Hotwire star inflation

[Newsy1]

Has anyone noticed Hotwire may to be suffering from hotel star inflation? What couple years ago might have been described by the service as a two-star hotel now seems to be tagged a three star.

Has anyone had any luck challenging a credit charge based on the hotel not matching the star ratings that were given?

[WillTravel]

Do you have a specific purchase that you had problems with? If you post the purchase, then maybe it will be easier to evaluate.

[BestValue]

Yes, I have recieved a refund challenging Hotwire star ratings. I had previously stayed at the following hotel with PL ($36)as a 2.5 star, it was rated by AAA and Mobile as 2 star. I decided to buy a higher rated hotel thru Hotwire (3 star-$44) and recieved the same hotel. Hotwire refunded my purchase in full after discussion them and the credit card company.

Holiday Inn Monroeville

Check-In Date: Thursday, August 26, 2004

Check-Out Date: Saturday, August 28, 2004

Pittsburgh East - Monroeville

2750 Mosside Boulevard

Monroeville, Pennsylvania 15146

412-372-1022

Your Offer Price: $36.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 2

Subtotal: $72.00

Taxes & Service Fees:

$16.86

Total Charges: $88.86

[BestValue]

Here is the information on the refunded (cancelled) Hotwire purchase:

Hotwire Itinerary:

Hotel Details: 1 room(s), 2 night(s)

Holiday InnPittsburgh-Monroeville,PA

2750 Mosside Blvd.

Monroeville, PA 15146

( Check-in: Thu, Aug 26, 2004 Check-out: Sat, Aug 28, 2004

Adults: 2 Children: 0

Traveler and Billing Details

1 room(s) @ $44.00 per night x 2 night(s) $88.00

Taxes and fees: $18.95

Hotel Subtotal $106.95

Total Price $106.95

Purchased: Sat, 04/10/04, 1:41PM

[LoneStar]

It is interesting that you were able to get a refund. I personally "have a problem" with Hotwire's hotel ratings because they seem over-generous. Most folks are, afterall, more familiar with the priceline system -- which also seems to square better with common-sense (like if an ordinary Holiday Inn is a 3-star, what is a 2 star?). So the typical first-time Hotwire customer is likely to be disappointed, thinking he's going to get a property comparable to one he bought on priceline and then -- surprise! Nothing worse than disappointing first-time customers but, hey, I'm not running the business.

That said, I would think you'd need genuine fraud or at least misrepresentation to qualify for a refund. It's not like there's an "official" rating system or anything. I know a few countries have such a thing but not the United States. So you can pretty much rate a Holiday Inn anything you want. It's nice that Hotwire seems to be somewhat sympathetic to complaints, but I have a hard time agreeing that they "owe" anyone a refund who doesn't agree with their rating system (including me!).

[BestValue]

Hotwire ratings are based on known industry rating systems, as shown on their website:

How We Rate Hotels

To help you book the right hotel, we constantly work to ensure that our hotel ratings and ratings guide are accurate and up-to-date. Our star ratings reflect the level of overall service, amenities and facilities that you can expect. When evaluating hotels, we consider:

[Guest aldo]

I stayed at the Holiday Inn in Monroeville PA last year, and I agree, it's no 3*. I think 2* is a stretch. It was just horrible! I'm glad you made Hotwire aware of the condition of this hotel and you were able to get a refund, BestValue. At one time, long ago, this was a nice hotel, even with the bad location. Now, it's a disgrace to the Holiday Inn name.

[johnp012001]

so, does Hotwire have any objective standards for star ratings like priceline does? Without it there really is not disputing the ratings, as they really are subjective. Also, how do they ensure that the rooms the hotel actually assigns actually meet the rating? There are plenty of stories of hotels offering up rooms that don't meet the quality rating, even if the hotel may have rooms that do.

[elviswife]

I see that this is an old thread, but thought I would add my two cents as a similar situation happened to me.

I saw a 3.5* in Sacramento/Cal Expo - Arden listed. I think I chose it for $75/night for 7 nights. I was hoping it would be the Hilton in the area - seemed to fit with amenities and star listing. It was the Doubletree! A hotel that is listed as 2* on some, has terrible reviews, and is listed as an example of a 3* on Hotwire's own website. I had a bad feeling based on the reviews I read, and confirmed by the front desk clerk who told me they put Priceline customers in the old wing in a "standard" room.

