Hotwire Hotel: 3* Solvang Holiday Inn Express

[auntie1]

Complimentary Breakfast

Laundry

Pool

High Speed Internet

Feb 15th

can anyone tell me what this might be?

[dahammer]

what is the HOTWIRE rate?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

This property has not yet been identified. If i were to take a guess, i would think that the Hadsten House and the Holiday Inn Express would be good possibilities, and either of those would be our best guess.

Do note that the Holiday Inn Express can be booked direct for just $95/nite, which would be just about the same as the above after you include HOTWIRE's fee, so if you're interested in that property you may just want to book direct.

If you do choose to book direct please use our Holiday Inn Express link to begin your purchase.

If you opt to go with hotwire please use this HOTWIRE link to begin your purchase.

Let us know what you deicde and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[auntie1]

Unfortunately, I booked before getting your response. There are three of us on the reservation. The "retail" rate was listed at $243. I payed $116. I got the Holiday Inn Express and am devastated by my purchase. Holiday Inn Express is supposed to be 2.5 stars according to Hotwire's website. This specific Holiday Inn Express is listed on Tripadvisor and on Priceline as a 2-star hotel, and reviews on Tripadvisor indicate that it is a lesser quality hotel than the typical Holiday Inn Express.

Fyi -- I have stayed at Hadsten House, and it is a pretty good hotel and deserved of 3-stars, and in no possible way the same star rating as the Holiday Inn Express. World of difference in these hotels. And while Hadsten House ACTUALLY retails for over 200 /night, the Holiday Inn Express does NOT.

I feel really ripped off.

My first time using Hotwire, and my last.

~~

Thanks anyway for trying.

[Colfax]

Sorry you're disappointed with your purchase, auntie1.

Since you reserved for 3 people that means you bought a room with two beds. On HI's website you can purchase 2 beds for $103.99.

If you paid $116 to Hotwire you're entitled to a Double the Difference refund of $24.02, which is $12.01 doubled. That will bring your price down to $92, which sounds much better. There's a time limit for claiming that refund though.

Also please don't dismiss HOTWIRE so easily over one lame deal. With a little hunting and research you can find some terrific deals on Hotwire. Maybe next time stick to buying a hotel that's already been identified; that way you won't be surprised twice in a row. If Hadsten House had come up that would have been a terrific deal because it's $262.10 on Feb 15.

Have a good trip to Solvang.

[thereuare]

Maybe next time stick to buying a hotel that's already been identified...

... or wai for a reply after asking for help. We correctly identified the Holiday Inn Express as one of the possibilities for this offering, and replied with this ID in under a day turnaround (less than half a day to be more precise).

[auntie1]

Sorry you're disappointed with your purchase, auntie1.

Since you reserved for 3 people that means you bought a room with two beds. On HI's website you can purchase 2 beds for $103.99.

If you paid $116 to Hotwire you're entitled to a Double the Difference refund of $24.02, which is $12.01 doubled. That will bring your price down to $92, which sounds much better. There's a time limit for claiming that refund though.

Also please don't dismiss HOTWIRE so easily over one lame deal. With a little hunting and research you can find some terrific deals on Hotwire. Maybe next time stick to buying a hotel that's already been identified; that way you won't be surprised twice in a row. If Hadsten House had come up that would have been a terrific deal because it's $262.10 on Feb 15.

Have a good trip to Solvang.

You're right, because Hadsten House actually meets the parameters of retail value of 243 and a legitimate 3* hotel. I thought Hotwire was giving me a deal because that's what it told me I was getting. But Hadsten House didn't come up. The Holiday Inn Express did, and that's not a deal at all.

... or wai for a reply after asking for help. We correctly identified the Holiday Inn Express as one of the possibilities for this offering, and replied with this ID in under a day turnaround (less than half a day to be more precise).

I know! I am so truly sorry I didn't wait for the response, but I figured it was such a good deal for a Holiday weekend ("52%savings!")

that I might miss out if I delayed. By the way there was no savings at all, so it was a total lie. If only I had done some research on Hotwire before trusting in what I was reading on their site.

The 103.99 rate is for two people, even though there are two beds in the room. We have three, and had to list as such to avoid getting a room with a king bed. The HI Express website lists that a third person is 15.00 extra. I did the math and with all fees and everything else, the difference is $1.88, and so double that would be $3.66 credited back to me. Hardly the 52% savings promised, and certainly not worth losing my right to refund, cancel, change or upgrade.

