Priceline Hotel: 4* Berlin (Tiergarten - Kufuerstendamm) Artotel City Center West

[123290]

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[AaronJB]

Welcome to the site :)

Please provide the dates of travel and which zone you bid, as well as the price, so we can edit the thread title.

This is a difficult situation in terms of an undesired hotel, as unfortunately, I think "I don't like the art in the hotel" is going to go over well with PRICELINE.

Priceline reversing the purchase is pretty rare, but the few cases I've seen are due to things like the reviews are REALLY bad (one user had their HOTWIRE purchase recently refunded because the hotel they have had some of the worst reviews I'd seen in a while.)

*IF* the hotel you wanted is farther out than was indicated on the PRICELINE map for that zone, *then* you *MIGHT* have the beginnings of a case to take to PRICELINE. That would be the only thing I can go on, based upon what you have said. If it is in the zone that you bid in, then well, I don't know what else to go on.

Otherwise, I apologize if the hotel wasn't what you were looking for, and hopefully you can come up with a case to present PRICELINE to convince them. If not, then I hope you still find a way to enjoy Berlin, which I have to imagine is an amazing city.

PS - Not a Warhol fan, either.

[123290]

Welcome to the site :)

Please provide the dates of travel and which zone you bid, as well as the price, so we can edit the thread title.

This is a difficult situation in terms of an undesired hotel, as unfortunately, I think "I don't like the art in the hotel" is going to go over well with PRICELINE.

Priceline reversing the purchase is pretty rare, but the few cases I've seen are due to things like the reviews are REALLY bad (one user had their HOTWIRE purchase recently refunded because the hotel they have had some of the worst reviews I'd seen in a while.)

*IF* the hotel you wanted is farther out than was indicated on the PRICELINE map for that zone, *then* you *MIGHT* have the beginnings of a case to take to PRICELINE. That would be the only thing I can go on, based upon what you have said. If it is in the zone that you bid in, then well, I don't know what else to go on.

Otherwise, I apologize if the hotel wasn't what you were looking for, and hopefully you can come up with a case to present PRICELINE to convince them. If not, then I hope you still find a way to enjoy Berlin, which I have to imagine is an amazing city.

PS - Not a Warhol fan, either.

I checked and the hotel is technically within the zone I chose. I just didn't realize that zone was as large as it was. My bad.

While I don't like the location I know I took that risk (even if I didn't look carefully enough).

I don't like the looks of the hotel AT ALL, but I guess that was a risk I choose too.

What I really can't live with though is the fact I am paying the same rate as the hotel's rates on their website and MORE than what it is offered for on Expedia and a couple other sites too. Now I will be staying in a hotel I don't want, in a location I don't care for, AND at a price that is more than if I just chose this hotel myself (which I never would have).

I originally bid for a room in the "East" district. I chose a 4* at $68/night. After tax this made the total $251.

This bid was rejected. I added the "Tiergarten - Kufuerstendamm" region (and 5* hotels) and kept the price the same. This was accepted.

The hotel is the Artotel Berlin City Center West By Park Plaza. On their website I can get it for about $260 for the same stay. On Expedia I can get it for $198 for the same stay! This is the part I just can't get past. It is eating at me. And so is the whole Warhol theme :)

I'd gladly pay a bit more and just go back to what I wanted in the first place. I am serious about trying to find a way out of this. I know it is my own fault, but I don't want this to ruin my trip and I feel it is. I am mostly upset with myself. I have travelled all over the world and can't beleive I did something so stupid!

[Colfax]

It sounds like you're entitled to a refund under Priceline's Best Price Guarantee, which is:

If, within 24 hours of making your priceline.com hotel purchase, you find a better publicly available price, excluding taxes and fees, on another Web site for the same hotel and dates, call us and we'll refund 100% of the difference.

This won't solve the problem of the hotel's location but at least you won't be overpaying for it too.

Remember you must make your claim within 24 hours of your accepted bid, and you can do that online or over the phone.

What are your travel dates so that we can add them to the subject line?

[123290]

It sounds like you're entitled to a refund under Priceline's Best Price Guarantee, which is:

This won't solve the problem of the hotel's location but at least you won't be overpaying for it too.

Remember you must make your claim within 24 hours of your accepted bid, and you can do that online or over the phone.

What are your travel dates so that we can add them to the subject line?

Dates: 02.01.09-05.01.09

UGH! Now I really blew it! I didn't do this in time and 24 hours has now passed. I can't get a refund of the difference. I just can't believe how stupid I have been on this whole thing. I am so frustrated with myself! I need to accept it and learn from it or it is going to ruin my trip!

I hope I didn't do something more stupid now. I got an email from Priceline that I could get a 15% discount on the purchase I just made by joining some stupid club. I usually ignore this crap, but I was looking for awy to recoup some of my loss. I signed up for the free 30-day trial, which got me 15% back. I have to cancel within the 30 days to avoid the club's fees. It said the 15% Priceline discount still applied even if cancelling. I will be cancelling as soon as I see that refund.

Finally - I have one other potential option. Art'otel also has a property in Mitte. It looks much more to my liking. I suppose I could ask them if they will credit the Priceline amount to a new booking at this hotel. I suspect it won't work and they will say since it was a Priceline booking they can't make any changes. But I guess the worst they can say is no.

[AaronJB]

Transferring it to a different hotel - while it may not work - is a clever idea.

[WillTravel]

I know it's upsetting to not have this work out the way you wanted, but I don't think it has to ruin your trip. Berlin has an excellent transit system, so you can get around easily. You lost some money on this one, but try to look forward and not beat yourself up for it. It's good you posted about it, so that other people will know.

[123290]

Victory (of sorts)!

After a full day of back and forth with Priceline I eventually got them to refund the price difference between my bid and the Expedia rate, PLUS 10% for the trouble! Furthermore, they gave me a gift of an additional $10 per night on my next Priceline hotel bid.

I was initially upset over this whole thing and said I wasn

[Colfax]

I'm happy to hear Priceline honored their Best Price Guarantee, even though the 24 hour window had passed. Sort of a Christmas gift from Priceline to you.

I signed up for the free 30-day trial, which got me 15% back. I have to cancel within the 30 days to avoid the club's fees. It said the 15% Priceline discount still applied even if cancelling. I will be cancelling as soon as I see that refund.

Now don't forget to cancel this turkey.