Hotwire Refund Guarantee - Small Print

[geordie_on_tour]

If you find a rate on a site that includes tax and fees yet beats the TOTAL price you pay with Hotwire they refuse to refund the difference.

Example:

Hotwire Deal:

Room $100

Taxes $40

Total $140

Hotel Web Site:

Room total inclusive price $120

Because the price quoted on the hotel site is higher than Hotwires PRE-TAX price they won't refund the difference - what a rip off!

Watch out for Hotwire artificially hiking taxes/fees so they don't have to refund.

[thereuare]

Just about every Best Rate Guarantee is based upon room rate only and does not include taxes and fees.

At least HOTWIRE offers Double the difference rather than just the price match many others offer (PRICELINE is also good in this regard by price matching plus $25)... and more importantly, HOTWIRE is VERY GOOD at paying valid claims, unlike many companies i've seen which really do everything in their power to weasel out of paying.

[geordie_on_tour]

Hotwire are refusing to pay a claim by me because the hotel in question doesn't advertise price pre-tax.

The total price on the hotel website is cheaper than the total rate I paid with hotwire - they are refusing to pay up because the hotel website don't show pre-tax rates.

Their guarantee is worthless in this scenario.

[thereuare]

For which of your posted HOTWIRE wins did you find a better rate elsewhere, and where are you finding the better rate?

Is it this hotwire purchase in Adelaide? (whether it is or isn't this one... please add the date(s) of your stay to that thread)

[dahammer]

Hotwire are refusing to pay a claim by me because the hotel in question doesn't advertise price pre-tax.

yet you blame HOTWIRE for this ommission?

[geordie_on_tour]

yet you blame HOTWIRE for this ommission?

Where am I blaming Hotwire for the ommission or a pre-tax rate on the hotel web site?

I am simply stating that the price guarantee offered by Hotwire is worthless if you find a better deal somewhere else, and that somewhere else doesn't show the pre-tax rate.

Just a small list of places that don't show a pre-tax rate:

Expedia

Hotels.com

Opodo

Most European/Australian Hotel chains.

A great facility on this forum would be a list of places who do show you the pre-tax rate which can be used for price compare with your booked HOTWIRE rate.

Just an insight, but at the moment HOTWIRE can add any fees they want to a super low room price and pretty much guarantee they wont have to pay out.

[thereuare]

Both Expedia and Hotels.com do show the room rate... i didn't check any of the other site(s) you've mentioned.

As i mentioned previously, almost all Best Rate Guarantee programs i am aware of are based upon room rate only, so you would have the same situation regardless which one you tried to make a claim. A site not showing the room rate is certainly more the exception then the rule, but as the total HOTWIRE rate is shown before your purchase, you should take a few minutes to research before any purchase and ensure that you're getting the best deal possible.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.