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KatiesMom

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Everything posted by KatiesMom

  1. I've noticed every now and then on Hotwire that instead of giving a customer satisfaction rating for a property, they omit it and write: "We are still gathering reviews for this property." But why? This is frustrating for consumers who are trying to figure out how a property is considered by other customers. Could it be Hotwire is deliberately obscuring the property? A few weeks ago I was searching for a hotel in Baltimore. I came across a 3.5* property in the Inner Harbor with the "We are still gathering reviews for this property" statement. I should have stopped right there and not bought it, however, the price at $63 a night was low and I scooped it up. (I mistakenly thought it would be the nearby Holiday Inn Express where I have stayed at before. My bad.) It turned out to be a Sheraton which is across the street from the HIE, so initially I wasn't concerned, until I read many unfavorable reviews and complaints on Trip Advisor. I suspect Hotwire customers complained too. I wrote to Hotwire and asked about the 3.5* star rating based on the voluminous complaints and received a reply saying the hotel had been recently reinspected and met with the criteria for a 3.5* property. OK, if that is the case, why not post the customer satisfaction review percentage? I suspect that number would reflect poorly on the Sheraton. I for one will not purchase an opaque property with 80% or less satisfaction rating. Second case in point. I was following Hotwire for the past few weeks looking for a hotel in Chicago. Prices for my trip in June are through the roof high so I was patiently waiting for something good to show up. Yesterday I came across a hotel with amenities that could match three different 4* properties - The Palomar, The Felix and The Sax. Of those, based on customer reviews, I would only be interested if I thought it was the Palomar. Fortunately, Hotwire listed the customer satisfaction rating for the property - 100%, as well as the Trip Advisor rating - 4.5 out of 5. Since the Felix and Sax have very mixed reviews, this seemed to align with the Palomar which is highly ranked at #2 on Trip Advisor for Chicago Hotels. I bought it and yes it was the Palomar. But even if it wasn't, because of the satisfaction ratings I had expectations that that this was a highly regarded hotel, so it was worth the risk of buying it (100% Hotwire positive, 4.5 out of 5 on TA, WOW). I visited Hotwire after the purchase and noticed a listing for a 4* property in the same zone, for the same dates, with the same amenities as the one I just bought. Instead of a Hotwire rating it says "We are still gathering reviews for this property." Also, there is no Trip Advisor rating. Even if they were gathering reviews, which I doubt they are, they still could have put the Trip Advisor rating on, but chose not to. So at a minimum, this property could be any of the three. For a consumer, the quality of this hotel is obscured. I understand it is Hotwire's decision to provide whatever information it wants to. It's an opaque site. So Caveat Emptor - Let the buyer beware. My objection is using the phrase "We are still gathering reviews for this property," when that's not the case. It's misleading to consumers.
  2. Thanks for the tips Aaron! From my other thread: I have been in touch with the Cubs' box office because one member in our group (my mom) is going to one game and will require a wheelchair accessible seat. I'm to call them the day before tickets go on sale to the public, so hopefully I can buy tickets for at least that game. If not, Plan B is to try to buy them the second they go on sale online. Plan C is StubHub. I've been through the "Virtual Waiting Room" experience buying Red Sox tickets. It's pretty horrendous. Can take hours to get through and when you do the seats are usually terrible, obstructed and such. This is one reason I cut our trip down one day, to save some $$$ for tickets.
  3. Thanks for the tips Aaron. I have been in touch with the Cubs' box office because one member in our group (my mom) is going to one game and will require a wheelchair accessible seat. I'm to call them the day before tickets go on sale to the public, so hopefully I can buy tickets for at least that game. If not, Plan B is to try to buy them the second they go on sale online. Plan C is StubHub. I've been through the "Virtual Waiting Room" experience buying Red Sox tickets. It's pretty horrendous. Can take hours to get through and when you do the seats are usually terrible, obstructed and such. This is one reason I cut our trip down one day, to save some $$$ for tickets. Also - to others getting a Kimpton Hotel: Join their In Touch loyalty program. It's free. A friend of mine who loves Kimpton properties say he often gets some nice perks from it.
