Hotwire

April 14, 2017
 
[redacted], PA [redacted]
 
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 hotel reservation with Rodeway Inn & Suites Windsor, CT. I regret you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your situation given the negative reviews you read online.
 
Upon further review, I found that this property has more great recent reviews than the negative reviews you have shared. This means that most customers who have stayed at the property had great experience.
 
As previously mentioned, regardless of star rating, customers should expect a clean room in working order, if a customer encounters a problem during stay, first work with the hotel and contact us if you need help.
 
Based on the information above, our decision to not refund your reservation remains final.
 
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:
The response from the business is misleading and indicates that I do not understand the Low Price Guarantee, yet has not explained how I am misunderstanding it. I do not believe I misunderstand the guarantee - Hotwire offered the same hotel on their own website for a deeper discount than it sold the same hotel to me as part of their "Hot Rate" special. I inquired for a refund of the difference immediately. Hotwire ignored me completely for over 1 month of my continued attempts to contact them. Now they refuse to honor the guarantee because too much time has passed and I do not have all of the documentation they require to refund me - apparently Hotwire does not know what rates they sell or advertise hotels for. Now they say I misunderstand their guarantee in this response - again, this situation does not seem like I misunderstand their guarantee, it seems like the business is trying to deflect and shirk responsibility with a deliberately misleading and inappropriate response that tries to place the blame on me, the customer, for their own horrific failure to respond to customer inquiries in a reasonable amount of time.
 
Change business model? What change of business model am I requesting? I am requesting that Hotwire find a way to respond to customers directly within 1 month of initial inquiry, and without having to get a third party involved. If that requires a change of business model, then yes, that is what I am requesting. However I get the feeling Samantha is trying to throw a customer under the bus to pretend that Hotwire has held up their end of the transaction.
Sincerely,[redacted]

July 13, 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 [redacted] Airport North. I understand that you checked-out a day early because the condition of the hotel fell below our expectations. As such, you requested a refund of the unused night.   We appreciate your patience regarding this matter. We are in the process of reaching out to the hotel to verify your concerns.   I can assure you, we are taking this seriously and looking into this further. Kindly allow us more time and we will be the one to contact you once we have an information to share.   Again, thanks for your patience. We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire hotel experience was anything less than exceptional. Best regards, [redacted] Customer Care Relations Hotwire Corporate Office

May 11, 2017   [redacted]   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 hotel reservation with [redacted]. I understand you feel that the reservation was fraudulently booked by Hotwire.   As previously mentioned, the booking cannot be completed unless a customer completes the booking path which requires a customer to provide his check-in details and billing information. In addition, the booking will not go through if a customer did not check the box indicating they accepted the Hotwire Terms of Use.   However, if you feel a fraudulent booking took place, we provide a service permitting a customer to file a fraud report for further investigation. That being stated, submitting a fraud report does not prompt a refund of the booking. Rather, it notifies our Risk Management team fraud has occurred. Any pursuance made to get reimbursed for the unauthorized charge must be done through your financial institution.   As such, our decision to not honor your refund request remains final.   Best regards,   [redacted] Customer Care Relations Hotwire Corporate Office

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/17) */
August 17, 2015
[redacted]


[redacted] XXXXX

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

and the Revdex.com regarding your Hot Rate Car booking with Hertz at the Cavalier Inn at the University of Virginia. Specifically, you state that you have found both negative reviews and reports of this hotel having bedbugs online. As such, you are requesting that we provide you with a full refund or credit totaling $105.41. We regret the frustration and inconvenience this situation created, and appreciate the time you took to express your concerns.
Due to your concerns regarding online reviews and reports of bedbugs we have read the reviews found on multiple sites including Expedia and TripAdvisor. The vast majority of reviews for the Cavalier Inn at the University of Virginia on Expedia are positive, showing a 91% recommendation of guests. It is also worth noting that no reports of bedbugs were found on any of the reviews we found. TripAdvisor does have more varied selection of reviews, but the majority of them are still positive and many comment on the cleanliness of the rooms provided.
Based on the information above we will not provide you with any 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
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/08/19) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Really, you investigate the claim by exploring online travel sites? I provided you with the source of my information which is the bedbugregistry where if you checked you would find 10 complaints of bed bug incidences at this location. Possibly you did check but the information you were looking for was not there? Or maybe call the management or local health dept.? You are only fooling yourself!
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/08/25) */
August 25, 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 Revdex.com, regarding your booking with Cavalier Inn at the University of Virginia on September 8, 2015 in Charlottesville, Virginia. We understand that you seeking to cancel this reservation for a refund because you have found unsatisfactory reviews online for this property. We regret any frustration this situation has caused you.
Hotwire has received overwhelmingly positive reviews for this over the past 3 months. I have reviewed the Bed Bug Registry entry, which was posted on July 15, 2015 but cites a stay in November, 2013. The hotel has confirmed there have been no bed bug reports this year, and they do have a management plan in place should any issues be reported.
At the time of booking Hotwire disclosed the Terms of Use for this reservation. In part it reads:
All bookings are final. No refunds, changes or transfers.
We ask you to confirm you have read, understand and accept these terms in order to complete the booking. A review of this reservation indicates the Terms of Use box was selected indicating these conditions were agreed upon at the time of booking.
At Hotwire, we expect our customers will have a clean and safe stay. If there is a quality concern with the room, we first want to provide our partners with the opportunity to rectify the situation with a change in rooms. In the event the hotel is not able to resolve the matter to the customer's satisfaction, we recommend contacting Hotwire Customer Care at 1-866-HOTWIRE (XXX-XXXX) for further review.
In consideration of the above information, we are not able to honor your request for a refund.
We appreciate your business and look forward to assisting you with your future travels.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate Customer Relations

