SDAC-20 Hotel Reservations Reminder

[black86glhs]

I will be getting a room late if I can make it, so I will most likely be paying the extra .99 cents....damn.
Need to get my Olds sold so I can go.

[sdac guy]

I originally looked the hotel up on the web to see some pics of the rooms. I looked at the reservation info there, and it stated $85.99/night.
Wait, didn't the SDAC site say the discount rate was $85? Way to haggle Barry!

But when I actually called the hotel, I think I was told $99/night. I really was quoted that. I'm used to arriving at the SDAC location late at night, so I book the Thursday, so I'm there to see most arrive on Friday. That made for a glitch in their computer system and it wanted me to pay $99 for the week. I pointed out what it should be, and the woman talked to someone who knew about the SDAC block.

Quickly, all was well. She gave me the discount for the earlier day also.
Well... all was well till she took my billing address. Their system doesn't know people own houses outside the USA.

Yeah, typical hotel desk folks ...

I know you're just poking a little fun about the "deal" we got from them, no problem. But there isn't any haggling anymore, they offer a contract and we either accept it or stay someplace else. We paid the straight rate at the Drawbridge last year also.

Sometimes they might budge on price, but it is getting rarer. The Marriott in Detroit for SDAC-18 did knock their price down over $20 a night.

Hmmm ... Craig brokered that deal. I may have stumbled on something here .... let a Canadian do the bargaining .... Now if we could just get the reservation system working to accept those funny postal codes they have up north.

Seriously though, in the end, what caused us the most concern over the last couple weeks was the possibility we would end up paying for rooms that never got reserved. And I am happy to report we are past that hurdle now.

Barry

[speeddemon]

Good news that we are off the hook for unused rooms.

The problem with that area of the country is that there is little competition. All of the hotels in the area that are capable of handling our group don't really need the business - they will be full if we show up or not.

Lots of competition in Detroit and not the most popular spot for tourists so it is easier to get a deal.

[1FastCSX289]

Good news that we are off the hook for unused rooms.

Sweet! That is good news.

["Top Fuel" Bender]

WOW, they are being hardasses there
told me they didn't have rooms
Me: you sold all your rooms since yesterday?
I have some at the regular rate
Me: I can talk with your manager?
I am the desk manager
Me:the contract isn't for sdac members if there is rooms available? the cutoff date was just for guarantee reserved rooms to be available?
oh wait I don't have fri. open but the rest of the days are o.k.
me: and the rate?
oh o.k. I'll be nice

I would've got them earlier but waiting to see if Hoagie was still going or not (he's back in the hospital btw)

[cordes]

Yeah, typical hotel desk folks ...

I know you're just poking a little fun about the "deal" we got from them, no problem. But there isn't any haggling anymore, they offer a contract and we either accept it or stay someplace else. We paid the straight rate at the Drawbridge last year also.

Sometimes they might budge on price, but it is getting rarer. The Marriott in Detroit for SDAC-18 did knock their price down over $20 a night.

Hmmm ... Craig brokered that deal. I may have stumbled on something here .... let a Canadian do the bargaining .... Now if we could just get the reservation system working to accept those funny postal codes they have up north.

Seriously though, in the end, what caused us the most concern over the last couple weeks was the possibility we would end up paying for rooms that never got reserved. And I am happy to report we are past that hurdle now.

Barry

Barry, we didn't pay the going rate last year at the drawbridge. I called and they wanted $135(?) per night. The lowest they would go was the club's negotiated rate. Whether you had to haggle or not, I could not have gotten a better deal than the club did.