  4. Thanks Romelle, I will confirm the luggage limits with JetBlue. And yes, airfare booked, hotel booked... still have rental care to book (need it for just five days of the trip) and of course I still have baseball tickets to buy (Not available until March 8). This trip is a labor of love. I'm looking forward to it. Thank you again for your helpful suggestions.
  5. Some hotels are dreadful when it comes to Hotwire/Priceline. A couple months ago a friend of mine booked a room at the Royal Sonesta, 4*, Cambridge, MA on Hotwire for herself, husband and their two girls (10,14). She decided on Hotwire over Priceline because she wanted to make sure there were two beds for the four of them (She plugged in 2 adults, 2 kids). She told me about this trip only after it was booked so I couldn't hook her up here with BetterBidding. When she went to check in, the hotel clerk said Hotwire had booked them for a room with one queen bed. The clerk said the hotel was sold out and couldn't give her a room with two beds. My friend was so upset she called me while arguing with the clerk because of my experience with Hotwire. I spoke to the clerk on my friend's cell phone and the clerk was firm - "Hotwire only booked one queen bed and that's that." I told my friend to stay there and I called Hotwire. The Hotwire spokesperson was livid, she said that was an unacceptable response from the hotel. She reviewed my friend's order form and told me it had been filled out properly for 2 adults and 2 kids. She said she would call the clerk right then and straighten it out. Then the BIZARRE happened - The Royal Sonesta's telephone lines went down and hotwire couldn't get through to them. The clerk was sick of dealing with me over my friend's cell phone, and I heard her say "You all can share one bed." My friend responded, "We aren't sharing one bed with our daughters!" The clerk then said they had a full-sized double rollaway bed that would fit in the room. My friend, who had an appointment to go to, accepted the offer of the rollaway. The clerk also said they would be given free breakfast for the inconvenience. When they came back that night there was no rollaway bed in the room. They called the front desk, which sent up a tiny cot. One of the girls took it, the other slept on the floor. They had breakfast the next morning and when they went to check out they were charged $100 for it. After arguing that it was supposed to be free, the hotel agreed to remove the charge. Needless to say, my friend will NEVER use Hotwire again, and I tell people to avoid the Royal Sonesta. So never say never. I too have never had a problem like this, but I saw firsthand it CAN and DOES happen.
  6. Romelle, I can't thank you enough for that matrix link. I booked our trip this morning: 6/15 - 6/23. JetBlue: JFK to ORD, $217 per person nonstop roundtrip, and according to its website allows a personal carry bag (like a handbag), a small bag (like a computer) which can fit under the seat, a carry on bag, and one checked bag per person all for free. Excellent! This flight might have been added within the past week because until now there was no Jet Blue flight listed for this timeframe. Until now I was considering Spirit also for $217 per person, but when you add in the price of their fare club - $9 which allows you to pay $20 for one carry on bag and more for a checked bag - well it just wasn't worth it. I don't need bells and whistles and snacks and such but I do need to take my luggage. While I don't love JFK, fortunately a friend is driving us and he doesn't mind going there... YAY! Nice tips everyone!! Makes traveling much easier. I'm a former NYC destination expert for Trip Advisor so feel free to send me a message if you have any NYC questions.
  7. Well this one can happily go in the DONE pile!! Successful in getting The Palomar on Hotwire! (I used BB's HOTWIRE link.) For the dates 6/15 to 6/19, $165 a night. 4*, Magnificent Mile Amenities: Boutique, Smoke Free, Fitness, Restaurant, Business, Hi Speed Internet. Recommended: 100% Hotwire, 4.5 Trip Advisor Considering that with my AAA discount this place would have cost $249 a night on the Palomar's website, it's a good deal for a well-reviewed Klimpton hotel in a great location. (Ranked #2 on Trip Advisor) Very happy with this outcome! Thanks everyone for your help, it was invaluable!!! I'll take pictures and review it when we get back!