October 4, 2017   [redacted]
[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 Quality Suites Airport Fort Myers. I understand you are dissatisfied with your reservation because the hotel was sold out and did not receive a refund of the reservation.   We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. We regret to hear that the hotel was unable to accommodate you at the time of your check-in.   Please allow us more time to look into this matter and we will get back to you.   Should you have questions, or additional information to share, you may send us an e-mail to [redacted] or you may call us at [redacted]. We are open Monday to Sunday from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM PST.   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 Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/08/06) */
August 6, 2015
[redacted]


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

Hotwire and the Revdex.com regarding your Hot Rate Hotel booking at The World Center Hotel. Specifically, you are stating that you the crossed out rate was not the rate of the room you booked and that you did not get the advertised 70% discount. As such, you are requesting Hotwire provide you with a partial refund. We regret the frustration and inconvenience this situation created, and appreciate the time you took to express your concerns.
Here at Hotwire we often advertise amazing deals, this one stated that it could be up to 70% off. Please understand that this is referring to the median rate for hotels of the same star-rating in that area. We do have a Low Price Guarantee that states if you find a lower rate on another website within 24 hours of making the reservation we will pay you the difference.
The median rate is used for the crossed out rates just like with the savings percentage. We do our best to make this clear by stating that our crossed out rates are "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."
Based on the information above we will not be providing compensation for this reservation. 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

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/13) */
August 13, 2015
[redacted] St
[redacted], ** XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns sent through the Revdex.com,...

