Hotwire

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/04) */
June 4, 2015
[redacted] Cir
[redacted] XXXXX
RE: Revdex.com #XXXXXXXX
Itinerary #XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns sent through the Better Business...

Bureau, regarding your reservations at the Crowne Plaza/South Brunswick hotel. As stated in your letter, you booked a room for four adults, but only received one king bed. As such you are requesting compensation beyond the 25 HotDollars already provided, for a room that didn't suit your needs. We regret any frustration or inconvenience this has caused you.
Upon researching your reservation, we did find it was booked as one room for four adults. Hotwire does guarantee reservations will be able to sleep the number of guests listed, and we don't believe one king bed is sufficient accommodations for four adults. We apologize for the mishandling of this reservation, and have addressed the issue with those who were involved.
We would be happy to honor your request for a refund of 50% of your reservation (excluding the trip insurance from Allianz Global). The amount paid to Hotwire was $257.50, so we have issued a refund (as of today 6/4/2015) of $128.75 back to your card. The refund process takes one to two business days, and then will be up to your financial institution as to when it becomes available. We will also be leaving the 25 Hotdollar credit on your account for future use.
Again, we apologize for this inconvenience, and hope this compensation helps. We appreciate your business and look forward to assisting with your future travels.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Corporate Customer Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/06/05) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I am pleased with customer service by the upper management and their swift action to make things even.
Thank You Hotwire.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/19) */
August 19, 2015
[redacted]


[redacted] XXXXX

RE: Revdex.com Case Number: XXXXXXXX
Hotwire Itinerary Number: XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Ms. [redacted]:
We are writing in response to your correspondence with...

Hotwire and the Revdex.com regarding your Hot Rate Hotel reservation at the Holiday Inn Express - Gulf Shores. Specifically, you state that you wanted a hotel on Orange Beach, AL but received a hotel in Gulf Shores. As such, you are requesting that we provide you with a credit towards another stay in Orange Beach. We regret the frustration and inconvenience this situation created, and appreciate the time you took to express your concerns.
Due to your concern regarding the location of the hotel you booked we have reviewed your account and the highlighted map zone that you selected. It has been found that the area selected was titled "Gulf Shores" and the hotel that was booked is within the highlighted map zone. We understand that hotel location is important to the majority of our customers, which is why we provide a map of the area the hotel will be located within on both our webpage and on the mobile app.
Based on the information above we will not provide you with compensation for this booking. We regret if your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional and hope we have the opportunity to better serve your travel needs in the near future.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Corporate Customer Relations
Hotwire Corporate office

November 3, 2017   [redacted]                                     In response...

to Revdex.com Complaint ID [redacted]   Dear [redacted],   Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Revdex.com regarding your reservation with Alamo Car Rental. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent car booking for being charged by the rental agency in addition to the amount you paid Hotwire. As such, you requested a refund.   As previously stated by our Research Team, the extra charges you indicated were for the following services:   - Toll Pass Drive - Extensions - Taxes and fees related to the above services or features.   Please be reminded, additional services and features are not included with your Hotwire reservation. Thus, you are billed directly by the rental agency.   If you have questions regarding the following services that you were charged. Please contact the rental agency directly.   Based on the information above, we are unable to honor your refund request as we found that the charges are valid.   We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional.   Best regards,   [redacted] Customer Care Relations Hotwire Corporate Office

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/01) */
December 01, 2015
[redacted] Way
[redacted] XXXXX
In response to Revdex.com case number XXXXXXXX, Hotwire Itinerary XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Tesha,
I am writing in response to your inquiry to Hotwire and the Better Business...

