Annoying hotel policy change

[slaycandy]

I think it's a pain in the back-side. Yes, a lot of people cancelled rooms, but if the hotel kept a waiting list of people who wanted to book a room but couldn't, then the problem would be minimised.

 

My sympathy is with people who pay in advance, then find out at the last minute that they can't attend (for a fully legitimate reason) and lose the EXTRA money on top of the non-refundable ticket.

 

I think it's something to put people off coming to the event, which is bad for everyone.

 

See point 3 that I made. If you can't go for a legit reason, I don't see why you can't sell your room on to someone else. This way you do not lose out on money, nor does ME.

This way everyone is happy, and you won't lose out on any more than you would for any other event.

 

SJ

x

[pez]

i have to space my money out over the course of a few months paying when i get there meens i can put away say 20 a month and 20 for to spend if i pay up front for the hotel it eens i may have to miss out on something else...and i don't want to be in the situation where i have a ticket for the show but no hotel or a hotel and no ticket for the con...

[Psychosis]

Lol. Even if you book up in... say February... you'll still have time prior to the event to save up money for the event itself. I hate having to take LOADS of money with me to events knowing that most of it has to go to the hotel, It just sucks. At least this way when you arrive what is in your purse is yours!

 

Either way you would need to pay for the hotel, and need to have the cash to do so, AND need money to take to the event, this just spreads it out a little more evenly. Need some money for x date, and some more money for y date.

 

Maybe that's just the way I look at it!

 

Lol, I booked my room before this weekend, so didn't make a payment, I'm just hoping they don't randomly cancel the room, EEP!

 

SJ

xox

 

Yeah, but see, I get my student loan in January and April. The January loan covers Christmas overspending and March cons. I don't pay for May cons until I get my April payment... I'd spread it out evenly if I was paid evenly but I'm not And I have no self control and I have to keep buying clothes and shoes and headbands and DVDs and CDs and books... yeah I do realise that this is entirely my fault, rotfl.

 

 

See point 3 that I made. If you can't go for a legit reason, I don't see why you can't sell your room on to someone else. This way you do not lose out on money, nor does ME.

This way everyone is happy, and you won't lose out on any more than you would for any other event.

 

SJ

x

 

 

 

See, the problem is if you sell your room and they trash it, you get charged... unless you can change the name? *genuinely curious*

 

I totally sound like I'm whining and complaining here, and I'm not, lol. Don't take me that way.

Edited November 18, 2008 by Psychosis

[Scruffy]

I dont think anyone is seeing it as moaning, but merely stating their sadness that a few have spoilt a perfectly good arrangement for others who will definately go but prefer to pay later.

I suppose its a matter of once bitten twice shy, or think thats what the saying is , and the hotel just want to be sure those booked actually intend turning up.

[showmasters]

no one is moaning here we are all talking its all good

 

now i know the hotel put this in place because some people were block booking rooms in groups of 2 or 3 rooms up to around x 20 of them

 

then on friday at around 12 o'clock ring and let them go

 

now this is odd i can see one or two people doing this but x20 ????

 

this means that people that book early could have stayed at the con hotel but had to book else were then on the day there is rooms at the hotel

 

we even had to put our crew into another hotel this time and paid more for the rooms and then could not change them into the crew hotel

 

so this should all stop all this

 

its say people are doing this as it means we all have to suffer just because one or two people are being underhand or greedy ? what ever the reason is

 

if we do have to change a date you will all get you money back that is right what "slaycandy" has said and she makes some good points so have a read of her post

 

one last thing the Park Inn should be revamped by the next con and will be a great hotel so it will be much nicer for us all there next year and the breakfast is great and if the guests stay at the hotel like they did this con which they should you bet that little extra time with them

 

anyway hope this helps

 

jason

[Psychosis]

The breakfast is AWESOME. I have to concur on that.

[slaycandy]

The breakfast is AWESOME. I have to concur on that.

 

OMG! The breakkie at E2 was probably best I have had out of all of the ME cons that have been held there, everythign was lovely, and they had the choice of suasages this time, plus black pudding, YUM! It really is a great selection as well, as I like to have my hot food and some fruit (it makes me feel like I am having a 'balanced' diet, although I'm sure my mum would have something else to say about that! hee hee)

 

SJ

xox

[Psychosis]

A banana and a mixed bowl of fruit totally neutralises the sausage/egg/bacon/whatever you just ate *coughs* At least, that's what I tell myself.

