A family from Cold Lake is questioning Calgary’s “western hospitality” after their hotel booking was unexpectedly and suddenly changed to a much higher rate.
Leanne Varughese booked a room at the Holiday Inn Express Calgary South on April 25. She told Global News her family had never been to the Calgary Stampede and were meeting up with some friends from Eastern Canada.
“I got the confirmation email that my reservation had been confirmed,” she said. “I was set for two nights.”
Two nights — at a government rate — of about $140 a night. She thought she was all set, until June 20 when she received a voicemail from someone stating they were the manager of the hotel.
“Last week, Thursday, I got a voicemail stating that rate was no longer valid,” she recounted.
“That it didn’t apply for the time that I was going to be in Calgary.
“My options were to either cancel or I can accept the Stampede rate — which was $300 more a night than I had originally booked for!”
The voicemail went on to state that the “government rate” which Varughese had booked under was not what the hotel charged during the big event.
Instead, she would be charged $430 a night.
“Calling me two weeks beforehand and telling me that I can either cancel or accept the new rate — I just thought that was unacceptable,” Varughese added.
Global News went to the Holiday Inn Express location in question and spoke to the manager, but we were told any public statement would have to come from parent company IHG.
It was contacted several times, but as of publishing had not responded.
“I feel it’s deceptive,” Varughese said angrily. “It’s just misrepresentation. They knew the dates (of the Stampede) ahead of time.”
Stampede surge in hotel prices
The Calgary Stampede draws hundreds of thousands of visitors a year and hotel prices surge along with demand.
The Hotel Association didn’t want to comment on this case, adding the hotel chain isn’t part of the Association, but did say what happened to the Varughese family was unusual.
Varughese feels it is much more than that and is asking the hotel to reconsider.
“They should be honouring the rate or the price that they have provided their customers,” she said.
“It just feels wrong. Very wrong.”
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