So I called Hotwire, and was told that sometimes properties which would normally be given a certain star rating are "upgraded" to a higher rating because they are exceptional and deserve the higher rating. With a little more digging, the CSR and I discovered that a Hotwire "inspection" team had been there in April and DOWNGRADED the hotel from 3.5* to 3*. So I was issued a full refund on the spot because the star rating didn't match what was on the website.

So - it is possible to get a refund - but you have to show where they were in the wrong.

[RSBMinneapolis]

Yet another unhappy Hotwire customer. I recently booked an AI 4* hotel-2 rooms for 8 nights-in Plya del Carmen. We now received notice that Hotwire downgraded our hotel to a 3.5*. Our options given to us were to cancel and rebook at a substantially higher rate, or keep the reservation and receive $25/nt per room credit on Hotwire (big deal-they just make more money anyway) I let them know this is unacceptable, but of course they couldn't do anything for us. I happen to know a producer for a local news channel-she wants to run a story about Hotwire's procedures and poor customer service and satisfaction. I hope they run it right before or after a Hotwire commercial-should give a nice boost to Priceline.

[thereuare]

As per the board's RULES:

If you have a complaint, problem, or question with a recent or upcoming Priceline/Hotwire stay, we will be happy to do what we can to help, but please be considerate of the board's primary goal of helping others and first post the details of your 'win.'

It is important for everyone to know when problems and customer service issues arise, but the majority of the users come here to see winning bid information... so please oblige them with this information before asking for them for help.

Thanks! :)

Please post the details of your results in the Hotwire Mexico forum including the hotel won, zone, star rating, price, dates, and amenities shown before your purchase. You can still view all of this information by going to HOTWIRE and clicking the MY STUFF link near the top of their home page.

Then you can bump this thread and we'll comment on your situation above.

[cober6711]

This also happened to me.

On my last trip to Winnipeg, Hotwire gave me a hotel called York the Hotel, which was supposed to be 3 stars. I would call the place 2.5 stars at the most! Apparently it was the Sheraton at one time, and I can definitely see why Starwood got rid of it!

My complaints about the hotel were ignored by the front desk and the (very incompitent) managers. I phoned Hotwire in tears asking to be moved, and they tried resolving my problems by calling the hotel, however the nice person at Hotwire agreed with me that the manager on duty was too dumb to be able to solve my concerns, and that I could either receive a $25 credit towards a future stay and a refund of the unused nights, or to be re-booked at a different hotel, and they would not only take $25.00 off the price of the room, but also make up for the $10.00 a night difference (they had indicated that they had another 3* hotel in Winnipeg with different amenities, which meant a different hotel).

I asked to be moved to this other hotel, which was done by refunding 3 nights of my 4 nights stay, and then re-booking it, adding the various credits, which brought the price down a lot. I ended up at a Holiday Inn in the South end of the city (not all that convenient) but the hotel was GREAT, with a VERY compitent manager who actually did her job very well, and was VERY nice.

I just hope they downgrade this place to 2*, however I doubt they will. I'd say the 3* is based on the quantity of the amenities, rather than quality.

This place shows up as a combination of 'fitness, pool, restaurant. business' so beware-the Holiday Inn Downtown shows up as the same except the H.I. also has 'laundry' on top of the other 4.

[thereuare]

cober6711,

Please post your win to the board as a NEW TOPIC so that there will be 'win' to reflect the hotel appearing in the hotwire hotel list.

As i think you've shown, problems do arise, and a company's worth is how they handle the situation... it seems like the hotel didn't know how to handle the situation but that HOTWIRE did the right thing.

This thread was started a few years ago and hotwire's customer service, and star levels, have certainly improved since then. Unfortunately the post above you hasn't posted their winning bid info so i haven't commented further regarding their situation.

[travelingperson07]

That just shows they are constantly updating their star rating, and reading customer feed back, and at least notified you of the situation and offered you re-accommodations, and if you want to book another hotel, then it would cost more, so that's better than them not saying anything at all and you may not have even noticed a difference.

[auntie1]

Similar problem as I just had in booking a supposed 3* hotel in Solvang for 3 people for $116 (with Hotwire listing a "retail rate" of the mystery hotel as being $243) that turned out to be the Holiday Inn Express.