[slaycandy]

Good good, at least I'm not the only one with that theory,

SJ

x

[Stevie79]

Now it's been put straight, I will cancel my Ibis if the Park Inn still have rooms in a month or two when I get more money. I'm going to assume they will do. I can see this working out well now for both the Park Inn and the more dedicated fans.

[KrazyKid197]

It's a con. You need the big breakfast to wake you up from the night before and keep you going through the day. *shifty eyes*

[Babbler]

Why would you book 20 rooms in batches then cancel? Some strange people out there! Still wish you could just pay like a 10% deposit (which on 20 rooms is a lot to lose!) and guarantee the hotel. Im likely to forget before it sells out! Heh.

 

Never mind... Im sure we will all be fine!

[chris_mk]

I think it's a pain in the back-side. Yes, a lot of people cancelled rooms, but if the hotel kept a waiting list of people who wanted to book a room but couldn't, then the problem would be minimised.

 

My sympathy is with people who pay in advance, then find out at the last minute that they can't attend (for a fully legitimate reason) and lose the EXTRA money on top of the non-refundable ticket.

 

I think it's something to put people off coming to the event, which is bad for everyone.

 

See point 3 that I made. If you can't go for a legit reason, I don't see why you can't sell your room on to someone else. This way you do not lose out on money, nor does ME.

This way everyone is happy, and you won't lose out on any more than you would for any other event.

 

SJ

x

 

I really meant a legit reason that came along at the last minute (Sickness, etc). You won't necessarily have time.

 

 

now i know the hotel put this in place because some people were block booking rooms in groups of 2 or 3 rooms up to around x 20 of them

 

then on friday at around 12 o'clock ring and let them go

 

now this is odd i can see one or two people doing this but x20 ????

 

Yeah, that IS odd... but I still don't see why they can't take a small deposit and tell people they can only book one room?

[Dixonhill]

I actually thought it was a really good idea, for a few reasons.

 

1. It means that you don't need to take into account the money you need to spend on the hotel prior to the event. The money you take with you is then completely spend-able. I used to always take the pay-up-front option if there was one for hotels that events were at so that when I was later planning money and saving it for an event, I knew that everything that I had was all mine and I wouldn't need to shell out £100+ to the hotel upon arrival.

 

2. Everyone is going to be in the same position. Everyone booking is going to be reluctant to spend that money at this stage, and so hardly any of the hotel rooms will sell-out quick, which means that you have time to wait before booking and paying up-front. Which gives people a chance to actually get a room in this hotel. I know that after getting home from Eclipse 1 some people who had booked tickets attempted to book a room and it was sold out - meaning they didn't get a room in the convention hotel - which is where they really wanted to be, and I didn't find that fair. This way, it eliminates that issue, and means that everyone now has the chance to book into the convention hotel, and it means that everyone that wants to go has the same fair chance of getting one of those rooms before they sell out.

 

3. If you cannot go to the event for some reason, as always ticket money is non-refundable - so you would lose this value. But while the room is non-refundable, can't you just sell it on to someone else? A friend that is going perhaps? As this would mean that you are still just losing the money you paid on your ticket and there is still a room paid for & guaranteed to have someone in it for ME's sake. This way you are not losing out on anything extra and SM aren't losing out either, as I believe there were people who booked tickets and yet cancelled their rooms up to the last minute for E2. Perhaps that's why it's not just the 'you need a ticket to book' policy they put in place for The Hub 2.

 

4. And there is also the policy of "if the event is cancelled/dates are changed all hotel rooms are refunded" - which means that if ME need to cancel the event (or change dates), then the same rule applies to hotel rooms as it does for tickets, you will get a refund. This means that if you are definitely planning on going to this event you don't need to worry about that 'non-refundable' statement, as the only reason you'll need a refund is if the event is cancelled, or the dates change. Which to me, stops people who only buy tickets are they may 'potentially' go depending on the guest list, which isn't really what the weekend cons are all about in my opinion.

 

Hope that makes sense to you, but that all made perfect sense to me!