regarding your booking with Hertz at the Charleston airport, pick up August 1st, 2015. We understand that the midsize SUV you reserved was not available at the time you arrived to pick it up. As such you are requesting a full refund. We regret any inconvenience this has caused you.
After further review with Hertz, we found that they were unable to provide the reserved car type. Instead, they had offered a midsize car with the option to return later to pick up the SUV when available. The car was accepted, but the offer to return later for the SUV was not a possibility for you.
Here at Hotwire, we are able to secure deeply discounted rates in exchange for guaranteeing our partners the reservations on our website will be used as originally booked. For this reason, all reservations are booked as non-changeable and non-refundable. However, if the agency is unable to fulfil the rental agreement, Hotwire has policies to compensate (depending on the scenario).
In this case, we were contacted two days after the downgrade had been accepted. As the reservation was used, Hotwire is unable to provide a full refund, or in cash as requested. We were able to apply 25% of the reservation in the amount of $78.88 HotDollars. HotDollars are equal to one US Dollar, and can be used toward any hot rate car or hotel reservation on the Hotwire site. Your HotDollars will expire one year from the date of issue, on August 6, 2016.
Because the other vehicle was accepted, Hotwire will not be able to provide any further compensation. We appreciate your business and look forward to assisting you with your future travels. If you have any questions or concerns, please immediately contact our 24 hour customer care at 866-HOTWIRE (XXX-XXXX).
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Corporate Customer Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/08/14) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
No. I do not accept this resolution. I have said from the outset that I do not want a credit for future use of Hotwire I will not use Hotwire again after this experience. Moreover, I told Hotwire that I did NOT want HotDollars but they applied them to my account anyway. This is a breach of contract and a fraud. I intend to report this to the Attorney General and to seek redress in court.
I'm disappointed that the Revdex.com even lets Hotwire make this proposal. I understand that you are a business organization, not a consumer organization. But this is pathetic.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/08/20) */
August 20, 2015
[redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns sent through the Revdex.com, regarding your booking with Hertz at the Charleston airport, pick up August 1st, 2015. We understand that the midsize SUV you reserved was not available at the time you arrived to pick it up. As such you are requesting a refund. We regret any inconvenience this has caused you.
Unfortunately, overbooking does occur occasionally in the travel industry. In such situations, our partners do their best to accommodate customers with the vehicle that will best suit their needs. We recognize that this situation is less than ideal and do our best to work with both customers and our car partners to reach a satisfactory resolution for all involved. In this instance, the Hertz offered to have you pick up the size vehicle you requested as soon as it became available. This was not convenient for you, and you opted to keep the smaller vehicle instead.
At Hotwire, once we confirm a reservation, the booking details and payment information are sent directly to the supplier and billed regardless if the reservation is used or not. For this reason, all Hot Rate bookings are final and cannot be cancelled, refunded, changed, exchanged or transferred. In order to complete the booking, you selected a box stating you read, understood and accepted those conditions.
Because a vehicle was accepted and used for the full rental period, Hotwire will not be processing an cash refund for this reservation. We have applied 78.88 HotDollars to your account for a future reservation. No further compensation is due.
At Hotwire, we rely upon the staff of our car rental partners to provide the quality of service our mutual customers come to expect. We take the feedback and concerns of our customers very seriously, and would like to thank you for contacting us regarding your situation.
Thank you for choosing Hotwire,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate Customer Relations
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2015/08/21) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
This is the exact same response as before.
Hotwire's position is to admit that I was not provided the car that I ordered and to say, merely, "tough luck." I do not accept this resolutionwhich is unchanged from Hotwire's position before I filed this complaint with the Revdex.com.
Absolutely nothing has been accomplished here. Giving me credit for future use of Hotwire (which I DO NOT intend to use again) even when I refused the credit when it was initially offered, is not acceptable.
It is surprising to me that the Revdex.com appears to condone this conduct. I DO NOT agree that this is an acceptable outcome. If the Revdex.com opts to close this inquiry it should in no circumstance indicate that the dispute was resolved. So far, this has been a worthless exercise.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/05) */
August 5, 2015
[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 with the Taj Boston on October 23, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. We understand that you are dissatisfied with your reservation, as you do not agree with the 5-star rating. As such you are seeking a full refund. We regret any concern this [redacted] have caused.
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. Our customers provide Hotwire with over half a million hotel reviews every year. If the majority of our customers don't agree with the star rating of a particular hotel, Hotwire will lower the rating. If a large percentage of our customers think the star rating should be higher, Hotwire [redacted] then raise the hotel's rating. We 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. Given these factors, the Embassy Suites San Francisco Airport - South San Francisco is listed as a 4-star hotel on Hotwire.
While we do advertise discounted rates we are unable to guarantee the amount of savings on every reservation. I am happy to explain how the savings provided on our site was derived. Savings are based on the median published rate we've found for all hotels in the same neighborhood, with the same star rating and for the same stay dates on leading retail travel sites in the last 24-48 hours. 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.
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. 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 above information, we are not able to honor your request for a refund.
Hotwire always guarantees a clean and comfortable stay. If you arrive to a hotel and the establishment does not meet your expectations, please do not hesitate to contact us so that we [redacted] work with our hotel partner to resolve the issue.
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, 13, 2015/08/27) */
Hotwire keeps saying they use Expedia as their primary source for rating hotels and I repeat again that the Taj is not rated as such on Expedia (nor on Travelocity or hotels.com). And the customer reviews on sites such as Expedia and Tripadvisor basically suggest it is no better than a 4 star hotel, so again there is no apparent reason why only Hotwire would consider it a 5 star hotel. Even Hotwire's customers do not give the same amount of favorable reviews for the Taj as they do for legitimate 5 star hotel in Boston.
And Hotwire also plays fast and loose with the savings they purportedly offer. They shouldn't be allowed to say the price I paid ($199) was a 69% savings on the regular rate when in fact the regular rate on the Taj's website was $295 for the same dates. Just because there was a 5 star hotel (namely, the Ritz Carlton) that had a rate of $645 shouldn't give Hotwire the right to deceive people into thinking that was the price for a lesser rater hotel. I have saved printouts of Hotwire's deceptive listing and can send a photo if needed.
I continue to ask either for a refund or to be given a room in a real 5 star hotel in that same area for the price I paid.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 20, 2015/09/02) */
September 2, 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 Taj Boston for check-in October 23, and check-out October 25, 2015. We understand you remain dissatisfy with our respond, as such you are requesting a refund. We regret any frustration this [redacted] have caused you.
As the previous agents already stated we are unable to guarantee the amount of savings on every reservation, we based our savings 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. We assure you we work hard to negotiate the lowest rates with our partners. Our Low Price Guarantee is in place as assurance to our customers we are providing the lowest rates. Within 24 hours of booking, if you find a lower rate for an identical booking, we'll pay you the difference between the rates.
We are confident in our star rating system; we rely on our customer's feedback, not other travel site. We sent out post stay surveys to all our customers that booked through us. We received 134 surveys back from our customers that stayed at this hotel. This hotel received a recommendation score of 92%, it is rated 4.5 out 5 for the hotel condition score, it is rated 4.6 out of 5 for room cleanliness and quality of service.
Based on the information we have about this hotel, we won't be honoring your request for a refund or rebook you to a different hotel. Our decision remains final. In future if you are looking to be at a specific hotel let's say the Ritz Carlton, we will recommend you to book our standard rate hotel. In that case, you can choose the hotel of your choice. We hope you enjoy your stay, and pleasantly surprised with your experience. We look forward to serving your future travel needs.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate
Customer Relations
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 22, 2015/09/04) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I have nothing left to say. I gave specific numbers about hotel rates for that weekend and Hotwire says they're right without offering proof.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2015/08/06) */
August 6, 2015
[redacted] Blvd [redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com case #: XXXXXXXX
Itinerary #: Not Provided
Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns...

