90 replies to this topic

[Bob D]

I booked the Ibis anyway.  They better still have my room!!!  I'll fight them all.  

[Persephone1]

The thing is it's not that I have a desperate desire to stay in the Park Inn as I have no doubt that the Ibis is probably a superior hotel. But the Park Inn is the convention hotel and if you are not staying there things become considerably more difficult logistically in terms of the amount of stuff that you have to carry with you all day, in terms of getting into costume (not much fun wandering from the Ibis is costume if it's pouring with rain), in terms of the safety aspect of wandering around in the middle of the night.

I made a reservation at the convention hotel and I expect to stay there and it's even more galling if those who do get bumped could actually have saved considerably more if they had booked at the Ibis in the first place.

Given the difficulties maybe Showmasters would consider using a bigger hotel next time where this won't be an issue?

[TeamGB]

pez, on Oct 13 2008, 11:59 AM, said:

you want to be subsidised for breakfast at least seriously the ibis breakfast is awfull...

personaly i prefer the ibis but the park inn is conveniant so i can understand why your all getting anoyed, but i will say it again you would have only paid 120 for your ibis room if you booked in may for fri sat sun, 100 if you booked fri and sat... so if your paying 180 or 120 i would complain about it as your breakfast isn't included in the price of ibis...

I've sent a friendly email to the Park Inn explaining my disappointment over this.  I'll keep you posted when they (hopefully) get back to me.

[catfish]

The only reason I booked a hotel room was to be in the convention hotel itself for the convenience and I have this quirk that I like to be in the convention hotel.  There is no earthly point to me to be in the Ibis and since it appears we have been bumped I am pretty unhappy to be frank.  Not SM's fault, I am told even the hotel wasn't aware that the refurbishment would happen but very annoying.  The hotel really isn't big enough anyway for a con of this size so its even more annoying that a further 25 rooms (I am told) have been taken out of the equation)

Oh well.

[buffy2k]

I dont know anywhere  that would schedule a refurb when they have a full hotel for a convention you would pick quieter times and it would be scheduled in advance so they would have known about this weekend?
THe chances are they probably overbooked the customary 10-15% which is the norm with most hotels and then of course nobody cancelled so they have a problem.
For this con i booked a late ticket and we tried to book the park in May and were told the hotel had been full since january so i am curious about people who managed to book in May anyway?

Edited by buffy2k, 13 October 2008 - 06:24 PM.

[BLACKKNIGHTS]

Hi All  Call the Hotel  and  Give them your  Name  and   how many night you are  staying  they  do not have you  names  just  that ther are people  from the park inn   coming to stay  

  tel 01604 608 900

breakfast is going to be  included

[Persephone1]

Quote

For this con i booked a late ticket and we tried to book the park in May and were told the hotel had been full since january so i am curious about people who managed to book in May anyway?

Well I booked the hotel before I booked my ticket and I think the event was only announced in March/early April with John Barrowman having been announced at the end of April so the thing about the hotel having been full since January is complete nonsense.

[catfish]

buffy2k, on Oct 13 2008, 02:09 PM, said:

i have worked in the hotel industry myself  (albeit no longer) and i havent worked anywhere that would schedule a refurb when they have a full hotel for a convention you would pick quieter times and it would be scheduled in advance so they would have known about this weekend?
THe chances are they probably overbooked the customary 10-15% which is the norm with most hotels and then of course nobody cancelled so they have a problem.
For this con i booked a late ticket and we tried to book the park in May and were told the hotel had been full since january so i am curious about people who managed to book in May anyway?

WE were late booking I admit..it was beginning of May.  We paid (or were paying) slightly more for an executive room.  The hotel told me that they hadn't expected the refurb to start just yet the workmen had just turned up this week to do it..which I have to say sounds thoroughly bizarre to me!

Its going to be lovely if they do have building work going on around us!  Oh well, I'm sure the con itself will be fun.

Edited by catfish, 13 October 2008 - 01:27 PM.

[buffy2k]

Your right, I've just looked at the original post from SM on this and it was April 15th so i cant believe they were full in early May already, they obviously didnt block off many rooms for attendees which is normal practise.?

sounds like organised chaos then. Oh well you dont spend much time in rooms at cons anyway  so hopefully it wont affect the event - hopefully!

Edited by buffy2k, 13 October 2008 - 01:31 PM.

[Persephone1]

And now I hear that the Park Inn are telling people that basically half of their rooms are being rennovated so they are bumping many people to the Ibis including two of my friends and counting

Nice.

I feel bad for both Showmasters and teh Park Inn but this is going to upset a lot of people. You book to stay in teh convention hotel for ease and you don't expect to be bumped to the overflow the week of the event.

Big, big shiny hotel with many, many, many rooms for next time please Showmasters.

[pez]

at least i know now why i couldnt get a a room in the ibis when i tried to book it they have had the 'block booing from the park inn booked for a few weeks' so they have known about it for a while so somones telling porkies... ( just been on the phone checking my ecipse reservation with them and checked a few friend aswell whilest i was on glad i did)

[DarknessHayz]

I am confussed, what the.... is going on??

