Priceline Hotel: Resort Tucson (North) Omni Golf Resort and Spa

[baseball]

Started at $65 for resort Tucson North, and received the 17 more counter. I can counter on one finger with what to do with that offer ( I think you know which finger). Went with next free bids at $68, $71 and wavered on $74 but decided to nudge the extra buck to get the Omni that I knew was coming at $75. Last time there I got upgraded to a hacienda suite and received a comp bottle of wine with a nice fruit and cheese tray. $20 worth of grease went a long way! Went through the barn door for the first time. I really appreciate the service theruare! :)

[rc408]

Last time there I got upgraded to a hacienda suite and received a comp bottle of wine with a nice fruit and cheese tray. $20 worth of grease went a long way!

Great rate and a great place. Can you help explain how to slip a $20 with the knowledge it is for an upgrade or whatever? I am not at all smooth in doing these things :) . I'll be there 4/9 to 4/10. Thanks baseball.

[thereuare]

baseball, congratulations on your win and for sharing the details of your bidding history.

rc408, hopefully baseball will give more details of their own technique, but in the meantime you may also want to check out this thread: TIPPING at HOTELS

[baseball]

I feel privledged to share yet wary about giving out names of people I deal with. Here are some guidelines.

1) They can only say no, that is the worst that can happen.

2) It is about building relationships and making people feel good.

3) Remember rule one while applying rule two.

I go in there as pleasant as can be. I call people by there name and search hard for things we might share in common. If the name tag says something about a town ask if it is near a place you've heard of. I am a teacher (don't ridicule my errors because this is for communication purposes only and not to be graded!) and let that be known somewhere because right now I am looked at as saintly without being monetarily rewarded. I also worked many years as a waiter and did a small stint in a hotel room service job.

Let me do my Omni presentation for you. I called before arriving asking to get an early check in because I had a tee time at noon (not at their course but I didn't say that). They said they would do the best they could and flagged my room. Turns out my wife and I took separate cars down from Phoenix because she had other things to do and didn't want to hang somewhere until 4. So I get there and go, Hi "insert name" You have a beautiful hotel here. I explain that I have a room flagged for early check in but don't need it because the lil' lady is coming later. I thank her for flagging it but realize she can help someone else out so I release it. I do explain that the wife is coming down woth a four year old. I ask if there is a way of getting a room with a rollaway or perhaps a suite if it is available. She then syas she will be happy to check and I iommediately ask if she is allowed to accept a gratuity. She smiles and says how that is kind but unnecessary. She mentions that the room would just go unused but I follow up with my work history and that we both may realize iot I want her to know how much I appreciate it. I put the $20 underneath my credit card and give it to her for the incidentals. She aks if it is a special occasion and I reply sort of ( didn't have the heart to tell her that the special occasion was the fact I was into a suite). She then asks if it would be ok to send a bottle of wine. Who am I to whine at wine? Along comes the wine after the round of golf along with the platter of cheese and fruit!

But that is the BEGINNING of a relationship. I go back at checkout and say thank you to her in person and hand her the positive comment card. I tell her I will try to come back soon and hope she is there.

So I get this last res. yesterday, the first thing I do is call the hotel directly and ask for the front desk. Guess who answers? I say hjey so and so remember me I had the wine and yada yada yada. I explain i am coming back and inquire about easter brunch. I DO NOT ask for an upgrade but I only further the relationship. When I get back ther I will either have gher or say that last time so an so gave me this yada yada yada. End of story and start of high living.

As long as my fingers are bleeding from typing, allow me to go over another story. Last summer got the Hyatt in La Jolla for $52 a night for four nights. When I got there I remarked how the last tiome they put me in a suite and asked if it was possible again. Of course, I also throw out my Hyatt membership card. While he is saying I will try I ask if he or the girl next to him if he likes fish he says yeah why (spelling and punctuation be darned, I'm hot with the keyboard!) I tell them I am going on a party boat and that I won't be able to drive all my filets back to Phoenix. Long story short I get a corner room on the floor with the concierge and free food and drinks. When I return for another night at another time I ask how the fish was and get the same room with the same deal AND complementary valet parking!

Hope this helps. I would love to hear other success stories. Not all of them are this easy or successful. In fact the Islandia fish deal only got me a high view room and free parking, no suite but still pretty sweet.

I guess what it comes down to for me is treating people well. In turn, they will treat you well. :)

[baseball]

Wow, I should have read the post first before submitting. I am apald at mi por speling and horibal punkchuashun!

[rc408]

Wow, I should have read the post first before submitting. I am apald at mi por speling and horibal punkchuashun!

No probleem basebol! I apperciate all the info. :) Since I stay at the Omni several times a year (Thanks to priceline!) I will try to develop a friendly relationship with the staff.

I have a very unusual last name (I've seen 2 people with the same name in all my years) and a receptionist at the Hilton El Conquistador that checked me in had the same name. Every time I've been back there I've run into him and we say Hi. I never got a suite but I did get a large corner room without asking.

The part about asking if they take gratuities and putting it under your credit card at check in really helped me!

[LoneStar]

This is great stuff -- both because I find the general topic interesting, and because I'm staying at this hotel (through priceline) in a few months. I'm travelling with my extended family for a few nights and I'd sure like to "treat" them to the best rooms we can get. From what I can tell, this Omni is a great place to get upgraded, because Frommers calls many of the rooms "the most luxurious in Tucson," but notes they also have a few less-lux (aka priceline) rooms.

After reading that, I had already been thinking of an upgrade strategy. I signed up for Omni's free frequent stay program, and they send you an upgrade coupon when you join. Technically, it's probably not valid on priceline stays, but I was hoping to use it as a prop to "schmooze" my way into an upgrade (when you've travelled as much as I have, you know the value of front-line employee schmooze -- not to mention that the "golden rule" is a good way to live).

That said, if money talks and schmooze walks, I'd be happy to break out a note for the clerk for a stay like this. Like most, I've never actually tipped a front desk clerk. That counter sure does make it awkward! I do love the idea of asking about "gratuity acceptance" and then slipping the note in with your credit card. It's practically brilliant, baseball! :) One complication I can think of, however: most front desks have multiple employees working simultaneously, usually within ear-shot. Wouldn't your clerk likely feel a little bashful taking the money and upgrading you if he/she was in the presence of a co-worker? Now I suppose the transaction could "look" cashless if both you and the clerk were discrete, but you still have the part about asking whether you can "bribe" her!

I'd sure like to hear comments from others who check in before me about their upgrade strategy and success (or lack thereof). I can tell this check-in is going to be, um, interesting!