Bureau regarding your hotel reservation in Away Suansawan Chiang Mai, Centara Boutique Collection. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent hotel reservation, specifically with the savings you received. As such you are requesting a full refund.
Our crossed out savings are based on the median published rate we've found on leading retail travel sites in the last 24 hours for the same neighborhood, star rating and stay dates. Allow me to further clarify. If we were to compile a list of the retail rates we found for all the 4 star hotels in the area you booked for your travel dates, the median would represent the retail rate falling in the middle of the list. Due to our understanding of supply and demand however, we choose not to disclose the sites we calculate these savings from. I apologize for any confusion.
Allow me to assure you we work hard to negotiate the lowest rates with our partners. While we do advertise discounted rates, we are unable to guarantee the amount of savings on every reservation. There are times when one of our partners offers similar rates through other travel Web sites or by booking directly. Our Low Price Guarantee provides a refund in the amount of the difference to customers who find a lower total than the Hotwire total within 24 hours of booking, contingent the claim is from a source outside of Hotwire.com.
Based on the information above, we carefully reviewed the screenshot that you sent and we found out that the currency was different. The low price guarantee will only be applied if the lower rate is for the exact same details as your original reservation.
Based on the information above, my decision has not swayed. I am unable to honor your request for a refund.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/12/07) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Dear [redacted]
Im very sorry to hear you would rather lose another client to your false advertising than admit to your mistake and fix the problem.
I'm not surprised you won't disclose the sites you got the median from. There is NO SAVINGS whatsoever. Here, in Thailand or Timbuktu that is called false advertising and it's a fraude.
There is nothing I can do about the currency on the hotel's website. You can use any currency exchange rate on the market and it will still be cheaper to book directly with the hotel. There is not only no savings with Hotwire but it was more expensive and you offer less amenities (I also would have gotten free breakfast had I booked directly with the hotel).
If you are going to offer an international booking service then you should be prepared to handle a simple exchange rate instead of trying to use this as an excuse. Your calculations about the savings were very wrong and instead of admitting this and correcting it your are finding an excuse.
Again, I'm sorry you don't want to resolve this at this level but I will not stop. Your terms and conditions are fraudulent and a case will be made. I'm sure there are many others who would gladly participate.
You know how to contact me if you would rather solve this an easier way. I also filed a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection so I'm sure we will be in touch.

Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/12/22) */
December 22, 2015
[redacted] Way
[redacted] XXXXX
In response to Revdex.com case number XXXXXXXX, Hotwire Itinerary XXXXXXXXXX
Dear [redacted]
I am writing in response to your additional correspondence with Hotwire and the Revdex.com regarding your reservation with Away Suansawan Chiang Mai, Centara Boutique Collection. I regret you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your situation as you feel you were misled on the amount of savings you received. As such, you are requesting a refund.
As previously discussed, savings are based on the median published rate we've found on leading travel sites in the last 24-48 hours for the same neighborhood, star rating and stay dates. Due to our understanding of supply and demand we choose not to disclose the sites we calculate these savings from. Because we work with live inventory, please understand rates fluctuate based on availability. I apologize if our site led you to the assumption the savings provided was based on this hotels direct rate as that was not our intention.
At this time, we remain confident our business model is meeting the needs of our company's goals. We do place great value on your feedback and will be sure to keep your comments on file for future improvements to the site. Customer feedback helps ensure we are continually able to meet and exceed the high standards Hotwire customers have come to expect.
Based on the information provided above, I remain confident we provided the lowest pre-tax rate for this property within 48 hours of booking. Our decision remains the same; I am unable to honor your refund request
We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional. We still expect your future transactions with us. Thank you for choosing Hotwire.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office

February 24, 2017   [redacted]   In response to Revdex.com Complaint ID [redacted], Hotwire Itinerary [redacted]   Dear [redacted],   Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Revdex.com, regarding...

your reservation with Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel New York. I understand you are dissatisfied with your hotel booking because of being assigned in a room with one queen bed. As such, you requested a refund.   Our records indicate you booked a Hot Rate® hotel. Hot Rate® reservations are bookings in which the customer is told the general vicinity, star rating, amenity offerings, and price of the hotel, but the specific property is not revealed until after booking is completed. Through this model, Hotwire is able to secure deeply discounted rates from the hotels with which we do business. In exchange, Hotwire guarantees the bookings will not be changed and will be used as booked.   At Hotwire, we guarantee all rooms booked will accommodate the appropriate number of guests in each room, based on the total number of guests you provided and the number of rooms you requested. We do not select the type of accommodations you will receive; rather, your reservation is sent over to the hotel who will in turn place you in a room based on their availability.   Upon review, I confirmed you booked the hotel reservation for 2 adults. As such, the number of bed provided was just adequate to the number of guests you indicated.   At the time of booking on our website, the following disclaimed was displayed to your screen before completing your booking:   “Rooms sleep the number of guests. Number, type and size of beds aren't guaranteed.”   Based on the information above, we are unable to honor your refund request.   We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional.   Best Regards,   [redacted] Customer Care Relations

