Hotel Flexibility for Special Requests

[d.m.k]

Because of allergies, I need to book a Non-Smoking room. There is no option to bid for a Non-Smoking room on Priceline and there are no Non-Smoking hotel booking options for hotels in Manhatten on Hotwire. If I book a room through either of these websites and, by chance, get booked into a Smoking room, is calling the hotel to change it to a Non-Smoking room going to be a problem? Has anyone encountered a situation where the hotel was so rigid on the amenities that were booked that they would not change? Since this is a critical option for me am I better off booking with a hotel directly?

Right now I am looking for a 4 Star in Midtown East on Hotwire for $249/night from Oct 09 to Oct 14. The options seem to be the Barclay, the Omni, or the Hyatt. I see a post here that someone recently booked the Barclay, a Non-Smoking hotel, for the same rate from Oct 9 to Oct 13. What are my chances I will get the Barclay if I book my selection on Hotwire?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

There are times when smoking/non-smoking and bedding requests aren't albe to be met. See the related links in our PRICELINE FAQ for threads pertaining to this topic.

If this is a must and you're not able to accept any risk in receiving a smoking room, then booking a hotel direct with the hotel is your best bet. (assuming no HOTWIRE hotels are showing with the Smoke Free icon)

However, if you can accept a little risk, HOTWIRE hotels can often be deciphered using the star rating, amenity combinations, and other information shown before your purchase... if you can identify the property beforehand and know it's a smoke free hotel, then you should be ok as well. Of course the risk here is that we/you have guessed correctly :)

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[AaronJB]

As someone who also suffers from allergies, I definitely sympathize.

How about this:

Stay 2 nights, get 1 free

The above is a "Stay 2 Nights, Get 1 Free" deal for Starwood Hotels. What you would look at is 10/11-14 for this, and a non-smoking room at the Sheraton NY and Towers is $399 for 10/11-13, and 10/14 is free. $399 x 2 = 798 divided by 3 nights = $266 per night non-refundable.

Orbitz has the Club Quarters Rockefeller Center for $217 for the last two nights. While they do not list whether rooms are NS or S, since you are booking at full rate, I would think that they would be more receptive to requests. Use coupon code FABSAVE10 on Orbitz for 10% off per night, which makes this about $195.30 per night.

If this is of interest, please use the site's link to Orbitz.

$1188.60 would be the total for 3 at the Sheraton and 2 at the CQ. Divided by 5 nights = $237.72

The Sheraton would be only a few blocks away from the CQ.

[AaronJB]

Option 2:

1. Intercontinental Barclay via Orbitz for $315 per night for 10/9-12. Use coupon FABSAVE 10 for 10% off = $283.50 per night non-refundable.

2. Orbitz has the Club Quarters Rockefeller Center for $217 for the last two nights. While they do not list whether rooms are NS or S, since you are booking at full rate, I would think that they would be more receptive to requests. Use coupon code FABSAVE10 on Orbitz for 10% off per night, which makes this about $195.30 per night.

The total for this would be $1241.10 - divided by 5 nights = $248.22 per night.