"No room at the INN"

So we booked a number of rooms ($159) at the Holiday Inn, Gillette, WY last July and then this winter found out that they re-booked our rooms to someone else. They offered to reimburse us the $20 (didn't really care about that though...) for the $179 rooms at the new Fairfield if we would go there. Much emailing over the spring with the Fairfield and we got this from the Fairfield management...

On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 1:39 PM, aftab khan <aftabk@hotmail.com> wrote:

[Quote]
Hi,
Our hotel is scheduled to open this month. As soon as it does I will send you confirmation numbers. I have your booking at the top of our list. Please don't worry about your rooms, you have them.
Thanks
Aftab
Aftab Khan
Tower West Holdings LLC,
109 N US HWY 14-16
Gillette, WY 82716
Phone 307-686-2210
Fax 307-682-5105
[End Quote]

OK great. I guess A. Khan didn't send the confirmation numbers, but when called again, said to call a certain staff person and book the rooms. Then this morning when we attempted to book the Fairfield rooms in our own names, the staff person told us that they sold all the $179 rooms since the management didn't share the above information with them, the staff. BUT, we could book the suites at $259 which they had some of. Checking on line, the suites seem to have only one bedroom, plus some extra sitting area. Anyway, $777 plus tax for three nights in Gillette, WY seems like a lot.
We have a chance at another motel there, don't know for sure yet, but I'm thinking...why not just go to the Black Hills rally, maybe stop and wave hi to Gillette on the way to Cody, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, and then off to Paonia.
Also, I guess we could camp...

Jack

What can you say Jack. That sucks!

I learned long ago that "guaranteed reservations" is an oxymoron. What ya gonna due if they don't honor it? The same thing you are doing, making other plans.

But maybe a phone call to Aftab Khan might do some good? It that is his name and if he is still there.

Might also contact Chamber of Commerce and BBB in Gillette if something can not be worked out.

I think we're going to wait a few days and see if the other motel works out. We could also go to still a third motel for sure, but the reviews on line paint a pretty sad picture of that one and still pretty high priced considering.
Then we have been known to camp. I figure it gets cool at night, eh?
We have no fixed plans...ain't retirement great...

Jack,
Welcome the the adventures of Wyoming. Unlike the rest of the country, we are still in a economic boom. Not only are the Rally attendants looking for rooms but so are our workers. Thus, hotels are very hard to find despite the rally. We are the last frontier for many reasons. Wyoming doesn't have all of it's infrastructure to support it's boom. Just remember that the weather out here is perfect for camping most days of the summer. Take a chance to live an adventure here in the Wild West while it's still wild.
By all means, HAVE FUN!

I'm not too worked up about it. Just disappointed about folks not keeping their word. I have had lots of enjoyment visiting and riding in Wyoming. I guess I just never had an inkling to stay overnight in that part of Wyoming.

But that's interesting about the boom. What exactly is the boom due to? Just population increase? Folks tired of the big cities? Sort of sounds like tourists and special events attracted to visiting the last frontier.

Lodging is currently scarce in Eastern WY, especially at prices competitive to much pf the country outside major cities. I wound up with a room (I hope!) in Buffalo some 60 miles from Gillette.

BMW RA is rallying on the UP of Michigan this month and using grounds of a technical college. It also has arranged for dorm rooms to be available for participants at reasonable prices. What a grand idea! Good riding roads too!

[QUOTE=ben721364;335221]Lodging is currently scarce in Eastern WY, especially at prices competitive to much pf the country outside major cities. I wound up with a room (I hope!) in Buffalo some 60 miles from Gillette.

BMW RA is rallying on the UP of Michigan this month and using grounds of a technical college. It also has arranged for dorm rooms to be available for participants at reasonable prices. What a grand idea! Good riding roads too![/QUOTE]

That's why we booked the rooms in July of '07 for July of '08. Rooms are almost always scarce at National Rallies actually. I read once that a rally site requirement was 2000 rooms or more. Usually if you book early there is no problem. The problem here is just poor behavior and ineptness on the part of the motel staff(s). Of course the prices have to do with Gillette somehow...I probably should not have mentioned the prices, but kind of had to since we were being offered suites, but at a price too high to make sense of it all. All sort of options open up when the price gets that high to stay overnight in Eastern Wyoming.

