A human error at the Atlanta, Georgia office of Intercontinental Hotels Group led to the hotel bargain of the century: a luxury hotel room in Venice for 1 euro cent.
Not surprisingly the Crowne Plaza in Quarto D’Altino, 15.5 miles from Venice, received bookings for the equivalent of 1,400 room nights on the night the rate was posted on its Web site, the hotel chain acknowledged. And it seems those bookings may be valid, reports the AP.
The hotel first thought the offer was posted by a hacker, sales manager Fulvio Danesin said.
The 1-cent rate was up only one night, but that was long enough for travelers to book dates running from October through 2010, Danesin said. The hotel stands to lose around USD$129,000, he said.
Monica Smith, media relations manager for the hotel group in the US, said about 228 guests made reservations for the equivalent of 1,400 room nights while the error was on the Web site and that the reservations would be honored.
"Although a pricing error, IHG is committed to honoring the 1-cent rate for guests who have a valid confirmation," Smith said. She added that rooms booked at the low rate "are nontransferable.”
by David Wilkening
