Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Cancel Priceline?

I haven't called PL, but I really feel I've been misled.

I bid for a 3* three night stay in Palm Beach (North Palm Beach Oceanfront - Singer Island).

Hoping to get any of the hotels listed on the bid help sites, Crowne Plaza
Hilton Oceanfront, Marriott Singer Island

Started at $70, rebid $80, rebid $90 and was accepted:

My win: :eek: Palm Beach Shores Resort and Vacation Villas (http://www.pbsr.com/)

Mixed reviews on Tripadvisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34532-d219075-Reviews-Palm_Beach_Shores_Resort_and_Vacation_Villas-Palm_Beach_Shores_Florida.html).

The reason I am not happy is because this is a Timeshare Resort that happens to also rent out rooms daily. Everywhere on Priceline they reference the words "Hotels". Example from 3 star definition (http://www.priceline.com/hotels/Lang/en-us/InfoCtr/Amenities.asp?S=3&C=US): <emphasis mine> "The most recognized name brands and quality independent hotels in the industry, these hotels feature high quality hotel rooms and well-decorated public spaces."

This is a timeshare resort. To me, a hotel has daily maid service, etc. The timeshare's website http://www.pbsr.com/ doesn't even mention the word "hotel" once.

Who knows, it could turn out to be a great place, despite the mixed Tripadvisor reviews, but if I could, I would love a reset and go for a Hyatt Place for $50 bucks instead.

Has anyone ever successfully cancelled a PL booking?

Welcome to FT, RenHoek!

I've not seen or heard anyone being able to cancel for the reasons you describe. And in fact, this property is not exclusive in its lack of daily maid service, frequently extended-stay suite hotels have infrequent maid service as well, but those come up a lot on PL.

If you look at the FAQs on PL, it describes each star level:
3 star hotels offer a higher level of guest service with several amenities. Guestrooms and public spaces place a greater emphasis on style and generally offer such conveniences as hairdryers, iron and board, and a fitness room. On-site dining is offered but may not be available for all three meals.

So as long as your "hotel" meets those guidelines, unfortunately you have no grounds for a cancellation. So just try to enjoy the property as best you can, and chalk it up as a learning experience.

Never heard of anyone being able to cancel a PL reservation.
Not getting a hotel you wanted when bidding on PL is probably something that's happened to all of us that uses it regularly including me. So far not once did I not like the place a PL bid landed me so I say just try the place out and hope for the best.

I don't know the details about the specific lodging you booked, but I do know that some timeshare places offer daily housekeeping. I also think its highly unfair to prejudge the place. You might find you really like it and that it has other benefits you did not expect.

How many times do we hear of people complaining that their hotel didn't have a microwave oven? Or a refrigerator. Well I bet your timeshare comes with all that, and more. Possibly even an en-suite clothes washer! However, I just looked at their website and it seems they routinely do hotel-style bookings, so I'd expect something on-par with a 3* hotel. Enjoy your beach and use that sunscreen!

Priceline often gives one-time opportunities to cancel a "Name Your Own Price" reservation on request if you tell them (email them) that you bid the wrong dates, for example.

The penalty will be equal to 1-day (cancellation fee) of your bid (including taxes and fees) or if you rebid and your bid is accepted or purchase a room through their normal booking process where the hotel is already displayed, $25 (change fee). You'll be given a form to submit online and the approval is quite fast.

Here is part of an email I received from them when I had to do this:

1. Please submit a new Hotel request with the correct date(s) on our website at http://www.priceline.com. You can either name your own price, or choose an itinerary where the price and the hotel's name are already displayed prior to purchase.

2. If your new request is accepted, please fill out the Service Request Form located at http://www.priceline.com/Customerservice/email/hotel/emailanswer.asp?category=1&question=8&subject=Hotel+Resubmit+Request and we will respond to you via email within 24 hours. Once we confirm your new accepted request meets the requirements, we will refund the entire amount of your cancellation fee minus the change fee (if applicable). If the guidelines are not met, your cancellation fee cannot be refunded.

3. Please remember that you must change either your check in and/or your check out date to be eligible to receive a refund of your cancellation fee minus the change fee. You can raise your offer price on your first request to increase your chances of receiving an accepted request. However, if your first new request is not accepted, you may continue to resubmit as many times as you would like (following the above criteria) until you get an accepted request.

Refund of the cancellation fees are typically processed within 48 hours of receipt of the Service Request Form. If you do not receive an e-mail confirmation from us within this time frame, please contact us so we can research this further for you.

