Hotels.com
reviews and complaints

I have done a booking at the Quinze Guesthouse in Nelspruit on the 22nd of June 2011 for the 1st of July until the 3rd of July 2011 through hotels.com. A confirmation e-mail was send to me stating that my booking was confirmed and I don't have to worry about anything. On the 28th of June another e-mail was send to me just to inform me that everything was still ok and I don't have to phone for confimation. Arriving there at 5:30 on the evening of the 1st of July there was no booking for me, the owner did not even know about me. She confirmed that she got a room available for that dates for me but the price is now more than double than the price I got from hotels.com. I did not accept this as I feel my quote was for R920 for the weekend and not R1870 like she wanted. I had to drive around the whole of Nelspruit looking for accomodation for the weekend, lucky I did find a place to stay for the weekend. This is unacceptable and needs to be sorted out, this is a big company and doing that is not right.

I had one of the worst Customer Service dealing with a Hotels.com employee today. Hotels.com should seriously consider putting their employees through KINDNESS training. My hotel was over booked and I was given the wrong number to call, so I called them to try and straighten it out. I was disconnected twice and finally the lady who took my call was extremely rude and I could barely understand her! She acted as if it was my fault that my hotel was overbooked. When they left me a voicemail with the wrong number they also stated that they would find me another hotel with NO extra cost to me, that DIDN'T happen. They told me since I used a coupon I could only get a refund or I would have to pay the difference. All because of a coupon you aren't going to carry your end of the deal? That makes no sense. They also charged me $138.90 but only refunded me $138.57. I told this to the lady and she acted like it was my problem not hers. I don't care if it's only a .33 cent difference, that's my money! I always booked my hotels through them but that WILL NOT be happening again. Thank you Priceline for better service and prices!

On 24 April 2011 my wife and I reserved a room in hotel Cantagrel in Paris for 20-26 June using the site www.venere.com and received a confirmation from Venere.com. Then on 15 June I sent an email to the hotel to verify our reservation is OK. The same day I got a response from the hotel that everything is OK.

Can you imagine my surprise when on 17 June in the evening received an email from Venere.com that my reservation is canceled? I called Venere.com’s customer service and they told me that my reservation was canceled and they don’t know by whom. They didn't bother to offer us any alternative. Actually they ignore my emails.

It was a high season and I was incapable of ordering another room. As result we cancelled our vacation and lost the cost of our plane tickets and tickets to the Paris Air Show at La Bourget.

I hope that my example will help others to be more cautious making their hotels reservations with Venere.com.

On 24 April 2011 my wife and I reserved a room in hotel Cantagrel in Paris for 20-26 June using the site www.venere.com and received a confirmation from Venere.com. Then on 15 June I sent an email to the hotel to verify our reservation is OK. The same day I got a response from the hotel that everything is OK.
Can you imagine my surprise when on 17 June in the evening received an email from Venere.com that my reservation is canceled? I called Venere.com’s customer service and they told me that my reservation was canceled and they don’t know by whom. They didn't bother to offer us any alternative. Actually they ignore my emails.
It was a high season and I was incapable of ordering another room. As result we cancelled our vacation and lost the cost of our plane tickets and tickets to the Paris Air Show at La Bourget.
I hope that my example will help others to be more cautious making their hotels reservations with Venere.com.

Booked 2 managers into Clarion Hotel through Hotels.com. Their flight was delayed and they didn't arrive at the hotel until 2:00 am anxious for 4 hours of sleep prior to a scheduled meeting. There was no one at the front desk and no one in any of the common areas. They searched and called out. When no one was found, they had to leave to find another hotel. After contacting Hotels.com which was a combination of 3 hours of phone calls listening to horrible music and messages, I was told I could have a voucher for my next booking at hotels.com. LIKE I WOULD USE THEM AGAIN! I then called the Clarion Hotel and was told by the manager, Michelle, that her employees have worked there for 7 years and that the only time they leave the desk is to go to the bathroom. Will not use hotels.com or Clarion hotels again. I will attempt to contact Choice Hotels which owns Clarion only to advise them of the incompetancy of this particular hotel. I don't expect much to come of the complaint, but feel they need to know that if an employee needs to go to bathroom, then thiefs will have open reign on their hotels.

In March I gave my debit card number to Hotels.com to make a reservation for a spring break trip for my kids & youth pastors fm our church. In the course of a conversation that lasted approximately 30 minutes I ended up telling the Hotels.com rep to cancel the transaction as they did not have sufficient rooms to accommodate the three families traveling together as their website had indicated. At the beginning of the conversation they had three rooms available, I gave my information, I was put on an extended hold only to have a rep inform me when she returned that only 1 room was available with absolutely no other explanation. I told the rep that was unacceptable, cancelled the entire transaction and hung up. Hotels.com forwarded this illegitimate transaction to the hotel anyway and I was charged for a no show. There is no confirmation on my part that this "reservation" was ever authorized.

