Priority Club account posting stay errors...report yours here

[oz_mark]

Thanks Lindsay. Although, looks like I don't need to use the big guns this time

I logged into my PC account tonight and saw the following:

(Hotel booking that shows up as non-qualifying) "Adjusted Stay" and the correct number of points for the stay.

So they obviously accepted my side of the story, or just gave me the points to "shut me up".

The biggest thing that bugs me about 'Entertainment Card' rates is that the T&C's do not specifically preclude them from earning points in Asia Pacific. Certain other discounts are mentioned as non-eligible, but not the Entertainment rates. Certain hotels/call centre staff try and deny points based on rules that don't seem to be reflected in the T&C's. Very frustrating.

In my experience they point to the T&C's, but can't point you at the specific clause that denies the points (and in my case it has been on PP rates, which PP have specifically stated, in writing, are eligible for points - shame the hotels and PC don't seem to be on the same page with this).

 

[Mal]

I did receive an email that went with my stay adjustment. Some choice quotes:

"Please be advised that the Entertainment Rate is not a locally negotiated rate, but a type of Dicount Rate being offered by our hotels worldwide. It is true that Priority Club credit is awarded for all room rates within 30% of the hotel’s non-discounted rate. "

"As a courtesy to our members, we made a one-time adjustment to your account"

"In the future, we suggest reserving your room through InterContinental Hotels Group Hotel Reservations | The Official Web Site. The rates (including the 21-day advance purchase, weekend web savers and internet saver rate) offer a discount of up to 60% but also carry coding which automatically earns Priority Club® credit."

They then advised me of the "Best Flex Rate/Rack Rate" of the hotel, showed the calculation of 30% less to show me that I paid over 30% less than the "Best Flex Rate/Rack Rate" of the hotel, hence why my stay was ineligible.

The "Best Flex Rate/Rack Rate" is just an airy fairy figure though and bears no relation to whatever price you will pay on the website. For example, I checked a couple of dates and the cheapest rooms are either quite a bit less than the "Best Flex Rate" or over the "Best Flex Rate" when comparing the "Best Flexible Rate" on the website with what I've been told is the "Best Flex Rate/Rack Rate"

Moral of the story for me is to stay away from Entertainment Rates. Way too unpredictable for getting stays credited.

 

[oz_mark]

I did receive an email that went with my stay adjustment. Some choice quotes:

"Please be advised that the Entertainment Rate is not a locally negotiated rate, but a type of Dicount Rate being offered by our hotels worldwide. It is true that Priority Club credit is awarded for all room rates within 30% of the hotel’s non-discounted rate. "

They then advised me of the "Best Flex Rate/Rack Rate" of the hotel, showed the calculation of 30% less to show me that I paid over 30% less than the "Best Flex Rate/Rack Rate" of the hotel, hence why my stay was ineligible.

The problem with their argument is that there is no such 30% rule in the T&C's. In my experience they reject the claim and refer me to the T&C's, but there is nothing in the T&C's that preclude the points being made available.

As for the rack rate thing, exactly what this is has long mystified me as I had previously been rejected on a 'deeply discounted' best flexible rate.

 

[JohnK]

Moral of the story for me is to stay away from Entertainment Rates. Way too unpredictable for getting stays credited.

What is an Entertainment Card?

 

[futaris]

What is an Entertainment Card?

See Entertainment™ Book - Home - gives 10% off, just like Priority Privilege...

 

[QF WP]

I think the biggest bone of contention comes from the Entertainment Cards's rules of use, in which it states:

The special Entertainment™ Rate entitles you to 50% off the rack rate, or 10% off the best promotional rate available to the general public, at hundreds of leading hotels and resorts worldwide.

Hotel Program Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. How does your Entertainment™ Rate apply?

• Your 50% discount applies to the hotel’s rack rate (the hotel’s maximum
non-published rate that all rates are discounted from), based on single or double occupancy. If you have additional people in your room, an extra-person charge may apply.
• The 50% discount is off the rack rate and is valid for room only. This discount does not apply to special packages, seasonal, group or convention rates or travel agency bookings and may not be combined with other discount programs.

As hotels offer a variety of rates and packages, it is important to identify yourself as an “Entertainment™ Member” before making reservations. An advance reservation must be made.

Q. How can I be assured I am getting the best rate?

• Hotels may offer their own promotional rates. These rates are short-term specials available to the general public during temporary or traditionally low periods. If these rates are the same or lower than those with your 50% discount off the rack rate, you will receive 10% off the best promotional room or package rate at the time of booking, subject to availability.
• Please note: some hotels may no longer have a published rack rate. In that case, you will receive 10% off their best available rate, subject to availability.

It would seem that one needs to check the Best Available rate against the Entertainment card rate and confirm that it is not equal to, or greater than, 30% discount from the rack rate (thus deep discount).

