I posted something about this in the Conrad Hong Kong thread, but I think this actually deserves its own thread. There seems to be a troubling new development where properties (either intentionally or due to an IT glitch, I'm not sure) are only making standard accessible rooms available for standard awards. I've noticed that this is now the case at the Conrad Hong Kong, and I've recently read two other reports on FT about this, at the HGI Marina Del Rey and at the new Hilton Bangkok Sukhumvit.
I've personally checked award availability at each of these properties, and it seems that, so long as standard accessible rooms are available for booking:
1) Only standard accessible rooms are available for standard awards
2) The regular standard rooms, even though they are the exact same rate as the standard accessible rooms (and available for revenue reservations), are not available for award booking
3) Almost all room categories above standard rooms are available for premium awards
I find this a very troubling development, and unless this is some sort of IT glitch, am concerned that HHonors is allowing properties to play around with award availability in this fashion.
I realize that some may say, (i) we can go ahead and book the accessible room and let the hotel know that we do not really need it and (ii) regardless, there is always the chance that we will be assigned an accessible room. However, if the property is fully booked this almost guarantees that we will be put in the accessible room we reserved, and many of us do not like them, particularly in cases where we are using our points (i.e. more likely to be for a vacation, special occasion, or at an aspirational property, where we care more about the room we are assigned than a work trip).
This is certainly not the case at Hyatt, Marriott or Starwood. Starwood is the only other one of these four where you can specially book an accessible room (at Hyatt and Marriott you have to separately request it), and the only time a standard room booking at Starwood would be limited to an accessible room would be if the hotel was sold out of the regular standard rooms.
I'm hoping this isn't something that we will see spread to more and more properties. After this year's devaluation and the recent lowering of executive lounge standards, this is yet another unwelcome development.
I've personally checked award availability at each of these properties, and it seems that, so long as standard accessible rooms are available for booking:
1) Only standard accessible rooms are available for standard awards
2) The regular standard rooms, even though they are the exact same rate as the standard accessible rooms (and available for revenue reservations), are not available for award booking
3) Almost all room categories above standard rooms are available for premium awards
I find this a very troubling development, and unless this is some sort of IT glitch, am concerned that HHonors is allowing properties to play around with award availability in this fashion.
I realize that some may say, (i) we can go ahead and book the accessible room and let the hotel know that we do not really need it and (ii) regardless, there is always the chance that we will be assigned an accessible room. However, if the property is fully booked this almost guarantees that we will be put in the accessible room we reserved, and many of us do not like them, particularly in cases where we are using our points (i.e. more likely to be for a vacation, special occasion, or at an aspirational property, where we care more about the room we are assigned than a work trip).
This is certainly not the case at Hyatt, Marriott or Starwood. Starwood is the only other one of these four where you can specially book an accessible room (at Hyatt and Marriott you have to separately request it), and the only time a standard room booking at Starwood would be limited to an accessible room would be if the hotel was sold out of the regular standard rooms.
I'm hoping this isn't something that we will see spread to more and more properties. After this year's devaluation and the recent lowering of executive lounge standards, this is yet another unwelcome development.