Priceline.com - Priceline employs bait and switch tactics falsely inflating hotel ratings, ripoff Norwalk Connecticut
I booked four rooms for Orlando. I requested a top level hotel in the area; in which case the highest level was a 3 star at $99 per night suggested retail. The equivalent quality hotels that Priceline used to describe this level were Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Sheraton and Embassy Suites.
However, what I got was a Holiday Inn that I have stayed at before several times. I was shocked. I went to the ICHotels.com (Holiday Inn) website and saw that the advanced purchase for this room is $4 less per night PLUS I would get the points to their frequent traveler program as opposed to none for Priceline.
Three Problems:
1.Priceline equates Holiday Inn with those brands listed above. No reasonable jury would return that verdict and you don't have to be a frequent traveler like me to know that. This is just flat out wrong and deceptive.
2.The suggested price for a 3 star in this area is $99 according their website, and while that is true for the top brands you equate with the Holiday Inn, it is NOT true for the Holiday Inn that they sold me. Not even close.
3.When confronted them, Priceline's customer service department solution to equal IC Hotels rate is unacceptable as it does not make up for the loss of points that I could have earned.
All in all, I am really disappointed in Priceline; their policies are unethical and flat out poor business practice for the long term. I can say that my previous 4 years of using them almost weekly I had good experiences. Perhaps they are getting greedy. It is a shame to see a once great service fall into such shameful practices that will no doubt lead to its demise.
Michael
Raleigh, North Carolina
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Henry
Buda,Texas,
U.S.A.
Some Info
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sat, April 01, 2006
I am a Holiday Inn employee and i dont recommend Priceline or any other internet "agency".
1. Hotels are categorized not by name brand, but by quality rating AND depends on who does the rating. A 3 star hotel can be any brand, holiday inn, hilton, etc.
If Priceline suggested a hotel you have stayed at before which you didnt like then thats just another reason to not use priceline.
3. If you want points, then you need to book through Holiday Inn central reservations or call the hotel directly. Many online agencies do not have the system to enter hotel membership club numbers.
Also note that the advanced purchase prices online for Holiday Inn do have restrictions. Some restrictions may be advance payment, or no cancellations allowed, and therefore may be lower than regular reservation prices.
Priceline im sure also has some restrictions.
Well, there you go. I would never use an online agency but thats me.