I'm a smoker as well, and I know that if you book online, sometimes you're told that room types can't be guaranteed. I called the reservation line and booked a confirmed reservation several weeks in advance, confirming with a credit card. I received confirmation for a King Suite, Smoking for our trip. It was more than an 8 hour drive from our home in Myrtle Beach, SC to Orlando, Florida. When we arrived, we were told by the desk clerk that OUR ROOM WASN'T AVAILABLE B/C A PRIOR GUEST HAD EXTENDED THEIR STAY AND A MANAGER HAD APPROVED THIS. They offered a Queen Smoking suite. Now, I wasn't going to make a big deal about a queen bed verses a King bed and it was a "suites" hotel, so, I was unhappy, but agreed to accept the Queen Suite.
Only one problem - when we got to the room, it WASN'T A SUITE. I called downstairs, very unhappy. Was told nothing else was available and they'd let us know when OUR RESERVED ROOM BECAME AVAILABLE. A day later, we still weren't in our confirmed room. When I reaced another employee, we were told we couldn't have our ORIGINAL ROOM BECAUSE A PRIOR GUEST HAD LEFT A SUITCASE IN THE ROOM AND UNDER FLORIDA LAW, IF A SUITCASE IS LEFT IN A ROOM, THE HOTEL CAN'T BOOK IT TO ANOTHER GUEST FOR 2 DAYS.
We'd also booked this hotel b/c it advertised on the web site that it had a video arcade - a good amenity when you're traveling with an 11 year old. Problem? False advertising. The hotel doesn't actually have a video arcade. The one time my husband tried to take the 11 year old swimming at the outdoor pool, they found it so dirty that my hubby didn't think it would be safe for my son to swim there.
The night before we were to leave we got a call that our original suite was available and the room was right next door to the one we were in. My family was off at Disneyquest for the only "entertainment" we had time for in our trip. There was no point moving for several hours. Also, we'd seen another guest coming and going from the room. GUESS WHICH EXPLANATION WAS THE TRUTH?? I doubted the second one from the get-go because I'm from Myrtle Beach - also a tourist town - and couldn't imagine that the hospitality industry wouldn't be up in arms over a law that allowed a guest to hold them hostage by simply leaving a suitcase behind.
I emailed Hilton the night we arrived to tell them we were very unhappy. Hilton did nothing. The hotel never even offerred to book us into another hotel that would offer the accommodation we reserved and confirmed but didn't get at Homewood Suites. Turned out the hotel had nonsmoking suites available. I suggested they move us and that the hotel pay for any cleaning costs to deoderize the room from my "smoking" but they refused to do that.
DON'T STAY AT HOMEWOOD SUITS. IN FACT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO AVOID HILTON ALTOGETHER. This hotel doesn't honor reservations and Hilton Doesn't have any honor.
Only attraction here is the location for convenience to UCF. But location isn't everything. It's worth driving a few miles to stay at a hotel where the room you book and confirm with a credit card is the one you'll get.