 

[markis10]

See Entertainment™ Book - Home - gives 10% off, just like Priority Privilege...

Not quite, PP gives you 10% off advance purchase as well, for instance here are the differences at a randomly picked hotel at a random date next month (IC Burswood April 15 for one night):

Priority Privilege Members Advance Purchase Rate

$213.00 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD[/URL]
Average Nightly Rate 1 KING BED CLASSIC ROOM
$234.00 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD[/URL]
Average Nightly Rate CLASSIC KING VIEW
$299.00 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD[/URL]
Average Nightly Rate 1 KING CONTEMPORARY CLUB IC SPA ROOM
$213.00 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD[/URL]
Average Nightly Rate 2 DOUBLE BEDS CLASSIC ROOM
$234.00 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD[/URL]
Average Nightly Rate CLASSIC TWIN VIEW ROOM
$285.00 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD[/URL]
Average Nightly Rate 2 DOUBLE BEDS CONTEMPORARY CLUB IC ROOM
$659.00 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD[/URL]
Average Nightly Rate PANORAMIC RIVER SUITE 2 KING BEDS SPA


Entertainment Card
$265.50 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD [/URL]
Average Nightly Rate 1 KING BED CLASSIC ROOM
$292.50 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD [/URL]
Average Nightly Rate CLASSIC KING VIEW
$373.50 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD [/URL]
Average Nightly Rate 1 KING CONTEMPORARY CLUB IC SPA ROOM
$265.50 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD [/URL]
Average Nightly Rate 2 DOUBLE BEDS CLASSIC ROOM
$292.50 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD [/URL]
Average Nightly Rate CLASSIC TWIN VIEW ROOM
$355.50 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD [/URL]
Average Nightly Rate 2 DOUBLE BEDS CONTEMPORARY CLUB IC ROOM
$823.50 [URL="http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/pc/1/en/rates/purha?ias=y&searchStartFrom=ebsmq&fromSearchResult=yes&viewHotelPackagesFlag=false#"]AUD [/URL]
Average Nightly Rate PANORAMIC RIVER SUITE 2 KING BEDS SPA


Sorry if thats a tad hard to read but as you can see there is some difference going by the online bookable rates, and I have not had an issue with getting points, use PP for all bookings.

 

[Mal]

It would seem that one needs to check the Best Available rate against the Entertainment card rate and confirm that it is not equal to, or greater than, 30% discount from the rack rate (thus deep discount).

Looks like phone calls are in order as you cannot find out the alleged 'rack rate' from the website. I think the issue is best summed up here:
View from the Wing » Blog Archive » Sick of Priority Club’s Inconsistency Awarding Points for Hotel Stays

 

[oz_mark]

Looks like phone calls are in order as you cannot find out the alleged 'rack rate' from the website. I think the issue is best summed up here:
View from the Wing » Blog Archive » Sick of Priority Club’s Inconsistency Awarding Points for Hotel Stays

Thans for the post, it certainly an accurate reflection of the way PC is working at the moment. Surprisingly at the time it was written, I was not having any issues. It is just in the last year or so that things have got bad wth respect to getting points.

 

[Dave Noble]

I had this problem at Brisbane HI at one time and did find that the issue did lie with a mixture of what Holidex was informing the hotel and the hotel itself

I had a couple of times , when I used EC rates, where points didnt credit and the reason why the hotel was registering them as ineligable was due to holidex

On future stays, on check in, I would check with the person at the desk and if the reservation indicated that it was ineligable , then got them to change it to eligable there and then; points then credited correctly

The hotel GM did accept that with EC being only 10% discount off of the Best flexible rate , that there was no reason that he could see for them being ineligable, but that the holidex system was doing it

Dave

 

[straitman]

I had this problem at Brisbane HI at one time and did find that the issue did lie with a mixture of what Holidex was informing the hotel and the hotel itself

I had a couple of times , when I used EC rates, where points didnt credit and the reason why the hotel was registering them as ineligable was due to holidex

On future stays, on check in, I would check with the person at the desk and if the reservation indicated that it was ineligable , then got them to change it to eligable there and then; points then credited correctly

The hotel GM did accept that with EC being only 10% discount off of the Best flexible rate , that there was no reason that he could see for them being ineligable, but that the holidex system was doing it

Dave

Dave,

Thanks for that. It's probably one of the more useful posts in the thread.

 

[Mal]

Here's an interesting one...

Attended an event where there was a group rate (but paid by the attendees). Originally credited as "Not Eligible" and after reading through the T&C's, wasn't really sure if it should have been or not. The T&C's are confusing at times, and I wasn't sure if the organizers of the group rate were signed up for 'meeting rewards'.

Decided to drop a quick note back to PC questioning whether the non-qualifying stay was correct, as I have had points credited before for similar stays.

The points were the adjusted correctly... a nice ~18000 point bonus I was happy to receive!