Hotwire Hotel: 4* San Francisco (Embarcadero) Omni

[slruud]

Booked Via HOTWIRE and received Le Meridien for $99/nite. As a Hotwire Express member, I had Hotwire block Le Meridien from my searches and bookings a couple of months ago. Called Hotwire Express and they agreed that I should not have been given Le Meridien as an option so they cancelled that reservation, and rebooked the Omni for the same rate, even though their rate for the Omni was $140+.

Both Omni and Le Meridien have the same amenities....resaurant, business center, fitness center, and internet and both have Tripadvisor ratings of 4.5/5.0.

Accessed HOTWIRE via link on this website.

[AaronJB]

Congratulations on your success. :)

Excellent deal, and glad that HOTWIRE was able to quickly resolve the Le Meridien issue.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using the site's HOTWIRE link.

Enjoy your stay.

[Colfax]

As a Hotwire Express member, I had HOTWIRE block Le Meridien from my searches and bookings a couple of months ago.

Now that's what I call customer service! I wouldn't have guessed it was technologically possible for HOTWIRE to block one hotel for one customer. Maybe it's not since the blocking feature didn't seem to work. But if HW's willing to cancel and rebook Omni for you I guess it doesn't matter. Enjoy!

[slruud]

Colfax,

The interesting thing about it is, you can only block a hotel you have booked on Hotwire previously, which means I will still get the Hilton and Hyatt offerings. As long as they show the Tripadvisor ratings, I can usually figure them out.

After looking at the whole confirmation from Hotwire, they booked the Omni via Hotels.com which is where the $140+ rate came from. They just credited the difference so I wasn't out any more $$$. All in all, they seem to be upping their service to Hotwire Express members. I seem to be using Hotwire more than Priceline these days

Slruud

[BEAV]

Wow. I never knew this 'service' existed through Hotwire Express. Kudos, Steve, for maximizing your use of their express service! Can you post a link if this option is printed somewhere on HOTWIRE? I'd like to read/learn more about it.

[slruud]

BEAV,

You're a Hotwire Express member, if I recall correctly. I called a couple months ago about some othe issue, and the Hotwire Express rep mentioned that I could block properties that I had previously won on HOTWIRE. Seeing that the only other property I scored in the Emarcadero area was Le Meridien, I chose to block it. It obviously didn't work, but HOTWIRE made it right.

On another note, even though I didn't post it because I didn't use the link on this site, HOTWIRE allowed me to change my recent Austin stay....where I had accepted the 4* Downtown, Mansion at Judges Hill, to something else if I found something more amenable to my preferences. When I saw that the Omni was available, I called and they changed my reservatiion from the Mansions to the Omni.

HOTWIRE seems to be working with us, and I'm willing to spend a few more $$$ to get what I want.

Happy bidding BEAV.

Slruud

[BEAV]

Thanks for the great information. Yes, I'm Hotwire Express, too, although I haven't used them much lately! I'll go through my past purchases and see if there's any properties I'd like to block, and if so, give them a call.

[slruud]

Related to the Austin situation, I called to comment on my displeasure with getting a hotel so far from downtown. and the rep I talked to said that being a Hotwire Express member, if I found another Hotwire offering they would rebook the new hotel....knowing that I might get the same hotel I originally purchased. A couple weeks later, I saw the Omni was being offered, so I called and they made the change at the current price of the Omni. Paid a couple more $$$, but got what I want. Cheapest isn't always best.

[Tuggster]

How do you become a Hotwire express member? I have used HOTWIRE a couple of times i.e made purchases through there.

[slruud]

Not really sure how many bookings you need to have. I was surprised when I received a card in the mail notifying me, as I didn't think I had booked that many stays with them. I may have had a dozen or so.

[Tuggster]

Got someway to go then