as sent through the Revdex.com, regarding a refund for your hotel stay. We understand that you are dissatisfied with your recent experience with Hotwire customer service agents. We regret you experienced anything less than world class service.
We were unable to locate your booking using the information provided in your letter. We do not see any recent booking associated with the email address [redacted].com. In order to address your concern, please provide us with the email address or phone number used at the time the booking was made, and the itinerary number on your confirmation email.
Once we have the above requested information, we will be able to review your account and address the issue you have outlined in your Revdex.com letter.
We strive to exceed our customers' expectations, and 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
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 8, 2015/08/10) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Dear Ms [redacted]
I find this response utterly bewildering since my complaint concerns the company's failure to respond in a decisive way. They are, despite enormous amounts of data being provided still proceeding in the same way as they have previously.
I would really appreciate if a senior manager at Hotwire could make the effort of calling me instead of constantly hiding behind ill informed call center staff.
The booking reference associated to this booking is as follows XXXXXXXXXX.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 22, 2015/08/31) */
August 31, 2015
[redacted]

[redacted] XXXXX
Re: Revdex.com Case # XXXXXXXX
Itinerary # XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for again reaching out to us so that we [redacted] further address your concerns sent through the Revdex.com regarding your stay at the Custom Hotel LAX, A Joie de Vivre Boutique Hotel. Specifically, you state that while on hold or when attempting to escalate your calls have been disconnected, that our rates change when you look at them later on a different device, you feel that you have to reach out to us via the Revdex.com to get our attention, and you are claiming that you have not received a refund. As such, you are requesting that we again address your concerns. We regret the continued frustration and inconvenience this situation created, and appreciate the time you took to again express your concerns.
We have reviewed your account and have confirmed that on two occasions while you were on hold the call was disconnected, when our agent became aware that you were no longer on the line they reached out to you, however the call from us was not answered. As we have stated in previous correspondence it is not Hotwire policy to disconnect your calls.
One of the ways we are able to procure such low rates is by giving our partners full control over both their inventory and what they charge. This means that the rate we provide is the most up to date possible, but it also means that rates and inventory can be dynamic.
It is regrettable you feel that you need to go beyond our Customer Care team to receive answers to your questions. We hope that this rephrasing of our answers will clear up any miscommunication that has occurred.
If at this time you do not have the refund that has been applied to your account, we encourage you to reach out to your financial institution to find out when they will be releasing the funds to you.
We are glad to have answered your questions in both this response and our previous correspondence. 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
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 24, 2015/09/02) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
It is clear that you will continue to not address the issues I have raised but instead continue to provide wrong information with regards to dropped calls and avoid answering a direct question with regards to price manipulation.
This is bordering on arrogance, not to me but to Revdex.com, a company that you signed up to in order for consumers to be able to address concerns and bad business practices.
You are using the Revdex.com logo for your own benefit while having no intentions of abiding by Revdex.com policies.
1. Why will you not contact me by phone or let me contact you directly?
2. How will you enable me to prove that what you are claiming about dropped calls is not true?
3. Why are you failing to address my allegations of price manipulation and instead talk about general policies?
Regards
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/29) */
June 29, 2015
[redacted] Avenue
[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 Guesthouse Inn and Suites - Pico Rivera, CA. We understand that on arrival to the hotel you were told they were over-booked and were not able to accommodate your reservation. As such, you are seeking a full refund. We regret any frustration or inconvenience this [redacted] have caused.
Unfortunately, overbooking does occur occasionally in the hotel industry and is not unique to Hotwire reservations. 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.

