Hotel reservations for Speedweek 2014

[edinlr]

Just made my reservations at the Montego Bay.  Now we just have to hope for good salt and no r***.   

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Dare I ask?  Would you mind sharing details, like how much/night, required deposit (if any), refundable deposit or not, minimum stay requirement - and so on?  It's not that we need to be snoopy, but rather that it's always of interest to see how much it's going to cost to stay during SpeedWeek.  Thanks.

[jdincau]

At the Rainbow for a double queen, non smoking in the west wing, Friday to Friday it was;
Room $1,071.00
tax          171.30
Fee           48.72
Total     1,339.40
All but the fee charged up front and non refundable.
Same as last year.

[nrhs sales]

so right at $200 a night if my math is correct.  frickin robbery when those same rooms go for $50 a night any other time!!

[Briz]

Thats supply & demand for you. The rest of the year they only get a few dusty travelers checking in!
We booked a double room at the Nugget a few weeks ago. 10 nights came out at $1528 all in. They dont seem to have debited any money yet.

[BobDcuda]

Montego Bay rates per their Speed Week package: Thursday the 7th - $99; Friday thru Sunday nights - $259; Monday - $129; and Tuesday -$109.  Friday & Saturday nights are only available in their 5 day package.  Large size rooms with 2 king beds each, makes for decent bunkhouse accommodations. 

[edinlr]

As Bob said above, the rates are higher Friday through Sunday and drop during the week.  Last year I was at a nasty room at the Rainbow with 70's décor, slimy carpet and an airplane sized bath, all for about $250 per night.  Seems like the Montego Bay might be cheaper this year than the Rainbow was last year, now I just hope they don't have black, metallic wallpaper at Montego.

[BobDcuda]

Slim, here's more of what you asked for.  Rooms are prepaid at time of reservation; my visa account has already been charged for today's reservation.  "Cancellation Policy: Forfeiture of Deposit."  However, as we've seen on this site before, there always seems to be someone looking to buy a room at the last minute, and there's always someone that's made a reservation and then they can't make the event.

New for this year:  "For your convenience we (Montego) have implemented a resort fee to create more value for our guests (charged at check-in).  The resort fee is $6.00 plus tax per night per room and includes the following:  complimentary Wi-Fi ($7.95 value); complimentary transportation between the casinos; complimentary access to the gym at Montego Bay; complimentary in-room coffee."   

Seems like we're already paying a fair enough price without that extra stab in the back, er wallet.

[Sumner]

I don't like the high prices for the event but can live with that, but ....

.... Rooms are prepaid at time of reservation; my visa account has already been charged for today's reservation.  "Cancellation Policy: Forfeiture of Deposit."  However, as we've seen on this site before, there always seems to be someone looking to buy a room at the last minute, and there's always someone that's made a reservation and then they can't make the event.....

... when you can't cancel within 24 hours and get your money back that is going too far.  I mean you can make a reservation at about any motel in the U.S. and cancel within 24 hours or less and not loose your money.  If they have charged your card and everyone else now they have all that money for 6 months to invest and make money off of.  Think about the income off of that.

About some looking to buy a room at the last minute.  Sure, but one of these days the event will rain out again as in the past and then try and give that room away.  Do you think they won't rent the room out that you paid for but aren't in?

In the past the Red Garter has let us cancel at any time and not forfeit the money for the remaining nights and last year when we weren't able to arrive until Sunday they move our room charges from Thursday and started them on Sunday.  Not sure what is going to happen with them this year though.  We made online reservations there last Sept. before they shut that down.  We have the rooms but still don't know what they are going to charge us as they are doing a re-model and are going to change their rates.  They are still not taking new reservations as of the other day,

Sum

[SteveM]

Admins / Moderators:

May I suggest that this thread be moved out of the SW 2013 discussion, and possibly be merged with the SW 2014 thread that is taking place in parallel on the Bonneville General Chat forum?

Thanks for your consideration.

Steve

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Okey-dokey. I'll move it/create a proper thread, all on its own, later on.  I've gotta do a bit ofengraving right now.  Thanks for the suggestion.

[gman7]

Last year I had a non-smoking room reserved at the Montego, when I got there they only had smoking room and promised to
move me to a non smoker...it never happened...then I needed to stay 2 more days and the room rate offered in the middle of speedweek dropped to $109. I overheard them offering it to the person next to me. But they would not do the same to me. So on my way home I called American Express,
explained the situation, they opened a dispute, the hotel never answered, I got my money back!
 

[cheeto racer]

New for this year:  "For your convenience we (Montego) have implemented a resort fee to create more value for our guests (charged at check-in).  The resort fee is $6.00 plus tax per night per room and includes the following:  complimentary Wi-Fi ($7.95 value); complimentary transportation between the casinos; complimentary access to the gym at Montego Bay; complimentary in-room coffee."   

Seems like we're already paying a fair enough price without that extra stab in the back, er wallet.

Seems to me they need to look up the definition of complimentary. .

[Milwaukee Midget]

Last year I had a non-smoking room reserved at the Montego, when I got there they only had smoking room and promised to
move me to a non smoker...it never happened...then I needed to stay 2 more days and the room rate offered in the middle of speedweek dropped to $109. I overheard them offering it to the person next to me. But they would not do the same to me. So on my way home I called American Express,
explained the situation, they opened a dispute, the hotel never answered, I got my money back!
 

Amex is really good about that kind of thing - much better than any of the banks dealing Visa or MasterCard.

2006, I had an issue with a Jurys Inn in Dublin - Amex handled it before we got to Galway.  2008, someone grabbed my number in Nashville and charged up an unauthorized political donation to Romney on my card - one phone call and the issue was handled.  2009, a screw-up in Sudbury, Ontario, the hotel had an agreement with Amex - HOT TUB UPGRADE IN THE ROOM.  Last Christmas, someone got ahold of the number in Russia and tried to buy plane tickets - they stopped it, called me and sent me a new card - and it arrived THE NEXT DAY.

Don't leave home without it.

And I won't book a hotel room or a flight on any other card.

[edinlr]

I hate the add ons to the already ridiculous rates some hotels charge.  I was in Dallas recently and had prepaid my room through Hotels.com.  Afterwards the hotel charges my card $40 plus for parking.  I explained that I didn't use parking and they took it off.  Back to canceling hotel charges, I'm not sure you can cancel a prepaid room six months later.  In most cases you would have paid the bill off and even AMEX could balk.  I am wondering if getting trip interruption coverage might be more effective, "it rained and we canceled our trip"?