Hotwire

October 12, 2016
[redacted]
Detroit, MI 48235
 
In response to Revdex.com Complaint ID [redacted], Hotwire Itinerary [redacted]
 
Dear [redacted],
 
I am writing in response to your additional correspondence with Hotwire and the Revdex.com regarding your Hot Rate® Hotel reservation with [redacted]. I regret you remain dissatisfied with our response.
 
As previously mentioned, customer should expect a clean room in working order, and if there is a quality concern with the hotel, we first want our partners to have an opportunity to rectify the issue on their end. In the event they are not able to resolve the matter, we then recommend contacting us for review.
 
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 hotel. Regardless of whether or not the reservation is used, we are charged for the booking and typically unable to cancel, make changes or issue refunds.
Please understand, since the contact was only made after the reservation dates our options are very limited.
 
Based on the above information, our decision has not swayed, I am unable to honor your refund request.
 
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

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/14) */
September 14, 2015
[redacted]
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Ms. [redacted],
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Better Business...

Bureau, regarding your booking with the Mardi Gras Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. We understand that you were unhappy with your stay, as you did not feel the hotel merited the 3-star rating. You state that there were people seeking money or drugs near the hotel, the hair dryer was broken, and the linens were old and stained, and you were also dissatisfied with the level of service received when you called Hotwire. As such you are seeking a full refund, plus reimbursement of the resort fees charged by the hotel, and compensation of $130.00, as you paid a higher rate at another hotel you booked for the remaining two nights of your stay.
We regret any discomfort or inconvenience this situation [redacted] have caused, and appreciate you took the time to express your concerns. We also apologize for any treatment that was anything less than exceptional when speaking with our Customer Care team. We can assure you this experience is not typical of what our customers can expect when booking with Hotwire. We have noted your concerns and can assure you this particular matter concerning quality will be appropriately handled internally. Hotwire takes customer feedback very seriously, and appreciates the time you took to notify us with your concerns.
With regard to the star-rating; as there is no standardized calculation for star-ratings, we use our customer feedback as a main contributor to rate our hotels. We first incorporate Expedia's star rating for the hotel, and based on customer reviews the rating can be increased or decreased. Given those two factors, the Mardi Gras Hotel & Casino is listed as a 3-star property with Hotwire. We have checked other well-known travel sites, and found the 3-star rating for this hotel to be fair. The Mardi Gras Hotel & Casino is also listed as a 3-star property by TripAdvisor, Hotels.com, Expedia, Booking.com, Orbitz, Kayak and Trivago. At this time, we remain confident our star-rating system is meeting the needs of our customer's goals.
Our records show that a refund to your account was processed in the amount of $110.53, equal to two nights stay, on September 5, 2015. We are not able to refund the remaining amount, as the room was used for two nights, and the hotel authorized the refund for two nights only.
As it was your decision to leave this reservation and book elsewhere at a higher amount, we are not able to compensate you for any difference in rates
To address the resort fees, we give our hotel partners the opportunity to provide estimated resort fee amounts, but this is not required information, as it [redacted] disclose the exact property. If knowing all fees associated with the hotel is important in your travels, Hotwire also offers standard rate hotels. With these you are able to book with the knowledge of the exact hotel, room type, and any fee requirements the hotel [redacted] have. Hotwire strives for clarity during the booking process, and to ensure this we provide the following information in our Terms of Use "You'll pay the hotel directly for additional charges, like room service or resort fees." This is something that you must agree to before a booking can be completed.
In conclusion, we are not able to honor your request for a full refund, reimbursement of the resort fees, and compensation for the difference in rates. We appreciate your business and hope to assist 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, 2015/09/18) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
[redacted],
Thank you for responding. Unfortunately, I feel your refusal to refund any of the money is in bad taste and horrible customer service. First, let me speak to the star rating. The mere fact that there is a conflict between what your end user staff and your supervisor staff state is the criteria for the star rating, makes your company look incompetent. In this case, if what you say is true, your end user staff has more knowledge of your company then your supervisors. A simple I am sorry you had a bad experience with our staff is poor customer service to say the least. It was a complete circus show from the first phone call to the last. Everyone was rude and having your customer wait on hold for upwards of an hour and hanging up is absolute ridiculousness. Again, I spent at LEAST 3 hours on the phone on hold or dealing with your rude call center. In fact, I am still waiting for the manager phone call that was promised to me on that very same day.
Second, the fact that you say "I chose to stay the first two nights" is semi correct. I am a single mother travelling with two children. We had travelled 8 hours by car and were exhausted when we reached the hotel. I was unaware that I could call Hotwire at midnight first of all and second, judging by the lack of custmer service I received the next morning, honestly, what would they have done for me? I would have been on the street at midnight in Las Vegas with nowhere to sleep. So, I chose to sleep there because I have a responsibility to my children. Was I worried about the hookers and riff raff in the parking lot, yes. Did I sleep lightly with pepper spray next to me, yes. I CHOSE to leave the next morning but because the hotel's computers were down and your staff refused to call me back instead of me sitting in the hotel room on hold for another half and hour, the hotel wouldn't release me because they charge you a night for early cancellation. Now, my card had been charged the full amount a pending hold was on the account for incidentals and a refund for the remaining two nights wouldn't be processed for 2-3 days. Having enough money to find another hotel was an issue. So I had to stay there because the process made it difficult to leave. Keep in mind that had this motel been what was represented as equivalent to a Hilton, Holiday Inn or Crown, then all of this would have been avoided. As it was I had to call around to several hotels and scour the internet sites to find something under $200.00 for a holiday weekend. Again, wasting more of my time and time with my family as we were there for a wedding, which would have all been avoided had I gotten what was represented as a 3 star hotel.
Thirdly, the fact that your company doesn't even offer to try and make it right says a lot about how important your customers are to you. The lack of free breakfast (which was offered on your site) and the hidden resort fees are just sneaky. At the very least, I would think your company would refund the fees and the two nights stay. Compensating me for the $130.00 would have been excellent customer service even if it was in the form of a voucher to redeem yourselves.
I do hope that you rethink your decision and realize the circumstances in which people travel. Not everyone has oodles of extra money to hold on credit cards and I value the money I spend. I expect to get what I pay for.
Thank you for your time.
[redacted]

