Avoid LaQuinta hotels

[tkim]

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When I arrived with my *confirmed* reservation, I was informed that the hotel was overbooked and that I would be staying somewhere else. Though they were apologetic and paid for another room, it's *not* what I want to encounter while on the interview trail. It's already stressful enough.

Take your business somewhere else.

 

[4424]

tripadvisor.com has good reviews on hotels...

 

[NDMD]

That situation happens occasionally and it sounds like the hotel handled it professionally. A lot of worse things could have happened.

 

[TheWowEffect]

When I arrived with my *confirmed* reservation, I was informed that the hotel was overbooked and that I would be staying somewhere else. Though they were apologetic and paid for another room, it's *not* what I want to encounter while on the interview trail. It's already stressful enough.

Take your business somewhere else.

I have stayed in LaQuinta and it was a pretty good experience.

That situation happens occasionally and it sounds like the hotel handled it professionally. A lot of worse things could have happened.

Ditto👍

 

[mig26x]

I stayed at a La Quinta Inn in FLorida last tuesday to wednesday and didnt encounter any problem!!

 

[tkim]

So I checked into it more, and apparently hotel overbooking and moving people to other hotels is called 'walking'. It's neither illegal or unethical, according to this article:

http://www.mybusinesstravel.com/advice/ombudsman/advice.php?id=7695

La Quinta adhered to usual practice of making arrangements for another hotel room nearby and did me one better by paying for other room in its entirety, not just the difference in room prices.

So I guess they did right by me.

Still, I would have appreciated a little 'heads up' before driving in at midnight the night before my interview.

 

[cdql]

I'd agree with you tkim

It may not be illegal or unethical

But it's still uncool esp if you're out on the interview trail

Out of curiousity, anyone ever had something occur like this at a big name hotel? (e.g. Hilton, Hyatt, etc...) Maybe this is a problem with smaller chain hotels?

 

[tkim]

I'd agree with you tkim

It may not be illegal or unethical

But it's still uncool esp if you're out on the interview trail

Out of curiousity, anyone ever had something occur like this at a big name hotel? (e.g. Hilton, Hyatt, etc...) Maybe this is a problem with smaller chain hotels?

The linked article implies that it is an industry-wide practice, so much so that there is pretty much a standard procedure to follow when it happens.

 

[Pox in a box]

So I checked into it more, and apparently hotel overbooking and moving people to other hotels is called 'walking'. It's neither illegal or unethical, according to this article:

http://www.mybusinesstravel.com/advice/ombudsman/advice.php?id=7695

La Quinta adhered to usual practice of making arrangements for another hotel room nearby and did me one better by paying for other room in its entirety, not just the difference in room prices.

So I guess they did right by me.

Still, I would have appreciated a little 'heads up' before driving in at midnight the night before my interview.

Speaking of ethics, why did you broadcast that one should avoid all La Quinta Inns? That was one person's experience at one La Quinta Inn. Should I say to avoid Delta because they delayed a flight and caused me to be a bit off schedule, should I say to avoid McDonald's because their fries were a bit stale from sitting under the warmer too long and didn't taste as good as normal, etc.? My point is that you are basically saying to avoid this chain based on your one experience (which apparently they gave you a very good option...albeit annoying). I hope your patients don't tell other people to avoid you if you are running a little slow in the office. Just something to think about before you give a blanket general statement to a large public audience (especially when it may just be a local phenomenon to begin).

 

[tkim]

Speaking of ethics, why did you broadcast that one should avoid all La Quinta Inns? That was one person's experience at one La Quinta Inn. Should I say to avoid Delta because they delayed a flight and caused me to be a bit off schedule, should I say to avoid McDonald's because their fries were a bit stale from sitting under the warmer too long and didn't taste as good as normal, etc.? My point is that you are basically saying to avoid this chain based on your one experience (which apparently they gave you a very good option...albeit annoying). I hope your patients don't tell other people to avoid you if you are running a little slow in the office. Just something to think about before you give a blanket general statement to a large public audience (especially when it may just be a local phenomenon to begin).

Very good points. However, you may or may not note that when I found out that this was a standard and accepted practice, I posted as such. Or would that have gotten in the way of posting *your* little rant?

 

[docB]

Speaking of ethics, why did you broadcast that one should avoid all La Quinta Inns? That was one person's experience at one La Quinta Inn. Should I say to avoid Delta because they delayed a flight and caused me to be a bit off schedule, should I say to avoid McDonald's because their fries were a bit stale from sitting under the warmer too long and didn't taste as good as normal, etc.? My point is that you are basically saying to avoid this chain based on your one experience (which apparently they gave you a very good option...albeit annoying). I hope your patients don't tell other people to avoid you if you are running a little slow in the office. Just something to think about before you give a blanket general statement to a large public audience (especially when it may just be a local phenomenon to begin).

Interesting question. I say "Yes." you are supposed to base your decisions as a consumer on your experiences. You may decide that one problem will not make you give up on a particular chain but someone else might. That's how the market is supposed to work, if they make you happy you buy from them again and if they don't you don't. I would also point out that chains benefit from their associations with other fanchises. If I like McDonalds I'll go to a McDonalds I've never been to before based on that. So it's fair to go the other way and skip a chain store based on a bad experience too.

 

[TheWowEffect]

I think this thread should be closed since the issue at hand has been dealt with. 😎

 

[tkim]

Sounds good.