Hotwire Hotel: 3* San Francisco (Sfo North - Oyster Point) Hotel Focus Sfo

[cabargainhunter]

I am really upset with this deal.  This hotel is not even in the list of Hotwire Hot Rates hotels on the forums.  Read multiple reviews of the bed bugs, hotel being unsafe, damage around room doors look like they've been forced open, drunks banging on doors in the middle of the night, and smell of weed in the common area. Can't believe this hotel is a 3 star. Hotwire falsely advertised this deal.  Hotwire displayed  that average going rate for this 3 star hotel is $254.  But it was only going for $143 on my dates.  I know Hotwire claims that the $254 is the average price of the 3 star hotels in that area, not necessarily that particular Hot Rate hotel.  But when I look at another 3 star Hot Rate hotel listing in the SAME area, it shows a different average going price.  Shouldn't the average going price be the same for the 3 star hotels in the same area?

 

Also, Hotwire claimed this hotel has 101-300 Tripadvisor reviews.  But it only has 60 reviews. I am scared to stay there now.  Hotwire won't cancel the reservation despite their inaccurate advertising with the number of reviews for this Hot Rate hotel and the inconsistent average going price for the same star hotel in the same area. 

 

Hotwire guarantees that all their 3 star hotels are safe, clean, and comfortable.  But from the reviews I've read, none of those descriptions apply to this hotel. 

 

I would appreciate any advise on how I can  cancel this reservation?  I don't mind if service is bad or hotel is old, but I am very concerned about safety and bed bugs.

 

BEWARE of Hot Rate hotels. I will NEVER use Hotwire again.  I've also read that someone got this hotel as a 4 star on Priceline.  

 

Hope the the hotel list here will get updated soon to reveal this awful hotel.

[thereuare]

3 hours ago, cabargainhunter said:

Hope the the hotel list here will get updated soon

We update the hotel lists anytime new information is reported to the board, but if you notice in the Hotwire Hotel List each hotel has an amenity set listed below it, what should we use for this property (since no amenities were included in your post above) .  Can you please add a reply to this thread confirming the full amenity set associated with this property... you can still view this information by going to HOTWIRE and clicking the MY ACCOUNT >> MY TRIPS (trip details) link near the top right corner of their home page.

 

I tried to replicate a search for your dates but i'm not currently seeing any 3 star hotel in this zone with only 60 TA reviews or within a few dollars of $113/nite... were you searching for something other than the default 1room/2adults/0chidlren?

 

I see the reviews you're reading and if you read TA reviews they are substantially better, i wouldn't write this place off just yet (and the one bed bug report is from nearly a year ago and is followed a month later by a review which begins "The rooms are clean & comfortable."... you can't just focus on the negative and ignore the positive)

 

Anyway, please provide the amenity details of this property as well as if this hotel is still appearing on a current HOTWIRE search (what parameters did you search with) and i will provide some suggestions/comments i see on how you may be able to cancel.

 

Also, assuming you have made other PRICELINE / HOTWIRE purchases in the nearly 10 years since your last post, please begin to share all your wins so that others can benefit from the information... not just when you have an issue with a recent purchase.

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

 

Thanks.

[cabargainhunter]

Thanks for the reply.   The amenity is:  Free breakfast, Free Internet, Pet friendly, Airport shuttle, Smoke-free rooms, Fitness center, Business center, Self-service laundry, Internet access

 

My search parameter is:  Jan 30-31. SFO, 2 Rooms, 4 adults + 1 child. It's showing up  under Hot Rates now as $118 with 101-300 TA reviews even though the actual hotel only has 60 reviews.  

 

I will post my future wins if I do use these sites again. I don't travel often or use Priceline/Hotwire often. But I used it this time because the hotels in the SFO area are going higher than they normally would. This hotel's normal rate was $143 and I paid $113 for that date. The savings in this case would not have been worth taking this chance. 

 

Hope you can give some insight on this and others will be more careful when considering 3* in this area.