But the thing is---- it is not only the misleading star rating, but also the misleading "retail rate" ($243) and "savings" (52%) promised by Hotwire that led me to purchase -- ending up with something that was NOT a deal at all. I think this happens much more than people suspect, but people don't know because they don't do deep enough research. But because I had actually thoroughly researched all the hotels and prices in the area, and had stayed in Solvang before, I knew that any hotel matching Hotwire's promise of a retail rate of $243 would be a great deal to land for the $116 they were offering. This was my first Hotwire purchase, so I believed in the concept of what I thought hotwire to be - - a place where you get deep discounts in exchange for the fact that you give up your rights and don't get the actual name of the hotel.

The thing is the retail rate of the HI Express Solvang is not $243 and it also would have ended up being cheaper than the $132 I payed after taxes to book on their website. So all I did by booking through Hotwire was pay more and lose all my rights to cancel, upgrade, change or refund. Oh and it wasn't a lot more -- $1.88 to be precise, but it's the principle of it all, and Hotwire can keep their louse 3.66 double the difference - hardly going to make up their deceitfullness.

After getting nowhere with Hotwire supervisors who told me that the $243 is an "average" of what other "3-star" hotels in the area might go for, I called the hotel directly to see if they would sympathize with me in that their hotel was misrepresented, and perhaps allow me to upgrade my room if there was one available --ok I understand now that there are supposed to be no possibilities for upgrades on a Hotwire purchase, but the night manager was mean and crotchety older man who kept cutting me off and treating me horribly even thought I was honestly being polite (believe me or not). Then I thought he actually had a heart when he offered to look into the possibility of me paying for an upgrade --but then he told me no other room types were available. I went back and checked on the hotel website, and there were (and still are) other rooms types listed as available -- so he lied to me. We later called and left a message for another manager, stating that we were Hotwire customers who had a question -- the call was never returned. I certainly don't have any desire to actually show up at this hotel, only to get treated like dirt in person.

Further, 2 calls to Hotwire corporate have gone unreturned, and further, the customer service supervisor at Hotwire who I first dealt with told me that a higher up level of manager would be calling the next day --- no one ever called!

I have reported the incident to the BBB and posted my story on as many boards as possible, because I'm not one to take getting ripped off lightly. This is all still new so if anything changes, I will update.

[exbuilder]

Has anyone noticed Hotwire may to be suffering from hotel star inflation? What couple years ago might have been described by the service as a two-star hotel now seems to be tagged a three star.

Has anyone had any luck challenging a credit charge based on the hotel not matching the star ratings that were given?

yes i did last week and got a full refund

[BEAV]

yes i did last week and got a full refund

Could you give some specifics on your experience? Was the hotel missing amenities Hotwire listed it had?

[pistolero67]

Could you give some specifics on your experience? Was the hotel missing amenities Hotwire listed it had?

I'll give some specifics on my experience with Hotwire Star inflation....

April of 2007 I selected a 3 star hotel in Dallas for ~$85 and paid for it with my AMEX card.

I had debated going with a 2.5 star as they were going for ~$50 but I looked at Hotwires' list of 2.5 star properties on their website and decided to go with a 3 star full service hotel rather than a Holiday Inn express/ Amerisuites type of property.

Booked my room and got an Amerisuites. I called Hotwires' service line and got a response that

the Amerisuites I booked is considered a 3 star even if the Hotwire website says Amerisuites properties ar 2.5 star. I went to Priceline/Expedia/Travelocity/Hotels.com and all had that specific property in Dallas listed as 2.5 stars.. (Hotels.com is owned by the same company that owns Hotwire) I called Hotwire back and advised them that all other sites rated that specific property as a 2.5 star and requested a refund or adjustment but was told the sale was final and I had no recourse.

I called AMEX - sent them my documentation- and they took the Hotwire charge off of my Card.

I had used Hotwire a few times previously but I haven't used Hotwire since --- and intend to continue avoiding using them.

I was just browsing the threads here and see that I'm not the only one who has experienced their arbitrary assignment of Star ratings.

[markg]

I used HOTWIRE twice with terrible results. The star-rating on Hotwire is totally unreliable.

One supposedly 4-star hotel wouldn't pass for a 3-star on Priceline. My other Hotwire stay was the last straw ---> a 3-star hotel in Fort Lauderdale that was the most horrible hotel I've ever stayed in. What upset me even more was Hotwire would only post good reviews for the hotel on it's website. They simply wouldn't post any average or bad reviews.