The MOA had that too in Vermont...dorm rooms. And a number of other MOA National Rallies over the years. Nice when there is a dorm nearby.

[QUOTE=cjack;335250]That's why we booked the rooms in July of '07 for July of '08. Rooms are almost always scarce at National Rallies actually. I read once that a rally site requirement was 2000 rooms or more. Usually if you book early there is no problem. The problem here is just poor behavior and ineptness on the part of the motel staff(s). Of course the prices have to do with Gillette somehow...I probably should not have mentioned the prices, but kind of had to since we were being offered suites, but at a price too high to make sense of it all. All sort of options open up when the price gets that high to stay overnight in Eastern Wyoming.

The MOA had that too in Vermont...dorm rooms. And a number of other MOA National Rallies over the years. Nice when there is a dorm nearby.[/QUOTE]

You are right. The earlier one seeks make reservations, the more likely someone is to find accomodations to his/her liking. I made mine in January and hate to think what I might have found had I waited until 3 months before the rally. You commented, "I read once that a rally site requirement was 2000 rooms or more." My recollection is that the site selection check list had a place to note the # of nearby accomodations available for teh rally but no minimum requirement. Maybe I am wrong. It won't be the first time.

I looked at the site selection form. Officially at least there appears to be no requirement for hotel rooms. The form asks, "Hotel rooms within 5 miles: ____ 20 miles: ____ 30 miles: ____ ." Your idea of setting a minimum might be something for our directors to consider in the future. While camping is still a major part of rallying to some MOA members, I think the trend might be away from this tradition of the past.

[QUOTE=ben721364;335311]I looked at the site selection form. Officially at least there appears to be no requirement for hotel rooms. The form asks, "Hotel rooms within 5 miles: ____ 20 miles: ____ 30 miles: ____ ." Your idea of setting a minimum might be something for our directors to consider in the future. While camping is still a major part of rallying to some MOA members, I think the trend might be away from this tradition of the past.[/QUOTE]

I think the availability of room is only going to get worse. With the attendance getting larger at the rallies and the membership getting older, more rooms will be needed in the future. Two places that would have enough motel rooms would be big cities or large vacation destinations. Big cities aren't suitable for a motorcycle rally and vacation destinations are booked up in July and don't have rooms available. They would not hold rooms for a motorcycle rally in favor of their regular customers that return every year. The number of rooms close to the rally site doesn't matter unless they are available at the time of the rally.

The use of dorms at university campuses has merit but the minimum requirements and the size of the rally makes this difficult. Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia might be a possibility. It is a larger university (20,000+) in a rural area near an interstate with a city (Roanoke) within about 30 miles. I-81 goes East/West and nearby I-77 goes North/South so access would be easy for most. Radford University is also nearby (maybe 10-12 miles) that would have additional dorms that might be used. There is great riding in the mountains and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The nearest BMW dealer is about 80 miles away (Hammersley in Lynchburg).

[QUOTE=cjack;335073]So we booked a number of rooms ($159) at the Holiday Inn, Gillette, WY last July and then this winter found out that they re-booked our rooms to someone else. They offered to reimburse us the $20 (didn't really care about that though...) for the $179 rooms at the new Fairfield if we would go there. Much emailing over the spring with the Fairfield and we got this from the Fairfield management...

On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 1:39 PM, aftab khan <aftabk@hotmail.com> wrote:

[Quote]
Hi,
Our hotel is scheduled to open this month. As soon as it does I will send you confirmation numbers. I have your booking at the top of our list. Please don't worry about your rooms, you have them.
Thanks
Aftab
Aftab Khan
Tower West Holdings LLC,
109 N US HWY 14-16
Gillette, WY 82716
Phone 307-686-2210
Fax 307-682-5105
[End Quote]


Why don't you contact Fairfield Properties and tell them about the broken promises? They may be interested in their reputation.

[QUOTE=osbornk;335368]I think the availability of room is only going to get worse. With the attendance getting larger at the rallies and the membership getting older, more rooms will be needed in the future. Two places that would have enough motel rooms would be big cities or large vacation destinations. Big cities aren't suitable for a motorcycle rally and vacation destinations are booked up in July and don't have rooms available. They would not hold rooms for a motorcycle rally in favor of their regular customers that return every year. The number of rooms close to the rally site doesn't matter unless they are available at the time of the rally.