April 5, 2016[redacted]In response to Revdex.com case number [redacted], Hotwire Itinerary [redacted]Dear [redacted],Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Revdex.com regarding your Hot Rate(r) hotel reservation with [redacted]...

[redacted] / Chicago Area, IL. I understand you are dissatisfied with your booking as you received a smoking room despite filtering "Smoke-free rooms". As such, you are requesting a refund for your Hot Rate(r) hotel reservation, and the amount you paid to book for alternate property. Our customers can expect a non-smoking room if the hotel shows a "Smoke-free rooms" amenity in the details provided online. After reviewing your reservation, I confirmed that "Smoke-free rooms" amenity was not listed for this property. I also confirmed you booked your original reservation on December 4, 2016 for a non-smoking accommodation at [redacted] Plaza. However, it was booked for the wrong dates, which resulted to a call you made to our Customer Care Department. One of our Travel Specialists assisted you in rebooking at [redacted], which has most of the amenities included in your first reservation, with the exception of the smoke-free amenity, which we overlooked.Allow me to assure you this experience is not typical of what our customers can expect when booking with Hotwire. Due to this, we are willing to refund your Hot Rate(r) hotel reservation in the amount of $61.04. In addition, please send us a copy of the receipt you paid for the alternate hotel for review. You may send it to customersupport[redacted] via attachment. After we complete our review, which takes 7-10 business days, we will notify you of the outcome via email. We cannot guarantee a specific resolution. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and we 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 RelationsHotwire Corporate Office

