MSTA Forums

Thread Archive => Past STAR discussions => STAR 2016 => Topic started by: Iguana Joe on April 12, 2016, 04:37:04 PM

Title: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: Iguana Joe on April 12, 2016, 04:37:04 PM
I just got off the phone with The host hotel at STAR 16, they are booked and the only thing left available anywhere ( per them) is a studio condo for about triple the price. If this is true I will not be attending. I am just posting this to see if there is any other course of action known by the EC or others on this subject. Also to let anyone else who had to wait for verification regarding their vacation time know that we are too late.

Dennis, Ann, Etc. are you aware of this? Also are there contingency plans in place?

Thanks
Iggy Joe
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: stevegrab on April 12, 2016, 04:41:30 PM
Joe,

Just a tip, but a direct email to Dennis, Ann or anybody else is likely to get a quicker answer. I had heard back in January (through the grapevine) that it was likely we'd fill up the available rooms that were blocked, so I booked earlier than usual.

And as always it is possible the hotel made a mistake with something and are not really full.
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: DirtFlier on April 12, 2016, 06:04:24 PM
["....And as always it is possible the hotel made a mistake with something and are not really full...]

I agree.  It's not unusual for hotel people to see all the blocked rooms and assume those are not for us.
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: Iguana Joe on April 12, 2016, 06:56:21 PM
I have gotten in touch with Ann via messenger, She is looking into it as they had not been informed. The person with whom I spoke said that they had sold out the block of rooms, sold out the other rooms and the overflow hotels. The only option I was given was a "studio condo" for almost 300 per night. I am waiting to see what Ann finds out. I have been looking forward to our "honeymoon" trip to VT, as has Anita, so hopefully it is a mistake. Will keep everyone informed.

Iggy Joe
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: Iguana Joe on April 13, 2016, 11:30:18 AM
OK I must apologize to the EC and the group for going to this forum before I got in touch, privately with Ann.

MEA CULPA!

There are no rooms at the Black Bear, but there are still options available ( I just booked at the Lift Line Lodge). The EC really came thru in a timely manner, and I can only presume that the person I spoke with from the Hotel was misinformed or something. The person I spoke with today was extremely helpful and got everything done in a very timely manner!

See Y'all in VT in June Woo Hoo
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: touringman on April 13, 2016, 12:04:11 PM
Don't feel badly Joe. I received the same information several months ago from a clerk who was obviously not well informed. I am amazed that they haven't educated their representatives by now :-\ . Syd
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: bcd on April 13, 2016, 01:08:44 PM
I can't tell you how often I've gotten an incorrect answer from a hotel employee somewhere. It always pays to double check with the organizer and find out if there's a specific person to ask for.

Kudos to Ann and the EC. See you, Joe!
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: TN2Wheeler on April 13, 2016, 03:26:32 PM
I can't tell you how often I've gotten an incorrect answer from a hotel employee somewhere. It always pays to double check with the organizer and find out if there's a specific person to ask for.

Kudos to Ann and the EC. See you, Joe!
You're not exactly dealing with rocket scientists and in many cases you're not even dealing with someone who gives a crap. It just a job,  usually one with low pay and crappy hours.  There are exceptions of course but on average...
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: STbob1300 on April 13, 2016, 07:32:28 PM
I booked our room at Black Bear on April 4. Spoke with Sarah. She was very expedient and had us booked in no time.
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: Patmo on April 13, 2016, 08:51:54 PM
Glad to see that you got it handled Joe.  See ya there!
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: stevegrab on April 14, 2016, 06:03:55 PM
I can't tell you how often I've gotten an incorrect answer from a hotel employee somewhere. It always pays to double check with the organizer and find out if there's a specific person to ask for.

Kudos to Ann and the EC. See you, Joe!
Very true, and the first thing I usually do is directly contact the event organizer. I would have had to think about who that is for STAR, Dennis or Ann would be my first choices.
Really sucks that some of the these places cannot get their act together, be it better reservation systems or better employees. It is usually larger operations, run by huge megacorporations. I never have this problem at somewhere like the Allegheny Inn (where Tri-STAR is held in Sparta NC) or the tiny Glenn Ferris Inn in WV that I've stayed at many times. Heck John at the Allegheny Inn remembers many times when I call to book my room.
Glad you'll make it Joe & Anita.
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: boatanchor on April 19, 2016, 08:55:16 AM
"There are no rooms at the Black Bear, but there are still options available ( I just booked at the Lift Line Lodge)."

Does anyone know if the Lift Line Lodge has air conditioning???
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: Bocephus on April 21, 2016, 12:16:46 PM
I just got off the phone with The host hotel at STAR 16, they are booked and the only thing left available anywhere ( per them) is a studio condo for about triple the price. If this is true I will not be attending. I am just posting this to see if there is any other course of action known by the EC or others on this subject. Also to let anyone else who had to wait for verification regarding their vacation time know that we are too late.

Dennis, Ann, Etc. are you aware of this? Also are there contingency plans in place?

Thanks
Iggy Joe
Just called a few minutes  ago (April 21 @ 11AM) and was told that  the Black Lodge was totally booked but there were rooms available at Liftline Lodge for $59.00 plus tax per night
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: STLTHMSTA on April 22, 2016, 03:30:22 PM
If the Black Bear Lodge is the "main" building then I have a 2 queen room available there for Sunday night to Thursday morning that I won't be using. I will now be bunking up with another member and won't need this room. If interested give me a PM and we'll work something out to change the reservation to your name.  Tom McKiernan
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: RIDEMYST on April 22, 2016, 07:42:03 PM
Keep in mind that there are no bad rooms per the Stratton Mountain map. -JEP-
https://msta.smugmug.com/STARPhotos/STAR-2016/i-J34bBfh/A (https://msta.smugmug.com/STARPhotos/STAR-2016/i-J34bBfh/A)
Title: Re: Booking room at Vermont STAR NOT!
Post by: boatanchor on April 27, 2016, 11:30:02 AM
I just made my reservations for the Line Lift Lodge. Tom, I will contact you in the future regarding your room if it is still available. I did not want to muddy the waters with the hotel after I had just made reservations before I saw your post.