HotelValues review: Unethical behavior / excessive credit card charges 33

On Aug. 17, 2022, I went online to reserve a room at the Holiday Inn Express, Windsor Locks, Conn. I thought I was dealing directly with the hotel. The rate was $131.47 with an additional $55.58 in "tax recovery charges & service fees." I waited until I was at the hotel before inquiring about the service fees. The manager told me that, since I had booked with a third party, getaroom.com, I would have to inquire with them. That was the first time I realized I had booked with someone other than Holiday Inn. Also, Holiday Inn wouldn't or couldn't apply any discounts and, for the first time in my experience, a hotel (Holiday Inn) refused to give me a receipt at checkout for the same reason: they said I would have to get it from getaroom, which I later found out to be hotelvalues.com.

I calculated that Hotelvalues scammed me out of at least $36 for a one-night stay, more if I consider Holiday Inn's discount for veterans, a discount not available at Hotelvalues. Also for the first time in my experience, the charges on my credit card were pending for a week before Hotelvalues finally charged me the full amount.

DO NOT USE THIS SITE! Just call the hotel you want to book through.

I “thought” I was booking through Homewood Suites by Hilton, but somehow got directed to this site. Through my phone, I booked a room for one night and received a reservation number. 10 minutes later when I arrived at the hotel, they had only one room left, which was a Queen Suite with Disabled accommodations, located by the exit door on the ground floor. There was a reservation for the room by someone else, so this outfit had to know that! Because I had prepaid, I got the room over the poor soul that had not prepaid for his/her room.

My understanding was the room was $177. Plus taxes, etc. When I checked out I was given a receipt for $199.32 and then I learned later, the hotel is not suppose to give you a receipt because “it shows what the third-party paid for the room”. I didn’t know there was a third party?! When I looked at my credit card charges, I saw the amount charged was $287.96.

I called the hotel and found they weren’t the ones doing the billing, it was the “third party”, THIS COMPANY. Called the number on my credit card and was told the difference was in the cost of the “Tax Recovery Charges & Service Fees.” Which amounted to $78.96. I would never have paid $287.96 for one night’s stay in a 3-star hotel, in Ontario, California!

Rip-off, SCAM!

https://www.silent-gardens.com/blog/hotel-booking-scam-warning-do-not-use-guestreservations-com/

If you are a victim of guys reservations.com , getaroom.com and hotelvalues.com please as public service report this scam to your District Attorney, FTC and local law enforcement.

This site is awful. They are dishonest, I booked a nonrefundable hotel room for a higher price than the actual Hilton Garden Inn price. I, like another complainant, thought I was booking on the Hilton web site. We booked a room for two nights. The "tax recovery charge" was $286. Much more than the cost of the room itself. Keep away from these thieves.

add me to this list of terrible experiences...a learning experience for a price! Next time i will be more aware of where the internet directs my search!

A very similar situation happened to me - booking Hampton by Hilton at Exeter UK.

Is there any way Hotelvalues.com site can be taken down?

Les

The same thing happened to me, this website is a complete scam!

compete fraud site...be very careful.. it appeared as though i was booking straight with Hampton INn, but was actually thru hotelvalue.com.. Hampton refused my reservation.. and was impossible to even get refunded. stay away!

This is a RIP OFF SITE! I booked a hotel, Microtel, for $60, the bill with the fees came to $98+ I thought this was the Microtel site. No notice of extra fees or such. These people are THIEVES! Next post, to Facebook!

I to was ripped off by hotelvalues.com. A few minutes after I booked, I realized that they charged me an additional $68 to book the room. I immediately cancelled the room and they sent me a cancellation email. I had booked this 2 months before trip. I realized they had not refunded my money yet. I then looked at cancellation email and noticed that it said the "Cancelation Fee" was the amount that I paid for room. I am trying to contact them for refund, and no one will answer. They should not be allowed to do business. They are crooks

I am another one who was ripped off by this website. I am in New Zealand and clicked on the address for Bella Vista Motel in Franz Josef at a cost of $333NZD for two nights. Was expecting a SMALL commission as most NZ booking agents do this. However when email confirmation arrived found I had been charged in US dollars with a USD122-22 tax recovery and service fee. When cost converted to NZD I paid $536, NZD200 excess for this fraudulent hacker. Could not get any assistance from motel manager as he was only sent the correct amount, the rest went to these crooks. Shut them down please. Patricia Clay, NZ.

BUYER BEWARE. I booked a two day stay for a vacation in September. After getting by bill from Home value I saw where they had charged me $88 for tax recovery & services fees (?). Two weeks prior to taking our trip my wife's doctor recommended because of some health issues we need to cancel our vacation. Guess what there is no way to contact Home Values . This is a rip off. It's no wonder they are trying to sell their name .