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/02/05) */
February 5, 2016
[redacted] S. [redacted] Way
[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 Revdex.com regarding your Hot Rate(r) hotel reservation with Holiday Inn Express in Bridgeville, PA. I understand you were dissatisfied because your refund request initiated in January has not been processed yet.
Our Hot Rate(r) reservations are booked as non-refundable and non-changeable in order to obtain deeply discounted rates from our partners. Nevertheless, we do understand some events are beyond the customer's control and allow refunds under extenuating circumstances but we do require specific documentation.
In order to uphold our contracts with our partners and continue to service our customers with such low rates, it is necessary for us to require documentation in medical situations. We require a letter from a doctor stating you were unable to travel on the specific dates of the reservation. According to our records, you have sent the appropriate documentation on January 31, 2016.
After reviewing the documents you sent, we processed a refund in the amount of $71.50 on February 3, 2016. While we process our refunds within 1-2 business days, it is up to your financial institution's policies on when the credit will be posted to your account.
Our goal is to exceed your expectations and we 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
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2016/02/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Received the refund on my credit card. Thank you.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:The website is mislead me into believing I was able to cancel my reservation through the purchase of insurance.  As you can see in the attachment, what is advertised at the time of purchase is "cancellation protection".  There is no indication that there are limitations to reasons that a trip can be cancelled.  The only way a person would know this is to click the link to read terms/FAQ's, or read the policy which is sent from Alianz after purchase.  Based on the positioning of the product, there was no assumption that I would need to read terms to understand if my cancellation reason would qualify.  If I had know the only acceptable reasons to use the trip protection were to be sick, terminated, or to die, I never would have booked this trip through Hotwire.Hotwire is misleading consumers and offering a bait and switch product through the positioning of their travel protection insurance.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/05/20) */
[redacted] 20, 2015
[redacted] ln
[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 reservation at the State Plaza Hotel. As stated in your letter, the hotel has a $40 parking fee that was not listed prior to booking. As such, you are requesting we have these fees disclosed before booking. We appreciate the feedback, and regret any inconvenience this has caused.
In exchange for concealing our partners' identities, and guaranteeing the reservations will be used as sold, they provide Hotwire with deeply discounted rates. Fees such as parking [redacted] reveal too much about the property; therefore we do not require our partners to have them displayed beforehand. Once we confirm a reservation, the booking details and payment information are sent directly to the supplier. For these reasons, reservations are booked as non-refundable and non-changeable.
There are instances where providing fees does not affect the opacity, and can be listed prior to booking. If they are, they can be found under the "Know before you go" section. If paying for parking is a concern, we recommend using the filter for the free parking amenity, or using our standard rates that allow you to choose a specific hotel.
At this time, we believe the Hot Rate model fits our business needs. Hotwire thanks you for your feedback. We appreciate your business and look forward to assisting you with your future travels.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Corporate Customer Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office

April 10, 2017
 
[redacted], IN [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 Better Business...

Bureau, regarding your hotel at Hotel Pigeon Forge Inn-Suites. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent hotel reservation because the hotel’s Wi-Fi was unavailable. As such, you requested a full refund.
 
Our records indicate you booked a Hotwire Hot Rate ® reservation. In Hot Rate ® reservations, customers are shown the general vicinity, price, star rating, and amenities of the hotel, but the specific hotel is not revealed until after booking is completed. Through this method, Hotwire is able to obtain deeply discounted rates for our customers, but in exchange we guarantee to the hotels with which we do business that the reservations will be used as booked. As such, Hot Rate ® reservations are non-cancellable and non-refundable.
 
At Hotwire, we strive for clarity on the site.  Customers can choose the place they want to stay based on the amenities that best suit their needs, such as Free Internet. If an amenity is listed, customer can expect it at the hotel. While we work to ensure the amenities provided upon booking are available, we cannot guarantee they will all be in service during your stay. During the booking process, we mentioned the following:
 
“An amenity may be closed, though we try to show what's available.”
 
In addition, if there is a concern with the hotel, we first want to provide our partners with the opportunity to rectify the situation. In the event the hotel is not able to resolve the matter to the customer’s satisfaction, you can contact us for help. Because there were no contacts made to Hotwire during your stay, Hotwire did not have the opportunity to help with your concerns.
Based on the information above, we are unable to honor your refund request. For the experience, I applied 50 HotDollars to your account under[redacted]@yahoo.com. One HotDollar is equivalent to one US Dollar that can be used in booking any Hot rate® hotels or any Hot Rate® cars, valid for a year.
 
