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The St. Regis Aspen Has No Qualms About Charging Joe Sharkey Cancellation Fees

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 315 E. Dean Street [map], Aspen, CO, United States, 81611
October 14, 2008 at 9:15 AM | by | Comments (5)

Joltin' Joe Sharkey, the NY Times Business Travel columnist, is not excused from hotel cancellation fees. In his recent column, he gripes about having to cancel a business trip to Aspen where he was going to attend an aviation conference.

He had booked two nights at the St. Regis Aspen which had negotiated good rates for the conference of $414.29 for two nights.

Yet when Sharkey had to cancel the day before, the hotel told him that they would have to charge him the "whole enchilada" because he had missed the cancellation deadline which was two weeks prior.

Had I known that the St. Regis in Aspen confiscated the full two-day rate, I would simply have made a reservation elsewhere.

Not even speaking with a Starwood rep got his money back. Sharkey then went on to interview our old friend Scott Booker of Hotels.com who shed light on some of the fees that hotels are charging these days.

Still, none of this helped good ole Joe who was out $714.29 from a business trip (that's including his airfare) that he didn't take.

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Return to » The St. Regis Aspen Has No Qualms About Charging Joe Sharkey Cancellation Fees


Business Travel Columnists Don't Read Rate Rules?

"Had I known that the St. Regis in Aspen confiscated the full two-day rate, I would simply have made a reservation elsewhere."

Um... did he not read the reservation details before booking that would have spelled out the cancellation policy? Did the hotel not provide them? Why do people think the rules don't apply to them after they've agreed to them at the time of booking?

CourtneyMay on October 14, 2008 at 9:33 AM #Permalink

Sorry Joe...

But I'm with Courtney on this one. You canceled your trip at the last minute and didn't read the fine print... What did you expect?
pbb on October 14, 2008 at 9:53 AM #Permalink

Joe Sharkey is a loser

Joe Sharkey is a typical business traveler d bag. When you make a reservation, you expect the hotel to have a room for you. Likewise, the hotel expects you to use your reservation.

People make plans to go to a destination resort (like above) weeks in advance. Cancelling at the last minute puts the hotel at a disadvantage of having rooms to sell on short notice. Quit yer belly achin' dude.

HighOccupancy on October 14, 2008 at 10:19 AM #Permalink

poor joe

he gets no love from you people! however, i do agree. he needs to read the fine-print and i am a little shocked that he didn't. he's a business traveler journalist.

on another note: that negotiated rate for the St. Regis is a good deal. thats like $207 a night.

juliana on October 14, 2008 at 11:30 AM #Permalink

No love ...

Joe is just continuing to spread the misconception that being stupid should give you an exception.
And the worst part is that he is in a position that should know better.

A co-worker of mine claims "American's think none of the rules apply to them while Canadians think that they all do."

CourtneyMay on October 14, 2008 at 5:43 PM #Permalink

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