We decided to take a much needed extended weekend away from the phones. So, we booked a room at the Loews Hotel in Miami beach. We got a suite, waterview. We were set for a weekend of luxary, knowing it would be costly, perhaps as much as we have spent on week long vacations in the past.
Well, my husband discovered he had enough American Express points to cover half of the nights we would be staying. Great! Savings number one. The day before we were set to leave, the phone call comes. Computer glitch, our room was not going to be available. Oh no! Well, they could give us a suite on the 18th floor, not water view, but lovely just the same. They dropped the cost of the room by $195 per night and threw in a $75 gift certificate for our inconvience.
Wow, savings numbers two and three.
When we arrived, our room wasn’t ready. Apparently, the people in the suite before us hadn’t left yet. This was not a great thing to hear as we were tired and wanted to clean up and relax. Plus, I got a call: I needed to check a proof and had to meet a deadline. I was permitted to use the business center for free! Only a $5 savings, but still savings number four! However, they gave us yet another $50 gift certificate for the inconvience. Savings number five! We finally got into our room, half of it!
It seems housekeeping was still cleaning the parlor portion of our room. Four large adults stuck in a bedroom! Once again they choose to make it better for us. Well, it seems they don’t like to have guests wait to check in. So, yet again one more gift certificate.
We recieved $200 for dinner! Savings number six. The trip has only begun. I wonder what opportunities and possibilities will arise over the rest of the weekend.
I have to tell you, prior to the trip, I had been over-tired and allowed doubt to enter into my mind. Should we spend this money? I had felt myself begin to slip into a poverty mentality. So, I instantly did a self hypnosis on prosperity thinking. I also read a portion of the Laws of Success, by Napolean Hill. I shared with a friend how I wanted to feel; she encouraged those beliefs.
Now, walking down Ocean Avenue, I looked up today at the hotel and was amazed at the hotel and how my room is on the top floor, with the biggest patio in the hotel. (It is bigger than the one on the back of my home, which I always considered fairly sizable.)
John Mattareese of ABC ACTION NEWS (Tampa) just did a segment in “don’t waste your money”. He pointed out that although a reservation is made (online) the accomodations might not be ready when you check in and warning folks to not rely on it until they confirm before checking in. Perhaps you should let him know that this might just be to their advantage if they know they may be compensated. They just need to look for,as you say: Prosperity in Odd Forms. I’d take the screw-up plan!