Hotels.com review: Refunds and bookings

Dear Sir/Madam

I made a genuine mistake whilst booking a hotel via hotels.com and put an incorrect date - I contacted Hotels.com immediately to correct my mistake and since then, I have also contacted the hotels general manager who agrees to a fee waiver. Emails listed below for detail.

However, I have since had the same emails stating that Hotels.com cannot contact the hotel even though I have supplied them with the email from the general manager stating he would waive the fee. And their comment that they have not heard from the general manger is frankly a lie - every time I email him, he gets back to me very quickly.

This situation is quiet frank absurd and I simply want a refund for a genuine mistake made and corrected (or at least actioned) immediately.

Any help would be appreciated as I am going around in a circle at present with them with no end in sight.

Regards and thank you

David

----- Forwarded message -----

From: Prof. D.J. Edwards

To: [protected]@hotels.com

Sent: Tuesday, 12 September 2023 at 07:59:37 BST

Subject: Fw: FORMAL COMPLAINT - Update on your change request for Hotels.com itinerary [protected]

Dear Hotel.com

My experience of late has been appalling. As written below...

"I booked the Wolverhampton, UK branch of Novotel using my phone and made a mistake on the booking (using the 26th to 27th Sept instead of 12-13th Sept.)

I contacted Hotels.com immediately (email attached below) and asked for the reservation to be changed not cancelled. I was told "Please do not worry I have already escalated your concern on a priority basis and will get back to you with an update via email within 72 hours. Kindly wait for 72 hours."

So I chased this up today and got the reply immediately below. So I went to Novotel and spoke to Amylea (A very friendly and helpful lady) only to be told that the hotel is now fully booked for tomorrow (when it was free on Saturday when I booked). Hotel.com then wrote:

"Unfortunately, after multiple tries, we weren't able to obtain an approval from the property manager to waive the changes. This means the current rules and restrictions for your booking apply and a change can't be granted."

So I spoke to Yann the hotel manager (email listed and included below) and he wrote back almost immediately via email to say he was happy to waiver the fee. So it looks as though Hotels.com staff are incompetent and simply do not wish to give me a refund.

So due to incompetence, I have potentially lost £167 and now have to book somewhere else at the last minute. I ask for a full and complete refund as a solution.

I understand the point of nonrefundable but we are talking about a genuine mistake and action being taken within minutes of realising it. Surely this is a reasonable request given it was a genuine error caught in good time?

I await your response.

Regards

David

Professor David J. Edwards

[protected]"

----- Forwarded message -----

From: Prof. D.J. Edwards

To: Hotels.com Travel Team ; GUGUEN Yann - NOVOTEL Wolverhampton GM

Cc: [protected]@chat.hotels.com

Sent: Monday, 11 September 2023 at 16:11:06 BST

Subject: Re: FORMAL COMPLAINT - Update on your change request for Hotels.com itinerary [protected]

Dear Yann

Thank you for your prompt and very professional response - and more so for your willingness to: 1. find a room tomorrow if at all possible; and 2. waive any charges.

Thank you also for confirming that no one from Hotels.com contacted you - I am shocked to be honest as this booking is a priority for me and I was promised that this would be treated as urgent.

Hotel.com travel team - I assume you can move now to offer a full refund if a room for tomorrow cannot be organised?

Regards

David

On Monday, 11 September 2023 at 15:20:15 BST, GUGUEN Yann - NOVOTEL Wolverhampton GM wrote:

Dear professor Edwards,

I am looking at all individual reservations in case we would be able to find you a room for tomorrow.

Hotel.com travel team, under no circumstance have been contacted by yourself regarding cancelation free of charge. I can confirm that I am happy waive any charges for Professor Edwards.

Please confirm back.

Regards

Yann

Yann Guguen

General Manager

NOVOTEL WOLVERHAMPTON HOTEL

From: Prof. D.J. Edwards

Sent: 11 September 2023 15:07

To: Hotels.com Travel Team

Cc: GUGUEN Yann - NOVOTEL Wolverhampton GM ; [protected]@chat.hotels.com

Subject: Re: FORMAL COMPLAINT - Update on your change request for Hotels.com itinerary [protected]

Dear Lory and Uann

Re: Formal complaint.

I am absolutely applauded with my treatment over this hotel booking and the way that this has been subsequently handled.

I booked the Wolverhampton, UK branch of Novotel using my phone and made a mistake on the booking (using the 26th to 27th Sept instead of 12-13th Sept.)

I contacted Hotels.com immediately (email attached below) and asked for the reservation to be changed not cancelled. I was told "Please do not worry I have already escalated your concern on a priority basis and will get back to you with an update via email within 72 hours. Kindly wait for 72 hours."

So I chased this up today and got the reply immediately below. So I went to Novotel and spoke to Amylea (A very friendly and helpful lady) only to be told that the hotel is now fully booked for tomorrow (when it was free on Saturday when I booked).

So due to incompetence, I have potentially lost £167 and now have to book somewhere else at the last minute. I ask for a full and complete refund as a solution.

I understand the point of nonrefundable but we are talking about a genuine mistake and action being taken within minutes of realising it. Surely this is a reasonable request given it was a genuine error caught in good time?

I await your response.

Regards

David

Professor David J. Edwards

[protected]

On Monday, 11 September 2023 at 13:40:49 BST, Hotels.com Travel Team wrote:

Hello David,

We wanted to follow up after our last conversation, where you asked us to change your booking and reach out to your property to see if change was possible.

Unfortunately, after multiple tries, we weren't able to obtain an approval from the property manager to waive the changes. This means the current rules and restrictions for your booking apply and a change can't be granted.

We're really sorry about this; we always try to contact suppliers and advocate for our travelers in these situations. Properties often have strict policies around bookings, and there's nothing more we can do in this case.

Again, we're sorry that a change wasn't possible. If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to us.

Regards,

Lory E.

ilolestrada

Hotels.com Travel Team

----- Forwarded message -----

From: Hotels.com Travel Team

To: "[protected]@aol.com"

Sent: Saturday, 9 September 2023 at 10:58:35 BST

Subject: Itinerary Number: [protected]

Hi Nicholas Chileshe

This is in regards to the booking under the name of Nicholas Chileshe

from 26 SEP 2023 - 27 SEP 2023

Itinerary Number: [protected]

Hotel Confirmation ID: 1188XIP552

Booking ID: [protected]

1 Superior Room, 1 Queen Bed with Sofa bed

Please do not worry I have already escalated your concern on a priority basis and will get back to you with an update via email within 72 hours. Kindly wait for 72 hours.

If you need any assistance you can simply reply to this email and we will personally assist you.

Regards

Pravin K

Customer Support Team

Expedia.