We are very happy that we are able to offer this cancellation to you; however, under normal circumstances, reservations cannot be changed or cancelled.

Thank you for choosing priceline for your travel needs.

Sincerely,

The priceline.com Customer Service Team

Never heard of anyone being able to cancel a PL reservation.

I have, but it was for a booking after 9/11 and they were being very liberal with allowing cancellations.

I have, but it was for a booking after 9/11 and they were being very liberal with allowing cancellations.Read the post above yours. Mine was just a couple of months ago. They certainly still do it.

Hoping to get any of the hotels listed on the bid help sites, Crowne Plaza
Hilton Oceanfront, Marriott Singer Island

Welcome to Flyertalk

This hotel is listed on betterbidding as a priceline hotel

Palm Beach (North Palm Beach Oceanfront - Singer Island)
3* Crowne Plaza
3* Hilton Oceanfront
3* Marriott Singer Island (previously 3.5*) Resort The Resort at Singer Island
3* Palm Beach Shores Resort and Vacation Villas

So not really sure why you were surprised to get it. You knew going into it you didn't get to choose your hotel. I seriously doubt they will cancel your reservation (nor do I think they should)

And while it may or not matter, I would not give enough details for them to figure out who you are here in the future if you are going to call and ask they give you back the money. It's possible your account has already been flagged saying no matter what you tell them you are really calling because you didn't like the choice they came up with .

Welcome to Flyertalk

This hotel is listed on betterbidding as a priceline hotel

Palm Beach (North Palm Beach Oceanfront - Singer Island)
3* Crowne Plaza
3* Hilton Oceanfront
3* Marriott Singer Island (previously 3.5*) Resort The Resort at Singer Island
3* Palm Beach Shores Resort and Vacation Villas

So not really sure why you were surprised to get it. You knew going into it you didn't get to choose your hotel. I seriously doubt they will cancel your reservation (nor do I think they should)

And while it may or not matter, I would not give enough details for them to figure out who you are here in the future if you are going to call and ask they give you back the money. It's possible your account has already been flagged saying no matter what you tell them you are really calling because you didn't like the choice they came up with .Priceline doesn't read Flyertalk. You're out of line with your comment about flagging an account.
One certainly can cancel. Priceline does offer this one time opportunity (of which I've had a few on the same account) with NO PROOF of your claim (such as I bid the wrong dates).

In addition to the comments already posted, Priceline will also allow cancellations for weather-related issues. An example would be Hurricane Wilma in 2005 when FLL airport was shut down. We had a Priceline hotel booked for that night, but couldn't get there due to the airport situation. Priceline refunded our booking no questions asked.

As to the timeshare issue, I've stayed in a few such places where they do sell units/rooms on a per-night basis "hotel style". In those cases, daily housekeeping is usually always included.

Priceline doesn't read Flyertalk. You're out of line with your comment about flagging an account.
One certainly can cancel. Priceline does offer this one time opportunity (of which I've had a few on the same account) with NO PROOF of your claim (such as I bid the wrong dates).


There is absolutely just as much proof they read Flyertalk as there is that they do not. None at all.

But it's become more and more apparent in some of the other threads that more and more providers like hotels, rental car companies, etc are in fact reading Flyertalk, and are able to easily identify the individuals from way less details then given here. It's happened several times in the rental car forums.

My advice was not to post enough detail for anybody to easily figure out who made the bid, and what it was for. I consider that sound advice.

If you feel my post is out of line please report it and let the moderator delete it. If you have inside information that they don't do this please share it, but I know other providers do address specific reservations from flyertalk posts.

Also note I did not make any claim, I said it was possible. I never said it was definite.

Despite your views, I still feel that way, it's foolish to post enough details for them to know who you are and what bid it was.

There is absolutely just as much proof they read Flyertalk as there is that they do not. None at all.

But it's become more and more apparent in some of the other threads that more and more providers like hotels, rental car companies, etc are in fact reading Flyertalk, and are able to easily identify the individuals from way less details then given here. It's happened several times in the rental car forums.

My advice was not to post enough detail for anybody to easily figure out who made the bid, and what it was for. I consider that sound advice.

If you feel my post is out of line please report it and let the moderator delete it. If you have inside information that they don't do this please share it, but I know other providers do address specific reservations from flyertalk posts.

Also note I did not make any claim, I said it was possible. I never said it was definite.