Thanks for trying.

It's interesting that you are privy to the information that the HI Express would even be an option, considering it is classified as a 2.5 star by Hotwire, and a 2* by their affiliated site, Tripadvisor. Upon research, it is common for Hotwire customers to end up with what is listed as a 2.5 star hotel after being led to believe they were getting a 3-star. Sorry, but these kinds of business practices (misleading / bait and switch) and the fact that the reservation is non -changeable, non-refundable, non-upgradeable with no savings to me means the benefit to me is worse than NOTHING, simply leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

I will not be using Hotwire again.

FYI the night manager at the HI Express there was very rude to me when he learned I was a Hotwire customer. I mean, I'm still a human being and I still paid for a room, so why should I be treated less than anyone else there? It's not like I'm getting a discount? Yet another reason to never use Hotwire again.

Thank you.

[pterrell]

I too have gotten some "bad deals" on Hotwire, as I've posted here on BB. I'm still waiting for a my Double the Difference from my stay almost a year ago in the Jackson MS La Quinta.

But I've found that Hotwire has its uses, such as when a hotel is clearly identified on BB, it's the right location, and/or I need a room for 3 people. Such as getting the Atlantis in Reno.

As to the treatment by the manager, I've never been mistreated by the hotel folks, usually treated the same as any guest that is friendly and polite towards them. In fact, I've been upgraded a few times by the folks. Or was very politely told that my room wasn't as nice because I was a "Hotwire" guest but they would upgrade me the next day.

[dahammer]

The 103.99 rate is for two people, even though there are two beds in the room. We have three, and had to list as such to avoid getting a room with a king bed. The HI Express website lists that a third person is 15.00 extra.

Orbitz' rate is $109 for 3 in a room.

but I figured it was such a good deal for a Holiday weekend ("52%savings!")

again, this board has may posts that dismiss the "retail rate" shown on HOTWIRE as has little or no relavance to the rack rate.

Look on the bright side, you'll be surrrounded by many wineries in Solvang, so you may want to look for a great Pinot Noir :)

[auntie1]

Orbitz rate is $109 for 3 in a room.

And Orbitz is yet another source listing the Hotel as 2*. Thanks for the info - it's too late for double the difference anyway, even if i wanted it, which i don't.

again, this board has may posts that dismiss the "retail rate" shown on HOTWIRE as has little or no relavance to the rack rate.

And is that "ok" with everyone? Doesn't anyone besides me think it's total b.s and even illegal to be so misleading? I appreciate this site, but I shouldn't have to come here to decipher Hotwire's deceptive ads. There is supposed to something called truth in advertising.

Look on the bright side, you'll be surrrounded by many wineries in Solvang, so you may want to look for a great Pinot Noir :)

I know it may seem strange that I'm so upset about this, but I'm just sick and tired of getting ripped off by companies who seem to just get away with it? What happened to consumer protection and customer service? There's no way I'm going to stay at that Holiday Inn Express and get treated like dirt by that manager -- but I'll definitely try to enjoy my trip, at a different hotel, and maybe few bottles of wine to drown my sorrows! At least I learned a valuable lesson about how Hotwire operates, and luckily it didn't cost me even more money to find out. I'll update if I ever hear back from Hotwire / BBB. :)

[dahammer]

your beef is with HOTWIRE not the Holiday Inn Express, so document the ratings of other websites via email, especially those which are businesses of IAC Corp. (Expedia, Hotels.com, and Tripadvisor), and make your case in writing. Once the reservation is booked, the staff and management at the hotel are your new best friends, so if you are getting hassled by a night manager, move on to a more sympathetic ear. The Holiday Inn Express does not set the 3*, this is up to HOTWIRE to establish the rating. Don't get too Sideways over this..... :)

[pterrell]

I agree with dahammer. When you talk to the folk at the hotel, act "happy" that you took a gamble on Hotwire and were placed at their hotel. Since your room level isn't specified as it is when you're a regular client, you may find some "sugar" gets you a nicer room or a comped breakfast. Often times the hotel folks are very business-like and grumble that they shouldn't upgrade you as they key in the upgrade...but in the end, you've often get what you ask for.

[XT600]

Holiday Inn Express (even this very old facility here!) are now 3*?

Very strange rating system in Hotwire, on tripadvisor it shows 2* for this HIEx