When a Gov't rate is neither flexible nor refundable!

[Deleted member 29185]

Has anyone come across this unusual (in my opinion) action by HSW?

I made a booking some months ago and didn't realise it was Melbourne cup week. I'm not aware of any warning prior to booking and as far as I was concerned, it was a regular Gov't rate. A few days ago, I was checking my AMEX statement and noticed a charge from HSW. I haven't stayed there for some months, so I queried it. I don't want to alter the booking, but it was the charge that made me curious....neither levied at time of booking, nor check-in, nor check-out, just some random date......This is the reply I received:

Thank you for contacting us.
The Government rate is normally flexible rate and no need to pay before arrival.
The reservation you have made for 28 Oct to 30 Oct falls into the Special Event – Melbourne Cup spring racing.
The terms and conditions of the reservation during the special event period is fully pre-paid and non-changeable and non-refundable.
I do apologise that if you are not aware of this policy.
Hopefully this email answers your concern.
Please do let us know if we can assist anything else.

Apart from pointing out the poor English, I'm in a mind to reply and say yes, return my money as I didn't agree to a non-flexible rate!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Has anyone come across this unusual (in my opinion) action by HSW?

I made a booking some months ago and didn't realise it was Melbourne cup week. I'm not aware of any warning prior to booking and as far as I was concerned, it was a regular Gov't rate. A few days ago, I was checking my AMEX statement and noticed a charge from HSW. I haven't stayed there for some months, so I queried it. I don't want to alter the booking, but it was the charge that made me curious....neither levied at time of booking, nor check-in, nor check-out, just some random date......This is the reply I received:



Apart from pointing out the poor English, I'm in a mind to reply and say yes, return my money as I didn't agree to a non-flexible rate!

No I haven't come across that and outside the usual suspects (I'm looking at you Vegas) I don't usually double check the Govt rate conditions for any hotel.
I will be now !!

 

[TomVexille]

Out of curiosity I just looked at a different "normally" refundable rate, and it also requires prepayment and is not refundable.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Have this for this NYE too. I knew at time of booking though so all good.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Have this for this NYE too. I knew at time of booking though so all good.

I think NYE etc is fair game though and I'd expect that to be the case.
Not having a clue about horses or gambling I would definitely be caught out with MEL cup or some other peculiar local event unless there was a pop-up box or banner on the page to advise me of this.

Very grateful to swanning_it for highlighting it to me and I will double check the rate details on all my forward bookings from now on.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

As I said, I don't want to change the booking nor do I particularly care about pre-paying by 3 months, but Hilton can and do use highlighted pop-ups at the top of a booking page to warn of unusual issues (swimming pool maintenance, renovations etc) and I do read each of those to see whether that may impact my decision to book or not. No such pop-up was evident for this booking and I think that if they hid a short term condition in some fine print, that's pretty poor form. I regularly do make flexible bookings......because I do want the flexibility!

Here is the result of a dummy booking for those exact dates. No mention at all of normal Ts&Cs modifications.

 

[kermatu]

Geez - I will check from now on too. Thanks for posting.

Do you recall on the booking/confirmation page whether it did or didn't say "pay at hotel" / "pay later". That's the line I always look out for before hitting 'confirm' on Accor or Hilton. I don't otherwise read the T&Cs for such rates.

 

[Cynicor]

I always check, I have come across this sort of thing at peak times. I think Conrad Singapore at F1 time or similar.

Always check the conditions of a booking, never assume! There is no policy on the Hilton site that says AAA or Gov etc rates are fully flexible/refundable etc. It's just the standard.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Geez - I will check from now on too. Thanks for posting.

Do you recall on the booking/confirmation page whether it did or didn't say "pay at hotel" / "pay later". That's the line I always look out for before hitting 'confirm' on Accor or Hilton. I don't otherwise read the T&Cs for such rates.

I can't recall. If you click on the rate type, it does show it as being non-flexible and prepaid, but the point I'm making is that given Hilton does frequently use warning banners to highlight changes from what would normally be expected, then my expectation is that any short term change to conditions should be highlighted by those banners. It's obviously not difficult and that would resolve any issue. Changing the fine print for a short term alteration is deceptive IMHO and I told them that and they agreed with me and have refunded the prepayment (or so they've said, I haven't checked) and advised they will allow me to pay at the hotel as I'm a diamond member. Status should have nothing to do with it.

 

[serfty]

One thing I always try to do as a last step before finalising a booking to the check and understand the cancellation conditions.

(The second last thing is to review the date(s) & location.)

I don't look for any banners or notifications, I simply do not assume.

This has been learned from 20+ years experience in making online bookings.

 

[Buzzard]

A timely reminder. Thanks.

 

[kermatu]

Agree there should be some warning. Even though (probably) not strictly required.

In any event, good if you have been refunded. And thanks for the heads-up / reminder.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

good if you have been refunded.

I'll believe it when I see it. It's now 2 days ago that they said they'd refund.......it hasn't come through yet!

 

[AnneMarie999]

I too noticed this has started popping up when booking hotels, particularly Surfers Paradise and on occasion Brisbane. Definitely check the T&Cs. I had HSP booked for Sunday night and just found out I have to have a procedure early Monday in BNE. Thankfully they have cancelled the booking without penalty (I am a diamond member).

 

[froggerADL]

I've noticed that the rules for using the government rate have changed recently. It now states:

FOR OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ONLY OFFICIAL ID-ORDERS REQUIRED AT CHECK-IN. NOT APPLICALBLE FOR GROUPS-LIMIT 2 ROOMS

It used to be available for private travel, as long as you had government ID. Has anyone been hit with this?

 

[Princess Fiona]

I've noticed that the rules for using the government rate have changed recently. It now states:

FOR OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ONLY OFFICIAL ID-ORDERS REQUIRED AT CHECK-IN. NOT APPLICALBLE FOR GROUPS-LIMIT 2 ROOMS

It used to be available for private travel, as long as you had government ID. Has anyone been hit with this?

It's been like this for months. Reported on here a while ago. No change to what actually happens at check-in at a property IME (AU/Asia/Europe).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I've noticed that the rules for using the government rate have changed recently. It now states:

FOR OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ONLY OFFICIAL ID-ORDERS REQUIRED AT CHECK-IN. NOT APPLICALBLE FOR GROUPS-LIMIT 2 ROOMS

It used to be available for private travel, as long as you had government ID. Has anyone been hit with this?

As PF said.

Also, the wording leaves it somewhat ambiguous. I am a government accredited private contractor who does work required to be done by a government department and without the requirement of that department, I doubt I'd have a job to do. Basically, outsourcing work to limit gov't liability and public servant liability since the protection of the Crown has largely been removed. Is that official gov't travel?? I do have gov't ID so the second part of that clause is satisfied, which I read as gov't ID OR orders and I believe I can adequately argue the first! It hasn't been raised as an issue as I've not been asked to show ID for some time.