Same story...booked a room for three nights at Hilton Homewood Suites in Sarasota, Florida. The original search for this accommodation was on the Hilton Honors website with our Hilton Honors membership and points showing. When looking for the actual local number for this hotel (as we were using our credit card/Hilton Honors number) for our son's visit to this hotel - I suggested that he call to explain the details, that the room would be confirmed with our credit card - the first link (website) shown was Homewood Sarasota.guestreservations.com - Obviously, one would be drawn to this site (1st one listed)due to the label "guest reservations"...so the phone number from this site was called and the reservations made and confirmed. Only when our son checked out, 3 days later, and asked for the receipt did he learn that the hotel could not provide the receipt as the reservation was made through a 3rd party (agent)! The room bill came to $805.41 with an additional $418.53 for TAX RECOVERY and SERVICE FEE! This is almost a 50% additional charge! I have made the Sarasota Homewood Suites hotel, Hilton customer service (main number) and, most importantly, HotelValues (aka getaroom) that to name a link, website, with the Hotel name and a label such as "guest reservations" and, curiously, arrange this choice as the first one listed is pretty clever...DECEPTIVELY clever! So, because it is not labeled Expedia, Priceline, or Trevago, not many would recognize that this link is a third party agent...and is not the actual Hotel Chain where you are trying to get a reservation. After speaking to 4 agents at this SCAM company, I was offered a 15% refund. I turned it down - I am and suggest ALL victims write a letter to the FTC, the Attorney General of your State, and the Better Business Bureau. This "set-up" is completely FRAUDULENT and if you have been a victim you need to be a part of getting this illegal practice eliminated.

Fred Camage 14/7/2021
I booked accommodation through the Carrington Hotel, Katoomba NSW Australia website in February 2021, $au181.87 I was scammed by hotelvalues.com. no record at the Hotel of the transaction. So don't book through the Carrington Hotel website. They are low life scum.

Same story here. They used the logo and type style for Holiday Inn Express and gave a telephone number to call. The rate they quoted was below the government rate I always use. When they said that I could not cancel, an alarm went on in my head but I didn't have time to investigate further. I thought I was booking directly with the hotel, but it was a third-person site. I only realized this upon check-out when I asked for a receipt and was told that they had no receipt to print out since the room was booked via a third-party site. When the credit card bill came, the room charge was $258.96 for three nights plaus $158.07 "Tax Recovery Chartges & Service Fees." To make matters worse, my employer only reimburses hotel reservations made directly with the hotel, I just found out. This is bogus.

I also made a reservation thru Extended Stay and was automatically sent to this site. They overcharged me $105 on a $200 bill. When I called extended stay they said sorry and hung up.
Wow. Must make reservations at hotel only as they can make reservation.
Also extended stay in Brea is a joke. Room looked like a bad fight had been held in bathroom. Shelf/drawer sand cabinet door broken and the wood peeled back. When we took off our shoes our socks became totally filthy on wood floor. Do not stay a anywhere there.

HOTELVALUES.COM is more than a FRAUD, they are THIEVES and HIJACKERS. I thought I was going to a Hampton Inn website, booked a room, had to cancel due to mitigating circumstances, called the Hampton Inn per the phone number listed and was told, I was booked through a third party. Since the check in date was still several days away, I assumed the HOLD would have been cancelled, but informed that the cost of the room was the CANCELLATION FEE.
Hampton Bay usually puts a HOLD on the guest's credit card, not take the money out entirely and guests that cancel before 24 hours of check in can get that HOLD released, albeit not immediately, HOTELVALUES.COM removed the funds immediately and customer service was like talking to someone in a foreign country, the obvious Hispanic and pressured English-speaking representative was hard to understand, and she refused to allow me to speak to a SUPERVISOR or her SUPERIOR.
Everyone, be leery when booking any hotel on-line, READ THE DISCLOSURES, better yet call directly.

I want to see this site hotelvalies.com shut down as well as any other sites they have. They are unethical and have dishonest business practices. I don't know how much responsibility is on Google. When I booked rooms for a recent trip I put in the hotel we wanted to stay at in West Branch, MN. The search came up with name of AmericInn and was directed to a page with the picture and name of hotel and Wyndham property info at top like hotel's website would look like. Checked availability, made reservation but had some trouble getting thru process. Had to call and person never identified as a third party entity. Rooms were $739.46. The total was $998.84 with taxes, which seems high. I thought it was a holding fee like most hotels do, which is credited back when you check out. At the hotel I asked about the bill to be informed that I had booked through a third party and had to talk to them about charges. However he hoel did tell me that the total charge for he rooms was $682. Finally got to a customer service person, that was trip, to get absolutely nowhere. I think they just directed me to some house where thre were a bunch of people running the scam. I don't expect to get anywhere this will. But I will make it my mission to post this anywhere I can. Since we are so worried about what people are posting maybe we should put some effort into monitoring unethical websites or making search results clearer on whose website you are being directed to.