We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional.
 
Best regards,
 
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: It is clearly a bait and switch fraud as the website clearly states "airport shuttle" on the car selection. At the rental car company there were 2 addition people when I was there who had been taken in by this scam and the Hertz staff said they get at LEAST 10 clients a day who were mislead by Hotwaire in this way. The additional $50 in cab fare, time out of my vacation and the dangerous situation I was left in at the deserted downtown location for a late night drop off was complete negligence on the part of Hotwire. They are knowingly cheating anyone who uses thir service.Sincerely,[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/07/05) */
July 5, 2015
[redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Ms. [redacted],
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Better Business...

Bureau, regarding your car rental reservation with Alamo at the Port Columbus International Airport. We understand that you were charged a per mile fee for this reservation, though you had been assured by Hotwire that the booking included unlimited mileage. As such you are seeking a refund for the mileage fees. We regret any frustration or inconvenience this [redacted] have caused.
As per our telephone conversation, I have advised our finance department to send you a check in the amount of $275.10. This represents the amount that you were charged by Alamo for mileage. Your check will be mailed to the address you provided.
Hotwire takes customer feedback very seriously, and appreciates the time you took to notify us with your concerns. If you have any questions or additional 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 Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/06) */
August 6, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] Ave.
[redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX

Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns sent through the Revdex.com, regarding your...

recent booking with Hotwire. You state in your correspondence that you made a double booking and you were denied a refund by Hotwire. We regret any frustration this situation [redacted] have caused.
The information you have provided in your letter to Better Business failed to access a Hotwire account, please provide us with the email address you used to make this booking, the name of the hotel, the dates booked, the Itinerary number (if you have it), or the phone number you listed on the hotwire account, to assist me in accessing your Hotwire account.
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, 2015/08/10) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The corporate relations division responded only to ask for my information, and did not address all of my complains in the response. They only gave me a customer service number instead of direct number.The booking number was XXXXXXXXXX, my email is [redacted]@gmail.com.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2015/09/01) */
August 30, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for providing your itinerary number so that we [redacted] address your concerns sent through the Revdex.com; regarding your stay at Extended stay America in Melbourne Florida on July 26, 2015 to August 5, 2015. You state in your correspondence that you made a duplicate booking and you were denied a refund by Hotwire, you have also shared with us feedback regarding our customer service team. We regret any frustration this situation [redacted] have caused.
After researching this for you we have found one reservation on your account, which was created on July 14, 2015. A different booking was made one hour previously, and the first call to hotwire was a full two days after the bookings were processed.
We obtain deeply discounted rates in exchange for guaranteed reservations. If our partners can be absolutely confident reservations will be used as sold, they are willing to offer reduced rates. Once a reservation is confirmed on Hotwire.com, the details of your booking and our payment information is sent directly to the rental agency. Regardless of whether or not the reservation is used we are charged for the reservation.
You have stated that you did not like the service provided by our customer care representatives. We value your feedback and will keep a record of it so that we can continue to improve upon your experience when calling Hotwire.
Based upon our previous correspondence and the above information, we will not be honoring your request for a refund. We regret if your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional and look forward to assisting you with your travel needs in the near future.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate Customer Relations
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 13, 2015/09/02) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I guess I will have to take this issue to small claims court.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2016/01/29) */
January 29, 2016
[redacted]
[redacted] N [redacted] Rd [redacted]
[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...

