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Keen to get some input on this – booked a rate thats significantly lower than usual. So much lower that if they called me tomorrow and apologised for an error on their rate and they had to cancel it, I would be disappointed but would understand. They havent. And its been weeks since booking now. The rate isnt available anymore (I cant find it anymore rather).
I am now in the position where it seems like they noticed an error and got rid of it, but my reservation is still there. Id like to now assume they’re honoring it on that basis so I can plan my holiday around it – but can I? Does anyone have experience with these situations? My cancellation period is 28 days before booking, not a prepaid rate. I would think that if they havent cancelled until I cant cancel anymore, they cant cancel on me either? Not sure what to consider really to manage my own risk. I had no intention of going anywhere near there if it wasnt for that rate. Any thoughts/suggestions?
I would expect it to be honoured.
A couple of months ago I leveraged Marriotts best price guarantee on a third party rate that was 50% lower than that found on their website and it was processed without issue.
I did get an email from the property a couple of days later asking why I’d contacted Marriott directly and could they help in any way but that was all. On check in and check out nothing was said and the stay was processed at an embarassingly low rate with full platinum benefits.@dan_a_man – I’m not sure anyone can give you any definitive answer on this. It will be up to the individual hotel to deal with it if they spot the error if indeed it is an error.
The fact the error rate hasn’t been spotted after a while is positive but contracts can be cancelled for obvious mistake and there’s no specific time limit. The time lapse probably does give scope to make a bigger fuss!
Some hotels could just cancel but better places will either just accept the error or at worst offer to swallow some of the difference.
Thanks both for the responses, much appreciated. The booking isnt until October, so may just wait a few more weeks and see what happens before I fully commit. I would hope its going to be honored, as a titanium maybe there would be some reluctance to just cancel it, but will have to see.
I’d only hope it to be honoured, and make a refundable back up booking.
I’d book a back up option if you can. I booked a Marriott chain hotel in Switzerland for a very low rate (using my corporate code) about 3 months out from the stay. It had a 2 day cancellation policy. 40 days before my stay they contacted me and said this should have been a prepaid rate and I’d have to pay then and there with no cancellation allowed. The flexibility was important to me so I contacted Marriott Bonvoy who were useless and just said it was fine for the hotel to change their terms and conditions as it should have been prepaid not cancellable at that rate.
Not exactly the same as your circumstances but both the hotel and Bonvoy stuck to saying it was fine for the terms to change from those I’d booked. I argued against it a few times then decided to give in and eventually cancelled. Probably what they hoped I’d do but I worried I’d be then treated badly during a stay (worst room, etc) if I’d tried to hold out for the terms I’d booked under, and I didn’t want the potential stress during a stay.
Edited to add: I was Titanium at that time too so that made no difference.
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