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I went back to my database of Priceline/Hotwire wins over the past three years. The IHG "friends and family" rates were 25-50% higher than the winning rates I received at IHG propeties during the same period.
However, both Radisson and IHG are in teh habot of trying to sign Priceline users up for their "super special rates" which generally have all the restrictions of a Priceline rate BUT only a small fraction of the savings.
They didn't have the Friends and Family rate over the last three years. It has only been the last year that it was available. My friends would scall individual hotels for us before then and they could give us a deal or not. When we went to Disney World almost two months ago, we got the Holiday Inn DTD for much cheaper using the Friends and Family rate code than anything else we found on the discount travel sites. It was very nice. I usually don't like Holiday Inn but this hotel wasn't what I thought a Holiday Inn was supposed to be like.
Regardless, no one is a bad guest for getting a good deal.
They didn't have the Friends and Family rate over the last three years. It has only been the last year that it was available. My friends would scall individual hotels for us before then and they could give us a deal or not. When we went to Disney World almost two months ago, we got the Holiday Inn DTD for much cheaper using the Friends and Family rate code than anything else we found on the discount travel sites. It was very nice. I usually don't like Holiday Inn but this hotel wasn't what I thought a Holiday Inn was supposed to be like.
Regardless, no one is a bad guest for getting a good deal.
That is NOT what I wrote. I compared the current rates on YOUR website to the wins I have had at IHG hotels the past three years and found that Priceline is a much better deal.
Discount travel websites can provide amazing discounts, but can also make you a second-class consumer of sorts--particularly in hotels. Jesse learned this the hard way when he booked a stay at a Holiday Inn in a major American city.
When we use Cheap & Discount Travel Deals, Flights & Hotels | Hotwire.com, we have never had any problems anywhere. I also call right away after making my reservation - we're a couple, so we want the one bed, not two beds. Is it just certain areas, hotels, star ratings? Granted, we only stay at 4 stars, and refuse to stay at a 3 or lower.
When we use Cheap & Discount Travel Deals, Flights & Hotels | Hotwire.com, we have never had any problems anywhere. I also call right away after making my reservation - we're a couple, so we want the one bed, not two beds. Is it just certain areas, hotels, star ratings? Granted, we only stay at 4 stars, and refuse to stay at a 3 or lower.
Bragging about only staying at 4-star hotels (and nothing less) sounds more impressive when you don't have to book your trips through discount websites.
The truth is that customers at most hotel chains (and airlines) get treated differently by the "class" that the company puts a given customer in. Those who book directly through the hotel or airline sometimes will get better treatment than those who book through the discounters. And those who have status levels with airlines or hotel chains will usually get better / preferential treatment.
Bragging about only staying at 4-star hotels (and nothing less) sounds more impressive when you don't have to book your trips through discount websites.
The truth is that customers at most hotel chains (and airlines) get treated differently by the "class" that the company puts a given customer in. Those who book directly through the hotel or airline sometimes will get better treatment than those who book through the discounters. And those who have status levels with airlines or hotel chains will usually get better / preferential treatment.
We just like to use it to get the better deal. We always pony up a few more bucks when we are on vacation, we want a little nicer experience. If we're going to somewhere for the first time, are we going to stay at some motel by the airport, or a 4-5 star? Makes sense. We're just thrifty, and honestly love getting a deal.
Besides the rude quote, it is kind of the truth, I had to explained to me also.. when you book through a 3rd party like priceline nothing is guaranteed. You can make requests at what you would want for your room, but you are given what is available and if you dont like that you can pay for an upgrade. I don't have a problem with this and I don't think its being treated like a second class customer. If you are paying less than half as much as a regular customer you should in a sense expect to not have the classiest room in the hotel.
Its one of the things you deal with when you go through 3rd parties, its just like booking an airline ticket through orbitz vs the airline directly.. they are usually more willing (and more able) to work with you and your needs.
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