My Hotel accidentally gave me pricelines bill!

[beckes]

As many who stay around Chicago know, we are able to stay at the Hyatt Lisle for $28.00 per night. This morning under my door I got a bill for $27.60 + tax per night. After calling the front desk asking why I am being charged, they were very anamate about, "just throw that bill away, it was a mistake".

Here is the breakdown.

Priceline was charged $27.60 per night and $3.04 per night tax. The 3 night stay cost them $91.92.

I paid $28.00 per night. Taes and fees were $16.88, for a total charge of $100.88.

This means Priceline made $8.96 on my stay. I am sure the rest of you will find a way to figure out something more from this info. I am all ears.

By the way, Priceline uses a credit card to pay for rooms at this Hotel. It was billed to one. :)

[thereuare]

Thanks for the info.

Not sure how much more can be gained, but just an FYI for anyone following along and interested in these things... Priceline also collects a commission for booking the room. So they actually made a bit more than $8.96 and the hotel actually made a bit less than $27.60/nite.

I only added this because many people aren't aware that Priceline also collects a commission directly from the hotel for booking the room (in addition to the fee they charge the customer).

[nowhereman]

youre absolutly correct. basically you name the price you pay. priceline already has a negotiated rate. priceline makes the difference, and whatever they have contracted with the hotel on top of that. the hotels will only sell these to priceline at this negotiated rate on the basis that once they are booked they cant be changed at all. they make little profit, but what they do make is garunteed income no matter what.

the hotel never gets your credit card from ol capt kirk. they only get pricelines credit card, except for the one that you give for incidentals.

now some hotels have people at their front desk who dont quite know what they are doing (like the one i used to work at) and will charge the card you gave for incidentals instead b/c they sometimes write over pricelines card with yours.. hense why some customers get charged by the property for their room. (it might behoove you to check your recipt when you leave to make sure someone didnt do this.. that way you can get it settled there and not go through a headache when you get home).

also heres another lil nugget for you.. if you have a problem when you are at the hotel, tell them to call priceline (they have a direct number for hotel assistance for when hotels have problems.. this is not a public number). do not have them make you call priceline, as they always have high call volumes on their customer service line.. so of course you will wait a while before reaching a cs person. its the hotels job to make sure they have things straightened out, so dont be affraid to push back and have them do their job. (but keep in mind, you get more bees with honey than vinegar.. so dont be a pain.).

cavet emepetor

my 2 cents.. priceline is good in therory, and if you are very flexable it can work well. if you are very demanding, and have to always have to have it at your specifications then book directly through a hotel, where you will have more flexability to do what you want and to get what you want (and to have better service imho).

btw.. has anyone noticed that they are pushing their options more as far as their given price products and sites go? i wonder if this is a sign of the times that the name your own price product is only good in theory.. kinda like their grocery fiasco they had back in the day.

[thereuare]

NoWhereMan,

Welcome to BetterBidding and thank you for your 'insider' inisights.

We look forward to hearing more tips about the way things work in the future.