I had the same experience when Googled Hyatt Atlanta. I had no idea it was a third party, Home Values, either. What should have been a $350 hotel Bill was $539! But, it seems Google should be able to do something about this. They are probably benefiting from ad fees. Ridiculous that you can’t simply trust a Google search. You only get me once!

Thought I was booking at Drury hotel but it was not it was hotelvalues.com they are a fraud sight be aware they should go to prison

I was in fl and needed a room for two night i google holiday inn and call the 800 number not knowing i was getting a third party I agree to 195.00 for two nights plus tax it ended up charging me 301.61 the 195 plus 106.41 fro tax recovery charges and service fees i have try calling can get anyone that can help with this they just hang up there number is [protected]

I too, thought was on the official Confort Inn/Choice Privileges website, and got bamboozled by hotelvalues.com as well. There's no directive on how to cancel, no number, and if you can it appears there's penalties, etc. I'll have to keep a better eye out the next time I try to book a room. I called the hotel, and they do have the reservation, but it's clearly not through them. The Tax Recovery and Service Charge is ridiculous.

Obviously I was not the only one to ALMOST get taken/scammed by hotelvalues.com. I have filed a complaint with them as did others, and also immediately notified by credit card company. IF the charge is posted, it will be disputed for sure! May post a complaint with the Better Business Bureau if I think it might help. Everyone BEWARE of this ripoff.

I booked a room on what I thought was Rydges Australia direct and paid for the two nights.
Upon checking direct with the hotel, was told this was not their confirmation number and no confirmation from Hotelvalues.com ever arrived.
I called Hotelvalues on their 1800 number 30mins after realising I had not booked directly with the hotel and was told no refund. I booked on 29 March for that day but their cancellation policy was 'no refund if cancelled after 28 March - THE DAY BEFORE I HAD EVEN BOOKED.
I emailed them and got a bounceback of 'sender not authorised to receive your message'.
A "Tax Recovery Charge & Service Fee" of $192.15 - what a joke!
I then had to rebook directly with the hotel at another $440.
Please shut this scam down.

I got charged $121 for taxes and fees on my $225 hotel reservation. I thought I was on the hotels website. This is the 2nd time this has happened

Went online to book hampton inn, book a room for 97.00 popped up within 10 mins. I took that deal oked nonrefundable because we were almost there then got the total of over 153.00 after their fees and taxes. I called them right away to cancel because of added fees, was offered 10% discount but would not refund me even though I called within 5 mins of making reservation. Will find ways to write reviews let others know not to trust hotel values they are fraud. Really 56.00 to cover tax and other hotel cost ( never extra cleaning and amenity cost) total scam. Funny how I can't find a good review?

I have just gotten scammed like the one reported earlier. They charged me a $165 Tax Recovery Charges & Recover Fees on a $441 hotel fee. The booking is non-refundable, I've called my credit card company and the hotel to cancel this charge but no one seems to be able to assist me at this point. THIEVES they are!

I had this same experience with booking with them in November. I thought I was on the Hyatt's direct website. I booked, within minutes I realized I had booked at the wrong Hyatt so I called there to rebook and they said I had not booked with them directly. I called their number and they said could cancel "not a problem at all." I thought all was well. I called the hotel I wanted and moved on. Then I realized on my statement they never reimbursed the charge. Remember, within minutes I had realized the error and straighten it all out. Then I looked the paperwork and it said I had to cancel by the DAY BEFORE I booked! I booked on 11/19 and full refund would only be issued if cancelled by 11/18? What in the world. Long story I had to call them and they hung up on me said the hotel manager denied my request. I called Hyatt Place myself and the manager was so kind and nice and said absolutely he would refund it So I had to call them back again and fight and they now agreed to reimburse me. We'll see. Terrible company!

I booked a room on what I thought was Blackstone Mountain Lodge's in Canmore Alberta Canada, only to find out after receiving my final bill, that I was SCAMMED BY hotelvalues.com I know i was on the correct webpage for Blackstone. How/when this bunch of crooks got involved is beyond me.
HOW ARE THEY ALLOWED TO OPERATE? I will be warning as many people as possible to be aware of these THIEVES. They got my money this time BUT NEVER AGAIN!