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Holiday Inn Complaint - Dont be fooled by HI rewards program - Rewards program
Complaint
A very bad phone conversation just occurred with me and a foreign representative trying to pass themself off as an American named Ann.
Well, "Ann" believed that Boston was in Texas, that was my first hint that my complaint was not going to go far. As for being transferred to a representative in the USA, that wasn't going to happen. My complaint stemmed from the bait and switch rewards program that Holiday Inn has. My eleven days spent at the hotel chain were not going to count because it was booked through a third party process. This was not at all revealed on any of the sign up page or where any normal individual would see this. Not till you went to terms and agreements in fine print and buried in three pages of text do you find this. Normal booking rates were twice the amount that a third party would give, but I did select Holiday Inn as my preferred choice, thinking that I was part of a rewards program. Please don't sign up for this program unless you would like to pay top rate price to earn a free night down the road. I am disappointed that this occurred, I would have liked Holiday Inn to be my first choice when booking.
Well, "Ann" believed that Boston was in Texas, that was my first hint that my complaint was not going to go far. As for being transferred to a representative in the USA, that wasn't going to happen. My complaint stemmed from the bait and switch rewards program that Holiday Inn has. My eleven days spent at the hotel chain were not going to count because it was booked through a third party process. This was not at all revealed on any of the sign up page or where any normal individual would see this. Not till you went to terms and agreements in fine print and buried in three pages of text do you find this. Normal booking rates were twice the amount that a third party would give, but I did select Holiday Inn as my preferred choice, thinking that I was part of a rewards program. Please don't sign up for this program unless you would like to pay top rate price to earn a free night down the road. I am disappointed that this occurred, I would have liked Holiday Inn to be my first choice when booking.
Comments:
Posted by Justice-4-All on 2011-01-30:
The rewards program is a joke. I too love to stay at Holiday Inn's. Well, the Holiday Inn Express to be more precise. But you NEVER seem to accumulate enough nights or points to earn a free stay. They always seem to have an excuse for it though. There excuse for me was that each hotel you stay at has a different rate of exchange for the point value system. I straight out asked them how many nights in a row I would have to stay in order to receive a free night. Simple enough? NOT! They kept saying, it all depends on each hotel you stay at and redirecting the question.
VERY GOOD REVIEW!
VERY GOOD REVIEW!
Posted by jktshff1 on 2011-01-30:
Just before Christmas I cashed out $300.00 in gift cards from HI. No problems. Ya gotta deal with and understand the system.
Posted by Justice-4-All on 2011-01-30:
I still stay at their chains, because I enjoy the quality of their service and rooms, but I gave up on the points system. I'll transfer mine to jktshff1:)
Posted by Obsfucation on 2011-01-30:
Did you ever cross your mind that maybe Ann thought you said Austin? Which is, indeed, in Texas.
When my brother and his wife had their twentieth wedding anniversary, I used my HI points to send them to Australia, so they're OK in my book.
When my brother and his wife had their twentieth wedding anniversary, I used my HI points to send them to Australia, so they're OK in my book.
Posted by Justice-4-All on 2011-01-30:
Obs> +100 on the keen annunciation observation. I would've never picked up on that one.
Posted by Obsfucation on 2011-01-30:
Thanks DIRM, I'd like to claim to be astute, but truth is that I am from Boston and that has happened to me on occasion.
Posted by Ben There on 2011-01-30:
Austin and Boston get mixed up a lot because they can rhyme depending on how you can say it.
Posted by Linda10 on 2011-06-14:
My sentiments exactly. I am going back to Choice Hotel Brand. At least I can talk to someone when I have a complaint.
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