5 Common Hotel Issues encountered during Hotel Check In
Hotel happenstance could be frustrating. ?The five most common hotel issues that travelers encounter after hours shown below along with some tips to help.
No Reservation / No Occupancy
The day of arrival at the front desk is the worst time to learn that a reservation cannot be found, and that the hotel is sold out.? ?Here are some tips to help:
- Make sure you are at the correct hotel.? It happens, a quick check of your itinerary will confirm.
- Verify front desk has accurate information to include name, confirmation number, and company.
- Notify the front desk of if you are traveling as part of a meeting or group. The ??Reservation may be listed under a block of rooms.
- If no reservation can be found and no occupancy, Note the front desk agents name, in case a no-show fee is charged.
- Contact your travel agency or self-book at a nearby hotel.? Note, if it is after 12m, hotel availability for the previous day will not be shown on most booking platforms, rebooking requires calling around to nearby hotels.
Overbooked / Refused Check In
The Front Desk confirms they have a reservation but there are no rooms available due to overbooking.?? Hotels routinely overbook with foreknowledge there will be no shows and last-minute cancellations.?? If everyone who has a reservation shows as planned, fulfilling all the requests may be impossible.? ?.?? Here are a few tips to help.
- In most cases, the front desk staff will offer alternate hotels to travelers.? Carefully consider front desk rebooking options before accepting.? Is the proposed hotel similar in rating and amenities as what is booked?? If not, a rate adjustment may be needed.
- Should you choose to self-book, ask the hotel clerk to provide a cancellation number for your current booking to avoid charges later.
- Ask for compensation for your inconvenience, a free night, discount on your next stay, ect.
No Reservation / No Problem
The hotel front desk agent cannot find a reservation but there are rooms available. ?Before accepting the room , reach out to your travel agent or? check your corporate travel policy.
- The room may have been booked at the company negotiated rate, which may offer extra perks and amenities, as well as provide booking data to help with vendor negotiations in the future.
- Is the rate being offered the same or lower than what is shown in your records?
Charges for room and tax should be direct billed to the company, but front desk agent asks for a credit card to charge for the stay.
- Explain that a 3rd party authorization form was sent to cover room and offer to provide a card cover amenities during your stay.?
- If no authorization form is found offer a personal card to cover 1 night stay with the understanding that charges will be reversed and charged to the company upon receipt of the 3rd Party authorization form.? Reach out to your travel agent or whomever is covering the hotel stay to have the matter resolved during regular business hours.
- If unable or unwilling to provide a credit card, reach out?your travel agent or whoever is paying for the room to request another form be sent ASAP.? Keep in mind, you cannot check in to your room until the form is received.? In many cases, your travel agent could call the front desk to allow you to check in with the understanding the 3rd party authorization will be sent the next business day.?
- Reconfirm your hotel few days prior to arrival to prevent issues at check in.? All hotels require a third part authorization form to be on file for direct bills. If there is no form, reach out to the party responsible for the bill to make sure there are no issues ar check in.
Hotel Safety/ Sanitation Concerns
If safety, sanitation, noise, or other issues deem the room unacceptable work with the front desk for resolution.
- Share your concerns with the hotel manager to see if a solution can be found.
- If unable, ask the hotel to Check you out or cancel your reservation with no charge. Note the cancellation number and agent’s name for your records..
- Contact your travel agent or self-book at an alternate hotel.? Note, booking a hotel or same day arrival usually means the new booking will be non-refundable and non ?changeable due to it is within the hotel cancellation period.
Booking with a travel agent will help prevent hotel issues, and prove invaluable should you encounter a problem at hotel check in.? Travel agents are familiar with hotel polices, have numerous resources available, and have access to hotel inventory to rebook, helping to avoid Hotel Happenstance.