Despite your views, I still feel that way, it's foolish to post enough details for them to know who you are and what bid it was.I know more about Priceline than you will ever hope to know. I've been bidding on Priceline since 1998 and been a moderator on BFT. I know Priceline inside out.

Priceline doesn't read FT. You're foolish to even think so.

You posted that you "seriously doubt" they will cancel a reservation after I already posted the proof that they certainly will. So you were 100% wrong to post that in the first place.

If you have a problem with Priceline's one-time only (they say) cancel policy, complain to them. That is their POLICY and although you may disagree with it, the title to this thread is "Cancel Priceline?" and I've provided the information MANY already know. I hope you learned something about Priceline from me today.

I've learned I'm foolish and out of line and apparently 100% wrong in something I never said.

I've learned one more reason why BFT was an awful website.

I've learned some people need to learn how to read.

I've learned apparently there's an issue with the CAPS key on your computer.

I've learned I'm foolish and out of line and apparently 100% wrong in something I never said.

I've learned one more reason why BFT was an awful website.

I've learned some people need to learn how to read.

I've learned apparently there's an issue with the CAPS key on your computer.I've learned some people post things on FT that they know nothing about.

Priceline doesn't read FT. You're foolish to even think so.

Do you think they read it last year when coolwulf was offering winning bid advice on FT from sources he would not reveal? That service didn't last too long, and his website was shut down, but I've always wondered if, or how, he may have come to their attention.

Do you think they read it last year when coolwulf was offering winning bid advice on FT from sources he would not reveal? That service didn't last too long, and his website was shut down, but I've always wondered if, or how, he may have come to their attention.Priceline does not care until hotels complain about major publicity about bidding. Hilton made a big stink after BFT was showcased in the first WSJ Personal Journal. BFT was loved by Priceline, prior. FlyerTalk is too small to make any difference to Priceline.

I've learned I'm foolish and out of line and apparently 100% wrong in something I never said.

I've learned one more reason why BFT was an awful website.

I've learned some people need to learn how to read.

I've learned apparently there's an issue with the CAPS key on your computer.

+1

I know more about Priceline than you will ever hope to know. I've been bidding on Priceline since 1998 and been a moderator on BFT. I know Priceline inside out.

Hmm. Sounds like a DYKWIA attitude.

Hmm. Sounds like a DYKWIA attitude.I'm quite happy to show "attitude" about priceline since I have 12 years of extensive experience w/ priceline bidding before this board, BFT or any other priceline board. And yes I've known Sheryl before BFT was even a thought.

I once bid a property that got really bad reviews on TripAdvisor and I tried to cancel, and PL wouldn't let me. Worked out for the better -- the property turned out OK.

And I'd love to compare CalItalian and Sheryl's DNA.

And yes I've known Sheryl before BFT was even a thought.

Back to her yahoo forum days (I was on that forum), or did she have some kind of site even before that?

She was all over the newsgroups before that. Sometimes just for fun do a google groups search for some of the hissy fits.

I'm a bit shocked that considering the relationship supposedly claimed here, the following terms and conditions were never corrected by all the advice a hack moderator on a generally hated board would have suggested:

All hotel reservations are non-cancelable, non-refundable, non-changeable and non-transferable by you. Once you purchase a reservation, your method of payment will be charged for the amount shown - regardless of whether or not the reservation is used. Credit will not be given for any unused reservations and cannot be used toward any future purchases;

They probably put that there just for fun.

Speaking of clones, the other half once said pretty much the same thing here on Flyertalk:


I also strongly suspect that it was on BiddingForTravel.com and NOT FlyerTalk that Priceline read Moon Moon's post. We know they monitor Bidding For Travel.com and I can assure you that many of the positive changes that Priceline has made are a result of reading BiddingForTravel.com.

from November 2001.

It's pretty amazing the story apparently is the same word for word almost a decade later. It's how priceline got to be so huge, while virtually every other travel company on the planet is known to monitor flyertalk, they choose not to instead they build relationships with one side forums. Silly BA for example using print outs from FT in their litigation over fare mistakes, etc.

Funny, when our office and the Priceline offices were sharing office space and I spent pretty much every day for months side by side with their programmers and customer service people.... oh never mind, how could I possibly have any clue what I'm talking about? They didn't learn their test credit card number was live on their site because of a post here on Flyertalk, nor did they learn anything else by monitoring other sites and boards. As clearly demonstrated above, all of the positive changes they did back then were just the result of one board.

Not sure why they wasted the money on all the focus groups, but the meals were certainly pretty good.