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Sincerely, [redacted]

June 8, 2017 Revdex.com San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California Complaint Department Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for taking the time to contact Hotwire regarding an issue from our customer. We appreciate the Revdex.com allowing us to address the comments and concerns...

which have been brought to our attention Hotwire is responding to the consumer complaint from Mrs. [redacted] (Revdex.com case number [redacted]) regarding a flight reservation.
As of the response deadline of this complaint, we are unable to obtain the necessary information required to provide an appropriate reply. We respectfully request additional time from the Revdex.com as further research is needed for this case. Sincerely, Corporate Customer Service

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/01) */
August 1, 2015
[redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Better Business...

Bureau, regarding your booking with the Extended Stay America Salt Lake City - [redacted] on July 21, 2015. We understand that you are dissatisfied with the level of savings on this booking. As such you are seeking a refund for this reservation. We regret any frustration this [redacted] have caused.
While we do advertise discounted rates we are unable to guarantee the amount of savings on every reservation. Please allow us to clarify how the savings promoted on our site is determined. At Hotwire, we strive for clarity during the booking process. To ensure this we provide the following disclosure at the bottom of our site:
"Savings based on median published rate we've found on leading retail travel sites in the last 24-48 hours for the same neighborhood, star rating, and stay dates. Availability is limited and rates are subject to change. Prices are dynamic and vary based on date of booking, length of stay and hotel class. Prices do not include taxes and fees."
This shows that the crossed-out rate is not the actual rate per night of hotel that is displayed, but rather a median rate from its class. We apologize if our site led you to the assumption the savings provided was based on this hotel specifically as this was not our intention.
We are confident that Hotwire has the lowest rates available, backed by our Low Price Guarantee. If, within 24 hours of booking, if you find a lower rate for an identical booking, we'll pay you the difference between the rates.
At Hotwire, we obtain our deeply discounted Hot Rates in exchange for guaranteeing our partners the reservations we book will be used as originally sold. Once we confirm a reservation, the booking details and payment information are sent directly to the supplier. For this reason, reservations are booked as non-refundable and non-changeable.
Based on the information above, we will not be issuing a refund.
We appreciate your business and look forward to assisting you with your future travels. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please feel free to contact our 24 hour customer care at 866-HOTWIRE (XXX-XXXX).
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate
Customer Relations
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/08/05) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
As stated in my original complaint, I did not stay at the hotel. I have previously used the service and received a hotel who's full price was comparable to the price listed on the hotwire website. This hotel was not even 1/2 the price that the hotwire showed would be the "median published rate we've found on leading retail travel sites in the last 24-48."
I will never use this service again and maintain that the actions of Hotwire in my case constitute outright fraud and I should receive a full refund.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/08/08) */
August 8, 2015
[redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you again for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Revdex.com, regarding your booking with the Extended Stay America Salt Lake City - [redacted] on July 21, 2015. We understand that you did not use this reservation and you disagree with the median published rate. We regret any further frustration this situation [redacted] have caused.
While we do advertise discounted rates we are unable to guarantee the amount of savings on every reservation. Our Low Price Guarantee provides a refund in the amount the difference to customers who find a lower rate than the Hotwire rate within 48 hours of booking. Please allow me to clarify how the savings promoted on our site is determined. At Hotwire, we strive for clarity during the booking process. To ensure this we provide the following disclosure at the bottom of our site:
Savings based on lowest published rate we've found on leading retail travel sites in the last 24-48 hours for the same neighborhood, star rating, hotel type, and stay dates. Availability is limited and rates are subject to change. Prices are dynamic and vary based on date of booking, length of stay and hotel class. There is no guarantee that these prices will be in effect at the time of your search. Prices do not include taxes and fees. Hotwire is different from retail travel sites. With Hotwire you enter the date and location. Hotel revealed only after booking.
Allow me to further clarify how the savings provided on our site was derived. Savings are based on the median published rate we've found on leading retail travel sites in the last 24-48 hours for the same neighborhood, star rating and stay dates. Due to our understanding of supply and demand we choose not to disclose the sites we calculate these savings from. Because we work with live inventory, please understand rates fluctuate based on availability. I apologize if our site led you to the assumption the savings provided was based on this hotel specifically as this was not our intention.
After reviewing your reservation, I confirmed you booked a Hot Rate hotel. For Hot Rate hotels, our hotel suppliers are able to offer their unsold rooms at discounted rates on Hotwire because we withhold their name and exact location until after the customer books. These restrictions enable our partners to better manage their unsold rooms.
On the final page of the HotRate hotel booking process, we provide a bulleted list of the Hotel Booking Rules and Restrictions. Prior to completing the booking, you selected a box stating you read, understood and accepted the following conditions:
All bookings are final. No refunds, changes or transfers.
Your account will be billed for the full amount when you book.
After you book, the hotel's name and address will be revealed.
Hotels will require a credit card when you check in; debit cards [redacted] not be accepted.
You'll pay the hotel directly for additional charges, like room service or resort fees.
Rooms will sleep the number of guests, but bed types and sizes aren't guaranteed.
Sometimes amenities [redacted] be closed for the season or for renovation, though we try to show what's currently available.
At Hotwire, we obtain deeply discounted rates in exchange for guaranteeing our partners the reservations we book will be used as originally sold. Once we confirm a reservation, the booking details and payment information are sent directly to the supplier. For this reason, reservations are booked as non-refundable and non-changeable.
Based upon the information above, we will not be issuing a refund. We regret that your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate Customer Relations

