Priceline Hotel: 3* Miami (Beach) Circa 39 Hotel

[ranerio]

So so deal I guess.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Hope you're pleased with the outcome and this property will work well for your needs.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

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

Enjoy your stay.

[ranerio]

I have found via the hotel website an avg price lower than the one I booked via Priceline, I paid $95 a night and and the hotel it was $91.25 average price. So I claimed the Best Deal Guarantee, however Priceline response was that the NYOD reservation was non refundable, no matter what. Here is the email.

Is there any resource to this?

Original Message Follows:

Subject: Priceline Guarantee request

Product: HOTEL

Category: About Hotels

Comments :Dear Sir or Madam, Via the hotel website at www.circa39.com

the average rate for the stay days is lower than the one I booked via

Priceline. I have called before Priceline, but it was said that the

value should be considered including taxes, however, per the terms of

the best deal guarantee, the taxes must be excluded. It is as quoted

"Priceline's Big Deal Guarantee applies only to the room rate and does

not include any charges for Taxes and Service Fees charged by priceline

or similar charges by any other online service." as stated at the page http://www.priceline.com/promo/big_deal_guarantee_terms.html?product=htl

Thus, I request the reservation to be cancelled and actions taken in

order to provide the employees of Priceline information consistent with

the deal guarantee. Thanks in advance, Ranerio Vieira

[thereuare]

Have they offered to match the $91.23/nite rate less $25... or are they stating that you don't qualify for the Best Rate Guarantee?

[ranerio]

Have they offered to match the $91.23/nite rate less $25... or are they stating that you don't qualify for the Best Rate Guarantee?

They are stating I do not qualify and that the bookings are non refundable, non cancellable, no matter what. I have requested previously and they said the taxes values were different, so no qualification for the best deal guarantee, then I checked the terms and wrote again, pointing out it the terms say it is the room rate, excluding taxes and other fees, that is the parameter for the claim.

I am really dissatisfied with Priceline, I have used it before but I do not intend to use it again and I highly dis-recommend, since the message from support was close to rude in the case, I am quoting here:

Dear Ranerio,

Thank you for taking the time to send us an e-mail. We have received

both of your e-mails and we understand that you have contacted our

Customer Care Representative regarding the Best Price Guarantee claim

for your reservation at the and disagree for the same, as you were

informed that the value for the reservation should be considered

including taxes; however, per the terms of the best deal guarantee, the

taxes must be excluded.

As advised earlier, your Best Price Guarantee is not accepted.

Moreover, before you submitted your request, we asked you to review and

initial a contract page where the total taxes and fees charged by

priceline were shown. This page allowed you to review all the

information you had entered. In addition, it clearly stated the

conditions regarding the products and services reserved through us.

Please note that all reservations are non-changeable.

For your reference, a copy of your contract page has been sent in a

separate email, and for your future reference, our communication has

been documented.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Malick S.

Customer Service Specialist

[thereuare]

Thus, I request the reservation to be cancelled...

I think you confused them by requesting the transaction be cancelled, since this is not part of the terms of the Best Price Guarantee.

I would wrote again and clearly show them:

My Bid Price: $95

Hotel's Room Rate Before Taxes and Fees: $91.23

Tell them you would like:

Refund of $22.62 (=3.77 difference per nite x 6 nites)

Plus $25 as per their terms

Total Refund: 47.62

[ranerio]

Thereuare, I have read the terms available and from the last statement I understand it can be cancelled.

However what was denied was the claim for the best deal guarantee

Additional restrictions may apply. Priceline is the final authority on interpretation of these rules. Priceline reserves the right to determine whether a claim qualifies for cancellation or a refund of 100% of the difference in the room night cost. Priceline reserves the right to deny any claims that cannot be reasonably verified, or for which incomplete information has been provided. Priceline reserves the right to terminate this offer at any time without notice.

Well, I also sent to the credit card company a dispute on the transaction, attaching a printout the webpage of the hotel with the lower price and the terms of the Big Deal Guarantee, the email denying the request by Priceline and the Priceline reservation. Not really an avenue I would like to take but it seems they are irreducible in their terms.

[thereuare]

...from the last statement I understand it can be cancelled.

The decision whether to cancel the reservation or provide a refund for the different is at PRICELINE's discretion. (not your choice)

Good luck getting this resolved.

[ranerio]

Thereuare,

I have contacted the hotel and explained the situation, they immediately offered to cancel the reservation given the conditions. Customer service at the hotel was exemplary. Priceline then cancelled base on "extenuating circumsntances" as they said in the email.

[thereuare]

Sorry to hear it required a bit of effort on your end, but glad you ultimately got it resolved to your satisfaction.

If you'd like help with a 'replacement' stay feel free to start a NEW TOPIC.

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