ridiculous housing restrictions
( Locked)
2 4
2 4
Posted by marimaccadmin greengirl22
#26

greengirl22 wrote:
You're ignoring the issue completely.  You simply refuse to address the point.
How many times do I have to say it--I DON'T want Just Wedsday and Thursday--that's all that's left.
You're not willing or capable of addressing the ridiculous situation that GenCon has created.
Your answer is: Pay more money for the same thing, because GenCon's system is poor. 
You're claiming reasoning for a non-existent problem (booking Saturday) and refusing to address the ACTUAL issue, which is that GenCon's system is preventing booking of Open rooms on other days.
AND, we've checked with various hotels and they are saying that they will not take reservations out of block.
You're not addressing the issue--you're avoiding it.  That's pathetic customer service.

I tried to explain to you that this was done to work with the hotels to ensure the maximum amount of rooms in the block, for the good of all attendees.  I get that you personally are feeling affected by it, but that doesn't change the fact that this overall results in more attendee bookings.  I'm sorry that it personally affects you, but I have provided you other options.  There's nothing further I can do to assist you in this matter.

Posted by hope pennington
#27

My first GenCon. Husband has went before. I can understand the frustration..but its simply a situation of supply and demand.

Posted by hoidy greengirl22
#28

greengirl22 wrote:
AND, we've checked with various hotels and they are saying that they will not take reservations out of block.
This is completely false. A quick check on Marriott's site shows both Springhill and Courtyard connected hotels available to book out of block. I'm sure if I did similar search of other hotels' websites, I would find the same thing. They're charging 450/night, but they are certainly taking out of block reservations. 

I like the minimum 3 day stay rule (with saturday included) as it makes sure people who want the longer stay have a better chance of getting it (as opposed to selling out all fri and sat nights as 2 night stays). In fact, I wish the restriction was even longer such as requiring wed-sun minimum and then opening to shorter stays later.

Anyways, if any rooms are left over from the block, the hotel will surely try and sell those at a later time (although I doubt many will be left except maybe wed).

Posted by sherilyn greengirl22
#29

greengirl22 wrote:
You're ignoring the issue completely.  You simply refuse to address the point.
How many times do I have to say it--I DON'T want Just Wedsday and Thursday--that's all that's left.
You're not willing or capable of addressing the ridiculous situation that GenCon has created.
Your answer is: Pay more money for the same thing, because GenCon's system is poor. 
You're claiming reasoning for a non-existent problem (booking Saturday) and refusing to address the ACTUAL issue, which is that GenCon's system is preventing booking of Open rooms on other days.
AND, we've checked with various hotels and they are saying that they will not take reservations out of block.
You're not addressing the issue--you're avoiding it.  That's pathetic customer service.

I believe you're the one missing the point here because your so angry and/our frustrated. The rooms are open on many booking sites for what you want. They don't have Wednesday blacked out and many don't have Thursday blacked out. 

Posted by jobeth66
#30

No, I think the complaint is that even though you can't book a 3-night stay any longer because Saturday is sold out, you also can't book Wed/Th through the housing portal, even though there are downtown rooms available for both those nights.

So the 3-night minimum rule is preventing someone from booking an available downtown room for at least part of the con, even though they can't book the 3 nights because one of them is completely sold out.

I get the frustration there, it's a poor limitation - I like the 3-night minimum, but I think once it's impossible to book the 3 nights they should open the rooms that are available without the 3-night requirement.

Posted by greengirl22 hoidy
#31

schwanjamesq wrote:
greengirl22 wrote:
AND, we've checked with various hotels and they are saying that they will not take reservations out of block.
This is completely false. A quick check on Marriott's site shows both Springhill and Courtyard connected hotels available to book out of block. I'm sure if I did similar search of other hotels' websites, I would find the same thing. They're charging 450/night, but they are certainly taking out of block reservations. I like the minimum 3 day stay rule (with saturday included) as it makes sure people who want the longer stay have a better chance of getting it (as opposed to selling out all fri and sat nights as 2 night stays). In fact, I wish the restriction was even longer such as requiring wed-sun minimum and then opening to shorter stays later.
Anyways, if any rooms are left over from the block, the hotel will surely try and sell those at a later time (although I doubt many will be left except maybe wed).

Correction--I did not look at those two.  We looked at the Westin and Hyatt downtown.  We did not check every possible hotel.

The Westin Indianapolis is not available for 08/03/2016 - 08/07/2016. To find availability for The Westin Indianapolis, change dates and search again. See other available hotels below.

There was a similar response from the Hyatt.

But that's missing the point, which AGAIN, is that GenCon's rules are preventing us booking Available rooms in their block, despite having IMMEDIATELY filled the Saturday (and likely Friday) nights.

It is more likely that they are trying to push us to fill Rooms OUTSIDE of the Downtown area for longer terms. 

Whatever the case--GenCon is making us do what's best for them, rather than serving the needs of the customer as best as it can.

