How to Deal with Losing Your Reservation in Overbooked Hotels
It is common knowledge nowadays that hotels are accepting more reservations than they can handle to compensate for the number of guests who made reservations but didn’t show up. This could result into lost reservations due to overbooking. If you are one of the unlucky ones who lost their reservations due to overbooking, the hotel staff may tell you various reasons why they cannot give you a room — some guests didn’t check out as scheduled or some rooms need emergency maintenance work and repairs. As a traveler, you should be aware that unlike airlines, hotels are not allowed to accept more room reservations than the available. If you have a confirmed reservation and you met all the requirements including the prompt time of arrival, you should make every possible and reasonable step to demand for what you’ve paid for.
Be polite and firm.
Just remain at the front desk and politely but firmly demand for a room. Do not step aside to give way to other guests; just stay at the front desk so that they will be obliged to pay attention to you just to avoid a scene. This way, your problem can be solved quickly. You should ask the hotel staff that you want to talk to the manager since it is easier to talk to someone with authority to make decisions regarding your situation.
Do not lose your temper.
Even though you are given with lots of unreasonable excuses, you should continue to
remain polite but insistent. Losing your temper will only worsen the situation. In every answer and excuse that the hotel staff gives, just continue repeating to them that you understand the overbooking problem but no matter what, they have to give you a room since it is not your fault and in fact, they shouldn’t have allowed it to happen.
Know your rights.
Nothing beats knowing what you are fighting for. If the staff cannot give you a
reservation at the hotel, you should ask them to book you to another hotel. Some may give you hotel vouchers, discount cards, and meal vouchers. Just do not be afraid to ask what you want. It is indeed a stressful experience that your much-anticipated hotel experience will not be possible due to a hotel overbooking. The key to this kind of situation is understanding your rights while keeping your temper. Who knows? Maybe after all your efforts in asserting yourself, your alternative accommodation will be much better than what you actually booked for.
Photo Credit : Jaroslaw
RELATED POSTS
Lost Luggage – Dealing with losing your luggage on vacation
Last-minute Booking – How to go about last-minute reservation booking
Bumped from Flight – Dealing with getting bumped from your flight
Flight Delays – Easing the stress and troubles of flight delays
Sugar Addiction – How to get through a sugar addiction
RELATED SITES’ POSTS
Choosing Maui Accommodations – How to choose accommodations for your Maui vacation
Orlando Vacation – How to choose accommodations on your Orlando vacation
Travel Guide – Guide and tips on taking vacation
Hotel Online Reservation – How to make hotel reservations online
Finding Hotels – How to find the right hotels for your vacation
