Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

Not sure if anyone else has had this problem, so I'm kicking it out to everyone...

The last week of September, I reserved a hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express, just down the street from the track for Thurs-Saturday for the original dates for the DTWC. Upon seeing the weather forecast, and the rescheduled dates of Sat-Sun, I decided to call last night to cancel our reservation because I wouldn't be able to make it. When I contacted the hotel, they said that the booking was non-refundable, due to reserving the room so far in advance (due to some special rate they gave me, which wasn't much cheaper than the normal one).

I can understand charging me for one night's stay due to the canceling the day before. I can even understand charging me for Thursday and Friday, if I were to come for Saturday and Sunday anyway (to hold the room). But regardless of rate changes, I don't think it's right not to refund due to a change in weather (outside any racer's control) and a postponement of an event.

I was just wondering if anyone else on here is having issues with Holiday Inn Express, or any other area hotels on refunds for room bookings...?

I can guarantee Holiday Inn Express won't be getting any more of my business, regardless of what city I'm in...

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

Have you been charged the whole amount yet? I would dispute it with the credit card company and see what happens. There is no way that I would let that happen unless they told me up front that there was a no refund policy. I guarantee you with the amount of people that come for the races and Hollywood Casino that the place will be booked up so they are not losing money by you cancelling. Just a thought.

Good luck,

Shane

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

Yes, they charged the whole amount up front....

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

cfdrescue1,

Sorry to hear that you are experiencing this problem. However, I have started seeing a number of hotels doing this since the economy has turned. They will offer you a lower rate than normal but charge your card for the full amount right up front. If you read the fine print, it normally tells you that it is non-refundable. Did you book this online or by phone reservation? If you booked online, you should have had a confirmation number e-mailed to you with the rules and regulations concerning your reservation. I doubt that this will help but good luck on getting this conflict resolved.

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

I am very familiar with Holiday Inn's and about every other hotel chain being a road warrior for work. When you book online in advance they usually offer an Advance Rate which is less than any other rates but you have to pay in advance and it is non-refundable or changeable. Any hotel you have to pay for a room in advance usually has the same cancelation requirements. In the future I would not book any hotel that requires payment up front. I would contact the Hotel Manager and see if you can get anywhere on changing it. It sucks but you must always read the small print and ask what the cancelation policy is for the room you booked. The other thing I have noticed in the last year is many hotels are requiring 24 hour notice on cancelations so you have be careful with that also.

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

That 24 hour thing caused me to miss a few races this year. I pulled the plug 24 hours in advance because of the threat of rain and they got the race in.

I also discovered that at Comfort Inns anyway, if you cancel the day of even with a 24 hour policy and they are not sold out, they do not charge you.This happened to me in April by mistake. I cancelled and then noticed the 24 hour thing.

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

I stayed at the Holliday Express West Cincinnati for the USAC/MSCS show a few weeks back and their cancellation policy was, cancell by 6 pm the day of your reservation. Made my reservation by phone and asked their policy befor booking a room. $99.+ tax.

Phil Poor

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

Hate to here about your misfotune. But as Staggerman stated most chains do work that way. Stayed in a Hampton in Cullman,Al. that we booked months ahead and it was same way. It's not just Holiday Inn. I almost overlooked it also, when I made res. Was in smaller print at bottom of page.

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

:20::20:You should not book direct with a hotel unless they will send you a confirmation with the cancellation rules. We book our hotels thru a travel agent(my wife); we only use a credit card to hold the room and we know exactly when we have to cancel to avoid a charge. She does the work and we make no long distance calls.

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

cfdrescue1,
As someone else has already stated, your only recourse is through your credit card company.
I had to learn this the hard way myself. I pulled a Busch Grand National showcar for 2 seasons and I think stayed in every motel chain from the best to the worst and I learned to read the fine (cancellation) print. It seems every chain has a different policy. Occasionally you will find a manager that will work with you, sadly more often than not, it is up to you, to know "their" cancellation policy.

You might try the old, "Don't make me send a scathing email to your corporate office"!
Good luck!

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

Screw the local HI express - I'd call corporate and bitc*. Although it's likely that the local inn is a franchise that sets their own rules and regs, I'd be surprised that corporate wants any unhappy customers and will make some allowance.......

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

I have never had a problem canceling with MOTEl 6. I always make reservations Online & you can call & cancel up to 6pm for the day of your stay & they don't charge your card until you check in, if you want to pay with your card. Florence motel 6 is only about a 15min drive from the burg.

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

Always had good luck with Resv. or Cancelations thru Hotels.Com!!.........
____________
Brucer':32:

Left wens and staying at the hollywood casino right across the street for 70 dollars and rooms are really nice
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

Loose Gruff 02 how did you get the $70 rate at the Hollywood Casino? I checked & the price was $299.

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

Like I said, I don't have a problem with paying for the first night, since we canceled so late... Guess I need to do a better job of reading the fine print. Even though they say it's "nonrefundable"... you'd think they'd still want to save face and at least attempt to work with you.... The manager we talked to said she couldn't refund anything and could have cared less.... She did say there were several other racefans who had canceled rooms, and that they weren't happy either...

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

Drop a coupla thou in the casino and they will probably comp the room. Heck, they might even throw in a free breakfast buffet. ;):2:;)

Re: Hotel Troubles at Lawrenceburg for DTWC
 

When I come up for Sprint Week, I tend to pre-pay my rooms at most of the hotels. I know I am going to be in the area, and since I am coming up from Texas, I have to stay somewhere. Now, when a show at Gas City rains out, that can leave me kind of stranded. That is where having a good travel companion makes the difference. I also save about 20 to 30 bucks over the regular rate. I spend a LOT Of time in different hotels for work, too. Now, my work plans change quite regularly, so I don't prepay. Of course, when I travel for my day job, I don't really pay for the rooms anyway. What I do like about the national chains, (Holiday Inn [Express or otherwise], Hampton Inn, etc) is that they at least put out a breakfast and have high speed internet.

When I travel on my own in May, however, I just get a place in Indianapolis since it is fairly centrally located for most of my travels. This past May, I got a room at the Residence Inn off of Michigan for just 90 bucks a night. Even over the 500 weekend. It is hard to beat that deal.