[SMCARA] An alert to our membership who travel

[Jim Wieldt]

I recently completed a trip to stl where I have occasion to overnight twice 
in a Holiday Inn Express in Columbus Ohio.  It was pleasant and met our 
expectations.  At one of our stops in the one in Columbus, the person who 
checked me in asked if I was a member of the IHG Rewards Club and I said no. 
He replied that it would be no problem to enroll me and went on with a host 
of potential benefits, free room after so many booking etc etc.   I 
accepted.

When I later made a reservation at  a Holiday Inn Express in Springfield, 
OR, I didn't bother to read the fine print since I rarely do that and after 
all, this was a Holiday Inn etc.   It seems that when you book online and 
through your membership in IHG Rewards Club which must save you a few 
dollars a day, there is some fine print that you are likely to miss.   It 
reads as follows:
==============================================================
Deposit and Cancellation Policy  - YOUR RATE by IHG® Rewards Club Advance

Deposit Policy:   A deposit for the entire stay is due at time of booking.

Cancellation Policy:  Canceling your reservation or failing to arrive will 
result in forfeiture of your deposit. Taxes may apply.

 I understand that there are penalties associated with canceling some types 
of reservations. I have read the cancellation policy and agree to the terms.
==============================================================
The deposit is by the way for the charge for your entire stay,  be it one 
day or a month.

I learned this the hard way when I had to cancel due to my wife's sudden 
illness.  I suppose that there might have been other options like revising 
the reservation into the future but that was not on my mind at the time.

Nearly 900 dollars down the drain, a bitter lesson indeed.  I am as you can 
imagine, finished with any and all affiliates under the IHG.

I might be a little old and dumb about how things work but maybe one or more 
of you will benefit from my experience.  Read the fine print and 
cancellation policies on everthing you run into out there when you travel.

Regards, KC3WJA  Jim in St Inigoes