Revdex.com regarding your reservation with Hertz Car Rental. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent car booking as you indicate you were not informed the agency may require credit check when using a debit card. As such, you requested a refund.
When booking a car rental on our Web site, we require customers to select whether they are using a credit card or debit card for deposit. If customers select they are using a debit card, they are them prompted to select whether they are a local renter or if they are travelling with proof of a round trip ticket. Additionally, some rental agencies require a credit check. We do not proactively provide this information to our customers as this only varies depending on rental location.
Upon review, I contacted Hertz and I learned they require soft credit inquiry for debit card users which does not affect your credit report. And if a customer is denied service upon arriving to the agency for not meeting the rental requirements, we recommend contacting Hotwire Customer Service at X (XXX) XXX XXXX.
After further review, I confirmed you contacted us on January 4, 2016 to inform us you were unable to pick up the car due to the credit check requirement which Hertz verified. As an exception to your non-refundable reservation, I am able to honor your refund request in the amount of $111.01. Refunds typically takes 1-2 business days and is up to your financial institution as to when the funds will be available for use.
We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 11, 2016/02/04) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I will accept your offer of a refund, thanks!

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/15) */
August 15, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] Avenue
[redacted] XXXXX
RE: Revdex.com Case Number: XXXXXXXXX
Itinerary Number: XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as went through the...

Revdex.com, regarding your reservation at The Pallazzo Resort Hotel Casino on August 4, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. We understand that you are requesting information regarding possible fraud on your account. We regret any frustration this [redacted] have caused.
Please understand, we employ robust methods to guard against fraud but no company is able to prevent every case of fraud. Our Risk Management department is specially trained to handle these sensitive issues. If Hotwire suspects fraudulent activity on an account, we will deactivate the account to prevent further incidents. Going forward, any future booking attempts on Hotwire.com will be blocked by Risk Management. All further contacts regarding the deactivation of this account must be addressed with Risk Management at (XXX)XXX-XXXX.
It is at the discretion of our Risk Management team whether or not the decision to deactivate your account is final. Due to the sensitive nature of the information handled by that department, they only reach out to guests if further information is needed to complete their investigation. If the decision to deactivate the account is final, you will likely not receive a call back from that department. I understand this is frustrating; however, for liability reasons we are unable to disclose the reason for deactivation.
The Hotwire Terms of Use indicate user access to all or part of the Hotwire Web site [redacted] be terminated or suspended at any time, without notice and for any reason. By accessing, browsing and using the Hotwire web site, customers acknowledge they have read, understand and agree to comply with the terms and conditions stated in the Hotwire Terms of Use. If customers do not agree with any part of those Terms and Conditions, we advise they must not use the site.
This reservation was refunded in full at the time the account was deactivated. Hotwire will not be offering any further compensation.
We regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional.
Best Regards,
[redacted] Bell
Hotwire Corporate Customer Relations
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/08/18) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Dear [redacted]:
Your response is completely unsatisfactory. The Risk Management team was contacted immediately after the determination that our reservation was cancelled upon arrival at the hotel. After only being able to leave a voicemail with that department we have not been surprised that they have failed to contact us yet explaining the nature of all the cancellations. Our party had three separate reservations made at three different times, using three different credit cards but yet the Risk Management department cancelled all of the reservations without notice. This is not isolated and we believe that a fraud has been perpetrated that can only be redressed through compensation for our out of pocket expense and an explanation of the cancellation.
It is true that the original charged amount was credited to our credit card but no email was sent indicating that the reservation was cancelled. This poor business practice did not allow us proper time to make alternative arrangements and led to us spending money out of pocket.
If Hotwire does not believe that they owe us any further explanation, contact, or compensation we will have no other choice but to seek other methods of resolve such as reaching out to the media and filing legal claims. We have become very frustrated with this process and will not stop short of having the issue resolved in a satisfactory manner.
Regards,
[redacted]
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/08/19) */
August 19, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] XXXXX
RE: Revdex.com #XXXXXXXXX
Itinerary #XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your additional correspondence through the Revdex.com, regarding your reservation with the Pallazzo Resort Hotel Casino. We understand you did not find our previous response satisfactory, as it does not state specifically as to why your reservation was cancelled. We apologize for any frustration this has caused.
Please understand, the Hotwire Terms of Use indicate user access to all or part of the Hotwire Web site [redacted] be terminated or suspended at any time, without notice and for any reason. By accessing, browsing and using the Hotwire web site, customers acknowledge they have read, understand and agree to comply with the terms and conditions stated in the Hotwire Terms of Use. If customers do not agree with any part of those Terms and Conditions, we advise they must not use the site.
As the nature of the information that Risk Management deals with (such as bank accounts) is highly sensitive, they are the only ones with full access to the details of the investigation. For this same reason, they will only contact you if they require additional information. They have confirmed that this account was cancelled due to fraudulent activity, which is something we do not compensate for. Any further questions regarding your account should be directed toward your financial institution.
Until further notice your Hotwire account will remain deactivated. We regret if your experience was anything less than exceptional, and thank you for having chosen Hotwire.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Corporate Customer Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2015/08/20) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Hi [redacted],
You terms of conditions do not say you can cancel a reservation. I had no account with Hotwire to cancel. It is concerning that your company has a policy of canceling customer reservations without explanation. I think many people would think twice before booking with your website knowing that that you cancel reservations without notice or reason leaving customers to spend more money on last minute reservations.
This matter can only be remedied through legal channels at this point since you continue to act in bad faith. You cost us over $1000 and insult us by saying that your terms of service gives you a loop hole to cancel anybodies reservation for any reason. From reading other posts it seems that this is common practice with your company and I will do everything in my power to prevent this from happening to other customers.
Good day.

