Priceline Hotel: 2.5* Galena Best Western Designer Inn and Suites

[Cubbies2011]

Staying from July 6 - July 8

Hotel on hotwire is a 2.5 star hotel with the following amenities:

Complimentary breakfast

Fitness Center

Pool

Business Center

High Speed Internet Access

Rate is $76/night.

[thereuare]

Please click this HOTWIRE link and reply to this thread, we'll then have a look at the offer above.

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

[Cubbies2011]

I am probably going to contact priceline directly, but we recently got back from a hotel stay obtained by using priceline's bidding service, and had the following experience:

At check in, we requested a non-smoking room, but were told that we were being assigned to a smoking room. We balked, but were told that with priceline, there is no guarantee you are going to get a nonsmoking room.

We got to the room, and it was awful. It smelled terrible. As non-smokers, we couldn't stay in that room.

When we complained to the front desk, she initially refused to switch our room, but eventually gave in and gave us a non-smoking room.

I guess I am a little worried going forward with priceline. In the past, I have never had any problems using priceline at 4 star hotels in Chicago. Nobody has ever mentioned that I was a priceline customer at any of those hotels, and I have always been able to secure a non-smoking room.

I plan on using priceline again, but am worried that things have changed and hotels are now sticking customers with the worst rooms in the hotel - places others aren't willing to accept, and places that we can't argue about because we already paid for the room and there are no refunds.

Yes, our hotel solved this problem, but had the hotel been closer to capacity, I am confident we would have been stuck with that room. Also, the fact that she stuck us in this room, despite the fact that we checked in very early, makes me believe that this was the worst room in the hotel, and she wasn't assigning based on availability, but the fact that she thought she could get more money if someone checked in later in the day and requested a nonsmoking room.

Anyone else have any stories like this? Should I contact priceline and make them aware of this?

[thereuare]

From Our Rules and Policies:

While we welcome both positive and negative experiences, please keep in mind that the spirit of this message board is helping users.

If you have a complaint, problem, or question with a recent or upcoming Priceline/Hotwire stay, we will be happy to do what we can to help, but please be considerate of the board's primary goal of helping others and first post the details of your 'win.'

It is important for everyone to know when problems and customer service issues arise, but the majority of the users come here to see winning bid information... so please oblige them with this information before asking for them for help.

Thanks! :)

I've merged your recent post with this thread since i assumed this is the stay you had issue with. Please share the details of your win in a reply to this thread so we can edit the topic title accordingly, and please use the requested PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your future travel purchases.

[Cubbies2011]

We ended up bidding $65/night on priceline for a two night stay (7/6 - 7/8) at a 2 1/2 star hotel in Galena, IL.

Our bid was accepted, and we ended up with the Best Western Designer Inn and Suites.

The nonsmoking room we ended up with was definitely worth the $65/night, but as mentioned in my previous post, I would have been upset if we were stuck with the smoking room that we initially received at check-in.

To the hotel's credit, they corrected the problem, but I would never use priceline for this town again. It's not worth saving 15% when there' s a strong chance you get a room you can't sleep in.

[thereuare]

Thanks for the follow-up.

Please remember to post your wins as you receive them so that the information can best help other users.

In regards to your situation above, fortunately most hotels are willing to work with your and accommodate your requests (within reason), but you will find hotels in the system who are biased towards PRICELINE customers (as well as HOTWIRE and those who book thru any 3rd party)... but these are more the exception then the rule. However, the hotel is within the terms of their agreement, as your PRICELINE purchase is for a room which will accommodate double occupancy, and everything else is at the discretion of the hotel. If you must have a Smoke Free room, then you might want to consider HOTWIRE and purchase a hotel showing the smoke free icon... it may cost you a little more, but at least you're assured to get what you want. If you want the lower prices that PRICELINE usually gives, then you play the odds and hope the hotel will accommodate your requests... but every now and then you'll possibly run into a problem... similar to how you didn't have any problem with any of your other reservations until now.

Note that hotels are trying to be more flexible in how they manage their room inventory, and the majority no longer guarantee room type... i have even been at a hotel where a guest booked directly with the hotel a non-smoking room, and at check-in time they simply didn't have that room type available for him.

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

Thanks.