Hotel reservation question...

[CurtInKS]

Ok all, I wasn't sure where to post this but I figured you all would have some advice for me.

I have a bit of a situation. My wife and I are taking our girls to KC in a couple of weeks, for a dance competition our oldest daughter is in. My wife and I can't agree on whether or not we already reserved a room. She thinks we have, I don't think we did. The problem is, neither of us have a clue, and I'm kinda freaked out that we are going to reserve a room, and get double charged for not showing up this phantom reservation. We really can't afford an extra $400.00. It would crush us for the month.

I've called about 15 hotels within a couple of miles of the Municipal Auditorium up there in KC mo, and no one has a reservation in my name. That makes me feel a little better, but I'm still pretty freaked out. I thought about canceling my debit card tomorrow, tell the bank I lost it and have them issue me a new number, and try and stop it. I know that's not completely honest, but would it work? If not, I may just have to take the chance, and try and fight the charge, I guess. Any advice?

[LuciluS]

I honestly could not find my debit card one morning. If you saw our office you would know why. In the process of filing income tax returns and Bankruptcy.

I had a copy of it in our fireproof safe. I called the phone # on the bank and explained. They cancelled it immediately and told me to call my local bank, which I did. They told me to come in the next day. I found the card later on in the evening. I went to our local bank, told the lady who knows me what happened and she immediately printed me off another debit card and shredded the other one for me as it was no longer usuable.

Luci

[relief13035]

Being in the hotel business, I can tell you that we love "NO SHOWS". It's free money. So if you are in doubt, you might want to get a new card. Some hotels run an authorization at time of reservation so make sure you check your account for any holds.

[lrprn]

I have a bit of a situation. My wife and I are taking our girls to KC in a couple of weeks, for a dance competition our oldest daughter is in. My wife and I can't agree on whether or not we already reserved a room. She thinks we have, I don't think we did. ... Any advice?

Most hotels will send an email reservation confirmation when you reserve a room over the phone or online. Are you absolutely sure you didn't receive one?

Also if your wife is 'sure' a reservation was made, who does she remember making it? Was the reservation made online or by phone? If it was made online, then that would require an email address - see my idea about checking all your email accounts for a reservation confirmation.

One last idea - many hotels will put a temporary hold on your card to reserve the room until you check in - ask your bank if there are any holds on your account for a hotel.

Hope you get things figured out soon.

[JRScott]

Actually most hotels only send an email if you request it. (They will also only mail you one if you request it).

Unfortunately its been a few years since I worked for one of the chains, just work at a single hotel now, I don't believe it is possible to use their databases on a citywide level to find your reservation if it exists.

Personally whenever I have no shows at the end of the night I double check to make sure they aren't checked in before charging the card. And on occasion I have found them checked in but for some reason they had a duplicate reservation with a slightly different spelling to their name.

That could be an issue here as well. It is possible that the person who took the reservation went with how they thought your last name should be spelled instead of the more accepted policy of having you spell it out and them confirming it.

You might check your cards and see if any hold against it for the property that should tell you who it is.

[Flamingo]

What hotels are recommended by the operation running your daughter's competition? Did you utilize any of those because those would be the ones I would first check with to see if a prior reservation was made. If you are really desperate in trying to find out and if you know the time period when this supposed prior reservation may have been made, check your cell phone dialed numbers or you can obtain the numbers dialed from your house phone easily through your phone company and you can see whether or not you called anyplace in the KC area prior to your recent checking on this possible prior reservation. Also, if you guaranteed the room on your debit card, if you did make the reservation the hotel has run through a check through on the card to ensure it is valid (a friend on the hotel business told us most places do that). You can contact your bank and see if they had any traces or inquiries run through by any hotels. If you called that many hotels in the area, you probably do not have a reservation or someone would have had a confirmation number somewhere and one of those hotels would have had something. The last resort is what everyone states - get a new debit card. Best of luck to you and I hope your daughter does well!

[CurtInKS]

Alright all, I am saved! Turns out, it was a mix up, and one of the hotels I had called earlier in the day, was the one. It was odd. I had booked it directly with the hotel(Marriott), and when I called Marriott's main customer service number they didn't see it in their system. But when I called the one I have actually booked with, they had it. Thank you all so much for the input! It saved the day!

[JRScott]

You're welcome.

Marriott Worldwide which is what 1 800 MARRIOTT number goes to has employees of varying skill. They generally have a high turn around and employ college students. (I know used to work for them). It is always better to call the hotel directly.

Glad you sorted it out.