  8. I think I may have a winner, your opinions appreciated. For 6/15 to 6/19: On Hotwire, 4*, Magnificent Mile, $163 a night. Amenities: Boutique, Smoke Free, Fitness, Restaurant, Business, Hi Speed Internet. Recommended: 100% Hotwire, 4.5 Trip Advisor My sleuthing and a previous reported win on BetterBidding's Hotwire board indicates most likely it is Hotel Palomar. (Sax and Felix have lower Rec ratings) This is very acceptable to me. Although a boutique, it gets excellent reviews even from travelers who got it on Hotwire. No reports that they were given bad rooms, in fact on Trip Advisor, Hotwire folks were very pleased, nice rooms and allowed early check in. That's my kind of place! Palomar seems to be about a block from the redline, which would be convenient for our trips to Wrigley Field. It would save me about $400 from my Omni backup. Aaron, Romelle, CardsFan, others, what do you think? I'm ready to act now. Thanks for your help.
  9. Just wanted to add a parking update. I recently stayed at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel for a convention. The hotel's valet parking was $46 a night. HUGE ripoff in my opinion. Beware.
  10. While the Omni calls itself an all suite hotel, I've read numerous reviews where "opaque" guests were given non-suite, studio rooms. I am interested in the Omni for my upcoming trip in June and have currently booked it with my AAA discount as a fully cancellable backup. I have seen the same listing as Mbanu in this thread and have been tempted to go for it should the price drop below $200 a night. Mbanu, please report back to let us know what type of room you get. I'm very interested. Thank you, hope it's wonderful!
  11. Aaron, the Omni is $243 a night for a Deluxe Suite with King Bed. It's not a good deal, but for now I have a modicum of peace of mind. Romelle, thank you so much for your airfare tips! Because of the link you recommended: http://matrix.itasoftware.com/, I've been able to monitor airfare more easily. I haven't booked airfare for this trip yet but probably will in the next week. Today up popped a new flight possibility for us on Jet Blue. Although Spirit is still the lowest at around $217 p.p. round trip, when you add on the bag fees (joining their $9 club), it's no cheaper than some of the other airlines. Airfare was generally flat until this week when the commercial carriers upped their fares by $10. I'm a watching and a waiting.
  12. Cradsfan, thank you! Excellent information. I'm taking baby steps with this trip. Priceline is out again because it's just too darn risky for the amount of money involved (About $1,000). I want to know the property. This morning I made a fully cancellable back up reservation in order to give me some peace of mind as I watch what happens with Hotwire. I booked The Omni 6/15 - 6/19 and with AAA got it for $972 plus tax. I also joined Omni's Select Guest loyalty program which has some nice perks. The price is still MUCH higher than I want so I'm keeping my eye on Hotwire for a better deal. We'll see how this plays out.
  13. Just chiming in that for travel dates 6/14 - 6/19 I'm getting the exact same listing with no amenities, for $195 a night. Very curious what this one might be.
  14. Looks like the timeshare isn't panning out. Prices are so darn high for my travel dates, I'm thinking of going PRICELINE. That said... this is a five-night stay, long. I want creature comforts, no tiny shoebox boutiques. Also, I would like to be near public transportation to go to Wrigley Field. Looks to me like the best zone to bid on for 4* is the Loop? Seems like the Hyatt or Renaissance may pop up, those should be ok, right? I want to avoid spots like Hotel Felix. Rooms too small. Any helpful tips before I start bidding? Thanks.
  15. Thanks so much! Looks like the Silversmith is fully cancellable and refundable. I just hate going through Expedia or Hotels.com though, so for now I'm not going to. I'm also going to wait a little to see if hotel prices go down at all. I'll check back in later.
  16. This thread maybe should be moved to Hotwire as that's what I am focusing on right now. There is a possibility we'll go Priceline, but not sure. I've been doing some research and could use your advice. For 6/14- 6/19/12, five nights Although I am happy to go 4*, the two being offered in Mag Mile or NM Gold Coast only have 75% and 80% Hotwire rec's and that's a warning bell for me. The 4.5* level has two interesting offerings, both are pricey: $210, 4.5*, Magnificent Mile, Fitness, Restaurant, Business, Laundry, Hi Speed Internet, Spa, 90% Hotwire rec, 4.5 out of 5 on TA. This seems to match the James Hotel. $202, 4.5*, North Michigan Gold Coast, Smoke Free, Fitness, Pool, Restaurant, Business, Hi Speed Internet, 95% Hotwire rec. This seems to match the Omni. TO those in the know - James or Omni? Are they both convenient to El, and are the areas they are in fun to walk around and sightsee? One better than the other or both good? A monkey wrench I was considering was The Silversmith (3.5*) which I am finding on Expedia and Hotels for $130 a night. I thought this might be a good fully cancelable back up while I keep checking on Hotwire, and I asked the hotel if they would honor this price but they won't. Both Expedia and Hotels mention this hotel is cancelable with them up to 24 hours of check in. But does that mean if I cancel they hold onto my money and I am obligated to take something else from them, or would they refund my money? I looked through their websites and could not find that answer. Thanks for your candid opinions. I appreciate them warts and all.