March 10, 2017
 
[redacted]
 
In response to Revdex.com case number [redacted], Hotwire Itinerary [redacted]
 
Dear [redacted],
 
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Revdex.com regarding your...

Hot Rate® hotel reservation with [redacted] Grand. I understand you are dissatisfied with your booking because you feel that the property is not comparable to the hotel brands we listed at the time of booking. As such you requested a hotel change.At Hotwire, we strive for clarity during the booking process. After searching for a hotel on our site, our customers are provided with various hotel options categorized by star rating and area(s). For our Hot Rates®, we provide an example list of specific hotels pertinent to the star rating, area and/or surrounding neighborhoods. At the top of the list, we are sure to inform our customers of the "Hotels in our 3.5-star collection" with a list of examples. Next to the hotel examples, we are clear to call out that the examples shown are not guaranteed as one of the hotels a customer may receive when completing their reservation.Upon selecting a Hot Rate® Hotel option, we then provide a more generalized list of hotel brands typical of the star rating presented. Following our generalized example list, we provide a link to our Star Rating Guide. In our Star Ratings Guide we go on to clarify the hotel brands mentioned do not represent Hotwires complete offering of hotel partners in the star rating category and some brands feature hotels in more than one star rating category. In addition, we offer select independent hotels not listed.Regardless of star rating, you should expect a clean room in working order, if you encounter a problem first work with the hotel and contact us if you need help.
 
Based on that information, we are unable to honor your change request.
 
We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional.
 
Best Regards,
 
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office

March 31, 2016[redacted]In response to Revdex.com case number [redacted], Hotwire Itinerary [redacted]Dear [redacted],Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Revdex.com, regarding your hotel at [redacted] Plus Fort Lauderdale [redacted]. I understand you were unable to utilize your reservation as the hotel did not have non-smoking rooms available upon your arrival. As such, you are requesting a refund. On Hotwire, there are two types of hotel reservations: Hotwire Hot Rate(r) and "Hotel". For hotel, details are provided prior to booking and may be refundable; cancellation policies vary by hotel. You can find the cancellation policy during the booking process or on the confirmation email we provide after booking. For all Hotwire Hot Rate(r), bookings are final and cannot be cancelled, refunded, exchanged, transferred, or changed, even for a fee. Our hotel suppliers are able to offer their unsold rooms at discounted rates on Hotwire because we withhold their name until after the customer books and our reservations are non-refundable. These restrictions enable our partners to better manage their unsold rooms. After reviewing your reservation, I confirmed you booked a Hot Rate(r).Allow me to clarify our policies regarding smoking and non-smoking rooms. In order to ensure a customer is guaranteed a non-smoking room, we recommend booking a hotel listing non-smoking as an amenity. If a property lists this amenity, it means the entire establishment is non-smoking. If the amenity is not listed upon booking, the determination on whether a customer is able to obtain a non-smoking or smoking room is based on the hotel's availability. Depending on how the hotel receives the reservation, the determination could be established from room type availability upon booking or upon arrival to the hotel.Based on the above information, I am unable to honor your request for a full refund.We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire hotel experience was anything less than exceptional.[redacted]Customer Care RelationsHotwire Corporate Office