We have processed a full refund to your account, in the amount of $62.85 on June 29, 2015. This amount will be credited back to your PayPal account.
We strive to exceed our customers' expectations, and 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
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/06/30) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/09/30) */
September 30, 2015
Revdex.com
San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California
Complaint Department
RE: Hotwire 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 time 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 for Mr. [redacted] (Revdex.com case number XXXXXXXX) regarding a package reservation.
Our records indicate that on August 19, 2015, Mr. [redacted] self-booked a package reservation using Hotwire's website, itinerary XXXXXXXXXXX. The package included flights and hotel accommodations for two travelers. Mr. [redacted] claims he contacted Hotwire prior to completing his booking and was advised the quoted total of $3587.55 is in CAD currency. As the currency of the quoted price was USD, the customer was actually charged CAD4844.31 and is now requesting a refund for the difference of CAD1256.76.
We have verified that during the booking process, prior to the reservation being completed the following disclaimer was provided next to the final price for Mr. [redacted]'s package:
All prices include taxes & fees and are quoted in US dollars
In addition, the following information is provided on Hotwire's website at all times:
How do I change the currency?
Before you start the billing process, you can change the currency for hotels, and car rentals. Simply choose the drop-down menu in the upper-right corner of the page and make your selection. Currently, our flights, vacations and activities are offered only in USD.
We were unable to locate a record or a call recording from the time Mr. [redacted] states he was provided the incorrect currency information; however, Mr. [redacted] provided Hotwire with his phone bill, showing he called Hotwire prior to completing his booking. While we were unable to verify the information provided to the customer during this call, Hotwire is willing to issue a refund for the difference in price as an offer of good faith.
A refund in the amount of USD942.00 (CAD1256.76) was issued by Hotwire on September 30, 2015, back to the original form of payment. The time it takes a refund to post to Mr. [redacted]'s account depends on how quickly his credit card company processes refunds, generally within 3-7 business days.
We thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address the issues, 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, 10, 2015/10/12) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Dear Revdex.com,
Thank you for taking your time to follow up our case with Hotwire. Hotwire has returned the refund to our credit card and our issue has been resolved. We apprecite your time and follow up.
Best regards,
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/09) */
November 9, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] W [redacted] Circle
[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 Hot Rate(r) Hotel booking in Iowa. I understand you are dissatisfied with the location of your previous reservation. As such, you are requesting for full refund, in the amount of $137.08.
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 must remain anonymous until the booking is complete. Therefore, our product offerings [redacted] not always meet the needs of every traveller.
Because exact street location is not revealed until the booking is complete, it is important for our customers to review the map correlated to the area called out during the booking path. That map defines the area in which the hotel can be located. In your case, the area selected was "West Des Moines - Clive, Iowa." I assure you the Sterling Hotel and Suites - Des Moines is located within the green shaded map defining that area.
Based on the information above, my decision has not swayed. I am unable to honor your request for a refund.
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 /* (3000, 7, 2015/11/11) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Hotwire only addressed reimbursement of funds.I also asked to change my reservations as an alternative and Hotwire ignored that request. It was too late at this time to change reservations since I already completed my trip before the response was received. My biggest complaint is that Des Moines Intl Airport DSM area hotel, 5800 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, Iowa was offered as being available when it was not. The Hotwire employee stated he believed the hotel was being remodeled and is not available. For Hotwire to list a hotel that is not available is false advertising, misleading, and illegal and should be removed from Hotwire selections. If I knew Hotwire did not have that hotel available I would have used someone else to book my reservations. I do this so others do not have to suffer the same experience I went through with Hotwire. Des Moines Intl Airport DSM area hotel, 5800 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, Iowa should be removed from Hotwires listings.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/11/24) */
November 24, 2015
[redacted]
[redacted] W [redacted] Circle
[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 Sterling Hotel and Suites - Des Moines in Iowa. I understand you are dissatisfied on the results of your booking, as you are expecting a property near the airport. As such, you are requesting a full refund.
We service two types of hotel reservations: HotRate(r)and Hotels. For Hotels, the name of the property, star rating and the amenities offered are provided prior to booking, and [redacted] be refundable; cancellation policies vary by hotel. For all Hotwire HotRate(r), bookings are final and cannot be cancelled, refunded, exchanged, transferred, or changed. I confirmed the type of reservation you booked is a Hotwire HotRate(r).
I can assure you it is not our intention to mislead its customers. Rather, we strive for clarity during the booking process. The neighborhood we service often stretch beyond one specific district or municipality, we provide a map highlighting a shaded area in which hotels of that neighborhood will be located. Since exact street location is not revealed until the booking is complete, it is important for our customers to review this map. I confirmed that the hotel is within the shaded map we provided during the booking process.
Based on the information provided above, my decision has not swayed. I am unable to honor your request for a refund.
We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire hotel experience was anything less than exceptional.
Best regards,
[redacted]
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2015/12/06) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Hotwire refused to answer the question. The trip was taken and lodging used before they even made a comment. I was not asking for a refund since the trip is over. What I asked is to remove misleading information from their website. Advertising Des Moines Intl Airport DSM area hotel, 5800 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, Iowa when they know it is not available is misleading and illegal. The hotel needs to be removed from their website.

April 11, 2017
 
[redacted]
 
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 hotel reservation with [redacted] - Rockford. 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. 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 2.5-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. 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. We also offer select independent hotels not listed.
In addition, there is no national or international standard for hotel rating systems, so individual ratings can vary by source. We want our customers to understand and trust the Hotwire brand. To ensure this, we use Expedia’s rating system and only downgrade based on customer feedback.
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 refund request.
 