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/05/25) */
[redacted] 25, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] Street
[redacted] XXXXX

Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns sent through the Better...

Business Bureau regarding your reservation at the Bel- Air Motel. We understand that you do not agree with this star-rating, and have found different star-ratings on other websites; as such, you are requesting a refund of $106.86. We regret the frustration and inconvenience this situation created, and appreciate the time you took to express your concerns.
Currently there is no national or international standard for hotel rating systems, so individual ratings can vary by source. Our customers play a very large part in determining our Hot Rate hotel star-ratings. To determine these star-ratings, Hotwire first incorporates Expedia's star rating for the hotel and then adjusts the rating up or down based on direct Hotwire customer feedback. Our customers provide Hotwire with over half a million hotel reviews every year. Allow us to assure you Hotwire reviews the post-stay survey data we receive every day and as such, star rating adjustments also occur as needed on a daily basis.
At this time, we remain confident our star-rating system is meeting the needs of our customer's goals. We do place great value on your feedback and will be sure to keep your comments on file for future improvements to the site. Customer feedback helps ensure we are continually able to meet and exceed the high standards Hotwire customers have come to expect.
Based upon the preceding information, we will not be providing you with a refund for this nonrefundable Hot Rate hotel reservation unless we receive valid medical documentation. We appreciate your business, regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional, and hope we have the opportunity to better serve your travel needs in the near future.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Corporate Customer Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: to sleep in one bed with close relative is not appropriate, two bed room should have been provided at no cost. You forgot to address "free breakfast" option included in price: coffee to go is not a free breakfast, you must exclude this hotel from group which offer true free breakfast. Also, take a look at tripadvisor ratings, they are fake, read positive reviews and you will know that it is written by one person.  Sincerely,[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2015/10/07) */
October 7, 2015
Revdex.com
serving San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California
Complaint Department
Re: Expedia Case #: O-XXXXXX
Dear Revdex.com,
Thank you for taking the time to contact Hotwire....