 

 

[thereuare]

OK, i think i have found the same hotel but i'm seeing it for $112 in the HOTWIRE Easy View:

3* SFO North - Oyster Point for $112.00
Complimentary Breakfast
Free Internet
Pet Friendly
Shuttle
Smoke Free
Fitness
Business
Laundry
Hi-Speed Internet
 

To begin, this property shows a 30% recommendation by previous HOTWIRE guests which should have been the first warning that you wanted to look elsewhere.

 

The HOTWIRE description for this property shows a TA rating of 3.0 and 100-300 reviews... the hotel actually has a 3.5 rating and 60 reviews.  This would be an easier argument if the hotel actually had a lower review rating than what was shown by HOTWIRE, but i think you can still make a case...

 

I would phone HOTWIRE again and let them know that by looking at a map you researched all the hotels in this area beforehand and only found a handful that you were not willing to accept, one of them being the Hotel Focus.  However, you felt 'safe' moving forward with this purchase since the Hotel Focus had a 3.5 rating with 60 reviews while the hotwire offer was not a match with a 3.0 TA rating and 100-300 reviews (in fact none of the handful of hotels on your 'not acceptable list' fit this 3.0 rating description and 100-300 reviews, otherwise you would not have moved forward with this purchase).  I would not try to argue the star rating, negative reviews, etc. as these are all subjective and you will not likely get very far with this approach, imo... instead focus on the tangible point that you saw this hotel beforehand at Tripadvisor and would not stay there knew it couldn't be this hotel since the review rating and number of reviews didn't match up.  If you don't have any success with the agent who answers the first ask to speak with a supervisor.

 

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

 

[cabargainhunter]

Yes, I did see the 30% recommendation, but it also displayed that the last person got Holiday Inn SFO.  Because this hotel wasn't even on the radar, I thought maybe some people have high requirements for Holiday Inn.  :-)

 

I agree with your point about focusing on the discrepancy with the number of reviews. I spent an hour on the phone with Hotwire.  They refused to cancel and refund the reservation claiming that the # of reviews is only based on average which is totally not true. I pointed out to them that different 3* Hot Rate hotels for the SAME area has different number of TA reviews displayed.  Anyway, they offered to only cancel the reservation if I re-book with them on the spot. I am not ready to commit. So, they gave me 24 hours to call them back.  

 

I also considered disputing with my credit card based on untrue advertising. But this process will take too long and and too troublesome. 

 

Thanks so much for your help.  

[thereuare]

I think easiest approach is to find another hotel that you would like instead of this one and have them cancel and make the new purchase.  If there is no other hotel option offered, or maybe you can try this first, is to ask for a refund in the form of Hot Dollars that you can use on a future purchase.  Keep in mind that if you do try to pursue a refund thru your credit card company you may not receive a response until after the check-in date of this stay, and if the credit card company sides with HOTWIRE you will be out the amount of this purchase.

 

The other option is to just stick with this property as the TA reviews are not that bad and ~$100 seems to be a pretty cheap price for a hotel in this area for this nite... and i can usually put up with just about anything for 1 nite (different story if this was a multi-nite stay... but for one nite i can take the savings and use it to enjoy time outside of the hotel and in the city, and leave early the next day)

 

In the future please ask the board for help before your purchase as we can usually help avoid unexpected surprises such as this one.

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

 

Good luck and let us know what you ultimately decide to do.

 

 

[cabargainhunter]

Thanks for the suggestion.  I did ask for credit, but they still refused.  I know the credit card route will take a long time and may not turn out in my favor depending on which position they take.  

 

As you said, I wouldn't mind the 1 nite there. But I am traveling with in-laws (in their 80's) that will be arriving on a international flight. They would want something more comfortable and nicer to stay in after a long flight.  I've already asked for help in another post on this forum.  Hope to get a response on my "help" post so I can decide what to do.  Thanks so much for your time.  I really appreciate it. :-)