  17. Thanks Aaron. I'll definitely report back. I think things will be ok. This hotel is located across the street from the hotel I thought I was bidding on (Holiday Inn Express). I've stayed at the HIE and it was very good, very pleased. I spied what I thought was the HIE on Hotwire, a "Super Savings" at the top of the list. The next day when I went to bid, I clicked on the top listing and if I had been paying attention I would have seen that listing had changed from 3* to 3.5* and was different. So my bad. Sheratons are usually decent, so hopefully they'll clean up their act. So folks, learn from me, always double check before you buy.
  18. Got this response from Michael A at Hotwire: Thank you for contacting Hotwire concerning the star rating of your hotel. I understand you have read concerning reviews on other sites about the Sheraton City Center and I regret any hesitation and second guessing this has caused you. We regularly evaluate our hotel partners to ensure they offer the amenities listed on our site and the clean rooms in working order we promise on every reservation. I also understand you have observed a different star rating for this hotel than the star rating listed on the Hotwire site. While there is no standard star ratings system in the US, we work hard to offer clear and accurate star ratings. We start with the average star rating of other leading travel sites and then use Hotwire customer feedback and surveys to adjust accordingly. This helps to ensure our star ratings reflect our customers recent experience. I can assure you we last evaluated this hotel on January 28th, 2012 and Hotwire is confident the star rating is accurate. If you have concerns upon arrival, please contact us at 1-866-HOTWIRE (468-9473) so that we may work with our hotel partner to resolve the issue. Our Customer Care Associates are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sincerely, Michael A Hotwire Customer Care It's interesting that this hotel was reevaluated just a couple days before my letter. Reviews are really scary bad about this place which is why I wanted to alert Hotwire in case it should be downgraded. Guess that won't be happening.
  19. Aaron, thanks. The price was certainly right. As an aside, I put in a question to HOTWIRE about the 3.5* rating for this hotel. Many reviews about this place are scathing and bad - dirty, old, bedbugs, etc.... I asked HOTWIRE to look into whether this really is 3.5* caliber. I'll let you know what response I get.
  20. Yes, Stewart would be an option. It's almost $200 more though. ;-( Midway not in the mix for some reason. Flights I want seem to only go to ORD.
  21. Thanks for the tips, I think I'll wait a couple more days and check things out thoroughly. So far airfare to Midway is much more expensive. Southwest is about $100 more expensive. It seems like you can save time or money but not both. I'll let you know how things go.
  22. I'm getting ready to book airfare. The party in Boston is out, they aren't coming. So it's just me and my husband. Our travel dates are 6/14 to 6/23, LGA to ORD. I'm thinking of going with Delta, round trip $210. As another poster questioned above, does this seem like the time to book or is it worth waiting? This is just an opinion, not holding anyone to their thoughts. Before I book, I'm also going to check out airfares from Hartford, Westchester... just to do due diligence. We live in Connecticut and have flexibilty on airports. So far though LGA is the cheapest of the NYC. Betterbidding doesn't have a special airline link right?
  23. I've stayed all over Boston and would prefer Back Bay the Westin area to the Hyatt Financial area. As was said, in winter there are some nice indoor things in that area.
  24. Bought this way early, but going to see the Red Sox play the Orioles, so figured the $63 price was worth booking now. Sheraton Baltimore City Center 3.5* Downtown and Inner Harbor, $63 a night. Amenities: Smoke Free Rooms Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Business Center High-Speed Internet Access "We are still gathering reviews for this property." I used Betterbidding's HOTWIRE link.
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