Posted by kschmidt jobeth66
#32

jobeth66 wrote:
No, I think the complaint is that even though you can't book a 3-night stay any longer because Saturday is sold out, you also can't book Wed/Th through the housing portal, even though there are downtown rooms available for both those nights.
So the 3-night minimum rule is preventing someone from booking an available downtown room for at least part of the con, even though they can't book the 3 nights because one of them is completely sold out.
I get the frustration there, it's a poor limitation - I like the 3-night minimum, but I think once it's impossible to book the 3 nights they should open the rooms that are available without the 3-night requirement.

Well said, I'm not sure their programming can handle it though.  Great suggestion (for future years) when Saturday night in the downtown hotel block is completely sold...agree with the participating hotels to remove the three-night/Saturday night minimum and let the hotels (and attendees) fill up the remaining unsold rooms in the block with smaller contracts.  That way an attendee may have to stay on the outer ring for one-two nights but feel blessed to have some time sleeping near the ICC (at the lower block rate instead of the $500/night rate).

Posted by vutpakdi
#33

Given the number of people scrambling for alternate/contingency rooms, the hotel websites will have availability that goes up and down as people make and cancel reservations.  As of 7:20 PM CST on 24 January 2016, the JW Marriott has rooms for Wed and Thu night, at heartstopping rates, but not for Sat night.  By the time that you check the stituation may have changed.

The Le Meridien's rates are better for Wed-Thu availability but are still quite high.

Have hope: last year, I was at the Hilton Garden Inn by the airport.  In June or July, I was bouncing between the several hotels downtown as other people canceled and made rooms or days available.  I eventually ended up at the Westin.

Posted by greengirl22 sherilyn
#34

Double Post--Apologies.

Posted by greengirl22 greengirl22
#35

greengirl22 wrote:
sherilyn wrote:
greengirl22 wrote:
You're ignoring the issue completely.  You simply refuse to address the point.
How many times do I have to say it--I DON'T want Just Wedsday and Thursday--that's all that's left.
You're not willing or capable of addressing the ridiculous situation that GenCon has created.
Your answer is: Pay more money for the same thing, because GenCon's system is poor. 
You're claiming reasoning for a non-existent problem (booking Saturday) and refusing to address the ACTUAL issue, which is that GenCon's system is preventing booking of Open rooms on other days.
AND, we've checked with various hotels and they are saying that they will not take reservations out of block.
You're not addressing the issue--you're avoiding it.  That's pathetic customer service.

I believe you're the one missing the point here because your so angry and/our frustrated. The rooms are open on many booking sites for what you want. They don't have Wednesday blacked out and many don't have Thursday blacked out. 

No, the issue is that there ARE (or were) rooms available IN BLOCK, but GenCon has made them impossible to book, DESPITE having filled the rooms on Saturday (which they stated was their concern).

And yes, I am frustrated, because GenCon's "solution"  is to block me from booking available rooms, despite having no current reason for forcing Saturday stays for rooms that have overwhelming demand.

Their "solution" was not needed, and has caused other problems for its customers (me).

Posted by greengirl22 jobeth66
#36

jobeth66 wrote:
No, I think the complaint is that even though you can't book a 3-night stay any longer because Saturday is sold out, you also can't book Wed/Th through the housing portal, even though there are downtown rooms available for both those nights.
So the 3-night minimum rule is preventing someone from booking an available downtown room for at least part of the con, even though they can't book the 3 nights because one of them is completely sold out.
I get the frustration there, it's a poor limitation - I like the 3-night minimum, but I think once it's impossible to book the 3 nights they should open the rooms that are available without the 3-night requirement.

Thank goodness.  Someone who understands the actual issue. 

Posted by greengirl22
#37

Also just rechecked the checked the JW Marriot, Crowne Plaza, Hyatt, Westin.  None have any available rooms out of block for the GenCon days.

So even at a much higher cost, there aren't rooms available outside of block in many places.  There are a few, as someone stated--about $450 a night.

But again--not addressing my actual concern.  I simply wanted rooms that others didn't immediately want (to actually FILL OUT their blocks), in hopes of picking up the other rooms, as things shifted.

GenCon has chosen to BLOCK my ability to do that, and make it impossible to get on a wait list (as in years past).

I'm NOT trying to cherry pick rooms.  I wanted Wednesday through Sunday--EXACTLY what they claim to want me to do.  ALL my efforts have been circling around working towards that, but GenCon has hampered me in doing that.

If you think that making it difficult for your customer to do exactly what you want them to do (or so they claim), then you're doing a very poor job.   I WANT to fill up those room blocks, and GenCon's system is preventing that.

But I didn't think about the fact that they want to fill those other rooms in their blocks away from downtown.  THAT'S probably the issue, which would explain the otherwise nonsensical "explanations."
 

Posted by greengirl22 vutpakdi
#38

vutpakdi wrote:
Given the number of people scrambling for alternate/contingency rooms, the hotel websites will have availability that goes up and down as people make and cancel reservations.  As of 7:20 PM CST on 24 January 2016, the JW Marriott has rooms for Wed and Thu night, at heartstopping rates, but not for Sat night.  By the time that you check the stituation may have changed.
The Le Meridien's rates are better for Wed-Thu availability but are still quite high.
Have hope: last year, I was at the Hilton Garden Inn by the airport.  In June or July, I was bouncing between the several hotels downtown as other people canceled and made rooms or days available.  I eventually ended up at the Westin.