We had made a booking in a hotel Villa Campana in Siofok, Hungary through venere.com and recd confirmation. But when we reached the hotel therewas no such booking. The owner said that there was no room available and she had communicated us this through venere but I did not recieve any such mail. To add to this venere is not replying to my emails and is not even apologising for this mistake. It was a really bad experience and I am never going to deal with venere.com again

I had stayed at the Quality Inn on Bay St on two separate times, gave the receptionist my choice club card at the time of arrival and made the assumption that I would qualify for the free night. When I checked out on the second stay I asked the receptionist to clarify the signage at the front desk. There was a huge sign saying "We want Free" stay two separate time and earn one free night. I asked her to ensure that my card was swiped as I wanted to use it the next time I came to the Sault. As she looked over my account she noticed that the clerk had added my choice club card in the correct area so it did not show up adding any points she added that the new clerks do not know how to add the old cards to our new system. She recommended that I call choice club to get an updated card. As I am not in your business I am not sure what that means . I got the card in 1996 I have not moved since that time my card number is 221050. She told me that who ever took the information from my card had done it incorrectly but she would fix it. I told her that I have stayed with an affiliate hotels for the last 9 months at least once a month does that mean that none of those stays have been recognized? She could not answer that question for me. She did rectify the issue at their hotel where I stay the two separate times to quality. I certainly hope that you will provide me with at least the one free night. I will call to fix the problem with the out dated card.

Thank you for your time.

In March 2011 I made and paid (using my credit card) for a hotel reservation for my daughter and her husband through this site. Upon presentation of the printed voucher to the hotel, my daughter was informed that there was no reservation. In fact, the hotel had never heard of HotelClub. Fortunately, there was a room available, and the hotel agreed to wait until my daughter's checkout three days later, before demanding payment. The reservation never arrived, so my daughter had to pay for the room with her own credit card. My card was charged $211, and I am in the process of disputing the charge. Thus far, HotelClub has only submitted to my credit card company a copy of the reservation Confirmation/Receipt which of course is no help at all. Do not utilize this site!

I called the toll free number and booked a hotel room with taxes for $115 for 1 night. I did not receive an email confirming the reservation. Upon arriving at the hotel the front desk staff were unable to tell me the price reserved for my room as it is not displayed on their system. When I left the hotel, I did not get a receipt as they stated the number where I booked the reservation will provided me with an email receipt. I checked my credit card to find out I paid $142.37 for the room! I called hotels.ca to dispute the charges and urge the representative to pull up the call recording to verify the conversation that took place. Suprise suprise, hotels.ca does not keep call recordings. I am disputing the charge via my credit card company and I will NEVER book with hotels.ca in the future.

My family and I booked a FOUR-PERSON hotel room at the Hilton Hotel in Times Square, NYC for April 21-23. I made this reservation on March 22 with Hotels.com (AKA Expedia) for $899. Hotels.com twice confirmed my reservations, as recently as two days before I arrived at the Hilton.
Upon arrival, we were told that the hotel did not have our reservation. In fact, they showed me an email saying that the reservation had been canceled on March 31.
The manager there was able to find us a room to accommodate us with a THREE-PERSON hotel room for $1, 060. He was very accommodating as was the Hilton in general.
Upon calling Hotels.com, I was informed via email that 'the hotel should never have charged your credit card' for the higher amount and should have accepted the $899.
After Hotels.com credited my credit card with the $899, I called them to ask why they had not refunded the higher amount that I paid Hilton, thereby leaving me with the price I had agreed to. I guess they were admitting that it was Hotels.com FAULT and they would only refund the amount I paid THEM.
I was very happy with Hilton, as I mentioned, but felt that Hotels.com should have eaten the difference, since I booked with them in good faith - BUT NEVER AGAIN! I don't do business with companies that don't stand behind the customer!
Bob Hanlon
[protected]@yahoo.com

Booked a room through Hotels.com, received a confirmation/email, arrived to hotel and hotel had no record of reservations, referred to call customer service at hotels.com, was put on hold for an excess of 20 mins each time, then disconnected, after 5 reps, finally got a rep who told me there was a problem with my payment even though they debited total amount from my accnt the same day I booked, missed an engagement I was in Vegas for and matter wasn't resolved until the next day. I have never had an experience this horrible dealing with travel sites. Will never use these folks again! Sent an email detailing my experience and still no reponse from company.

Made a reservation through hotels.com (aka Expedia). They double-booked the room which I discovered only after I arrived. I've spent the last month, probably 4 hours on the phone, trying to get them to credit my account for their mistake. I've contacted the hotel manager. They've contacted the hotel manager who's said that the reservation was an error, and hotels.com said they have a record of this. The last excuse they gave me was that they could only credit me when I was on the line and they had the manager on the line, too. AVOID hotels.com and Expedia!