The use of dorms at university campuses has merit but the minimum requirements and the size of the rally makes this difficult. Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia might be a possibility. It is a larger university (20,000+) in a rural area near an interstate with a city (Roanoke) within about 30 miles. I-81 goes East/West and nearby I-77 goes North/South so access would be easy for most. Radford University is also nearby (maybe 10-12 miles) that would have additional dorms that might be used. There is great riding in the mountains and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The nearest BMW dealer is about 80 miles away (Hammersley in Lynchburg).[/QUOTE]

Blacksburg could be a great rally site There are numerous other schools located in areas with good riding roads and easy access. Likewise, there are Winter sports complexes that are underutilized in the Summer, both in the West and in the Northeast. Others can offer other options/suggestions.

The point, as you stated so well, is that "Times, they are changing." Camping is not a major draw to as large a percentage of the membership as it was 10, 20 years ago.

[QUOTE=nortonrt;335370][QUOTE=cjack;335073]So we booked a number of rooms ($159) at the Holiday Inn, Gillette, WY last July.......

Why don't you contact Fairfield Properties and tell them about the broken promises? They may be interested in their reputation.[/QUOTE]

Ok. I didn't contact him myself but that was good advice. I have learned that there is more to the story and feel that we were dealt with fairly considering what I have learned about how the booking attempt was done (by a friend).
So I apologize to Aftab Kahn for thinking he was not keeping his word. And thanks to all who have offered advice and to the help from MOA officials for taking the initiative to get the other side of the story.
See you in Gillette...

[QUOTE=osbornk;335368]The use of dorms at university campuses has merit but the minimum requirements and the size of the rally makes this difficult. Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia might be a possibility. It is a larger university (20,000+) in a rural area near an interstate with a city (Roanoke) within about 30 miles. I-81 goes East/West and nearby I-77 goes North/South so access would be easy for most. Radford University is also nearby (maybe 10-12 miles) that would have additional dorms that might be used. There is great riding in the mountains and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The nearest BMW dealer is about 80 miles away (Hammersley in Lynchburg).[/QUOTE]

I have attended a church retreat on the VA Tech campus in July and while 'only' 1200 or so people came to the event, it was onbvious that the campus could accomodate MUCH more that ime of year. I liked the area, and it seemed like great riding was close at hand.
This same conference has also used Radford in the past, and is currently back at Radford due to some concerns at VAT with preparing the campus for students to return.
But if VA Tech was a candidate for the rally site, I would be in favour. I do not know how well it meets our various criteria, but it seems like a good place.

[QUOTE=cjack;335250]That's why we booked the rooms in July of '07 for July of '08. Rooms are almost always scarce at National Rallies actually. I read once that a rally site requirement was 2000 rooms or more. Usually if you book early there is no problem. The problem here is just poor behavior and ineptness on the part of the motel staff(s). Of course the prices have to do with Gillette somehow...I probably should not have mentioned the prices, but kind of had to since we were being offered suites, but at a price too high to make sense of it all. All sort of options open up when the price gets that high to stay overnight in Eastern Wyoming.

The MOA had that too in Vermont...dorm rooms. And a number of other MOA National Rallies over the years. Nice when there is a dorm nearby.[/QUOTE]

I reserved a room Summer of last year for the Motel 6 in Gillette. I received a rate of $89.99 plus tax. I also received a confirmation number. I called them January-February of this year and made certain they still had my reservation held.

When I called TODAY they had no record of it and the front desk advised that all rooms were going for $139.99, but they are full.

I called Central reservations but they were no help. I finally called Guest Relations and they are looking into it. I can't believe it. My reservations vanished and were replaced by others for $139.99 per night.

If anyone knows of a room available please let me know!

[QUOTE=aperris;346613]I reserved a room Summer of last year for the Motel 6 in Gillette. I received a rate of $89.99 plus tax. I also received a confirmation number. I called them January-February of this year and made certain they still had my reservation held.

When I called TODAY they had no record of it and the front desk advised that all rooms were going for $139.99, but they are full.

I called Central reservations but they were no help. I finally called Guest Relations and they are looking into it. I can't believe it. My reservations vanished and were replaced by others for $139.99 per night.

If anyone knows of a room available please let me know![/QUOTE]

What nights did you have a room?