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/03) */
September 3, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] Street [redacted]
[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 Crossland Denver - Airport - Aurora on September 7, 2015 in Aurora, Colorado. We understand that you would prefer a hotel in a different area. You are seeking to cancel this Hot Rate (r) hotel reservation for a full refund. We regret any inconvenience this situation [redacted] have caused.
Hotwire has reviewed your account; we note that you did speak with a Customer Service agent and Supervisor who explained how our Hot Rates and mapped areas work. The Crossland Denver - Airport - Aurora falls within the Denver Intl Airport DEN, Colorado chosen at the time of booking.
The distances provided on our Web site are derived based on straight-line measurement. All distances are measured from the starting point information entered. To provide the exact distance would reveal too much information about the hotel. We are able to negotiate these great low Hot Rates with assurance to the hotel that the name and exact location will not be revealed until the booking is completed. This allows hotels to better manage their inventory - without competing with themselves.
For future reservations, you [redacted] wish to consider booking a hotel from our Hotel's tab. With these hotels, you are able to choose the hotel of your choice and know exactly where the hotel is before your book it, but they just not discounted like our Hot Rates.
We guarantee payment to our hotel partners on all our Hot Rate(r) hotel bookings. Either you check-in or not, Hotwire still have to pay for the bookings. As a result we won't be able to honor your request for 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 XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate Customer Relations
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/09/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The response by the Hotwire associate does meet my satisfaction, because it continues to perpetuate a lack accountability on their part. The hotel in which I was assigned is not located within their stated radius. Additionally, the hotel is identified as a 2-star hotel. Upon searching multiple websites, none of them identified this hotel as such: Google Reviews 1.9; TripAdvisor 1.5; Hotels.com 1.9; Yelp 1.5; Kayak.com 1.5.
I do not accept Hotwire.com's response, and I will continue to seek a full refund.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/09/14) */
September 14, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for the opportunity to readdress your concerns as sent through the Revdex.com regarding your booking at the Crossland Denver- Airport -Aurora for check-in September 7, and check-out September 8, 2015. We understand you remain dissatisfied with our response; as such you are requesting a full refund. We regret any frustrations this [redacted] have caused you.
As the previous agent reiterated, the Denver International Airport area was selected, each area is shaded in green to give you an idea of the location of the hotel. With our Hot Rates we guarantee the hotel can be anywhere within the map area that you booked, and this hotel is in the mapped area that you were provided. We don't guarantee any specific location with our Hot Rate hotels.
We would like to clarify how the star-ratings are assigned. Please understand there is no current national or international standard for hotel rating systems, so individual ratings can vary by source. Our customers play a very large part of the star-rating determination. To determine a hotel's star rating, Hotwire first incorporates Expedia's star rating for the hotel and then adjusts the rating up or down based on direct feedback from Hotwire customers.
At Hotwire We obtain our deeply discounted Hot Rates in exchange for guaranteeing our partners the reservations we book will be used as originally made. Once we confirm a reservation, the booking details and payment information are sent directly to the supplier. We guarantee payment to the hotel, whether the reservation is used or not. For this reason, reservations are booked as non-refundable and non-changeable.
Based on the information above, our decision remains final; we won't be honoring your request for a refund.
We regret 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
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2015/09/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
In your response, you stated there are no standards for hotel ratings. However, each and every site I have visited listed this hotel as less than 2-star quality, including Expedia. It seems you are peddling sub-standard hotels by taking advantage of an altered star rating. Not to mention, expedia.com customer reviews of this hotel are littered with very poor 1-star ratings for this hotel.
It should be of no consequence to me that you guarantee payment to your partners if those partners, and your website, do not meet the conditions of quality described at Hotwire.com.
I remain unsatisfied with your response and will continue to seek a full refund.