regarding an issue from our customer. We appreciate the Revdex.com allowing us to address the comments and concerns which have been brought to our attention. Hotwire. is disheartened the customer felt their concerns were not resolved adequately by our company prior to seeking further actions from you.
Hotwire is responding to the consumer complaint from [redacted] (Revdex.com case number XXXXXXXX) regarding a package reservation. We understand the customer is requesting a refund due to our Low Price Guarantee. On October 7, 2015, we contacted the customer to acknowledge receipt of their Revdex.com complaint.
Our records indicate on September 15, 2015, the customer self-booked a package reservation via Hotwire website, itinerary number XXXXXXXXXXX. Travel was for three travelers on Spirit Airlines from Cleveland, Ohio to Orlando, Florida, departing on November 12, 2015, and returning on November 16, 2015, 2015. Hotel reservation was at the Sheraton Vistana Villages Resort Villas, check-in on November 12, 2015, and check-out on November 16, 2015. The total amount paid for the reservation was $904.16. We can confirm the customer contacted us regarding our Low Price Guarantee on September 17, 2015.
Hotwire's Low Price Guarantee is offered to our customers in the event they are able to locate a lower rate on another qualified website within 24 hours of booking.. Additionally, our Low Price Guarantee does not apply to lower rates found on Hotwire.com after booking. The full terms and conditions of Hotwire's Low Price Guarantee can be reviewed at any time by clicking the following link: http://www.hotwire.com/en/content/low-price-guarantee?cc=us#
After further review of the customer's claim, the customer did not qualify as our website cannot be used as the comparison website. We stand by our previous decision and will not be honoring the customer's Best Price Guarantee claim.
We thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address the issues that were brought to our attention. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Tier 3 Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 12, 2015/10/12) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I have reviewed the Low Price Guarantee policy posted on the website. It is not made clear that the lower rate must be a competitor's except for one sentence within the Terms and Conditions. It is misleading to not clearly state this up front. This is not fair to the consumer. As a result, I will no longer be a customer of Hotwire and will take every opportunity to share my experience with others.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 11, 2015/12/22) */
December 22, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] Road
[redacted] XXXXX
In response to Revdex.com case number XXXXXXXX, Hotwire Itinerary XXXXXXXXXX
Dear [redacted],
I am writing in response to your inquiry to Hotwire and the Better...

Business Bureau regarding your hotel reservation with Hilton Naples and Towers. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent hotel reservation, specifically with the savings you received with this booking. As such, you are requesting a full refund
Our crossed out savings are based on the median published rate we've found on leading retail travel sites in the last 24-48 hours for the same neighborhood, star rating and stay dates. Allow me to further clarify. If we were to compile a list of the retail rates we found for all the 4 star hotels in the area you booked for your travel dates, the median would represent the retail rate falling in the middle of the list. Due to our understanding of supply and demand however, we choose not to disclose the sites we calculate these savings from. I apologize for any confusion.
Allow me to assure you we work hard to negotiate the lowest rates with our partners. While we do advertise discounted rates, we are unable to guarantee the amount of savings on every reservation. There are times when one of our partners offers similar rates through other travel Web sites or by booking directly. Our Low Price Guarantee provides a refund in the amount of the difference to customers who find a lower total than the Hotwire total within 24 hours of booking, contingent the claim is from a source outside of Hotwire.com.
Based on the information provided above, I remain confident we provided the lowest pre-tax rate for this property within 24 hours of and I am unable to honor your request for a refund.
We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/03) */
June 3, 2015
[redacted] Street
[redacted] XXXXX
RE: Revdex.com case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through...