I am at the Ibis, and I am really confussed about the Park Inn stuff, and I am hoping that my resevation with the Ibis is still there, as myself and my mum will be annoyed.  I dont want to call them as I am nervous on the phone!


I got so confussed on the phone...... I didnt know what to do.... or say!  But got there in the end!

Edited by DarknessHayz, 13 October 2008 - 03:31 PM.

[n0fear88]

According to the Ibis website, their now fully booked for the weekend too!! So where are they finding extra rooms for those being transferred?!?!... Basement?! Lobby?!? =| lol... Sorry

As long as Ibis dont start emailing/calling saying that those who have booked there (me...) are being sent to some far away hotel to compensate for those being moved from Park Inn    hmm

G x

[buffy2k]

Anyone who booked after May for a hotel was told the Park was already full so most then booked the Ibis then the ibis were supposedly full a while back  so how is it they are now finding places for the Park people and how many are there.  I for one am going to be calling to make sure my reservation at the Ibis is ok to be sure as it sounds like the park were aware of this a while back hence the reason the ibis were able to accommodate them. As long as the refub doesnt affect the con rooms being used i am sure it'll all be sorted.

Edited by buffy2k, 13 October 2008 - 06:27 PM.

[Bob D]

Altho they might not have names, I'd think the Ibis would be told "we're sending 30 rooms your way", so block booked them.

[TeamGB]

This is the email I sent to the Park Inn:

Quote

Could you please confirm a couple of things for me.  Firstly is breakfast included at the Ibis?  Their standard rate doesn't usually include breakfast.
  
Second, at the time I booked a room at the Park Inn at the end of April the Ibis were running a special offer; three nights, Friday to Sunday, for £120 - this didn't include breakfast.  But, even taking into account the additional amount, it would still only have come to around £140.  I chose to stay at the Park Inn despite the extra £40 because of the convenience of being in the hotel but, since I no longer have that convenience, is there any chance of staying at the Ibis at the lower rate?  I understand that you are offering use of the Park Inn's facilities but not only will there be no time to use them, again it's not convenient to have to go to a hotel over the road just to use the leisure facilities. Therefore, I don't think the additional cost can be justified.
  
Finally, will I receive an email confirmation of my room at the Ibis?  I don't want there to be any problems checking in given that I didn't book with the Ibis directly, so I'd appreciate written confirmation of the booking.

And this is their flimsy response:

Quote

I can confirm that breakfast is included in the rate at the Ibis.

I am unable to offer the discounted rate, as the rate increased at the Ibis to £65.00 per night, We have secured the rooms for you and several other guests at the same discounted rate of £60.00 offered here at the Park Inn Northampton.

  
As you booked with the Park Inn Northampton, all of the facilities will be made available to you, should you wish to use them, including the car park, should there be any spaces available.

I can't say I'm happy with that response at all  

Has anyone raised this with Showmasters yet?

[DarknessHayz]

buffy2k, on Oct 13 2008, 04:57 PM, said:

exactly this whole thing is a shambles.  Anyone who booked after May for a hotel was told the Park was already full so most then booked the Ibis then the ibis were supposedly full a while back  so how is it they are now finding places for the Park people and how many are there.  I can see there being a few overbooked upon arrival.  I for one am going to be calling to make sure my reservation at the Ibis is ok to be sure as it sounds like chaos from both hotels at the moment and i am certainly not going any further away than the Ibis.

I rang the Ibis and they told me my reservation is ok, I just hope that its true, as myself and my mum are disabuled we (like others) wouldnt have a clue on what to do, if turning up and finding out that there is no rooms left!

[showmasters]

Hi everyone,

First of all let me say that I completely understand that the situation with the hotel is by no means ideal and I understand your frustration.

Unfortunately The Park Inn has started a refurbishment program which has meant a certain number of their bedrooms are unusable as they are being re-fitted. The work has been planned for a long time and should have been started ages ago and due to the fact that it had constantly been put off the hotel took the decision originally to not factor it in until it actually happened.

As I said, the work has now started and so the hotel has found themselves with a full rooming list, but 30 rooms actually out of commission. They have therefore had to move some of these rooms to The Ibis. This has been done on a strictly last in first out basis, and so effectively if they had booked the rooms off originally the last 20 people to book would not have been able to book The Park Inn anyway. (I know that is of little consolation though as the hotel sold out very quickly and for almost 6 months now you have thought you were staying on site)!

The renovation has affected us too, as 20 rooms for attendees have been moved, but we also have been faced with having to put some of our crew in other hotels. (One hotel is actually several miles away)!  

I'm sorry that some of you have been inconvenienced by this. I can assure you that you are going to have a fantastic weekend no matter what!    We have some great stuff planned for you and I know the guests are really psyched up!  

Oh, and for those of you who have been moved to The Ibis, you will still receive your room exclusives from us as if you were staying at The Park Inn.  

Mark

[scruffy]

Oh dear not a nice thing to happen  
If it is just starting then one would assume November's con will be affected too

[TurkFox]

I've been checking my emails obsessively because although I haven't been moved or anything, I'm scared I *will* be soon. I've got my fingers crossed that I'll be safe.

*goes back to refresh emails again just in case*