Now. Not later, not tomorrow...NOW
As Anthrocon barrels quickly towards us, I'd like to shout out a quick reminder to all room-holders that in case you have not yet done so, now is in fact a very good time to call up your hotel and confirm that your reservation is still in the system and for the date range you wanted.
The hotels are staffed by very kind and trained staff, but as they are human, and the technology they use to book/hold your room was made by humans, there is certainly room for errors to happen. Misspelled names, wrong dates, wrong digit in your confirmation number, etc. Stuff can happen. With AC right around the corner, it is best that you call up and make sure everything is in order. If there is a mistake, depending on the error, there is still time to correct it now. Besides, do you want to work out problems now, or at the registration desk when you arrive at the hotel?
I called up an hour ago and confirmed that my reservation is in the system. They only needed my last name and arrival date, but it couldn't hurt to have your confirmation number handy in case your name was misspelled somehow in the system. That happens a lot with hyphenated names, for example.
For the sake of the people depending on you to make sure they have a room to sleep in, please call and confirm as soon as possible. It's not just a good idea, it is the responsible thing to do.
I always confirm my reservation a few days after I make it, and a few weeks before my arrival.
This being 2011, I no longer have to phone the hotel each time- I do them online. And, in fact, sometimes I check more often now, since I can do it online and not bother people. Before, I used to check twice, and if there was a problem either time, check a few days later again after that one.
By all means, call once and let them know what time to expect you (within a 3-hour range is fine) so they know what time of day/night you are expected. ("I'm arriving on the evening train, so I won't get there until 8pm-9:30pm..") They know you're coming and won't risk reassigning the room.
When you arrive at the front desk, have your ID handy, and all your reservation information printed out (on a printer is better, neat printing is acceptable), including reservation#. I like to approach with that sheet in hand, with all the hotel information and only that. I walk up, announce I'm there to check in, and flourish the paper slightly. Most desk clerks prefer to speak to you and look things up, but a few are happier-and more efficient- if you hand them the reservation# and name, and let them get typing. (If you're shy, this is also the way to get things moving.) I've yet to have a front desk problem at any AC hotel, and yet to have any serious problem at any front desk at any stay- except when they had trouble finding my reservation, before I began confirming before the day of travel....
I have double-checked my registration in the past, sometimes by phone and sometimes on line. Last night I entered in my confirmation
number to the Westin site and it said basically no such registration. Entered credit card number, same result. I went to my credit card
account and it said that they'd charged me $150 deposit as of about 2/5 or so (reservation made just after 9 am on 2/2, actually).
So this morning I called the Westin Pittsburgh and gave them my confirmation number and name. Yes it WAS on their system. I told
them, good, I just wanted to make sure, and I said I was concerned that the info (and I _did_ enter the numbers in correctly) online
had no sign of me having a reservation. But yes, they do have me down there.
The idea of printing out the conf. email is good. So here it is about 2 weeks and 2 days before I arrive at the Westin and I have
"peace of mind".
The most common problems we encounter are (in order):
1) The credit card used for the deposit was declined, and despite both the hotel's and my efforts we could not contact the card owner,
2) The hotel has no record at all of a reservation having been made, and the person claiming to have one also claims not to have been given a confirmation number.
3) The person has a confirmation number, screams furiously at the people at the Doubletree, only to discover that the reservation was actually made at the Omni.
4) Someone is part of a roomshare and the person whose name is actually on the reservation is late or fails to show up at all.
Which goes back to another rule of mine...
When calling customer service reps, no matter how irate you are, start with the assumption that what happened is a little mistake, and that the mistake is quite likely one that you made. I get a lot of mileage by calling up and saying, "Hi. I've been having this problem, and i'm sure i'm just doing something wrong but i wonder if you could help me..."
Then i just keep persistently asking polite questions until we figure out what the problem is.
I re-verified my reservation about a month ago. This is always good advice, though.
Also, if you're going to arrive later in the evening (around midnight, in my case), it's a good idea to tell the hotel that so they know not to just give up on you.