the Revdex.com, regarding your booking with the Hyatt Place Lakeland Center. We understand that you arrived to the hotel to find they were overbooked. Though we had been informed of this earlier in the day, and an email was sent to you, no call was made to alert you. You also mention that your hold time was extensive when contacting Hotwire, and the hotel you stayed in that night was not comparable to the Hyatt Place. As such, you are seeking a refund for your stay at the Imperial Swan Hotel & Suites in Lakeland, FL. We regret any inconvenience or frustration this situation [redacted] have caused.
We do apologize for any long waits you have encountered when contacting our Customer Care Department, we were experiencing high call volumes which were driving the long wait times.
Unfortunately, overbooking does occur occasionally in the hotel industry and is not unique to Hotwire reservations. In such situations, we ask our hotels to do their best to accommodate customers at equivalent properties during oversold dates. We recognize this situation is less than ideal and do our best to work with both customers and hotel partners to reach a satisfactory resolution for all involved. In the event a customer arrives to one of our hotel suppliers to find the property is oversold and unable to re-accommodate into an equivalent hotel, we understand we need to take care of our customer.
Though you mention in your letter that the Imperial Swan Hotel & Suites was not equivalent to the Hyatt Place, we did confirm that this property is listed as a 3-star on Orbitz, HotelPlanner, Tripadvisor, and Hotels.com; the same star-rating as the Hyatt Place.
Upon review of your Hotwire account, I see that this reservation was refunded in full on [redacted] 23, 2015. Though the refund was processed immediately, it can take one to two business days to post to your account. As additional compensation for this situation a total of 75 Hotwire HotDollars has been added to your account. Each HotDollar is equivalent to one US Dollar and can be used to book any Hot Rate hotel or car rental reservation. Your HotDollars will remain available for use up to one year from the expiration date, or in this case, until [redacted] 23, 2016. You can use them when booking on the Hotwire site, or by calling to our customer care line and booking with an agent.
Per our conversation with you on [redacted] 23, 2015, we will also provide a refund for the difference in rates you paid for your stay at the Imperial Swan Hotel & Suites in Lakeland, FL. We received your faxed receipts for a total of $209.34. We will process a credit to the Visa card used to book your original reservation in the amount of $65.42. Please allow 7 - 10 business days for processing of this credit.
We strive to exceed our customers' expectations, and we regret to learn that your Hotwire experience was anything less than excellent. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please feel free to contact our 24 hour customer care at 866-HOTWIRE (XXX-XXXX).
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate
Customer Relations

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
I understand your view point but still find it unacceptable that people are coming to your site for deals and your site is not up front about additional fees.  My parking charges are going to be almost as much as my room and now I can not cancel and get any money back.  That's Unacceptable.Sincerely,[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/22) */
November 22, 2015
[redacted]
9 [redacted] Court
[redacted] XXXXX
In response to Revdex.com case number XXXXXXXX, Hotwire Itinerary XXXXXXXXXX
Dear [redacted],
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Better...

Business Bureau regarding your reservation with Homewood Suites Mahwah. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent hotel booking because the hotel did not have a non-smoking room available at time of your check-in. As such, you requested a refund.
We guarantee a non-smoking room if the hotel shows a "smoke free" amenity in the details and search results. If the property is not "smoke free," customers can call the hotel after booking to request a non-smoking room. The hotel [redacted] or [redacted] not be able to accommodate the request, as their ability to do so is based on availability. After reviewing your reservation, I confirmed the "smoke free" amenity was not listed for this property.
When Hotwire customers search for hotels on the Web site, the search results show the amenities offered by each property. Customers are able to choose the place they want to stay based on amenities that best suit their needs. Hotwire takes pride in providing our customers with a functional site with multiple features to help choose a hotel best for them. Therefore, we provide a feature during the booking path allowing customers to filter their search results by amenity. For example; if a customer checks the box provided for "smoke free rooms", our site will then refresh displaying only properties including our "smoke free" amenity.
Based on that information, I am unable to honor your refund request
We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire hotel experience was anything less than exceptional.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/11/25) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I understand technically why you are saying you can't honor the refund request, but my position is that the way your website is set up is a deceptive business practice. In this day and age, 2015, smoke-free should not be an amenity on par with "indoor pool" or "beach access." The default should be a non-smoking room with "smoking room" as the amenity. To expect a new customer to be aware of your anti-customer business practice, when it is not labelled anywhere other than in a hidden search filter menu, is dishonest.
Your own website terms even states that "All reservations are booked for stays in non-smoking rooms (subject to availability)." Your reservation at this hotel was SPECIFICALLY MADE for a "smoking" room, so you did not abide by your own terms. I saw the room request, I don't understand how you can dispute that, regardless of whether I checked a box or not.
https://www.hotwire.com/en/content/hotwire-travel-products-rules-and-restriction...⇄ /> Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/12/14) */
December 14, 2015
[redacted] XXXXX
In response to Revdex.com case number XXXXXXXX, Hotwire Itinerary XXXXXXXXXX
Dear [redacted],
I am writing in response to your additional correspondence with Hotwire and the Revdex.com regarding your hotel reservation with Homewood Suites Mahwah. I regret you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your situation.
After checking your account, I confirmed that on November 25, 2015, we processed a full refund as an exception to your Hot Rate(r) reservation.
Moving forward, as stated in our Terms of Use that room types will be determined by the hotel based on the number of guests provided at time of booking and room assignments are still based on availability as we are dealing with live inventories.
As previously mentioned, you can make a reservation with a guarantee of getting a non- smoking room. You are able to choose the place you want to stay based on amenities that best suit your needs. We provide a feature during the booking path allowing customers to filter their search results by amenity. For example; if a customer checks the box provided for "smoke free rooms", our site will then refresh displaying only properties including our "smoke free" amenity.
Our goal is to exceed your expectations and regret we did not do so on this occasion. We hope we have the opportunity to better serve your travel needs in the near future.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 11, 2015/12/18) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I'm pleased that I was able to get a refund for this, however, my criticism of the business practice remains. Smoke-free is not an amenity and should not be treated as such. Continuing this business model is anti-consumer. The number of hoops I had to go through in order to get this refund was ridiculous, and despite getting the result I wanted, the path there was very frustrating.