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: Hotwire clearly is not addressing my concern. They are diverting the underlying issue of misrepresentation. They are treating all of their customers horrible and  the proof is in their Revdex.com rating, their Facebook comments, and other reviews. They misled me in purchasing this hotel. They say they follow star ratings of Expedia. When I provide PROOF that they DO NOT FOLLOW star ratings of Expedia, they provide this terrible previous email. I refuse to accept their answer.Sincerely,[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/07) */
June 7, 2015
[redacted] Road
[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 Revdex.com, regarding your reservation with the Sofitel New York, booked for the night of June 12, 2015. We understand that you are unhappy with the level of savings you received with this booking. We regret any concern this [redacted] have caused.
While we do advertise discounted rates we are unable to guarantee the amount of savings on every reservation. At Hotwire, we strive for clarity during the booking process, and 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 changing your reservation or 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, 2015/06/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Hotwire's reply is totally unhelpful. As I stated clearly in my original complaint, yes, I was fully aware of how Hotwire arrives at the "median rates" it shows as the crossed-out "regular price" with which it tempts its customers into buying so-called Hot Rates. But Hotwire's policy does not in any wat excuse what amounts to bait-and-switch tactics. I was sold a room that supposedly was worth somewhere in the range of $720 at a 77 percent discount; what they delivered, once the hotel name was revealed, was a room that normally costs below $300, at a discount of perhaps 30 percent. Hotwire's practices in rating its hotels and arriving at comparable rates (the "slashed out" rates) mislead customers. If you don't believe me, peruse recent reviews of the Sofitel in Manhattan, posted by Hotwire customers like me. First of all, it is Hotwire itself that formulates its own star ratings, and in some cases it makes mistakes. In this case, no one but Hotwire and its sister company, Expedia, considers the hotel in question, the Sofitel in New York, to be a true 5-star hotel; even the Sofitel hotel company itself rates this hotel as 4-stars! Second, and more importantly, it's absurd to use Hotwire's tricky neighborhood-comparison method in a city, New York, that has some of the most luxurious and expensive hotels in the world. Sure, the Plaza hotel or the Peninsula, in the neighborhood of the Sofitel, might have rooms available for the night of June 12th, 2015, that cost upwards of $600. But that's because those are two of the most expensive hotels in an incredibly expensive market! The Sofitel's rooms cost half that. Let me put this to you another way: Imagine that Hotwire were selling jewelry, not hotel rooms. Imagine that Hotwire showed you a gift box, and said, "Inside this box is a fine piece of gold jewelry, regularly costing about $720, but we are going to sell it to you for $230 a discount of 77 percent!" Wow, you reply, sounds great, I'll buy it! But when the box is opened, you find a very nice silver bracelet that regularly retails for $299. You are outraged! So, you ask: "Wait, how did you arrive at the outrageously exaggerated price of $720?!" And then Hotwire replies, "Read the fine print! This is how we do it! You see, we compare with the gold jeweler next door, and the gold jeweler next door sells pieces for $720!" Huh? This isn't making sense. You say something like, "But this isn't gold, it's silver." Hotwire insists. Hotwire replies, "Well, we can assure you it IS gold. We check every morning to make sure our gold is gold! You need to read our policy." Nonsense, you say. "I've read your policy. But no one thinks it's gold but you. Even the manufacturer says it's silver. And I didn't want or buy silver. I bought gold. More to the point, you said I was getting a discount of 77 percent, but that's a gross exaggeration!!" See what I mean, Revdex.com? If a jeweler engaged in these practices, they'd be arrested for fraud! Seriously, they would. PS: Furthermore, as a final note, when I was contacted by Hotwire's representative to discuss this over the phone, I was dealt more insulting smoke and mirrors. Naturally, the representative explained Hotwire's policy of how they arrive at both their star ratings and their slashed-out prices. Naturally, I explained that, as I'd already written, yes, I was fully aware of their policy . . . but that in this case it was broken, as the hotel rates used as comparisons were wildly misleading. (And, furthermore, the star rating itself was also a mistake, too, though that wasn't even my main beef. I mean, I could stay the Pierre or the Carlisle in Manhattan hotels that are a zillion times more luxe than the Sofitel for only about $360 - $400 per night, and they are, by universal agreement, actually 5-star hotels.) Anyway, the Hotwire representative then started to dish out a bunch of nonsense. He told me that "almost all its customers agree" that the Sofitel in New York is a 5-star hotel because almost all the customers gave it 5-star ratings in their reviews, after staying there. Say what?! I couldn't believe my ears. How misleading. What obfuscation. Hotwire does NOT question guests on whether or not they agree with the hotel's star rating. Sure, Hotwire like all online travel booking sites questions departing guests on how many stars THEY would give the hotel in various areas (from comfort to check-in experience and amenities, and so on). But that is entirely a different thing than a hotel's star rating. The Motel Six in Boise might get a full five stars from 99 percent of its happy customers on the delights of its bed sheets or the selection of breakfast cereals at the morning buffet but that doesn't make the Motel Six in Boise a 5-star hotel. I honestly couldn't believe my ears when the Hotwire representative started claiming that positive guest reviews "proved" the Sofitel was factually a 5-star hotel. And, anyway, that wasn't even my main complaint, which he never addressed, other than to repeat the policy once again, about neighborhood comparisons. My main complaints to reiterate it for the fourth time in writing is that Hotwire sold me a hotel room that it said had a value in the range of $720, but it delivered a hotel room with a value of approximately $300. Bait and switch, pure and simple. Deception of customers, pure and simple. I'm going to pursue this further. And, no, I do not accept the thrice-repeated non-answer from Hotwire. Thank you, Revdex.com, for your help!
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/06/22) */
June 22, 2015
[redacted] XXXXX
RE: Revdex.com Case Number: XXXXXXXX
Itinerary Number: XXXXXXXXXX
Dear Ms. [redacted]:
Thank you for the additional opportunity to address your concerns sent through the Revdex.com, regarding the Sofitel New York hotel for June 12, 2015. We understand that you are not happy with the star rating and the savings you received with this booking, and that you are requesting a room in a 5 star New York City hotel with the median rate of $720. 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. At Hotwire, we strive for clarity during the booking process, and 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 refers to the median price of the hotels in that area, not the specific hotel that you got. 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.
As there is no standardized star-rating we start with Expedia's star-rating and then adjust the rating based upon reviews from our customers after they have completed their stay. We stand behind our star rating system in considering the Sofitel New York a 5 star hotel.
Regardless of Star Rating, we do expect 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. If there is an issue we will work with the hotel and you to correct the issue.
Based upon the previous information, we have already provided you a 5 star hotel in New York in the median rate mentioned. As such, we will not be making any changes or modifications to this booking.
Best Regards,
[redacted]
Hotwire Corporate
Customer Relations
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2015/06/23) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Hotwire keeps repeating the same canned response, without in sny esy actually responding to the substance of my actual complaint. I do not accept their non-helpful, non-transparent, non-explanation. Their actions in this case amount to tricking the customer. Bait and switch. I will pursue this further.

