The Steel Guitar Forum

I hate to say it but I wish I had not gone to the ISGC in ST. Louis this year. Here's why! I made reservations seven months ago and had my confirmation letter. When I checked in at the Millennium I was told I did not have a room. I told the lady at the desk I had my confirmation letter. She said it didn't matter there were no rooms
Some, well I will not tell you what I called her, but some lady came out to talk to me. She told me the Hotell management told reservations to over book this year by 10%. They sent me up the street to the another Hotel they had a room for me their she said and they would pick up the tab for one night. The other Hotel only had me a room for one night and after that I would be on my on. The front desk told me they had about 200 people from the millennium come down that had confirmation letters. So who knows how many had resirvations that did not get a room a the millennium. Because of this I missed the friday night show and Bubby Emmons. I went back over to the MIllennium and told the lady I was going to set on the front desk until a manager came out to see me. You talk about a place that could care less about the customer the Millennium is it! Well to make a long story short a manager did come out to talk to me I told him we were going to camp out in the front lobby unless he found me a room. He told me he would have me one Saturday night. They did but the weekend was over for me. We did not have fun this year at the ISGC because of the Millennium!!!!!
If Scotty can't do something about this for next year this will be my last trip to the ISGC. Who in their right mind would drive 8 hours no knowing if they had a room or not?? I think it's time the convention move to a better city anyway. After all the Millennium has never been know for it's customer service or ST. Louis for its hospitalety I think next year I will go to Dallas were they know how to treat people!!! <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by bob drawbaugh on 02 September 2002 at 07:06 AM.]</p></FONT>

Yeah Bob, they tried to pull the same stuff on me. I refused their generous offer to send me down the street. I got a room, but it sure clouded over my weekend. No parking validation either as I was told the hotel parking garage was "full".
I guess I should have registered a formal complaint with the hotel and Scotty. Maybe if we did as a group, it
would have more effect. I don't think I'll go back unless I can be assured that this won't happen again.

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jerry Overstreet on 02 September 2002 at 07:40 AM.]</p></FONT>

Now There`s A BLACKEYE for the Millinieum Hotel,as well as St.Louis . Maybe we can find a better place. Maybe here in Lake Charels, La. We have a large Civic Center, Lots of Hotel`s . Just thinking outloud.

R.l.

Jerry, I didn't talk to Scotty, but I did talk to the people at Scotty's music. They were about as much help as the millennium. I will be calling Scotty in the next few days and will follow up with a letter to Scotty and the Millennium. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by bob drawbaugh on 02 September 2002 at 07:54 AM.]</p></FONT>

You might also consider writing complaints to The Better Business Bureau, The Dept. of Consumer Affairs, any hotel associations, the Chamber of Commerce, and if there is a St. Louis organization of tourism. The Millenium may just get bombarded with these complaints and hopefully, somebody's head will roll.

If all this doesn't work, go back there next year three days before the convention. Carefully hide raw chicken parts in the public areas that are the most populated. Couches in the lobby make wonderful nesting places that readily absorb and retain the rancidness. After a couple of days there will be plenty of rooms available.....reservations not needed... <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by HowardR on 02 September 2002 at 08:40 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by HowardR on 02 September 2002 at 08:43 AM.]</p></FONT>

I had 3 rooms reserved at the Millenium. I had 3 seperate room confirmations. I called 2 days prior to the convention and was told I only have 2 rooms reserved. After giving them the 3 seperate room confirmation numbers they still insisted I only have 2 rooms. Fortunately I didn't need the 3rd room and would have had to cancel it anyway.
I think the standard procedure of overbooking is where the problem lies.
Maybe the convention rate visitors are expendable?
Dennis <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dennis Detweiler on 02 September 2002 at 04:50 PM.]</p></FONT>

I also am upset I thought the rooms were 79bucks a night, I got charged 89 and the gal wouldn't budge. Also down in the south resturant I waited for almost an hour for a pizza Saturday night. The two brain surgeons working there moved so slow you had to post a stake to see them move. Plus one kept leaving every five minutes. I think we will go elsewhere next year. We went to the Marriot for a couple meals and the food and service were better, plus you can stay there for the actual 89bucks a night. I have had better times at convention.

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1985 Emmons push-pull, Session 500, Nashville400, 65 re-issue Fender Twin, Fender Tele

Hi Everyone,

It is with alot of sadness that I hear of a hotel pulling this type of BS. Did you all guarantee the reservations with a credit card??

That sometimes gives me a little more leverage when running into a situation like this. Again, I am not sure if you did guarantee but if you all did and that it the result, I would not only contact the manager of the hotel, but all Starwood which is the corporation which owns the hotel.

