Hotels - Expedia ripoff! Hotel room was NOT the same room I reserved! Dallas Texas
On September 15th, 2006, I made reservations for a non smoking, queen, hotel suite in Dallas, Texas. The resevations were for the 15th thru 17th.
Upon opening the door to our room, we were overwhelmed by the stench of cigarette smoke. We also noted that the room was not a suite. After complaining to the front desk attendant, we were issued a second room. Unfortunately, the air conditioner was not working properly, nor was it a suite.
When I arrived at the front desk a third time, there were other hotel guest complaining about their air conditioners as well. Since they could not provide the suite we had reserved (with air conditioning) we cancelled our reservations and left at midnight in search of a decent hotel.
I immediately called Hotels.com and spoke to a very rude rep. I was informed that I would have to pay for the first night, even though we did'nt even sit on the bed. I was also told that they NEVER guarantee a non smoking room.
I hung up the phone and called my credit card company and explained the situation to them. I was told that once I booked a second hotel room, they would dispute the charges due to my not receiving the services I was promised.
I will NEVER use Hotels.com again. They are very rude, and are a total rip off. What is the point in useing Hotels.com, if they guarantee nothing?
Fortunately, we did find a very nice hotel room @ the Radisson. The service was excellent. Well worth the money! You get what you pay for.
Donna
Hallsville, Texas
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Christian
Anaheim,California,
U.S.A.
I know what you're talking about, i work at a hotel
#2Consumer Comment
Tue, September 19, 2006
I know what you're talking about. I work at the front desk of a hotel in calfornia. We do a lot of business with hotels.com/expedia. Let me explain how it works (this works the same way with ANY online site you book through, not only hotels.com/expedia).
First off, when you book online, you are NEVER guaranteed the type of room you reserve. Is it fair? No it's not. But again, you get what you pay for. When you book a room through a website, the room you reserved is available right there and then. However, the company you booked through (like expedia/hotels) sends a fax to the hotel within two days of your booking.
During those two days, the room you booked could be sold to anyone that walks up to the front desk. If its the last room of the kind you booked, tough luck. You lose the room type you booked. That's why our hotel recommends booking direct, so that you get exactly what you book. Higher price? Probably. Put it this way, online bookings are for people who don't care what kind of room they get. I know it's not fair, but that's the way it works.
Also, you should have called hotels.com BEFORE you moved out. There could have been a possiblity that they would move you to a different hotel without paying extra.