I would have some degree of hope that I could get ALL of my days, IF I was allowed to book partially in, and get onto a Waiting list.  That's EXACTLY what I did in 2014 at the Westin.  I couldn't get Saturday at first, but it eventually opened up.

Now GenCon is preventing me from even getting into that initial step.  That's horrible customer care.

I could wait to resolve it, but what GenCon apparently wants me to do is sit at a computer and refresh it constantly until I can MAYBE find an open Saturday, and then NOT have someone snag it while I'm entering my information (that already happened today).

Again--horrible customer care.

Posted by austicke
#39

Greengirl22, Gen Con's CAPRICIUS and REPREHENSIBLE hotel policy is a direct ATTACK on you and an obvious AFFRONT to all that is holy in this world. Let's burn these bastards at the stake!
 

Posted by mrshiny
#40

Hilton, Alexander and Candlewood have rooms: $693, $485, $384

Posted by marimaccadmin
#41

Hey look, she's upset because she can't get a room, and we've all been there, please don't make it any worse by attacking her, ok?

Posted by austicke marimaccadmin
#42

marimaccadmin wrote:
Hey look, she's upset because she can't get a room, and we've all been there, please don't make it any worse by attacking her, ok?

Aw. Damn you and your sympathetic nature!
 

Posted by alanquatermain hawkeye
#43

hawkeye9723 wrote:
There were plenty of downtown rooms available in the general block. They just went really fast. Our group was able to get a room at the JW 45 minutes after housing opened.
I went in as soon as I was allowed, some 3 hours 25 minutes after it opened. The closest hotel is 12 miles away, and the only hotels in offered are the North block, no others. I thought these things were staggered to prevent this? If my random allocation meant that I randomly wound up unable to book my preferred hotel, then I'm kinda upset, I must admit. I could have booked it in December at the same price, had I not believed there was a plan in place to ensure everyone gets a shot at their own choices…

Posted by greengirl22
#44

Austickle:  I said nothing of the sort.

Marimaccadmin:  No--I'm not upset because I can't get a room.  I totally understand there is high demand and I have  no more right to those rooms than anyone else.

I'm upset, because of the policy--as I've explained many times now.  That is that there ARE (or were) rooms available in low demand (Wednesday and Thursday), and GenCon's policies preventied me from booking those Low-demand rooms, so I can enjoy SOME of GenCon.

I'm "upset" because I'm explaining to you as the customer the ACTUAL PROBLEM that your policies are causing--preventing me from patronizing your Con, and you're answer is "well, we're doing what's best for us." 

If your job is customer service, you should understand that is a really bad response.

If I wasn't able to get the Friday and Saturday--so be it.  That is NOT EVER what I claimed was the problem. 

All I wanted to do was take the REMAINING rooms that WERE available in the block.  But for some reason, DESPITE having quickly booked all of those Fridays and Saturdays GenCon wants to keep me from booking the other days.

 

Posted by hoidy greengirl22
#45

greengirl22 wrote:
vutpakdi wrote:
Given the number of people scrambling for alternate/contingency rooms, the hotel websites will have availability that goes up and down as people make and cancel reservations.  As of 7:20 PM CST on 24 January 2016, the JW Marriott has rooms for Wed and Thu night, at heartstopping rates, but not for Sat night.  By the time that you check the stituation may have changed.
The Le Meridien's rates are better for Wed-Thu availability but are still quite high.
Have hope: last year, I was at the Hilton Garden Inn by the airport.  In June or July, I was bouncing between the several hotels downtown as other people canceled and made rooms or days available.  I eventually ended up at the Westin.

I would have some degree of hope that I could get ALL of my days, IF I was allowed to book partially in, and get onto a Waiting list.  That's EXACTLY what I did in 2014 at the Westin.  I couldn't get Saturday at first, but it eventually opened up.Now GenCon is preventing me from even getting into that initial step.  That's horrible customer care.
I could wait to resolve it, but what GenCon apparently wants me to do is sit at a computer and refresh it constantly until I can MAYBE find an open Saturday, and then NOT have someone snag it while I'm entering my information (that already happened today).
Again--horrible customer care.

My guess is that the minimum stay requirements in downtown are part of Gencon's agreement with the hotels in order to get access to the number of rooms they provide at the discounted rate they provide. I'm not one to complain about housing issues since without it we'd all be paying much more for these rooms and there are cheap alternatives a short distance away and out of block downtown rooms for those who don't mind paying the market rate for them.

I am completely opposed to forgoing the current housing restrictions just because there are currently wed and thurs nights available, at least until much later once it is clear that these rooms will not be booked. I remember looking at downtown rooms closer to the convention last year and not finding many thursdays downtown available so its possible that they will end up being added to current reservations.

My preference would be to expand the restriction to only allow wed-sun reservations first for downtown and then open it up at a later date for shorter reservations. I think it'd be a good idea for them to open up the housing restrictions at a later date to allow additional in block bookings, but I don't know if this is even a possibility with their agreement with the hotels.

This topic is locked. New posts cannot be added.
2 4
2 4