Priceline Hotel: 3* Dallas (Mkt Cntr-Love Fld) Wyndham Market Centr

[joe3721]

:) Tried to bid $35 for 3* at:

- Galleria - Dallas North

- Market Center - DAL Love Field

$36 got us the Wyndham Hotel Market Center on Market Center near I35. Not to be confused with the Wyndham Anatole which is two door down the street.

OK... why am I unhappy with these folks. I have stayed at this property about 6 times - always in the $32-$36 price range. The property is very nice, with very small rooms - but nice. The problem is the attitude of the hotel staff towards Priceline customers. Generally I do arrive early in the DFW area - and always call ahead to reserve a King size non smoking room. EVERY hotel in the DFW area lets me select my room and permits early check in - no questions asked. These people are very nice when you first call, but as they attempt to make your room selection they see your reservation appear from a Priceline terminal. In EVERY case they then proceed to tell you they will not permit you to select your room in advance, nor do they allow advance check in. This puts me at a major disadvantage as I then have to go to some nice coffee shops or a great gelato cafe (Talenti's on Knox street) for free Internet access (T-1 BTW), and get some of my work done.

They have signs in the lobby advising of free local and long distance phone calls, free Internet service, lots of free amenities. But NONE of these are available for Priceline Customers. I could live without the local and long distance phone calls as I have a cell phone, but the cell phone reception is completly dead at this hotel. Even standing by the windows.

This is a very whinney post - not my most upbeat post... but.... well.... darn... I am just venting. Hope this wasn't a waste of your time reading this post. Just to be a little well balanced and give some positive advice for staying in the DFW area - the BEST value for breakfast is at the Park Cities Hilton near the Tollway and NW Hwy. They open at 7 a.m. during the week - and serve until 1 or 2 p.m. on the weekends. For $12.95 you cannot beat the variety and quality offered. The Apple Smoked Bacon is very good! Not sure if it is on the Akiens or SBD - but hey, its a great breakfast value. Parking Hint at the Hilton: Arrive early and park in the office building parking lot on the East side of the Hilton for free - just 20 steps from the entrance of the Hilton. Otherwise they only have valet parking and you can wait sometime for them to retrive your car (especially if it isn't a Beamer or Bently ~laughter~) Hmmm, OK, if you don't want to travel a few miles to the Hilton, try the Market Center Cafe at Market Center & Harry Hines - just a few blocks away. Reasonably good food, nice service and local folks too.... OK, since this post is rambling on, the other great REALLY great breakfast place is the Mecca at Harry Hines and Lombardy (just north of NW Hwy). They open at 5-6 a.m., close at 1-2 p.m. - and they have meeting rooms if you need to have an early morning meeting with others. They serve breakfast family style in the meeting rooms, which hold 6-12 people. You can reserve the rooms (upstairs) in advance, and there is no charge in using the rooms. Great for early morning relationship building... my clients are always impressed that I invite them to a working meeting at 7 a.m. The Mecca is a well known insitution in Dallas that everyone appreciates.

From a whinney post to advertising ... sheech :)

Check-In Date: Sun, Mar 14, 2004

Check-In Time: After 03:00 PM

Check-Out Date: Mon, Mar 15, 2004

Check-Out Time: 12:00 PM

Your Offer Price: $36.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 1

Subtotal: $36.00

Taxes & Service Fees:

$11.41

Total Charges: $47.41

[thereuare]

If all customers get free phone calls and internet (not just those that are part of Wyndham by Request) then i think you have a legitimate complaint. I would take some print-outs from Priceline's website that states that you'll be treated just like any other guest and show it to the hotel manager. If on the otherhand these 'perks' only apply to Wyndham by Request members than i don't think you have a gripe (although i think this is a bad business decision on Wyndham's part).

Just how early to you try to check-in? If you get the same attitude everytime you call ahead, i would just start showing up... you're always more likely to get your requests honored in person than over the telephone.

I'd also encourage you to copy/paste some of your above comments to the HOTEL REVIEWS section of the board.

[joe3721]

When we request early check-in, it is about noon-1 when we ask to check in. We always call ahead to see if the hotel was booked the night before. If the hotel was reasonably full the night before, we understand the 3 p.m. check in. However, when we are told the hotel is near empty the night before - as often is the case - then delaying our check in until after 3 p.m. "just because we are Priceline customers" is just plain rude - and not a very good business ploy.

The Shearton Suites across the street always extends ALL benefits to us when we stay there, even if we are not part of the frequent flyer program. They also let us check in as early as we want - and have checked in as early as 8 a.m. with no problems or extra cost. BTW, that is where we stay if we can't get suitable Priceline reservations. When it comes to spending non Priceline monies, we spend it with the hotels who make us feel like one of their own.

You are right, we should post in the Hotel Review section - was just unaware of it. There policies towards Priceline Customers seem to be driven by their management - so we felt explaining ourselves on a consumer board like this is probably a more effective use of our expressions. At least it makes us feel better reaching other customers directly....