I am a regular visitor to seasons botanic gardens Hotel in Melbourne but the Wotif.com madness struck again.
I booked using wotif.com after negotiating with them last week that I didn't have to have the hotels photocopy and keep on file my photo ID... and on previous occasions have found Wotif to be cheaper than this hotels particular websites prices [how crazy is that??]
The only disadvantage [I can't think of any others at the moment] of living in Perth is that you fly out at midnight getting to Melbourne and Sydney really early... and most hotels RULES say check in is 2pm!!. So on Friday I arrived at 7am and couldn't get a room even though I could have booked one for Thursday night meaning they had rooms free but "Rules are Rules!"
Well a half reasonable compromise was a shower in the pool area - oh the smell of chlorine is so good early in the morning!
Well a half reasonable compromise was a shower in the pool area - oh the smell of chlorine is so good early in the morning!
Wotif Madness Kicks In! Yes Mr Mansfield, you have stayed with us many times BUT Wotif say unless you gives us photo ID you cant get into your room.. "I have stayed here before, many times, you know me..." and the reply was "But it's not our rule... it's wotif's rule" Blood pressure raising.. "Ring wotif and they will confirm I am a trusted client.." and the response was astounding "We cant do that...."
Now, just to put this in perspective Seasons HAVE ON FILE my details, regularly charge on CC for functions at $1000 plus a time and THEY ARE LETTING WOTIF inconvenience THEIR [the hotels clients] clients.
wotif has become the 1000 lb gorilla.
Anyway I have had enough and I demand my luggage back, refund my money [we cant do that! Rules you know mmm] and get ready to move out of the hotel.
Commonsense approaches in the form of Lei Mifsud Seasons General Manager and sanity returns... and she convinces me to "enjoy her hotel" and she fixes the "rules{" issues.
Apparently the "Enforcement of Wotif's ID" is a recent event with threat of non payment if hotels don't strictly enforce it. Also with the Global Financial Crisis really biting hotels, and wotif being the biggest supplier of customers, staff are told to strictly enforce the guidelines - sorry RULES.
Apparently the "Enforcement of Wotif's ID" is a recent event with threat of non payment if hotels don't strictly enforce it. Also with the Global Financial Crisis really biting hotels, and wotif being the biggest supplier of customers, staff are told to strictly enforce the guidelines - sorry RULES.
Thanks to Lei's commonsense approach I have stayed the night - I am writing this from Room P307...
Please join me in two things:
Please join me in two things:
1. don't allow companies like wotif.com to enforce practices that make us targets for fraud and ID theft
and importantly, for this incidence,
2. stay at season botanic gardens melbourne next time you are here in Melbourne and say "Wayne sent me!' Use the hotels website and Lei says your rate will be the best possible.
Special Note: apparently Wotif.com's CEO still too important to address this matter... I have received any correspondence at all from Robbie Cook...
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