I thought that the service was so-so and the restaurant was short staffed as we had to wait 15 minutes one morning for them to "clean up" several tables.

They could do a better job, but despite the hassles the convention was great.

Regards to all

Mark T.

Forunately, our reservations were OK, however the service at the hotel was substandard as it always has been in the past. FYI-stay away from the Hyatt Regency at Union Station. That place would make a great slurry store (manure pit) for a large hog operation.

This is a serious and legitimate problem. You should pursue it!

All you guys that have a complaint, follow HowardR"s post, send letters to these BB and to Scotty to make him aware of the situation.

You should not have to put up with this kind of treatment.

I have not been to St.Louis in years. I didn't see Reece on the schedule and am puzzled about that. I know he plays at Dallas....al

Yes, and I was only kidding about the chicken parts.....but it does work...

Well I did have a reservation and a room, but it was booked @ $69 and I was charged $79...The hotel is about as poor as one can get..the food was overpriced huge and not very good. The elevators were slower than a snail. I think the right thing to do is notify the exec office of Millenium, there are plenty of them, go right to the top, start there, then let them trickle it down as they see fit. I met a few folks who also had rooms reserved and when they showed up..."NOT"....

tp

Hey Dennis; I don't normaly complain about anything, but every night I smelled cigarette smoke strong in my room. It seemed to be coming from the vent in the bathroom. It almost made me sick and I had trouble falling asleep because of it. Seems to me they have made some of the rooms smaller. The room we had needed to be fixed up. Some of the cost problem is not the Hotel's fault. The city of St. Louis is taxing everything to the extreme. Our reservations were OK, but we got there Thrusday evening. Last April we went on a trip to St. Louis and stayed in a motel out by the airport. Fantasic big room, clean and new, free parking and the cost was $39.00 for 2 people. This was a small town, not actually in St. Louis. I think a real part of the problem is that St. Louis is taxing everything out of business. We went to the mall down town and half the shops were vacant. Government can't bleed businesses to death. None of the hotel problem is Scotty's fault. Just my opinion!

We got there at 5:00 on friday afternoon and still had to set up our booth. We had reserved one standard king room/no smoking/arch view for friday and saturday nites. When I got to the front desk to check in, the middle eastern fella told me that they had given out all the king bed/no smoking/arch view rooms. I thought oh boy here we go again because I had called the day before and confirmed my reservation. Here's what they did, and I didn't have to even ask. He said we are sorry about the room so we will be putting you in a $289 per night Cabanna Suite by the pool for the same original booked standard room price of $79. What a cool room! large living room, two bathrooms, extra large king bed, VERY LARGE JACUZZI big enough for about 4 skinny large breasted women plus myself. Only thing was, I had my wife and nine year old daughter with me. So I sent them (my wife and daughter) down the road to the Motel 69, (We'll leave the red light on for ya). No really, I'll have to do the three on one thing next year. Ha!! But this room even had a good view of the arch and was right out the sliding glass doors about 20 steps to the pool. Way Cool!!! Had a great time until Saturday nite about 12:30 AM when I passed some more bits of kidney stones, OUCH!!We had to leave early on Sunday about 10:00 but all in all had a good time. By the way, there is a TGI Fridays as well as a GREAT place Called Calaco's about 3 short blocks away from the hotel so don't waste your money eating there next time if you DO come back. Also I did have to pay the $15 a day parking but what the heck, it was worth it. WC Edgar/www.toteseat.com

I made my reservation back in April, backed it with a credit card and confirmed it 2 more times over the months, and again as recently as 2 weeks ago.
When I showed up to check in on Friday night, 15 minutes before Buddy Emmons started things off, I was told they had no rooms, they were sold out.
Of course you're sold out, I know that, that's why I have a reservation, I replied.
No, we gave out all the rooms already, there are no more available.
Emmons was about to start, I ask you, how would you feel right about now?
Right, I WOULD NEVER STAY AT THE MILLENIUM AGAIN!!!!
Here's the kicker....they did "make up" for it by sending me down 2 blocks to the Adams Mark Hotel and even paid for the first night and it was a great hotel!!
The food was excellent, no lines and LOTS of elevators.
If Scotty insists on booking that horrible dump The Millenium again, I'll stay at the Adam's Mark again in a heartbeat!
p.s. I even checked in in time to rush back and hear 3/4 of Emmons' set!

We checked in Thursday, no problem.
Arch view, non-smoking King Size, confirmed in April for $79 a night. Parking was $15 a night.

