Negotiating the cost of a posh hotel?

[Legend83]

Is it the done thing?

Just enquired about a reservation at a top hotel via email (including a statement that it was for my honeymoon) and to be fair to the 'Customer Service Agent' he came back straight down the line with the full price plus a 10% service charge per night as it is a nice room.

Should I go back and suggest some offers/a deal due to the occasion? Or this cheeky/wrong?

Anyone done it successfully at a 5* hotel?

[jamoor]

Legend83 said:

Is it the done thing?

Just enquired about a reservation at a top hotel via email (including a statement that it was for my honeymoon) and to be fair to the 'Customer Service Agent' he came back straight down the line with the full price plus a 10% service charge per night as it is a nice room.

Should I go back and suggest some offers/a deal due to the occasion? Or this cheeky/wrong?

Anyone done it successfully at a 5* hotel?

Which hotel is it??

[Legend83]

jamoor said:

Legend83 said:

Is it the done thing?

Just enquired about a reservation at a top hotel via email (including a statement that it was for my honeymoon) and to be fair to the 'Customer Service Agent' he came back straight down the line with the full price plus a 10% service charge per night as it is a nice room.

Should I go back and suggest some offers/a deal due to the occasion? Or this cheeky/wrong?

Anyone done it successfully at a 5* hotel?

Which hotel is it??

The Peninsula in Hong Kong (on the back of advice on my Hong Kong thread - cheers guys!).

[Mike400]

I think the Holiday Inn operates a strict menu pricing system, sorry

[roboxm3]

If you don't ask, you don't get...

They can only say no...

[jamoor]

Legend83 said:

jamoor said:

Legend83 said:

Is it the done thing?

Just enquired about a reservation at a top hotel via email (including a statement that it was for my honeymoon) and to be fair to the 'Customer Service Agent' he came back straight down the line with the full price plus a 10% service charge per night as it is a nice room.

Should I go back and suggest some offers/a deal due to the occasion? Or this cheeky/wrong?

Anyone done it successfully at a 5* hotel?

Which hotel is it??

The Peninsula in Hong Kong (on the back of advice on my Hong Kong thread - cheers guys!).

Try

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294217-d3...

There is a price comparison
www.hotelscomparison.com
www.kayak.com

Most hotels don't like people booking direct.

[neilsie]

he's probably offered you the std rack rate.

have you looked on other web sites selling rooms at said hotel?

[pies1981]

priceline is your friend

[rude-boy]

Hmm, you've mentioned the Honeymoon bit, you are so screwed.

We usually book the standard of room we want and then when we check in ask if there is any chance of an upgrade. Yet to fail and have had some serious luck with this approach.

Another is seeing if you can wangle inclusive breakfasts and so on in.

No point in haggling the price (that's what you surf the Bookings.com, etc lot for, haggle the extras.

[Alfa_75_Steve]

Don't Holiday Inn have a guarantee that the cheapest price for any of their rooms will always be the one on their own website?

I've never managed to beat the published price in the UK, anyway.

[Legend83]

rude-boy said:

Hmm, you've mentioned the Honeymoon bit, you are so screwed.

We usually book the standard of room we want and then when we check in ask if there is any chance of an upgrade. Yet to fail and have had some serious luck with this approach.

Another is seeing if you can wangle inclusive breakfasts and so on in.

No point in haggling the price (that's what you surf the Bookings.com, etc lot for, haggle the extras.

Bugger. Played my cards too early?

[whitechief]

Legend83 said:

Is it the done thing?

Just enquired about a reservation at a top hotel via email (including a statement that it was for my honeymoon) and to be fair to the 'Customer Service Agent' he came back straight down the line with the full price plus a 10% service charge per night as it is a nice room.

Should I go back and suggest some offers/a deal due to the occasion? Or this cheeky/wrong?

Anyone done it successfully at a 5* hotel?

Yes, I've done it at the Savoy, always worth asking.

[Chrisgr31]

Need to find someone to book you in using their corporate rate!

[tr7v8]

I use www.activehotels.com & get a price off of there,then compare this with the price I can get as best rate. Sometimes it's better, other times not. They have a great review section to see if it's worth paying for.

[Jasandjules]

Why not just say that price is more than you were told, and what can they do with the price....

[jamoor]

What dates are you looking to go?

[H_Kan]

Ask and you might receive.

If they have got a low occupancy rate for the period of your stay then they might do something on the price.

Also, if you are paying in Yen then try and pay the balance now. I don't see the sterling exchange rate improving against any foreign currency in the forseeable future.

When some mates and I went to Dublin, our hotel ended up costing 20% more then at the point of booking, as we had to clear the balance in Euros on checkout.

[Gemsbok1000]

Stayed there last year - great hotel. They do a RollS Royce pick up service from the hotel which is well worth it. I think its $100 for pick up and drop off.

[sday12]

I stayed there for my honeymoon in 2005,


Booked direct with the hotel AFTER finding the cheapest web rate and asking them to match it- which they did.


Give it a try.

[Legend83]

sday12 said:

I stayed there for my honeymoon in 2005,


Booked direct with the hotel AFTER finding the cheapest web rate and asking them to match it- which they did.


Give it a try.

That sounds like a plan, cheers. Which room did you book or did they give you an upgrade?