We had just had a lovely couple nights at a beautiful resort and I was brushing my teeth, looking over our next stay’s itinerary and getting ready to check out when I had that sinking feeling. “What day is it?” I asked the hubby.
“Thursday.”
Not Wednesday?
“No. It’s Thursday.”
Oh (insert multiple child-unfriendly terms for dire problems). We were supposed to check in at the other hotel on Wednesday, which was actually the night before. Minutes later I was on the phone with the new hotel explaining my stupid mistake. I think the miscalculation came because we weren’t really going to spend the last night in the hotel room and I forgot that it still would count as a day-we had a flight that left at 10pm and I thought this way we could use the beach and have a place to clean up so instead of booking Thursday-Monday I had booked Wednesday to Sunday. Oops. The response I got on the other end? “At least you can check in as early as you want today.” I asked if there was anything else they could do to help us because we would still be without a place as of noon on the Sunday until we boarded the plane at 10pm. We were told we could check back on our last day for late check-out and he said we had a pretty good chance.
After a few lovely days of travels and adventures around Lahaina (We drove the road to Hana and took an amazing Molokini cruse with Four Winds that was so kid-friendly!) Sunday came and while the family ate breakfast I trudged up to the same guy at the desk who had heard all my sob stories. “Hi, it’s me again.” I started. Two clicks on the computer later. “Sorry, someone has booked your room. We don’t have late checkout.” Okay. Is there anything you can do to help us out? “No sorry.” I didn’t even ask about if we could leave our luggage there because it felt like I was asking too many questions and he didn’t want to help me figure out a solution so it didn’t feel like it would be safe. I felt absolutely crest-fallen and headed back to breakfast.
Thankfully the hubby helped me make the best of a 250 dollar+ mistake. After breakfast, we packed up and went to baby beach which was absolutely lovely. The boys frolicked and swam in the shallow, calm waters and played with some other kids(the beach was FULL of young kids under 5!) and the hubby and I formulated a plan. We headed back to our hotel and checked out promptly at noon.
And what does one do with hours of time and a trunk full of luggage?
You drive to Heleakala National Park.
Meet some goat friends on the way.
Climb some stairs with your sweet brother.
Peer over the edge of the world.
Put your hands in the clouds.
Catch bikers drafting in the rear-view mirror.
Watch whales jumping in the ocean from your car. ( You’ll have to take my word for this one. I have no good pictures but watching whales as you drive the coastal highways is absolutely breathtaking!)
And have a lovely last dinner in a restaurant with a big window where you can see the hubby watching the kids at the playground while whales splash you a good-bye until next time. (This was the pizza restaurant at the Maui Ocean Center in Kihei, where we’ll definitely spend more time next visit.)
So even though it was disappointing that this hotel was not helpful at all when I made a huge and costly mistake, I’m so thankful we didn’t spend the day at their beach as I originally planned. I would have missed out on so much beauty and such an amazing adventure. And I’m thankful the hubby didn’t let me mope.
(PS. Because I was so sad when I arrived at breakfast, the hubby called to talk to the manager at the hotel and was told she would call him back. We packed up and she still hadn’t called back an hour later so he called back and was told she wasn’t in the office yet. When she finally called his cell when we were at baby beach, she hadn’t even heard about our case. Thankfully, she told my husband that we could leave our luggage at the office that day to help us out. We declined, but that was the most hospitable offer we received at this hotel and that was all we had really wanted in the first place-some little gesture to show that they would try and help a traveler stuck in an unfortunate/unpleasant situation. And yes, I realize it was my mistake. Definitely my mistake. Has anyone else ever double-booked a hotel or made mistakes in your bookings and how did you handle this mistake?
PPS. We were also charged for parking for the day we weren’t at the hotel which was a little salt-in-the-woundish on top of it all.)
Ugh, I hate that sinking feeling! Glad the day worked out all right and you guys had some fun! Lame on the hotel chain though on not trying to do at least a little something. You can’t be the only one who make such mistakes. I know, because I have too. Thankfully we were relatively close to home and we just ended the mini-break a little early.
I totally debated posting this one, but I know how much where you stay and the people you deal with impacts a trip so much. We travel a lot and I’ve never been treated in this way especially when I was already feeling so awful and I wanted to hear how other people dealt with this kind of thing. So thanks for letting me know you did this too;)
You are so positive, T. I’ve done that twice – accountants are supposed to be able to count. That happens when the kids are small or when the people you travel with are old. It’s an awful feeling, but you just pay for it, and figure it into the total bill for the trip, and go on….You did the right things: made the best of it. I love the pic of B in the clouds. Haleakala is amazing! Bike-down when the kids are over 12 – you’ll love it!
Your blog always makes me think and it’s such an easy mistake to make. Wait until your parents are over 60 – wait a minute….and you have to take them one day….!!
Thanks!