SargeW
Site Team
It's funny how these things come around. And still people cannot communicate clearly. A little back ground.
After attending last years Moab rally and having a great time, we went into the office along with several other attendees to make a reservation for this year. Which we did. A few months later, when we abruptly sold our motor home and went back to a 5th Wheel, which we thought was forever : we called Portal and told them we would not be attended the rally, and wanted to cancel our reservation.
Diane made the call, as she does most of our reservations. She talked to a VERY aggressive female employee who told her that cancellations were not permitted, and we would be charged the full amount of our reservation (one week I believe.) Diane, not knowing what to say, hung up and came and told me. I was clearly upset with Portals attitude.
I immediately called back and spoke to Doug, the owner. I quoted him the text from Ardra's post here on the forum.
If you plan to come to our rally, please make your reservation early. If you decide six months from now that you cannot attend, it's easy to cancel, but it may not be as easy to get a site if you wait too long. This year Portal was full every night during our rally. We'll do it the same way we have in previous years, e.g. everyone makes their own INDIVIDUAL reservations. We do not make group reservations like some of the more formal organizations such as FMCA. This causes some confusion because Portal knows us as the RV Forum. The owner, Doug, has been very accommodating by allowing us to register as individuals but treating us as a group so we can use the pavilion for happy hour and by putting on a dinner for us. Portal likes having us and we like going there, but there have been a couple of issues regarding Portal's cancellation policy. Betty Brewer, Jerry and Ardra met with Doug and we have agreed to the following arrangement that we hope will work for everyone.
Each person needs to call Portal to make their own reservation. Portal's cancellation policy is that individuals can cancel up to 48 hours in advance of arrival without incurring charges for the entire time. Group reservations cannot be cancelled without being charged for the entire reserved time. We are not set up with Portal as a formal group. Our agreement with Doug is that we in the RV Forum will try to fill any cancellations within the RV Forum. Doug realizes that we've been doing this informally but we are now making it formal. I will be starting a list of attendees. When you make your reservation, please let us know within this topic. If you need to cancel your reservation, please let us know immediately within this topic so that someone else can take your reservation. Doug requests that you please not hang on to your reservation for weeks thinking that it will help another RV Forum person. If no one in the RV Forum speaks up and wants to take over your reservation within two days (not weeks!) please cancel right away because Portal needs to know if sites will be empty so they can fill them with non-RV Forum visitors.
He told me that this was a policy that he was going to change and that he would talk to Ardra about it. He consented to cancel my reservation based on the previous understanding. This was about 8 months prior to the event.
Fast forward and I find myself in another MH, this time for the long haul. We decide to return to the Moab rally and call Portal for a reservation. Which we did get. The resort side was not available, which we totally understood, but asked to be put on a waiting list. We got the confirmation via e mail within minutes.
Today, we get back from picking up the RV, and Diane showed me an e-mail from Portal. The text of which is included below.
Marty,
We noticed after booking your reservation yesterday for next May that you had a flag that was missed when the reservation was made. The flag stated that you cancelled during a major event and that you were not understanding (very upset) to the reselling of your site. Over major events we have a zero cancellation policy that is stated in your email confirmation and as a help for those canceling we try our hardest to resell the site. Because of this situation that did arise we are canceling your reservation that was made October 21, 2013 for the dates of May 11 through May 16 2014.
Regards,
Jane
What a load of crap. Obviously Doug is not happy with the arrangements he has made with the RV Forum group. We attempted to abide by the letter of the conditions he had set forth, and this is what it got me!
That's OK, there are LOTS of places to stay in Moab, I can always find someplace to go. Just beware if anyone is going to cancel a reservation at Portal, it may very well be your last visit!
After attending last years Moab rally and having a great time, we went into the office along with several other attendees to make a reservation for this year. Which we did. A few months later, when we abruptly sold our motor home and went back to a 5th Wheel, which we thought was forever : we called Portal and told them we would not be attended the rally, and wanted to cancel our reservation.
Diane made the call, as she does most of our reservations. She talked to a VERY aggressive female employee who told her that cancellations were not permitted, and we would be charged the full amount of our reservation (one week I believe.) Diane, not knowing what to say, hung up and came and told me. I was clearly upset with Portals attitude.
I immediately called back and spoke to Doug, the owner. I quoted him the text from Ardra's post here on the forum.
If you plan to come to our rally, please make your reservation early. If you decide six months from now that you cannot attend, it's easy to cancel, but it may not be as easy to get a site if you wait too long. This year Portal was full every night during our rally. We'll do it the same way we have in previous years, e.g. everyone makes their own INDIVIDUAL reservations. We do not make group reservations like some of the more formal organizations such as FMCA. This causes some confusion because Portal knows us as the RV Forum. The owner, Doug, has been very accommodating by allowing us to register as individuals but treating us as a group so we can use the pavilion for happy hour and by putting on a dinner for us. Portal likes having us and we like going there, but there have been a couple of issues regarding Portal's cancellation policy. Betty Brewer, Jerry and Ardra met with Doug and we have agreed to the following arrangement that we hope will work for everyone.
Each person needs to call Portal to make their own reservation. Portal's cancellation policy is that individuals can cancel up to 48 hours in advance of arrival without incurring charges for the entire time. Group reservations cannot be cancelled without being charged for the entire reserved time. We are not set up with Portal as a formal group. Our agreement with Doug is that we in the RV Forum will try to fill any cancellations within the RV Forum. Doug realizes that we've been doing this informally but we are now making it formal. I will be starting a list of attendees. When you make your reservation, please let us know within this topic. If you need to cancel your reservation, please let us know immediately within this topic so that someone else can take your reservation. Doug requests that you please not hang on to your reservation for weeks thinking that it will help another RV Forum person. If no one in the RV Forum speaks up and wants to take over your reservation within two days (not weeks!) please cancel right away because Portal needs to know if sites will be empty so they can fill them with non-RV Forum visitors.
He told me that this was a policy that he was going to change and that he would talk to Ardra about it. He consented to cancel my reservation based on the previous understanding. This was about 8 months prior to the event.
Fast forward and I find myself in another MH, this time for the long haul. We decide to return to the Moab rally and call Portal for a reservation. Which we did get. The resort side was not available, which we totally understood, but asked to be put on a waiting list. We got the confirmation via e mail within minutes.
Today, we get back from picking up the RV, and Diane showed me an e-mail from Portal. The text of which is included below.
Marty,
We noticed after booking your reservation yesterday for next May that you had a flag that was missed when the reservation was made. The flag stated that you cancelled during a major event and that you were not understanding (very upset) to the reselling of your site. Over major events we have a zero cancellation policy that is stated in your email confirmation and as a help for those canceling we try our hardest to resell the site. Because of this situation that did arise we are canceling your reservation that was made October 21, 2013 for the dates of May 11 through May 16 2014.
Regards,
Jane
What a load of crap. Obviously Doug is not happy with the arrangements he has made with the RV Forum group. We attempted to abide by the letter of the conditions he had set forth, and this is what it got me!
That's OK, there are LOTS of places to stay in Moab, I can always find someplace to go. Just beware if anyone is going to cancel a reservation at Portal, it may very well be your last visit!