 

I guess we'll soon see how well this policy works, but when I first heard about it on the Sunday I thought it was a great idea, to cut back on those who book-for-the-sake-of-booking, and to allow everyone the opportunity to book into the hotel. And of course, it'll help ME too.

 

*hugs*

SJ

xox

 

Note: this is just my personal opinion on why I liked the idea, I don't know if these were the 'real' reasons ME chose to do it or not, just my thoughts on the matter!

 

 

 

I agree with what SJ has wrote here, make sense to me. We will wait and see what happens, but in the long term it sounds fine. It not fair people booking rooms and just before the event cancel the room, in my eyes people who would had like to stopped in the Park Inn had to stop in other hotels because of the hotel being fully books. But then to find out people had canceled rooms. Which I think is unfair.

 

Ian x

[slaycandy]

See point 3 that I made. If you can't go for a legit reason, I don't see why you can't sell your room on to someone else. This way you do not lose out on money, nor does ME.

This way everyone is happy, and you won't lose out on any more than you would for any other event.

 

SJ

x

 

I really meant a legit reason that came along at the last minute (Sickness, etc). You won't necessarily have time.

 

 

Surely if you did have a legit reason you could contact ME and let them know what the situation is and then perhaps they could advertise that a room has been available so that you wouldn't lose out?

 

If the hotel does sell out before the event, which, by the time something like what you suggested will most likely be the case, then perhaps there could be a waiting list for people that would rather be in the con hotel, so that they could get your room and you get your money back?

 

Again everyone would be happy,

 

Just a suggestion, but I do think the occurrences of such last minute issues are very rare, so perhaps something like that could be done for those few with genuine reasons.

 

SJ

xox

[ARATZAT]

The breakfast is AWESOME. I have to concur on that.

 

OMG! The breakkie at E2 was probably best I have had out of all of the ME cons that have been held there, everythign was lovely, and they had the choice of suasages this time, plus black pudding, YUM! It really is a great selection as well, as I like to have my hot food and some fruit (it makes me feel like I am having a 'balanced' diet, although I'm sure my mum would have something else to say about that! hee hee)

 

SJ

xox

 

Having a image of SJ's plate piled very high with food!!!

[slaycandy]

The breakfast is AWESOME. I have to concur on that.

 

OMG! The breakkie at E2 was probably best I have had out of all of the ME cons that have been held there, everythign was lovely, and they had the choice of suasages this time, plus black pudding, YUM! It really is a great selection as well, as I like to have my hot food and some fruit (it makes me feel like I am having a 'balanced' diet, although I'm sure my mum would have something else to say about that! hee hee)

 

SJ

xox

 

Having a image of SJ's plate piled very high with food!!!

 

Don't be silly!!!!

 

I used two plates!!!!

 

SJ

xox

[Scruffy]

And SJ isnt joking

[Dixonhill]

The breakfast was simply the best ever, lots of choice, lots of fruit and the best ever bacon sandwich I have for years

On the Sunday night at the hotel I had two dinners at the same on two plates and a large pudding, was so hungry lol.

[sebastianillyria]

I think that kind of policy is better.

Perhaps to ask to pay the fully price of the room when you book it, it's to much...

They could ask only £50 (or a 10% or 20% deposit) that they don't give you back if you cancel your reservation.

 

But... there's another question (which is the main question !!!)

Why 20 people canceled their room so late ???

 

I canceled my room 1 day before the event...

 

Why ??? Because I was waiting for the schedule to confirm that there would not be a sixth guest... and to confirm that it was the final lineup...

 

Perhaps another attendees canceled their room for the same reason...

(I know some people who canceled their room for this reason...)

 

So... I have readen that perhaps people who canceled their room had no ticket for the convention...

 

I think that people canceled their room because they were disappointed by the lineup and by the event and they decided no to come (but they had a ticket...). And it's probably the responsability of the organisation

 

 

PS : this new policy is a good news for Showmaster, because if people order a ticket and book a room, they would come to the event (because they cannot have their money back...) and i won't be in their interest no to come...

 

PS2 : the Park Inn breakfast is really amazing

[Scruffy]

I think that kind of policy is better.

Perhaps to ask to pay the fully price of the room when you book it, it's to much...

They could ask only £50 (or a 10% or 20% deposit) that they don't give you back if you cancel your reservation.