June 6,
[redacted], ON [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 Days
Inn - Downtown OttawaI understand you
are dissatisfied with your recent hotel booking because the room provided did
not accommodate the number of guests you indicated on the reservationAs such,
you requested a full refund
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 requestedWe 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
availabilitySome properties may offer pull-out couches or roll-away beds to
meet the occupancy requirements of a reservationOur partners will do their
best to make your stay as comfortable as possible
Our records indicate you booked a Hot Rate® for adult
and childrenI recognized you were assigned in a room with only one queen
bedWe apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you
I can assure you this experience is not typical of what
our customers can expect when booking with Hotwire
Upon review, we attempted to relocate you at a different
hotelWe recognized you declined this option due to unavailability of your
request for cribHowever, please understand, as not all hotels can guarantee
this amenity, our goal was to transfer you to a hotel that can accommodate
guests
Based on the situation, we are unable to honor your
refund request since your hotel room was fully utilized
For the inconvenience, please accept HotDollars I
applied to your account under [redacted]One
HotDollar is equivalent to one US Dollar that can be used in booking Hot Rate®
Hotels and HotRate Cars, valid up to one yearWith this, we hope we
have the opportunity to better serve your travel needs in the near future
Additionally, we would like to
reimburse the amount you paid for the extra beds, you may send us the receipt for
reviewYou may send it as an email attachment to [redacted]Once received, the review process may take up to seven to
ten business days
Our goal is to exceed your expectations and regret we did
not do so on this occasion
Best regards,
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: Some information that Hotwire stated in their response is incorrect.  For example, my roundtrip ticket was from Washington, DC -Dulles IAD to Vienna, Austria -VIE.  Also, my returned flight that was cancelled was leaving from Milan, Italy - Malpensa MXP; and not from Lisbon, Portugal; and that I had to stay an additional day in Milan due to this cancellation.  However, I am accepting the refund of $566.83 for my returned flight as compensation for the inconvenience, distress and frustration that the situation had caused me.Sincerely,[redacted]

Complaint: 1[redacted]I am rejecting this response because: that information advising the rates are based on other rates around the area was not advised on the booking page as I clearly pointed out in the screen shot I provided. You site advised 50% off the normal rate of the property and was missing the footer due to a technical issue on your side. As such I should not be held responsible. Furthermore I was also advised a follow up call from a higher supervisor which I never received. 
Because of the missing footer I assumed that I was getting a higher priced hotel, and while I understand your position I do knot believe that it is a justifiable reason to deny my claim  
I ask you to reconsider and offer me some form of compensation, refund or otherwise, to retain my business and my ability to recommend Hotwire to other customers I come in contact with as I also work in the travel industry. 
Sincerely,[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/16) */
November 16, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] Street
[redacted] XXXXXX
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...

Revdex.com regarding your reservation with The Roxy Hotel (formerly Tribeca Grand Hotel) in New York. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent hotel reservation, specifically with the sleeping arrangements, as you were provided with one bed. As such, you 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 [redacted] 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 [redacted] 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.
In reviewing your Hotwire account, I confirmed we extended an exception to refund bookings made through our site and rebook for an alternate option. The refund took place on November 3, 2015, and typically takes one to two business days for the funds to return to your financial institution. From there, it is up to your financial institution as to when the funds will be available for use.
We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire hotel rental experience was anything less than exceptional.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/11/19) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Hotwire refunded our money. I haven't seen it post on my credit card bill yet but I saved the confirmation from Hotwire.

June 8, 2017   [redacted]   In response to Revdex.com Complaint ID [redacted] Hotwire Itinerary [redacted]   Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns as sent through the Revdex.com, regarding your reservation with...

[redacted] - York. I understand you are dissatisfied as you your reservation was booked on a different city. As such, you requested a refund.   As discussed over the phone, an exception of rebook was provided today. Please be reminded you’re your refund for the original booking may take one to two business days to process and it is up to your financial institution as to when the funds will be available for use.   We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire hotel experience was anything less than exceptional.   Best regards,   [redacted] Customer Care Relations Hotwire Corporate Office