At one time, not so long ago, some hotels/motels set aside a room or two just in case an out-of-town family needed a room while in town for a funeral service.
In fact, on one occasion our room rate was discounted considerably when the reservation person realized why we were attempting to book a room for a couple of nights. We received condolences when we booked, and again when we checked in. The staff told us there was always a room available in such circumstances if the reason for our visit were relayed at the appropriate time.
Recently it didn’t take long to find out there would be no room available at any of the “inns” on the two nights we sought accommodations to attend a funeral.
Employees at the eight or so hotels I called were apologetic when they told me, “sorry, we’re completely booked that weekend.” Then they offered ideas where we might find a room, a suite or even a long-term stay apartment.
I was excited when one kindly soul found a room for one of the nights and could give me a discount: $500 plus taxes and fees, for only one bed. But there was a microwave, full-sized refrigerator, ironing board, hair dryer, free parking, free WiFi, and muffins and juice in the morning.
When I gasped at the price, I was informed I wouldn’t find anything cheaper on a Friday night in this community because there was a huge religious convention in the city and rooms had been scooped up by the convention planners.
I was too shocked to ask what the price might have been before the discount but the clerk didn’t hesitate to tell me that her hotel and every other one nearby raised room prices to take advantage of a captive audience of thousands of convention-goers. That increase was in addition to the higher rates charged during the tourist season, and did not include taxes and a variety of fees to make everyone but the traveller feel better about the travel business.
I chided the clerk a bit about forgetting the regular travellers who support the business, asking if those folks didn’t deserve some consideration, or maybe a room that was set aside for families travelling due to bereavement. She wasn’t receptive to having an extended conversation with me.
After several more telephone calls and searches through various online booking outlets, I finally found a room for the second night of our journey. The rate was more than the hotel usually charges and CAA meant nothing but I was so happy that I signed up before someone else edged me out of my room.
But what do we do on that first night? Show up on the doorstep of friends and relatives? Nope. Or park in the Wal-Mart parking lot, recline the seats and bunk in the SUV for the evening? Nope. How about leaving home really early on the day of the funeral and hope we don’t have car trouble or sleep through the alarm and arrive late at our destination? Nope. None of those options appealed.
How about a motel in another community, an hour or so away? One call later and I had a room, a guarantee that the community’s sidewalks only rolled up after 8 p.m. and that restaurants were open in case we checked in late.
I liked her attitude: “we can always find a room in an emergency.”
And in this fairly new establishment, we are not paying $500 but are still receiving all the amenities offered with that previously-mentioned room. We get breakfast to take with us and I have been advised to leave a bit early just in case the traffic is heavy closer to our destination.
Now that is true customer service and an incentive for us to tell our friends and to stay there again.
I do wonder, however, if we would have been shooed away from the Wal-Mart parking lot!!
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