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: It is not that I feel there was a glitch. I was told by one of your representatives that you had problems at that time with the system and that was the reason for the issue. Meanwhile they held my money from both accounts. We tried the transaction twice. Once via phone with a hotwire representative and the second online. Both transactions did the same issue. They held the funds for days and meanwhile we had to pay $50+ per night per each room. I am not expecting anything from them because after speaking to their representative several times they would hang up on me or be very rude. But I did want to report the issue so that it does not happen to anyone else. Sincerely,[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 Better Business...

Bureau, regarding your reservation with Hotel Emona Aquaeductus. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent hotel reservation, specifically with its star rating and internet accessibility. As such, you are requesting a refund. Currently, there is no national or international standard for hotel rating systems, so individual ratings can vary by source. We continually review and update the star rating of each property to ensure the ratings accurately reflect the overall service, accommodations and facilities of the hotel. To determine Star Rating, Hotwire first incorporates Expedia's star rating for the hotel and then adjusts the rating up or down based on direct Hotwire customer feedback. Nevertheless, you should expect a clean room in working order.Additionally, 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 Breakfast, Free Parking or a Free Internet. If an amenity is listed, customers can expect it is found at the hotel. If you encounter a problem, first work with the hotel and contact us if you need help. After reviewing your account, I contacted the hotel and talked to [redacted]. He confirmed that they offer free internet access within their property. Because a contact was not made at the time of stay, please understand our options are limited.We remain confident our business model is meeting the needs of our company's goals. As we continually review and update the star rating of each property, we are confident the ratings accurately reflect the hotel's overall service, accommodations and facilities.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 RelationsHotwire Corporate Office

