speak with the hotel manager. Perhaps if I explained that I was a regular customer he could fix this for me with reservations, or simply give me the other week free or discounted (after all, he is getting a weeks worth of money with NO GUEST). (BTW, they still have availability the new week as of today).
I was told the hotel manager was in a meeting, and the front desk sent me to his voicemail. I left a message and asked him to call me back – which he never did (5 days ago).
Today I was working on a pile of taxes, so my wife called the hotel to see if she could get it straightened out. The girl on the phone was completely unyielding and would not offer any type of compromise whatsoever – nothing – to keep me as a customer.
In almost all discussions we had with Hilton and the hotel, this was a common theme – rather than attempting to compromise in any way, it was instead just a bunch of adolescent finger-wagging about terms and conditions.
It was clear to me that Hilton was much more interested in bagging the $650 I pre-paid for this one reservation than it was in all of my future reservations put together.
As a small business owner for 6 years, I can tell you the #1 rule of business: “It is 10x cheaper to keep an existing customer than to get a new one”.
When you book a hotel for you or your Manhattan business, keep my story in mind.
I know I will.
11 responses so far ↓
1 gilliam // Apr 15, 2008 at 7:33 pm
That sucks. I have heard a lot of bad stuff about Hilton reservation policies. Plus they have that whole Paris thing…I travel frequently and tend to avoid giving them my business.
2 eager // Apr 15, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Typically its the other way around. I always find my reservations on http://travelbydeals.com and http://priceline.com. Whenever I need to make a change I get a negative vibe from the travel provider because I used a third party. Your best bet is probably to get on touch with the hotel manager or district manager.
3 Chris (Admin) // Apr 16, 2008 at 8:35 am
eager –
I thought the exact same thing until this happened – its why I decided to try their website instead of using Expedia this time.
Although I think Expedia is more flexible then the two you mention. I have never had a problem with Expedia.
The thing is, the hotel isnt just in the web travel business, its in the hotel business – so they can probably afford to offend a guest more than Expedia.
If Expedia were to get a bad rep for this sort of behavior, they would be in more trouble.
4 Nigel // Apr 16, 2008 at 9:13 am
I feel your pain — but really, why complain? You obviously didn’t read the policy, which is necessary, especially in this day and age.
Should they change your res without penalty? Of course, if they had any class. But, they don’t.
5 Anon // Apr 16, 2008 at 9:30 am
You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME WITH THIS?!?!?
In essence, they just robbed you blind.
6 Chris (Admin) // Apr 16, 2008 at 10:20 am
Nigel –
Why complain? Because its just bad business, and because I want them to read my post and fix it, and to serve as a cautionary tale to travelers.
As I mentioned, as a small business owner I will almost always throw a customer some sort of bone before I lose them to something like this.
For example, I once raised prices and informed my staff – if any of our existing customers complain at all, just give them the old price.
The only exception is if there is specific reason I think someone is trying to rip me off, which is rare.
I;m just a traveler who needed to reschedule his hotel, I’m not trying to pull one over on them. In light of the fact that they now have $652 in free money, why would they not want to make any sort of compromise in order to keep a regular customer?
7 Ted // Jun 9, 2009 at 3:55 pm
This just happened to me too. Thankfully my wife and I have relatively flexible jobs and ended up just changing the dates of our other hotels around the unmovable night at the Hilton, but I hung up the phone with Hilton after a 10 minute plea that simply ended in disbelief and a firm decision never to stay in a Hilton again.
For the record, my wife and I have stayed a lot at the Starwood hotels (Sheraton, Four Points, W, Westin, etc). We’ve never had anything but pleasant experiences with their customer service.
8 Arparp // Dec 26, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Don’t buy a prepaid room if you think you might have to move it. That’s why you get the discount. If you want to be able to change it, just get a reservation and don’t prepay. Getting all huffy because they wouldn’t change the rules just for you is ridiculous.
9 Chris (Admin) // Dec 30, 2009 at 11:37 am
Arparp – I have purchased prepaid rooms in the past from different sources (I used to book myself over 50 business hotel stays a year), but have never, ever been expected to surrender the entire room cost because of a schedule change. That’s just abusive policy taking advantage of consumers. If anyone gets nailed with it and doesn’t complain – well, they are a sucker. I took a stand, got my money back, got a word to the wise out to potential customers, and added another voice in complaint against this policy which may one day get it changed.
It happens all the time – currently its happening with bank overdraft fees and wireless early contract termination fees. Just because they are penalties doesn’t mean the fine is free to be abusive and unwarranted.
There is no cost basis relationship whatsoever between the entire cost of the room and a schedule change (exception: if the hotel was booked during the new target date – in my case it was not even close.)
There was certainly no cost relationship whatsoever to the marginal amount of my discount for pre-pay and the risk of my entire payment for changing the date – that’s ludicrous. I’m a customer not a slot machine.
In my case, there was plenty of availability during the new date, and I would still be a customer, and still be paying the same amount.
If I had *canceled*, that would be a different matter.
Charge me a change fee? Sure. But to have a paying customer with date change which is easily accommodated pay double is abusive.
If you prefer to be a passive consumer, feel free, but the rest of us will continue to make our complaints heard and create a business environment which treats consumers with the respect they deserve.
10 discount hotel reservations // Jul 9, 2010 at 3:29 pm
Based on your story, I can see that Hilton Hotel does not value their customers.
11 Former_Hilton_Staff // Dec 13, 2010 at 3:48 pm
I am a former Hilton employee and I can tell you from experience that you are not the first person, nor will you be the last to have this happen. Hilton just this year started offering rooms at discounted rates if you prepay, but the catch is that you CANNOT change your reservation in ANY way what so ever. I have upgraded corporate guests who typically travel alone, when they have prepayed for a king and arrive with their family; but I have had to render the same response you received about changing the dates on a reservation that is prepaid. If you are looking for good rates, I suggest checking the hotel website first for specials (NOT advance purchase!) and then check the usual Expedia, Kayak, etc. Often the rates on the travel sites is cheaper than the hotel’s website, but be weary that guests are often mistakenly booked in smoking rooms when their preference is non-smoking. ALWAYS call and verify your room type and reservation at least a week in advance.
Happy traveling.
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