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
From the CONSUMER:
Sent 11/15/2017 12:08:12 PM
Read by [redacted] on 11/15/2017 5:54:41 PM
Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
as per the instructions of HotWire's respondent, I am providing additional information.
Name of guest: [redacted]
Email:  [redacted]
 
Sincerely,[redacted]
Sincerely,[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/08) */
August 8, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] St XXXXX
[redacted] AL
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear CUSTOMER,
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Revdex.com,...

regarding your booking with the Seabreeze Inn. We understand that you are requesting a refund due to the condition of the room provided we regret any frustration this may have caused.
Here at Hotwire we do want our customers to have a clean room, and if after getting to your room, if you find it is not clean, we are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you. Whenever there is an issue we work with the hotel and you to correct the issue. Having contacted the hotel, we understand that you checked out without notifying the hotel of the issue.
If you had contacted us before you checked out, we would have had additional options available. Due to having been contacted after the booking had been completed we do not have any additional options available.
After review, we have determined to compensate your account with 25 HotDollars, which can be applied toward your future Hotwire bookings for a Hot Rate(r) Car or Hot Rate(r) Hotel.
A separate email will be sent to you with more information about how to use your HotDollars. Keep in mind that you will still be required to enter other billing details to cover any amount beyond your available HotDollars. Any remaining HotDollars will stay in your account for future use. Please note that your HotDollar credit will expire on August 8, 2016. We will be more than happy to answer any additional questions you may have.
For future reservations, if you arrive to a hotel and the establishment does not meet your expectations, please do not hesitate to contact us at the number below so that we may work with our hotel partner to resolve the issue.
We strive to exceed our customers' expectations, and we regret that your experience was anything less than excellent. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please feel free to contact our 24 hour customer care at 866-HOTWIRE (XXX-XXXX).
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate Customer Relations
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (4200, 15, 2015/11/11) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
$25 hot bucks for a room I paid $147 is a joke. I tried for an hour to talk to their customer service, stayed on hold till I was fed up. I most certainly complained to the front desk and they bluntly told me to take it up with Hotwire. This place is disgusting, not safe, a place where drug dealers and prostitution takes place. Why Hotwire is willing to risk their reputation is beyond me! Because of the way this has been handled I will never use them again and will warn people about them in person and on social media. I have shared pictures, anyone can see how bad this is. Bet you wouldn't let your family stay under these circumstances either! No I do not accept their offer, I want this on their Revdex.com record as a warning to others! ..

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/02) */
September 2, 2015
[redacted] Road
[redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Better...

