Hotwire's Star Ratings Guide Is Misleading

[bb92037]

I believe Hotwire's "Star Ratings Guide" (linked at http://www.hotwire.com/helpcenter/hotels/s...els-rating.jsp) is misleading. It gives examples of the hotel chains you would get at each star ratings level, but in practice you can get different hotel chains at different levels. All the fine print notwithstanding, the "Star Ratings Guide" creates a specific expectation in the customer, which they do not deliver on. Hotwire is free to use any ratings system they want -- as long as it is accurately communicated to the buyer. At the least they need to include a statement in their ratings guide that you could pay for a 3 star hotel and get a hotel chain listed as an example of a 2 star hotel.

What do you think?

[bb92037]

I recently called Hotwire to complain that a hotel they rate as 3 stars isn't quite 3 stars, the phone rep -- and the supervisor -- both repeated the idea that a hotel's star ratings can be boosted by its location. Has anyone else heard that?

I think it's a bad idea, since they have a map that shows you the general location, and customers can use that to rate the value of the location. I think it's confusing to include it in the star ratings. You might bid on a 4 star hotel in Beverly Hills to find out that it's a Motel 6 whose ratings got boosted because it's in a nice part of town.

But of course I think Hotwire is free to concoct whatever ratings system they want, but they need to make that clear in their descriptions of the star ratings system.

[thisisme]

The problem is that there is no blanket star rating criteria so we are getting into what people think would be a 3 star or 4 star or whatever. The HW site does say.... Hotel brands are provided as examples only; Hotwire does not guarantee you will stay in one of the hotels listed above. Some brands feature hotels in multiple star rating categories. This makes sense because even though every holiday inn has the same concept or look they also can be very different. So it is very possible for a Holiday Inn in texas to be a 3 star as the HW site would suggest and a different Holiday Inn in new york could be a 4 star.

[Frank S]

I too called Hotwire to complain about the star ratings. I booked a 3 star hotel and ended up with a 3 or 2.5 star, depending where you get the info from. In my case the hotel I received was listed as a 2.5 star on the Hotwire site if you booked the hotel in the traditional way, yet going through the opague process, they claim it as a 3 star. Bunch of nonsense listing it with different star ratings on different pages on the same website. They explained that the ratings are an average of the big three..... Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, plus some other vague criteria......customer reviews. In my case the hotel was a 2.5 at Expedia and a 3 at Travelocity and Orbitz and they went with the 3 stars since 2 of the 3 sites claimed it as so. Calling them up with an issue is like trying to fight city hall, they have the script down pat and you are probably not going to get anywhere. My advice is to research the three websites if you can and draw you own conclusion before bidding. FYI, the 2.5 star I did receive was a very nice property.

[thereuare]

Frank S,

Can you please share the details of your purchase with the board so that wee can be aware of the hotel, city, zone, etc that you are referring to? Without knowing the property in question, it would seem to that if 2 agencies rate the property 3 stars and 1 agency rates it 2.5*, that the 3* rating is appropriate, and inline with how HOTWIRE states they rate properties.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Thanks.

[tilepusher]

I too called Hotwire to complain about the star ratings. I booked a 3 star hotel and ended up with a 3 or 2.5 star, depending where you get the info from. In my case the hotel I received was listed as a 2.5 star on the Hotwire site if you booked the hotel in the traditional way, yet going through the opague process, they claim it as a 3 star. Bunch of nonsense listing it with different star ratings on different pages on the same website.

Are you referring to the Holiday Inn Express in Lake Oswego that you booked last month? Hotwire's vacation packages are "powered by Expedia", and the ratings you see there are Expedia's, not Hotwire's. Sometimes it works the other way, where Expedia's rating is higher than Hotwire's.

They explained that the ratings are an average of the big three..... Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, plus some other vague criteria......customer reviews. In my case the hotel was a 2.5 at Expedia and a 3 at Travelocity and Orbitz and they went with the 3 stars since 2 of the 3 sites claimed it as so. Calling them up with an issue is like trying to fight city hall, they have the script down pat and you are probably not going to get anywhere.

It seems to me that you didn't get anywhere because the evidence was on their side. Given their criteria, their 3* rating was perfectly justified.

My advice is to research the three websites if you can and draw you own conclusion before bidding. FYI, the 2.5 star I did receive was a very nice property.

You might also want to research this board. This HI Express had been reported before as a 3*, and was on the Oregon Hotwire Hotel List.

[dhranch]

I believe Hotwire's "Star Ratings Guide" (linked at http://www.hotwire.com/helpcenter/hotels/s...els-rating.jsp) is misleading. It gives examples of the hotel chains you would get at each star ratings level, but in practice you can get different hotel chains at different levels. All the fine print notwithstanding, the "Star Ratings Guide" creates a specific expectation in the customer, which they do not deliver on. Hotwire is free to use any ratings system they want -- as long as it is accurately communicated to the buyer. At the least they need to include a statement in their ratings guide that you could pay for a 3 star hotel and get a hotel chain listed as an example of a 2 star hotel.

What do you think?

I have found that HOTWIRE is a value only when you use the top rated (4 star and above) hotels. At that level I have gotten some very good deals. Most of the time in the 3 star and below, I book only to find I can get the same or usually a better deal online direct with the hotel.

[AaronJB]

dhranch, Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

It would be greatly appreciated if you could post past wins, as the information (even if for past wins) can help others. Thank you.