 

But... there's another question (which is the main question !!!)

Why 20 people canceled their room so late ???

 

I canceled my room 1 day before the event...

 

Why ??? Because I was waiting for the schedule to confirm that there would not be a sixth guest... and to confirm that it was the final lineup...

 

Perhaps another attendees canceled their room for the same reason...

(I know some people who canceled their room for this reason...)

 

So... I have readen that perhaps people who canceled their room had no ticket for the convention...

 

I think that people canceled their room because they were disappointed by the lineup and by the event and they decided no to come (but they had a ticket...). And it's probably the responsability of the organisation

 

 

PS : this new policy is a good news for Showmaster, because if people order a ticket and book a room, they would come to the event (because they cannot have their money back...) and i won't be in their interest no to come...

 

PS2 : the Park Inn breakfast is really amazing

Well I think anyone who cancelled due to the line up must be kicking themselves now .

The posts on here prove it to be the BEST event ever .

[TommyT]

I think it's a pain in the back-side. Yes, a lot of people cancelled rooms, but if the hotel kept a waiting list of people who wanted to book a room but couldn't, then the problem would be minimised.

 

My sympathy is with people who pay in advance, then find out at the last minute that they can't attend (for a fully legitimate reason) and lose the EXTRA money on top of the non-refundable ticket.

Is it completely non-refundable? I would be surprised if it is. Even if you don't pay in advance, a lot of places reserve the right to charge you if you don't cancel in time; most of my reservations say that if I don't cancel by noon/2pm/7pm on the arrival date, then I'll be charged one night's rate. Some have the cancellation time set as midnight the night before, or 4pm the day before or noon the day before, and even in one outrageous example, 4pm 30 days before. I've also seen some that have an intermediate charge - free cancellation (or total refund if you've paid in advance) so long as you cancel at least 3 days before, then a token charge such as £20 or 10% of your bill if you cancel within 3 days and up to say the morning of arrival, and 1 night's rate after that.

I would therefore expect the hotel bill to be at least partly refundable, and the "pay in advance" thing just being done to deter those who have only little intention of attending.

If you really have to cancel at the last minute, you were probably going to get charged (on the card you used to book the room) anyway - last time I stayed at the Park, I was due to arrive on the Friday, and my booking said that if I cancelled after 7pm on the Thursday, I'd be charged a night's stay regardless.

[Haunted]

LOL I'll be missing that fine English breakfast for a like... half a year now. Damn germany for having mostly healthy breakfasts.... and yes, I do believe fruit makes up for it.

 

Why ??? Because I was waiting for the schedule to confirm that there would not be a sixth guest... and to confirm that it was the final lineup...

 

Perhaps another attendees canceled their room for the same reason...

(I know some people who canceled their room for this reason...)

 

So... I have readen that perhaps people who canceled their room had no ticket for the convention...

 

I think that people canceled their room because they were disappointed by the lineup and by the event and they decided no to come (but they had a ticket...). And it's probably the responsability of the organisation

 

 

Well, to be frank with you, that is just a stupid reason, LOL Nowhere on the ME site or anywhere on the forum, do they guarantee you 6 guests or 6 'A-listers' as people call them. They advertise a Heroes convention and that's what we got - an awesome one at that! As we've heard on multiple accounts they did anything they could in order to get the guests, but this time around it was not possible due to scheduling issues, not because the guests didn't want to. O.o Anyone who missed this weekend because of being superficial about wanting to meet the big names and not the 'lesser' known actors, should truly be kicking themselves in the butt, because you have missed a truly awesome time, that I'm fairly sure none of the a-listers could have made up for.

Edited November 18, 2008 by Haunted

[Psychosis]

I think that people canceled their room because they were disappointed by the lineup and by the event and they decided no to come (but they had a ticket...). And it's probably the responsability of the organisation

 

Actually, it's the responsibility of you and you alone.

[chris_mk]

Well I think anyone who cancelled due to the line up must be kicking themselves now .

The posts on here prove it to be the BEST event ever .

 

I don't think the posts prove that.... it seems like everyone (myself included) had a fantastic time, but I preferred Eclipse 1 (and the last LFaCC for that matter), so for me personally, it's the third best SM/ME event this year.