With PRICELINE, however, I've never had a bad experience. Although I've always stayed in 3-star or 4-star Priceline hotels, I've never had a bad experience with: 1) The hotel quality, 2) The room I was given, 3) The treatment by the hotel for using Priceline (I simply tell them it's a "prepaid room").

Additionally I can always get a much better rate bidding on Priceline than by taking the posted Hotwire price.

But all in all, the major reason for using Priceline is I can TRUST the PRICELINE star rating. I have NO TRUST with HOTWIRE's.

[bonnettdc]

HOTWIRE appears to be more user friendly (amenities shown) and easier to use. If they in fact inflate the stars and pocket the difference, profitability balloons. You pay $10 to $30 more per room.

[TXTraveler2007]

Yes, I challenged Hotwire on a property in College Station/Bryan, TX. When they sent a survey after the trip, I candidly responded to the problems with the property. It was not a two star property by any stretch of the imagination, and that it was a one star property currently. They gave me Hotwire credit on a future booking which I have used for a property in El Paso, TX for September. I was very surprised and pleased. I did not ask for a credit charge refund.

[thereuare]

They gave me Hotwire credit on a future booking which I have used for a property in El Paso, TX for September.

It would be appreciated if you shared your results with the board by posting a NEW TOPIC with the details of your purchase... you can still view the amenities associated with the hotel you purchased and all the other pertinent info by going to HOTWIRE and clicking the MY ACCOUNT link near the top right of their home page.

Thanks.

[outward1]

I just had my first Hotwire experience after reading these forums. I unfortunately hadn't read this forum specifically.

I do believe they have an inflated star rating.

I booked

Birmingham, Alabama (Central)

8/29-9/3/08

$59/ night

3*

Ammenities:

B-fast

Pool

Hi Speed Internet

Coin Laundry

Fitness Center

Business Center

I got, Drury Inn. This hotel received ratings both good and bad on other sites like Traveladvisor etc.

I think a Drury Inn is in the 2 (Examples: Holiday Inn Express, AmeriSuites, Country Inn and Suites )-2.5*( Examples: Days Inn, La Quinta, Comfort Inn ) rating that they cite on Hotwire.

They consider 3* Examples: Holiday Inn, Radisson, Doubletree .

I called to speak to someone who was very understanding, but wouldn't budge. I said that I felt they were not holding up their end of the bargain with a quality of hotel I could expect.

Priceline considers a Sheraton, Embassy Suites, Marriott a 3*.

Be aware of this before you purchase.

The customer service rep. said to visit the hotel and if I had any problems they would make good on this.

I have very little confidence in this.

I will never use Hotwire again, they are not holding up their end of the bargain.

I may talk to my credit card company next.

[thereuare]

outward1,

Sorry to hear you're disappointed with your purchase.

Can you please post the details of your purchase in the Hotwire Alabama section of the board so that there will be a 'win' on the board corresponding to the listing in the Hotwire Hotel List... we'll then comment on your situation in that new thread.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Thanks.

EDIT TO ADD: discussion continued in Hotwire Posted Win

[travelAlot]

In case this helps future Hotwire customers, keep in mind that Hotwire is owned by Expedia and its inventory will correspond to Expedia's star rankings. Plus many properties will be IDed on Hotwire Packages, showing hotel name and star class and amenities. If considering Hotwire, I always go to Expedia to get an idea of rankings beforehand; with Priceline, I do a regular hotel search for the same purpose.

Sometimes the Hotwire star inflation can work to your advantage, as far as isolating desirable hotels that would otherwise be lumped together with very undesirable properties in a Priceline zone -- if rated properly. In Denver, the Sheraton/Adams Mark's 3.5-star rating and amenities distinguish it from the very undesirable PL 3-star Red Lion. In the Breckenridge/Silverthorne skiing areas, the LaQuinta is considered a 3-star -- yes LaQuinta, lol -- even though it should be a 2-star like the Ramada and Days Inn are rated on PL. LaQuinta property is way nicer (maybe pushing 2.5 only because of an Old Chicago restaurant that adjoins it) with more stuff around it, so the 3-star inflated rating -- verified on Expedia at the time of booking -- actually helped distinguish it from the risk of a successful PL Ramada bid. For a Montreal trip, when Hotwire's correctly rated Hyatt Regency (4-star) was at a decent price, I knew through that and winning bidder postings for similar dates that it was get-able on PL (which rates it as a 3-star).

FYI...in case this may be helpful to future bidders, thought I'd pas this along.