Priceline Hotel: 2.5* Toledo (Maumee) Baymont Inn and Suites Toledo/Maumee

[alhoff2000]

Longtime Priceline user, hep to the boars, research, re-bidding, etc. I've had almost universally great experiences, and I guess today was the day my time has come.

I bid on a 2.5 star hotel in Toledo area, and won. But while looking up directions, I came across the litany of complaints about the place. For the record, I'm not a fussy traveller, and I fully udnertsand the trade-offs with blind-bidding and the variety of hotel experiences you get. And for this trip, i only need a sleep-over bed. But the consistency of repeated complaints re: issues that would be health-code violations (bedbugs, management admitted there was a problem with bedbugs, garbage left in hallways, poop left in the hot tub) pretty much left me with new math: I'd rather eat the bid then stay here.

Obviously, I'd have a stranger case if I actually stayed there and experience this for myself, but it ain't worth it.

So it goes -- but it rankles that the hotel will still pocket the money, and that Priceline lists a place that is clearly not up to their standards. of course, they may be unaware of it, which is why I'm happy to tell them. And tell them that keeping such places on their roster affects their reputation.

And thus my query -- what's the best way to contact them in this situation? The customer service phone? A letter/email to somebody? Often one feels complaints just go in a big void, so I'm tapping the collective wisdom of this board to see if folks had better recommendations.

thanks!

[AaronJB]

Sorry to hear that the result is such a disappointment. :(

Please provide the details of the purchase (star rating, destination/zone, hotel name, date/s, price) and we would be happy to take a look and offer thoughts/suggestions.

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[alhoff2000]

>Please provide the details of the purchase (star rating, destination/zone, hotel name, date/s, price) and we would be happy to take a look and offer >thoughts/suggestions.

Sure thing!

Aug. 16 (one night); Toledo, Ohio: Zone 3. I was bidding for a 2.5 star

I won the Baymont Inn Suites at $51.

I won on a rebid; I also had listed Zone 5: Perrysburg

Here are links to several online traveller reviews of the hotel, including ones from Priceline's Express Deals site. There's a fair argument that recent reviews suggest this is not a 2.5-star hotel, and that Priceline should adjust its ratings. In any case, they're bad enough that I'd rather not sleep there.

Priceline reviews

Tripadvisor

Hotels.com review

thanks for any advice! Big fan of this site (always use the links)

[thereuare]

thanks for any advice! Big fan of this site (always use the links)

Thanks for using the board links. If you're not, please begin to share all your wins with the board so that others can benefit from the information.

One 'problem' that you may have in complaining is that although the reviews above are not that good, each of the sites you have linked to also rate this property 2.5*, so it's easy for PRICELINE to point out that their star rating is the same as the others, and therefore accurate.

You can try contacting them and pointing out the issues, but your best option may be to actually show up at the hotel (assuming you will be in the area) and if you can find fault room with the hotel/room then indicate the issues to management and see if they will agree to a refund. If PRICELINE has had many complaints about this property they may be willing to work with you on it, but if there are little/no other complaints on file, they are less likely to budge given the other hotel agencies rating this property the same as they do, as per above.

Most booking sites will often insist that you at least give the property a chance before discussing a refund because it's hard to go to the hotel and say that the guest isn't happy due to things they have read on the internet... if you try the property and upon arrival it doesn't meet your standards for tangible reasons that you can point out (ie- not 'the room is dated') then at least the booking site can have a little more leverage with the hotel in trying to get them to agree to a refund.

On a positive note i will say that better than 50% of the time when a user is 'scared' by the reviews and does ultimately give the hotel a try, they are often pleasantly surprised and find the hotel to be acceptable, even if not their first choice for a future visit.

Let us know how you make out and if there is any resolution.

[alhoff2000]

I called Priceline, since I had nothing to lose. I just stayed on the line, reiterating their own promotional text: "We screen participating hotels carefully and update our information constantly to ensure you always receive quality accommodations."

I told them I didn't expect a refund, but was confused exactly how they "screened" and "updated" this information, when there were so many serious complaints (including on Priceline's site).

I finally got a customer-service rep who actually called the hotel, and the hotel apparently confirmed some of the issues, and I got a refund.

Thanks for your help. I'll likely try again, but this time only pick 3-star hotels. :)

[AaronJB]

Glad to hear that everything worked out. Please let us know what you decide and if you have any questions re: re-booking.

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.