Buyout event – Reservation can’t be honoured now

[YC]

I’ve been told in advance (1 month) that my reservation cannot now be honoured due to a buyout event. The hotel has indicated that they can move my stay to another property nearby but with no indication of any further compensation. Sort of feel that is a bit unfair on the guests? Surely it can’t be sufficient to just tell people we will move your hotel to another hotel? Does the ultimate reservation guarantee kick in for these situations?

[JDB]

@YC – there’s no particular right to compensation in these circumstances, but the hotel should provide you with equivalent or better accommodation to your satisfaction and in allowing privatisation of the hotel, they must have asked for a sufficient sum to offer to re-accommodate and potentially also to offer some compensation to displaced guests. As your strict entitlement is a bit grey, your best bet is simply to negotiate the best deal you can.

[Wiseoldman]

@YC the hotel response would be dependent on the location, type of hotel etc. Unfortunately there are no legal rights that can be enforced only a negotiation.

[JDB]

@YC – to the extent you are seeking compensation, you have better prospects of getting something if you can articulate why you should be compensated, in addition to the hotel rebooking you elsewhere which is at least as good. If you had chosen the original hotel because it was near an event you were attending, it would be reasonable for them to pay any additional transport costs. If the new hotel doesn’t offer certain services, the same elite benefits, that might be compensable etc. etc. At one month’s notice and a suitable alternative, there isn’t ostensibly such a great inconvenience to you, but if you say there is and/or the proposed alternative isn’t good enough, then tell them!

[YC]

I just thought the Marriott ‘Ultimate Reservation Guarantee’ may mean the pre defined compensation is provided but maybe this only applies if you are walked on the day. I’ll report back with what they say.

[JDB]

YC wrote:

I just thought the Marriott ‘Ultimate Reservation Guarantee’ may mean the pre defined compensation is provided but maybe this only applies if you are walked on the day. I’ll report back with what they say.

Yes, that guarantee refers to non availability of a room on the day which is a relatively rare occurrence, hence the high compensation tariff.

[memesweeper]

YC wrote:

I just thought the Marriott ‘Ultimate Reservation Guarantee’ may mean the pre defined compensation is provided but maybe this only applies if you are walked on the day. I’ll report back with what they say.

Ask what the replacement hotel and room will be. The only time this happened to me it turned out to be a substantial upgrade — I certainly didn’t ask for compensation in light of that!