How to make request after winning PL hotel bids?

[GoingCA]

Understand that there could be a few options:

1) Call the hotel

2) Email

3) At check-in

For options 1 & 2, how many days/weeks ahead would be appropriate?

Though I know that there's no guarantee, what are considered reasonable requests and success rate and factors of the following requests:

a) twin beds (2 beds) instead of a bed (may be small)

b) high floor

c) not near elevator or stairway or ice machine - quiet room

d) non-smoking

Thank you.

[cindy324]

Usually, it would depend on the hotel whether they will try their best to accomodate you. So far, I was pretty successful in getting the rooms I wanted. One area I bid on all the time and usualy get the same hotel, is very accommodating with requests. For example, they have these great poolside rooms , which they gave me numerous times upon request.

A good time to call ahead with requests is probably the day before check in, and the usual response is that they'llnote your preferences, but cannot guarantee anything.

[dahammer]

I usually try to call in the early afternoon and get the name of the desk clerk and ask to add my reward number (Marriott Rewards, Hilton HHonors, Starwood, etc) to the reservation and ask for a non smoking room with two beds. If you get any resistance, just move on and call another day when you could get a more accomodating clerk. Good Luck!

cindy324 welcome to BetterBidding, can you let us in on the hotel with the great poolside rooms? :) can you get a WiFi signal on the chaise lounge by the pool? :)

[cindy324]

It was the Holiday Inn Somerset, NJ and also the Crowne Plaza Somerset (formerly Somerset Plaza) They both have a few of these great poolside rooms with a sliding door and a patio. Last summer , they told me that I have to pay $20 extra per night for those rooms (I did, since I paid so little for the room to begin with, $35 :) ) This year, they became Crowne Plaza, and the guy at the front desk gave it to me upon request, at no additional cost!

Really those rooms are sold at a higher rate at the Holiday Inn. The first week we went, we got a room on the second floor, after being told there was nothing available on the first :) Then we went to the pool, and saw those rooms lined up along the poolside. So I went to the front desk, by then shifts have changed, and asked a different girl if I can switch rooms to there. She said no problem.

The next week, I was checking in with a guy, who basically gave me a real hassle, but then gave in when I told him how much we appreciated that room the weekend before with the kids running in and out of the pool to use the bathroom, etc. Plus I had booked 3 rooms, so he relented and gave me one poolside.

Bottom line is, that at certain hotels , it all depends on who is at the counter, and how much they give a hoot about making a customer happy.

And YES, you CAN get WiFi sitting by the pool. DH has an iPod touch, he got a signal no problem! :o