Hotel tells me "No rooms available", but Orbitz said they do have them.

[MichaelD]

Yesterday I found out that next week, I'm going on a two-week business trip; sort of short-notice.

So, I call the hotel closest to where my business will be conducted. They say "Sorry, we have nothing available for that time period."

I even waited a few hours and called back. Nothing.

Then, I go to Orbitz.com and book myself a room at that same hotel for the exact time period I asked for. I have a confirmation number.

How can this be? Should I call the hotel to verify the reservation? If I call, should I cuss the guy out for lying to me?

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

I wouldn't trust Orbitz. I would think the hotel would be in a better position to know what they actually have available than a second-hand entity. Orbitz probably hasn't caught up yet.

OR... maybe the hotel has rooms set aside for online reservations? In any case... call back and verify.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

maybe cause Orbitz has a deal with the hotel, so the hotel has a block of rooms that it "saves" for orbitz forcing you to use the service.

 

[MichaelD]

Hmm. Good points. I just checked Orbitz and my reservation is still there.

Not sure about any deals the hotel my have with Orbitz; this is a medium-size, privately owned hotel. Not a chain like Hilton or Holiday Inn.

Plus, it's in Italy, not in the states.

 

[aircooled]

Yep. Hotels will block off x amount of rooms for agency's.

 

[loic2003]

Originally posted by: Wonderful Pork
maybe cause Orbitz has a deal with the hotel, so the hotel has a block of rooms that it "saves" for orbitz forcing you to use the service.

I worked in the tourism industry for a season once and this is exaclty how it works.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

Originally posted by: loic2003

Originally posted by: Wonderful Pork
maybe cause Orbitz has a deal with the hotel, so the hotel has a block of rooms that it "saves" for orbitz forcing you to use the service.

I worked in the tourism industry for a season once and this is exaclty how it works.

I've been screwed a couple times because of this while traveling for work. I've been forced to stay in crappy rooms because the hotels are saying they are full when they arent. Total crap!

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: loic2003

Originally posted by: Wonderful Pork
maybe cause Orbitz has a deal with the hotel, so the hotel has a block of rooms that it "saves" for orbitz forcing you to use the service.

I worked in the tourism industry for a season once and this is exaclty how it works.

Hmm. OK. I believe you guys.

I will definitely be calling the hotel to ask...gotta be sure. I don't want to get there and have it take all night to find a place to stay...that winds up being like 33 miles from where I've gotta work the next day!

 

[sswingle]

What if orbitz doesn't sell all their rooms? Why would the hotel want to turn people away and have rooms empty?

 

[FoBoT]

they make certain rooms available through certain channels, like ^^^ they said

 

[jjones]

Hotel operators give certain bigger agencies and resellers room allotments. This means that they have a set number of rooms available to sell on any given night. The hotel may have sold out their available rooms, but the reseller hasn't, so they can still offer you a room from their allotment.

If the reseller does not sell all of their rooms, they have until a set number of days before the actual date before those are automatically returned into the hotel's inventory.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers
What if orbitz doesn't sell all their rooms? Why would the hotel want to turn people away and have rooms empty?

They might use Vacant rooms in such an arrangement for Walk-ins.

Saw a TV Ad recently from a Canadian Bank selling their CC Mileage program. It wasn't Hotels, but Airline seats they essentially have reserved for their Air Mileage program.

 

[j00fek]

i tihnkn i would rely more on the hotel rather than orbitz

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: jjones
Hotel operators give certain bigger agencies and resellers room allotments. This means that they have a set number of rooms available to sell on any given night. The hotel may have sold out their available rooms, but the reseller hasn't, so they can still offer you a room from their allotment.

If the reseller does not sell all of their rooms, they have until a set number of days before the actual date before those are automatically returned into the hotel's inventory.

This sounds very feasible. I will call the hotel tomorrow to verify my reservation. Thanks.

 

[purbeast0]

stop worrying dude, you have the room.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
stop worrying dude, you have the room.

Heh, I would think you'd know my neurotic personality by now.

I'll stop worrying when I'm physically IN the room for more than an hour...just to make sure they don't come and tell me "there's been a clerical error..."

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
stop worrying dude, you have the room.

I wouldn't be so sure. Infact, even when he calls up the hotel and they confirm it and he gets there, the room may already be sold to someone else. I never believe reservations 100%, because I've heard too much stuff about universally shady reservation techniques, until I'm standing at the counter of my destination ready to redeem.

 

[mzkhadir]

Orbitz, Hotels.com buy their rooms in bulk so that they can sell at cheaper prices.