Sorry I didn't read the complaints before I booked a room in South Carolina. The reservationist spoke 'conversational" english at best. She constantly said "yes", even when she didn't understand. She clearly spoke the price of $54 then $51 then $71 for the same room during our booking. At the end, the room she told me I was booking at a 25% discounted rate of $54, turned out being billed to me at $78. When I called customer service, I got the run around. I was ultimately told that reservations is located in the middle of South America, and Raul was the only manager I could talk to. He told me, after 200 "I sorry that Happened", that I should expect a $30 voucher, ( to be used on my next booking with them) in about 6 weeks. I would never give them my card number again!

Can anyone tell me what government consumer protection agencies we should be addressing our complaints to? Thanks

I paid for 2 rooms in Tahoe in July, 2010. Hotels.com did not represent the hotel correctly on their website at the time and I ended up paying more than anticipated. I disputed the charge with my credit card. They investigated but found in favor of Hotels.com so they posted the charge to my statement in September, 2010. I paid it in full that month. However, in February, 2011, I received a collection notice from a collection agency saying I owed that money to Hotels.com. I attempted to explain that i had paid it and they sent HOtels.com the information, however they still harrassed me. After talking to someone at Hotels.com who said they had no information regarding my booking, I called the collection agency again who gave me a fax number to send my credit card statement to. After that I haven't heard from anyone as of yet. Horrible experience with Hotels.com. Would definitely recommend to stay away from this company.

Here's a real overpriced dump in Rockley, Barbados Island,

Wife and I, went to Bridgetown Barbados, West Indies and was practically treated like we were invisible by the Blue Horizon Hotel on Rockley Beach. This place is a true dump! Here's a list of serious issues with the hotel:
No working Air Conditioning unit inside the room upon arrival to the hotel. Had to threaten to cancel rest of the reservation to get another room.
No elevator anywhere in the hotel, even if your staying on the 4th floor.
Open electrical fire hazards in the room and on the hotel grounds around sidewalks.
Electronic safe inside the room did not work inside the room.
No concierge desk or no one to assist with guest services, island events, or recreational activities. No staff member ever smiled or greeted us the entire stay.
Continental breakfast is a basket of toast. No selection, No menus, and you have to sign for it even though it's supposed to be free.
Beds were very uncomfortable as sleeping on a rock slab. No hot water in the mornings. Only cold showers half the time.
Hotel is located next to a very busy road, no view of the beach as advertised, and most of the rooms have only a view of a really noisy fast food pizza & chicken restaurant drive-thru, that used to be McDonalds. Really poor taste for a 3-4 star rated hotel booked through www.hotels.com
Front Desk is very rude, irresponsible, and was un-accommodating in every aspect of the way. Example: Hotel was practically empty and wouldn't let us pay to stay an extra night when we accidentally missed our flight. We had to scramble to get out of the Hotel and off the Barbados Island.
I am really surprised that the Blue Horizon Hotel was even open for business as borderline inhabitable as it appeared. My wife and I, have traveled to remote regions of the world and have had much better accommodations than this flea-bag hotel could ever compare. So, traveler's be aware of the hotel your staying in, before traveling to Barbados Island, West Indies. Please forward this complaint to as many travelers as possible who are deciding on a honeymooner's paradise to Barbados Island. The Blue Horizon Hotel south of Bridgetown (Rockley Beach) is not the place for you!

Signed,

Concerned guest

Looks like a nice site at first glance, but I went ended up booking a hotel through this site and then upon arrival at the hotel had a very bad experience with their service, so much so that I didn't want to stay there anymore. I paid for one night's stay, and left disappointed. I later went back to Venere to write a review of my experience, but Venere wouldn't let me, no matter how much I asked. It seemed they wanted to protect the hotel instead of the helping the mistreated customer! I would be very cautious about the quality of hotels on this site.

I was looking for a hotel in Keystone, CO for my husband and I for Presidents' Day weekend (18-21 Feb, 2011) and found a hotel we thought we'd like on several sites. Priceline had it cheaper (without bidding), but as we had had success with Hotels.com before, I decided to call them to see if they would match the price (per their website guarantee). The representative verified the price I had found on Priceline (over $131.00 less) and said they would match it. My clue that this was not going to go well, came next, and I should have run... she said they were going to charge the original amount and then a credit would be run, within 2 hours, to get to the adjusted amount (as she could not do it). Well, 8 days later, still no credit. This is after 3 phone calls and as many emails. I've now gotten my credit card company involved, particularly after the last call to Hotels.com 24-hour customer service line. I got a frontline representative, so was very quick to say that as I had been at this for a week, I needed to talk with a supervisor. She left the phone for several minutes and then came back and said none were available. I asked if that meant none were there, her comment, "No, helping other customers." She did not/would not give me the option to hold. DO NOT USE hotels.com (and as they are affiliated with EXPEDIA, I'd say not use them either).