Why is there so much whining around here?

[skelman]

Here's a question I have. How come so many Priceline and, to a lesser extent, Hotwire users are unhappy with the hotels they stay at?

If you look on TripAdvisor.com, most reviews contributed by those who booked through bidding sites are far more negative than those by the people who paid perhaps two to three times as much.

I also find it ironic when some PL and HW users get offended by being treated as "second class" guests. By now, we have probably earned quite a reputation for constantly whining and being impossible to satisfy, so I can see why hotel staff might have a prejudice.

Plus, I fully realize that the only reason that I can stay at a Marriott or a Hyatt for a price of a TraveLodge is because they have some excess, less desirable inventory to sell. Therefore, I think it's perfectly natural to be accommodated after those who have showed loyalty by booking directly and paid a full price. After all, that's only fair.

Besides, where is it written that it's a basic human right to have a 4* room at a hotel of your choice for $30 per night and be treated like royalty?

[Senoreit]

First, I've read a fair amount of hotel reviews, and I've never noticed that Priceline/Hotwire users are generally more negative in their reviews than people who paid full price. Of course I've never made an effort to keep track of such things, but no such pattern jumped out at me. Also, even if what you're saying is true, I don't quite see what your point is.

Priceline/Hotwire customers have just as much of a right to be negative about their experience at a hotel as anyone else. If a person's opinion is that their experience at a given hotel was negative, why shouldn't they say so? For example, I acknowledge that hotels would have a right, if they so desired, to give full-paying customers higher priority than Priceline/Hotwire customers when it comes to the quality of rooms that are assigned, but does that mean that Priceline/Hotwire customers don't have a right to comment negatively about the quality of their rooms? If you end up in a horrible room, are you supposed to leave that out of a review just because you paid 75% less than rack rate? I don't think so. The same goes for any other negative comment. If all of a hotel's vending machines were broken or if the valet took half an hour to retrieve a car when it wasn't busy or if there were dirty room service trays in the hall all night, are you not supposed to note these things in a review just because you paid so little money and you should have felt lucky to be there in the first place?

Luckily, in my experiences on Priceline stays, I have never felt that I was obviously being treated like a "second class citizen." I believe that most hotels do the very best they can to accommodate Priceline/Hotwire guests as well as they accommodate full paying guests, simply because it's good business to do so. That being said, whether a person has paid full price for a hotel or gotten a major discount though Priceline/Hotwire, if something is lousy about a hotel, I don't see anything wrong with someone pointing it out.

The only common complaints that I feel are automatically unwarranted are complaints about hotels not being able to accommodate one's bedding or smoking preference, since Priceline and Hotwire don't guarantee you either of those things.

[zbenye]

Plus, I fully realize that the only reason that I can stay at a Marriott or a Hyatt for a price of a TraveLodge is because they have some excess, less desirable inventory to sell. Therefore, I think it's perfectly natural to be accommodated after those who have showed loyalty by booking directly and paid a full price. After all, that's only fair.

Priceline's TV ad says "exactly the same hotel, exactly the same room" where they compare persons purchasing on Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline.

So I expect exactly the same room as what's given to the uninformed person who paid full rate. Not a "less desirable inventory". It's called Truth in Advertizing.

Also, when Priceline sells you a 5-star hotel room, you rightfully expect a 5-star room. Not a 2-star room at a 5-star hotel.

[thereuare]

I respect everyone's opinion and interpretation, but i would disagree with the premise of this original post... i find the majority of posts, reviews, and comments here to be quite positive; generally more positive than the reviews i read at other sites.

I can't say too much more since i don't necessarily agree with the original premise, but one thing to keep in mind that is that you can often read two entirely different reviews of the same hotel during the same time period... different people have different intepretations of what is 'good' and what is 'tacky', as well as the level of service and expectations that they have.

[TravelGuy]

Well, first off, thanks to the OP for asking a provocative question! I like it when someone will light off a firecracker now and then. :)

I've noticed also a fair number of hypercritical posts on Tripadvisor.com and elsewhere from Priceline people (although not often on this board). However, I've probably seen about as many from those willing to overlook imperfections, or who are happy overall, given the low Priceline rate they've paid.

There seem to be two schools of thought about how Priceline people should be treated. One is as well those who pay substantially higher rates, the other that they should get the least desirable rooms in the house. I'm willing to accept a compromise, and expect the hotel, at a minimum, to be willing to do the same (and will fight if they don't). For example, for hotels on the water, I think a partial water view room, if available, is a reasonable compromise for the Priceline guest who requests a water view room - not something facing the parking lot.

Reviews need to be taken with a grain of salt. We all have our bad hair days (I know I do!). Some people are simply toxic, unreasonable, overly demanding, whatever. Someone who has a bad experience is probably more likely to post a review. However, it's surprising how often I'll stay somewhere that has gotten a number of bad reviews that turns out to be just fine. Less often, the place ends up substantially worse than the reviews. In any event, one of the most fun things about using Priceline is coming up with creative ways to overcome the problems associated with a particular hotel. And they usually can be overcome.

[WillTravel]

It's a general customer-service and relationship principle that people complain a lot more than they praise.

Priceline users are more likely to be avid online users, so it's more likely they will write reviews. Just one more reason why it's silly for hotels to try to give substandard rooms to Priceline customers. If you are reading reviews for hotels that use Priceline heavily, of course the reviews will reflect a large number of Priceline users. And it's only reasonable to complain about nasty clerks, single-occupancy rooms instead of double, non-functioning plumbing, and many other things.

The Utell link that explains Priceline to hotels states that hotels are supposed to give rooms that are equally good or better as those given to standard guests. So it's a perfectly reasonable expectation that this should be the case. Priceline could always choose to have a business model which advertises that you can get the worst rooms cheaply through Priceline, but they haven't opted to do that.

And there are plenty of non-Priceline complainers on TripAdvisor. Just try reading the reviews for numerous Italian, French, and English hotels that aren't on Priceline. It's fairly difficult sometimes to figure out whether there's an actual problem or just complaining personalities.

My only negative Priceline experience has been when a couple of European hotels tried to double-charge me.

[nilkaya]

I might be one of the whiners, but I don't whine when I got the room next to the vending-machine, next to the elevator, or far away from the elevator. I simply note it in my reviews. I also don't whine when I got the smallest room in the hotel because I know I did pay less than the regular guest. However, when I am given the room the smoking room, a room with no heating or AC I whine.

Most hotel employees are kind and helpful. When I have a problem I expect them to solve it not to mention that my room was a "priceline room." They are in service business and their duty is to satisfy the guests whether they reserved their rooms through the hotels website or priceline.

I enjoy most of my stays and plan to continue priceline for my future trips. If it was not for priceline I would be staying in a lower quality hotel and pay more.

[bbbb]

Many times I have taken the time to stop by the front desk or call the GM to let them know what a great stay I had or service that went over and above standard service.I have never been treated like a PL customer by any front desk clerk but I usualy bid 4 or 5* hotels or target a 3* Hyatt witch could be the reason.

I have never had any problems on PL or Hotwire stays but I take the time to read reviews and research the PL hotels in the areas I chose to stay in before I bid.