So, you have carefully picked the best hotel and made a reservation for a room. However, when you arrive and nothing goes as you planned. Maybe they gave you a terrible room, or perhaps they have lost your entire reservation. When these or other scenarios happen, here is what you should do.
Contents
When the Hotel gives you a terrible room
Source: Are Morch
If you were assigned the worst room in the hotel, but it is still the room category you paid for, there is not a lot of things that you can do except to ask them to give you a new room. You should make the request as soon as you get and enter your room (without touching anything) so that the hotel staff does not have to clean the room again. Also, try checking in earlier so that there will be more rooms for you to choose from.
When the Hotel walks you over to another Hotel
Source: USA Today
Sometimes, the original hotel that you reserved is overbooked, so they might choose to transfer you to another hotel. This does not mean that it is going to be worse, it can actually work in your favor. It is likely that you will be taken to a location that is the same level or in most cases even nicer than the original hotel you booked, plus, you might also be offered some free items to make up for the uncomfortable situation.
When the Hotel loses your Reservation
Source: CNN.com
The best thing that you can do against a lost reservation is to plan ahead. You should email or call the place a few days before you arrive to confirm your reservation and you should also have a copy of the reservation you made printed out or saved on your smartphone. If you paid upfront, you should make sure that you point that out, since you will have proof from your bank. If the hotel has space, it should accommodate you, and if it cannot, they should try finding you a room close by at no additional cost for you. However, if that does not work, you can try contacting reservations.com. They will be able to help you with your reservation, as well as try to solve any problems that you might have, They offer a 24/7 service, hence you will be able to get a hold of them at any time of the day.
When the Hotel tries to Downgrade You
Source: USA Today
When the hotel moves you to an inferior room category, you have two option when dealing with this problem. If you do not really care about the room, you should ask the hotel staff to compensate you for the difference in price between the room you reserved and the room you got. However, if you really wanted to stay in the room you booked, then you should insist on getting an upgraded room. If the hotel is overbooked and they cannot provide you with the room you paid for, then they should definitely refund the difference.
When the Hotel hits you with Hidden Fees
Source: Reader’s Digest
A recent report found that hotels in the US collect about $2.5 billion in surcharges and fees every year. These fees can be for anything, from mini-bar restocking charges to resort fees, and they can all inflate your total bill and catch you off guard when you are checking out from the hotel. You should remember to read the fine print of the bill when you are booking a hotel so that you can be prepared for such fees. If you do not want to pay these fees, ask the hotel staff to waive access to specific amenities like the mini-bar, hotel gym, or indoor pool in order for you to skip paying the fees.
Conclusion
Of course, it is uncomfortable and quite stressful to deal with such situations, especially if you have been looking forward to your holiday. However, as you can see, there are solutions to such problems, and these tips can make them go away. Hence, if something like this happens to you (and I seriously hope it will not), keep these tips in mind.
