Some HIFS warnings....

[Esmerelda]

I just returned from a week long trip at Disney with my 2 sons. We were 'supposed' to stay the entire time at the HIFS, as this was my boys pick of hotels. Keep in mind..this was our 5th stay with them so we are very familiar with the hotel.

I had a value trip rate of $98.00 per night. When I checked in, I asked for a room facing the pool for the boys and I felt it was safer also. I was informed by the clerk that there is a $20 additional charge to face the pool?? I asked if this was something new and she says no...this has been our policy for a couple of years now. I then told her this was our 5th stay and we had NEVER been charged an extra amount for a view there? She got very snippy with me...made me sign a form that she had informed me of the rate change..etc. (later found out she charged me $129 per night....which was NOT $20 more...was $31 more per night?)

Also...the policy on the kids eat free has NOW changed also. The kids eat free only from 11:30-4pm not ALL DAY as before.

Needless to say..I was so frustrated by the 2nd day with this and more that I called Disney reservations and got an rate at the Contemporary for $134.00 per night. I then called the desk, spoke to a manager (which turned out to be the snoot from the desk originally) and told her how unhappy I was. She could have cared less and I told her I would not be back to her establishment in the future.

To make the story even more pathetic...the hotel was only 35% full (a staff member told me that tidbit) so they were just out for money as it would seem.

To end my story...we had a FABULOUS time at the Contemporary..(we had never stayed there before) for $5.00 more per night. It was the best vacation we have ever had once we moved.

I hope the above information helps someone else out. I will not be returning to this hotel after my last 5 visits...and yes, I will be writing a nice letter to them

 

[Laurajean1014]

I agree. It's never worth staying outside the parks even if you're talking a hundred dollars more per night!!!!

 

[Kay1]

That would irritate me, too - sounds like they need a new manager. I wonder who you could write who would be able to " counsel " the manager you dealt with. I don't agree that it's necessarily better to stay onsite than off as I like them equally, but the Contemporary is my favorite resort on the planet so I'm glad you ended up there. One thing that does bother me about some offsite hotels is a resort fee. They charge more than other hotels because of the nice ameneties, then charge you again in the form of a resort fee. I don't care how common it is, it makes me feel ripped off. ( The HIFS doesn't do this, of course.) The suites at HIFS are pretty wonderful, aren't they; too bad the manager had to turn you off this way.

 

[Robinrs]

I would've asked for a manager right away. I, too, had clerks who did not give me the answers I wanted at the HIFS, as well as Disney, so sometimes you have to get someone more "customer-friendly". A $20 extra charge to face the pool?? That's absurd. Was the extra $11 tax?

As for the kids eat free policy, that was the deal when I was there in January, also. They got the breakfast buffet, lunch deals, but that all ended as of 4pm.

Regardless, your rate at the Comtempory was incredible! Glad you enjoyed the rest of your trip!

 

[coxan]

Hi I have booked 2weeks holiday at HIFS and was concerned about meals for children, so I have e-mailed them for there details, and I have been assured all meals are free for children. lunch is served until 4pm. and dinner until 10pm which children eat free so I feel happier now that they confirmed what I was expecting ANNIE

 

[Esmerelda]

well..unfortunately..that has always been how it was. But this trip, we went to the Pizza Hut/A and W Rootbeer place in the main hotel area. I ordered and told them that my son's meal was free...they pointed to a new sign that says "kids eat free when ordering with a paying adult from 11:30 thru 4pm and the child must be present at time of order". So, in other words...my son's meal was NOT free.

I hope you aren't counting on that for your budget because this is new to me and this would have been our 5th stay since the hotel opened. They have made several changes or so it would seem.

 

[coxan]

Hi


Perhaps I should keep this e-mail print it and take it with me, or perhaps it is only in the restaurants that children eat free, either way it is disapointing to hear that people are not happy for what ever reason, with a hotel we have booked with.

 

[MrsMud]

Hi. I am no authority by any means, but I'm pretty sure their website specifies that kids eat free in the food court until 4:00, and in the Clubcar Restaurant from 5:00 to 10:00. That might be the confusion. At any rate, their website definitely does say kids eat free all three meals. I hope so, I'm going in 3 days!

 

[Esmerelda]

yes, you are correct, their website does now say that. But in my last 4 stays, the kids ate free for dinner because we used to go get pan pizza and eat them out by the pool late in the day after the parks. So they did change the policy, even my boys remember eating free there last year.

I just didn't want anyone to plan for their kids to eat anywhere there for free if that is not the case. Some families put alot of emphasis on the amount you will spend for food due to large families and I can certainly appreciate that. We do not do a sit down dinner type meal for every meal. Thats what was nice about it before, we could get something quick for dinner (like pizza) for free...and take it out to the pool. But not anymore....

 

[Hope84]

We will be at the Contemporary next week!! YIPEE!! It is great to hear good things about them!
Hopeinkbounc

 

[hercamore]

I'm glad you had a great time at the Contemporary and that you moved from the HIFS. This is really shoddy hotel practices. If I was staying there, I wold check my bill every day.

In my experience, many hotels put misleading info on their websites, and in some case, the info is just plain not up-to-date. To confirm any info, alwys call the manager on duty.

 

[tink2dw]

You should always check the *New* deals before leaving!!

Did you Know that HIFS is running a *NEW Food Deal*?? Along with FREE breakfast,Now 2 Adults eat Dinner FREE each night!! Which will save much more than the Kid meals would have!!

And the*BUY one night, GET one night FREE* coupon for HIFS!! up to 5 nights!! Thats pay for 5 nights Get 5 nights FREE!!

What other Hotel comes close to that!!

 

[curlyjbs]

just returned from 9 nights at HIFS! Our family of 5 ate for FREE almost every day! Breakfast buffet was free...we did lunch once $6.00 (pizza hut) (1 adult personal pie + 4 free kids pies) Ok so my dh was a kid that day....They didn't ask to see my "4" kids....I didn't offer them.
Dinner was FREE for all of us EVERY day until 10pm. (family values package) The food was ok. nothing special....but it was filling. We did eat at the rose and crown once, and in Mexico once and at the Outback Steakhouse. The rest of our meals were at the hotel. No problems what so ever.
The pool only closed once for about 2 hours. Housekeeping was excellent. The staff were all very kid friendly.....face painting, magic shows, bingo, kareoke....every night something was going on.

I WOULD DEFINETLY RECOMMEND THIS HOTEL FOR FAMILIES!!! WE HAD A BLAST!!!! inkbounc


I'll post a trip report later. got lots of laundry to do.




curly

 

[Esmerelda]

Hi Curly,

I'm so glad you and your family had a nice trip. As I said, up until this 5th time, we had always had a great time. I omitted alot of other things that happened to us while there but I did put it all in a letter to their general manager. If nothing comes of it, so be it but at least they need to know what we encountered and why we will not be returning. (even my boys have no desire to go back now)

Everyone has different experiences I can agree at all hotels. I know after moving to the Contemporary, our whole vacation changed. It was if they knew we had just had a disappointing 2/3 days prior to that (which they didn't) and I couldn't say enough about how wonderful they treated us. We even got a signed picture by Mickey/Minnie/Pluto with balloons sent to our room the 2nd day on top of being upgraded to a tower room?

glad your stay at HIFS went well.....