Sorry to hear about these problems. I drive 13 hours to get there. I had a great time, but that would have been a different story if my reservation was screwed up.

Something's gotta be done or we're not coming back!!

I noticed that the non-smoking section of the main hall had more cigarette smoke than before. I saw no one smoking in the non-smoking area. I suspect the ventilation was set different than past years.

-j0ey-

Joey, apparently the problem didn't start until late Friday afternoon.
The story I heard was that some other group of people extended their stay into the weekend and rather than kick them out after their allotted time, the Millenium granted them a longer stay, thereby killing the (new)reservations that started on Friday.
All the people in line ahead of me were getting bumped and all the people after me were too.
I have done an awful lot of travelling in my years and have NEVER had that happen before.

Well, If I don't get a response from Scotty I will not go to the convintions in St. Louis ever again. Lets face it now there are shows all over the country that are as good if not better thatn St. Louis. The same guys play at all of them so I don't have to put up with this kind of service. I recived an email from a fellow that wants me to try Dallas next year. He said he would foot the bill for the Hotel if I would. He said I would never go back to St. Louis after the Dallas show. I have never been to the Dallas show, but I may go next year. Sounds like they know how to treat folks down in Dallas. I know one thing they couldn't treat you any worse in Dallas. Can I get an amen. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by bob drawbaugh on 02 September 2002 at 04:07 PM.]</p></FONT>

I would like to see the whole thing to moved to Nashville with an actual building to house the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. I really have no interests in the attractions of St. Louis.

I too am thinking about Dallas next year. The attitude at the Hotel was BS. I am still upset about it. For what the hotel charges for everything they should be kissing our butts. We bring a lot of money to that place every year. I can take mine somewhere else.

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1985 Emmons push-pull, Session 500, Nashville400, 65 re-issue Fender Twin, Fender Tele

Hi Bob Drawbaugh:

I think next year I will go to Dallas were they know how to treat people!!!

Before you drive to Dallas next year, check to see it ISGC is being held there first.

I only say this jokingly because I can understand your frustration.

I wonder if this would have happened the same way had 9/11 NOT occured? It seems to me that 9/11 has had many unusual impacts on our economy and this may be one of its subtle ones.

I've never been to St. Louis or Nashville (I have been to Dallas) but when you think about it, the city that holds the ISGC really doesn't matter as long as it's centrally located.

I think there's other things at play here and we should give St. Louis the benefit of the doubt; after all the ISGC has been held there for many years.

Regards,
Al Gershen

Al. I don't think 9/11 had anything to do with the way some were treated by the Millennium,it was just bad customer service 101. If the ISGC does not do something they are giving us the same bad customer service. The service has allways been bad at the Mellennium regardless of what their name was

Frank, I'm with you move it to Nashville. Do you know that Scotty took a vote on moveing the convintion to Nashville a year or so ago. very few people wanted to move. I don't know why? It could only be better for the convintio in my book.

Yep, I had the same trouble, I hadn't planed to go but flew up at the last min. Was treated so badly at the hotel that I turned around and flew right back after lunch at the Chinese resturant down the street. No food, (at the hotel)no hospitality,no rooms, etc., and witnessed several other folks going through the same thing. All very hacked. Me? I enjoyed the flight there and back and got to log some nice flying time but would have wanted to kill if I'd have had to drive in heavy traffic to and from Nashville.
I am seeing some great suggestions on future shows here though. This forum is a great inspirational thinking machine. I love it! Thanks again Bobby Lee!

I have never been to Scottys Show in St. Louis and from what I have been Reading I don't think I'll go. I was going to go Next year but seeing my freind Tony Palmer even got the shaft after calling two or three times and they still pulled the BS. I think my mind has been changed to Dallas Show.
Sam White

Well, I didn't go, but "bait and switch" is all too common in hotels. What usually happens is this, Mr. Dorf books his room 3 months in advance for $79 a night. Convention day comes, and Mr. Bucks asks if there are any rooms. Desk clerk says "Mr. Dorf of the hillbilly music convention hasn't arrived yet...I could give you <u>his</u> room, but it's $175 a night". You got it...Bucks gets the room, Dorf is "out in the cold", but who cares? This convention is one of hundreds they book each year, and if 20 or 30 of those "hillbillys" get stiffed, so what? The hotel has full booking, and they've made a few grand extra from the "Mr. Bucks" guests. The convention-rate "losers" are chosen to be crapped on because they're "O.S." guests (out-of-state), and can't hang around to cause trouble.

I had the same thing happen at the "Historic Inns of Annapolis", right here in Maryland.