Priceline charges but after C.O. hotel as well (NYOP)

[XT600]

it happend now the 2nd time in Milan Marriott after Westin Jersey City that my N-Y-O-P-prepaid reservation was charged first by priceline during the booking process and then again after checkout by the hotel.

As the insiders know priceline will pay for the (customer) "prepaid" reservation only after check-out. This seems to be done automatically by hotel's systems using a priceline creditcard. However in both cases they used my creditcard (who I needed to give them during C.I.) to charge that amount what priceline will need to pay.

Does this happen often recently?

did priceline change anything in the process?

What I usually did to fix this issue was to call hotel accounting or front desk agent who refunded the amount. However I got a exchangerate penalty (Jersey City) and also in case of Milan I'll have some interest "loss" as there will be some time till the refund will be effective (monthly payment overlapping).

I also contacted priceline in both cases - they usually first want to make sure that the amount isnot any kind of minibar (200 EUR wow!!) and then they also help to fix this from their side. Last time they gave me $5x10 cash bonus...

Thanks for shareing your experiences!

[thereuare]

Does this happen often recently?

This happens from time to time, but i wouldn't stay it's common, and is usually the result of a new(er) front desk employee who isn't used the system yet.

Fortunately it's usually easy to get resolved.

[XT600]

it's easy to get resolved if the traveller frequently checks creditcard online statements... I do that but others?

And easy if you see yourself responsible to call the hotel in long distance calls to clarify things in foreign language. not everybody likes this!

This is clearly a mistake by the hotel ... they usually find the problem immediately and fix it but this shoudn't happen - maybe it was because I asked the Marriott/Westin guys to add my loyality program number?

BTW:

I did the "usual complaining" on the priceline email responses and got -as exepcted a $10/day cash bonus inivitation. Better than nothing as - of course my creditcard chargeing cycle is just not matching witht the hotel refund....

[finnegan]

Is it possible to avoid this, when using cash for deposit at check-in, instead of a credit card??

That would minimize the chance of double charges. But I'm not sure, do most hotels even take cash deposit??

[thereuare]

Some hotels take a cash deposit, but it can be a few hundred dollars (per nite at some hotels)

While this situation does occasionally occur, it happens infrequently enough, and is usually quickly rectified, that i don't think the hassle of a cash deposit it worthwhile.

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

[Colfax]

I'm a high volume Priceline user and I get double charged--once by Priceline, again by hotel--probably two or three times a year. It's happened to me in a variety of cities at a number of different brands.

It's usually an innocent mistake by a novice night auditor and it's easy to fix. It's the hotel's mistake, not Priceline's, so call the hotel during weekday business hours, when the accounting staff is there, and they'll credit back the double charge. One quick call is usually all it takes.