Business Bureau, regarding your booking Ogunquit River Inn & Suites on August 29, 2015 in Ogunquit, Maine. We understand that you were billed by the hotel for your recent prepaid Hotwire hotel reservation. You are seeking a refund for these charges. We regret any inconvenience this situation [redacted] have caused.
We received information from our partner, Ogunquit River Inn & Suites regarding your billing issue. A credit was applied from the hotel to your credit card on August 31, 2015 for the amount billed.
Please be advised that posting the funds to your account is at the discretion of your financial institution. If you would like to know more about when these funds will appear on your credit card statement or in your account, please contact your financial institution or credit card company.
Please accept our apologies along with 25 HotDollars, which we have added to your Hotwire account under [redacted]@aol.com. You can use HotDollars to book any Hot Rate(r) Car or Hot Rate(r) Hotel on the Hotwire site! Each one is equivalent to one U.S. dollar in value and is available for one year from the date of issuance.
A separate email will be sent to you with more information about how to use your HotDollars. Keep in mind that you will still be required to enter other billing details to cover any amount beyond your available HotDollars. Any remaining HotDollars will stay in your account for future use. Please note that your HotDollar credit will expire on September 1, 2016.
We appreciate your business and look forward to assisting you with your future travels. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please feel free to contact our 24 hour customer care at 866-
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate Customer Relations

March 31, 2016[redacted]In response to Revdex.com case number...

[redacted], Hotwire Itineraries [redacted] and [redacted]Dear [redacted],Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns with Hotwire as sent through the Revdex.com, regarding your booking with the Ramada Westshore Tampa Airport. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent hotel reservation, specifically with the sleeping arrangements. You were provided a room with a single bed which you feel is not an acceptable accommodation for two guests. As such, you and are requesting a full refund.At Hotwire we take pride in being able to provide the lowest guaranteed rates for our Hot Rate(r) hotels. Our target audience is the flexible traveler looking for the deepest discounts. To obtain these deep discounts some booking details, such as bed type must remain anonymous until the booking is complete. Therefore, our product offerings may not always meet the needs of every traveler.All rooms booked on Hotwire will accommodate the appropriate number of guests in each room, based on the total number of guests you provided and the number of rooms you requested. We do not select the type of accommodations you will receive; rather, your reservation is sent over to the hotel who will in turn place you in a room based on their availability. Some properties may offer pull-out couches or roll-away beds to meet the occupancy requirements of a reservation. Our partners will do their best to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Upon investigation, I confirmed with the front desk officer, Angel, that you were given 2 double beds in each room. Based on the information above, I am unable to honor your request for full refund. We remain confident our business model is meeting the needs of our company's goals. We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire hotel experience was anything less than exceptional.Best regards,[redacted]Customer Care RelationsHotwire Corporate Office

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/09/05) */
[redacted]
RE: Revdex.com case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear [redacted]:
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns sent through the Revdex.com, regarding your reservation at the Hotel...

Confortel Alcala Norte located in Canillejas, Spain for the dates of July 1, 2015 to July 12, 2015. Stated in your letter to the Revdex.com you do not believe this hotel rates a 4 star, and a list of reasons as to why. I apologize this hotel did not meet your standards for a rating of 4 stars.
Hotwire arrives at its ratings by first starting with the Expedia rating and then adjusting this rating according to Hotwire customer reviews submitted after completion of their stay. Hotwire customers have rated the Hotel Confortel Alcala Norte as follows: Condition of Hotel 4.6, room Cleanliness 4.4, Quality of Service 4.6, 80% of these customers agree with the star rating and 90% of these customers would recommend this hotel to others. We feel the rating of 4 stars is accurate for the Confortel Alcala Norte.
It is required the customer report any issues with the room to the front counter to give the hotel the opportunity to address and fix any issues. If this is not done to the satisfaction of the customer we ask they call Hotwires 24 hour Customer Care Line to allow hotwire to work with the supplier to accommodate the customer. Hotwires email team has limited resources and would be unable to assist a needed, as they assist in answering customer questions regarding general information. As there was no call placed to the Hotwire Customer Care Line as directed in email responses to you, Hotwire was not given the opportunity to assist in any issues you [redacted] have had at the Confortel Alcala Norte.
You stated in your complaint that the staff did not speak English. I am sorry you were unable to communicate with the staff in Spain but this is something that should be taken in to consideration when traveling abroad.
Based upon the information above, we will not be issuing a refund. We appreciate your business and look forward to assisting you with your future travels.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate
Customer Relations