Hotwire Hotel: 3.5* Orlando (International Drive - Convention Center) Rosen Plaza on International Drive

[Vacation_Bidding]

All,

 

I put in an offer for a Hotwire Hot rate deal ($71) that was advertised as follow:

3.5 STAR

Orlando -International Drive - Convention area

90% recommended 

3/31 - 4/5

Hotwire Hot Rate Hotel purchased

 

Amenities

Complimentary Free Internet

Business center, Fitness center, Pet friendly,Pool(s), Restaurant(s), Self-service laundry, Smoke-free rooms

 

HOTWIRE returns a 'match' and offered Rosen Plaza International drive that has a lower recommended rating in hotwire.com (their own website) than 90%  (87% only)

 

I called their customer service (on the phone for almost 75 minutes) and they came up with all kinds of brush off and diversion tactics to tell me how Rosen Plaza hotel matches the criteria.  They even went as far as telling me that listing 90% recommended doesn't necessary mean it would be above 90% recommended.  I walked each of the agent/manager through their own hotwire.com webstie so they can see what I am seeing and they confirmed/acknowledged this hotel is 87% recommended only.   I showed them examples   of hotels that matches all the criteria but they refused to change even through Rosen Plaza doesn't match what they advertised.   I asked them to offer an hotel that matches all the criteria they listed but they refused. The following is the link that shows Rosen Plaza Hotel at 87% recommended in Hotwire site.

Rosen Plaza On International Drive

 

I like to know what kind of recourse I can take on this?   I feel Hotwire has legal/moral obligation to honor the deal they advertised.  What they listed to me are information I feel is binding and those are determining factors for me to make purchase decision.   In this case, that is like false advertisement and use of  misleading and deceptive practices. 

 

The Hotwire supervisor said the way the hotwire deal works, it cannot be changed or cancelled which I understand.  However, this is a case where what they offered didn't match their listing criteria.  The Hotwire supervisor then offered a 'solution' by allowing me to change/cancel if I would agree to pay the advertised hotel price of a different hotel that I would changed to.  That definitely seem like a bait and switch or upselling.  I reminded her that it is Hotwire that failed to provide a matching hotel that fulfills all the criteria they advertised and would be happy if Hotwire provides a different hotel that truly satisfies all the criteria in their listings.   In the end, I was rudely hung up by the supervisor.  

 

I like to see if someone on this board that have similar experience and can offer tips on what can be done about the situation.

 

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

 

Sorry to hear you're having an issue with this booking but i'll provide my thoughts...

You are unfortunately going to have an uphill battle with this one as there is a marginal difference between 87% and 90% (the actual percentage could be 87.6% and the 'retail' side of their service shows the whole number and the 'opaque' side rounds up/down).  I personally don't use this number when researching hotels so i don't know if things have changed, but one used to come from the entire Expedia portfolio while the other was solely from HOTWIRE customers, so the numbers seldom matched and therefore was not a good indicator when researching properties.  You might have a better case of one figure showed 90% and the other much lower, say 65% or 70%, but to make a dispute over 87% vs. 90% is going to be a difficult case to win, imo.

 

You can almost always get HOTWIRE to cancel if an amenity is shown but never offered by the hotel (ie- Pet Friendly, Laundry, Pool, etc) so i would at least first confirm that the hotel offers a Laundry on-site (i suspect they do, but always worth a phone call to confirm) and if they don't this would be a better angle to take.

 

You may also find better luck sending an email or trying the phone again to get a representative/manager with a more sympathetic ear, but i think you're looking at less than a 50/50 chance.

 

As the reviews for this property are generally pretty good (regardless if using the 87% or 90% figure, both are decent numbers, as is the 4.0/5.0 TA rating) i'm guessing you were hoping for a different property?  If so, what hotel was it that you were expecting to get based upon the description provided?

 

In the future feel free to ask the board for help before your purchases as we can give our thoughts as to what the hotel may be and confirm (or negate) what you think you are about to 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.

 

Let us know how you ultimately make out.

[Vacation_Bidding]

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post and your response.  I appreciate your input.  I may look into trying the angle you provided.   When I bid with Hotwire, I didn't necessarily have a hotel in mind because I am flexible about it and anything that matches all the criteria listed would be fine.  I was more upset with the hotel returned didn't match what was advertised from % recommended standpoint.  

 

When I am putting in the offer, Hotwire mentioned "Book soon! The last person got the Sonesta ES Suites Orlando".  I think Sonesta ES met all the criteria listed (92% recommended), not Rosen Plaza Hotel (87% recommended).  Its curious that after I booked, that deal still show "Book soon! The last person got the Sonesta ES Suites Orlando" and has been the same way since.  I am beginning to think that statement doesn't really reflect what got booked but merely there to show the most attractive hotel that could be available and is used to lure/bait people to go in and book.  I have yet to see that changed to show someone (me) got Rosen Plaza Hotel from their website.  They probably wouldn't show it because it is too obvious that Rosen Plaza Hotel didn't meet the criteria.    I have to wonder if anyone ever got the Sonesta ES Suites Orlando for this deal at this price? 

 

I wish I found your site earlier to take advantage of your HOTWIRE link and Hotwire Coupon and have other users help me narrow down to the potential hotels Hotwire may offer for this deal.  Would definitely do that next time if I decide to do more business with Hotwire.  Given the experience, I am not so sure.    I am very grateful you set up such a nice website.

 

If I am to research what Hotwire may offer others for this deal, how do I go about doing that in your website?  Do I read through posts individually or there is a search feature that would show that info quickly?

 

Thanks,

[thereuare]

You're welcome... we're here to help!

 

Any new information reported to the board is updated in our Hotwire Hotel List so that is typically the first place to check for potential matches, but even if you think you got it 'figured out', i'd suggest asking the board for help as we use some additional tools and research that can confirm what it is that you think you're seeing.

 

Also note that the "Last person got ___" information shown by HOTWIRE is relative to the last person who bought a hotel of this star rating in the zone, not necessarily in relation to the underlying hotel currently being offered.

 

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.

 

Enjoy your upcoming trip and give us update here should you make any headway with HOTWIRE and/or need a replacement hotel for this trip.