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/15) */
June 15, 2015
[redacted] Street [redacted]
[redacted]
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 Best Western Plus Hotel Haaga. We understand that you were unhappy with your reservation, as the hotel was not in your desired location. You state in your letter that you were given a distance from this hotel of zero to 3.1 miles from the Radisson Blu Plaza during your booking process. We regret any frustration or inconvenience this situation [redacted] have caused.
Please understand the distances mentioned on our Web site are derived based on straight-line measurement. While we ensure straight-line distance to be within the miles listed at time of booking, the driving distance from point A to point B [redacted] be farther away. Because Hotwire strives for clarity on our site, all distances are measured from a red pin on the map linked from the search results page used to indicate the location searched. The distances displayed on our site during the booking process were calculated from this red pin.
With a Hotwire great low Hot Rate booking the exact street location is not revealed until the booking is complete. It is important for our customers to review the map correlated to the area called out during the booking process. That map defines the area in which the hotel can be located. Some mapped areas are bigger than others. In your case, the area selected was "Helsinki, Finland." This includes more than just the city of Helsinki. We assure you the Best Western Plus Hotel Haaga is located within the green shaded map defining the Helsinki, Finland area.
For all Hotwire Hot Rates, bookings are final and cannot be cancelled, refunded, exchanged, transferred, or changed. These restrictions enable our partners to better manage their unsold rooms. We confirmed the type of reservation you booked was a Hotwire Hot Rate. As such, we were not able to honor your request to move to a hotel closer to your desired location.
In the future if you need a very specific location, we recommend that you take advantage of our standard rates. For standard rates, hotel details, including the hotels specific location, are provided prior to booking and [redacted] be refundable; cancellation policies vary by hotel. This type of reservation is best used by those who need to be close to a certain location, in this case specifically the Radisson Blu Plaza.
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
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/06/18) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Hi there,
Thank you for getting back to me, but this is not a response to my objection. This is the same standard response which ignores what I have to say.
I'll repeat once more. I do not dispute the hotel given is in the Helsinki area.
I dispute that the hotel offered is within the required distance from the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel. I'll repeat, when I booked, your website specifically advertised that the hotdeal hotel would be within 1-3.1 miles of this hotel. This was the deciding factor in my decision. The location was important to me because of proximity to my friends' accommodation.
Upon booking, I discovered that the hotel booked was not within this distance. The offer advertised was false. I have used three separate distance measurers online and they all confirm that Best Western Hotel Haaga, (address: [redacted]) is more than 3.1 miles away from Radisson Blu Plaza (address: [redacted]). To be specific, the distance is over 5 miles travelling over ground (as one has to travel).
Your response is that Hotwire, for some mysterious reason, measures distances point to point on a map, or as the crow flies. I refute this as a reasonable way of measuring distances between places. It is highly misleading to consumers and should be challenged. However, in this instance, even following Hotwire's own method of measuring distances, the two hotels are STILL not within the required 3.1 miles of each other. The distance point to point is 3.5 miles (although I maintain my position that the distance is in actuality, 5.1 miles).
My position is this: I was given a hotel a much greater distance from the location than I was promised. Feel free to check your distance measurements and confirm this. Your advertising was erroneous. The false advertising materially impacted on my choice of hotels. Even once Hotwire were informed of their error, your company refused to put it right and give me a hotel within the distance advertised. My complaint was ignored by your Customer Services. I had no choice but to use the hotel booked. The distance impacted on my trip in a substantially negative way, for one, I am very out of pocket through expensive taxi fares. As a result, I request a refund on my booking. This refund should come from Hotwire, and not the hotel, as it was Hotwire's mis-selling of the deal that has caused the problem.
I have given Hotwire ample opportunity to resolve this issue with me, and while there has been a reply, it has certainly not amounted to an explanation or a response. If this is Hotwire's final position on the matter then could you confirm this please and I'll begin the next steps i.e. contact my credit card company and any relevant consumer/ advertising complaints bodies, with a view to getting them to take up my complaint with you.
Regards,
[redacted]
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/06/24) */
June 24, 2015
[redacted]
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 Best Western Plus Hotel Haaga. We understand that you were unhappy with your booking, as you were given a distance from this hotel of zero to 3.1 miles from the Radisson Blu Plaza during your booking process. We regret any continued frustration this [redacted] have caused.
The distances provided our Web site are derived based on straight-line measurement. All distances are measured from the starting point information entered (in this case, the address of the Radisson Blu Plaza) to the furthest point of the map within that mapped area. 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.
We have done a search on the Hotwire site, using the Radisson Blu Plaza address, [redacted], XXXXX [redacted], as a starting point, and the shortest distance provided is between 0.0 to 3.5 miles.
We appreciate your business and hope we have the opportunity to better serve your travel needs in the near future. 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

September 7, 2017                                    
 
[redacted]...

[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 Sixt. I understand you are dissatisfied with your recent car booking because the rental agency does not provide rental without a roundtrip travel ticket. 
 
When booking a car rental on our Web site, our customers have the option to select whether they are using a credit card or debit card for deposit. If customers select they are using a debit card for example, it is then indicated if the rental agency requires proof of a round-trip travel ticket.
 
Additionally, please note that Hotwire serves as a third party intermediary with travel providers such as hotels, car rental agencies and airlines and is subject to the rules and restrictions of those providers. We do not own or operate any car rental locations, and all booking are subject to the rental’s terms and conditions.
 
In your case, we will honor the reimbursement of the difference in rates between the Hotwire booking and your alternate car reservation. For us to complete this, kindly send the final receipt from the alternate rental agency. You may send it to [redacted] and we will review documents within seven to 10 business days.
 
For the experience, I applied 25 HotDollar credits to your account under [redacted] One HotDollar is equivalent to one US Dollar that can be used in booking any Hot Rate® cars, or any Hot Rate® hotels, valid for one year.
 
Moving forward, please be advised that most of car rentals require proof of a roundtrip travel ticket for local renters.   
 
We appreciate your business and regret your Hotwire experience was anything less than exceptional.
 
Best regards,
 
Janielle Alarcio
Customer Care Relations
Hotwire Corporate Office