I'm a bit shocked that considering the relationship supposedly claimed here, the following terms and conditions were never corrected by all the advice a hack moderator on a generally hated board would have suggested:

All hotel reservations are non-cancelable, non-refundable, non-changeable and non-transferable by you. Once you purchase a reservation, your method of payment will be charged for the amount shown - regardless of whether or not the reservation is used. Credit will not be given for any unused reservations and cannot be used toward any future purchases;

They probably put that there just for fun.

Funny, when our office and the Priceline offices were sharing office space and I spent pretty much every day for months side by side with their programmers and customer service people.... oh never mind, how could I possibly have any clue what I'm talking about? They didn't learn their test credit card number was live on their site because of a post here on Flyertalk, nor did they learn anything else by monitoring other sites and boards. As clearly demonstrated above, all of the positive changes they did back then were just the result of one board.

Not sure why they wasted the money on all the focus groups, but the meals were certainly pretty good.I guess you missed my post (a copy and paste from priceline) of the FACT that Priceline does cancel NYOP reservations for a slight penalty. Would you like to dispute its authenticity?

For a NUMBER of years there was only ONE website that supported posting and helping Priceline bidders. Why would Priceline even need to go anywhere else? Priceline was quite happy with BFT before the WSJ story and BFT certainly did make quite a difference in how the company evolved. The President of Priceline called me when I disputed their adding a fuel surcharge to fares, btw, and it changed after that.

If Priceline was monitoring this site or other sites, that for years have posted how to isolate, they would have closed that loophole years ago. They don't care.

Your post is going to make me laugh all night long.

P.S. I'd also go back and carefully look at my posts if you want to call me a hack moderator. You missed a key word I posted.

OP: If the hotel doesn't live up to your expectations for a Priceline 3* after you've stayed there you are in a good position to file a complaint. But complaining before you've stayed there, based on ratings on third party web sites, is not a fair basis for judging. I hope you are pleasantly surprised and have a great trip. One good thing about Priceline bidding is sometimes the hotel you get is a winner when you think you've come out badly before getting there.

For a NUMBER of years there was only ONE website that supported posting and helping Priceline bidders. Why would Priceline even need to go anywhere else?


One of the funniest posts ever.

One of the funniest posts ever.

Yeah, I had to laugh out loud on that one too. Seems like the more he opens his mouth, the more....oh, just forget it.

In any case, BFT has basically evolved into a has-been board of half-baked information. Betterbidding.com is much more current and useful, not to mention friendly. Well, since BFT has no administrator anymore, it is no longer "unfriendly" but its content has seriously deteriorated. I used to post there, but stopped when I got harassing messages from the administrator both through BFT and even through FT. I can't support a business that harasses people. In fact, honestly, I would be ashamed to even mention I was associated with them in any official way.

One of the funniest posts ever.Your posts are the saddest ever. You've brought NO useful information to this thread based on the OP's title. In fact, your information posted has been incorrect.

Your posts, along with a few others who like to "discuss" BFT instead of posting useful information about Priceline, are the reason why the Online Bidding Forum has no credibilty in discussing Priceline. It's a silly, useless bashing forum and you proved it with your posts in this thread alone. It's no wonder why Priceline doesn't post on FT but they have elsewhere...

You posted that you "seriously doubt" they will cancel a reservation after I already posted the proof that they certainly will. So you were 100% wrong to post that in the first place.
I've had mixed results getting Priceline to let me cancel a reservation and rebid for $25/day cancellation fee. Sometimes they let me. Sometimes they don't. I can't find any written policy on Priceline's website that cancellation and rebid is allowed, and under what circumstances. I think the customer service agents have some discretion to allow cancellation or not, and your results may vary depending which agent you get.

Priceline has made a "one time exception" for me three times now. But the last two times I asked they flat out said no. Do you get three chances and then you're out? Do I have rapport with some agents but not others? Were they being liberal with refund requests in 2009 and now they're stricter in 2010? I don't know.

In any event, when Priceline allows "Cancel and Rebid for $25" it's because you accidentally purchased the wrong dates or bid in the wrong zone. Your new bid has to be for revised dates or a different zone or they don't refund.

The OP wasn't claiming wrong dates or wrong zone. He just didn't like the hotel he won and that's not a valid reason for asking to bid again. If Priceline allowed the refund and the OP rebid the same dates and zone he'd probably win the same unwanted hotel a second time.

Yeah, I had to laugh out loud on that one too. Seems like the more he opens his mouth, the more....oh, just forget it.

In any case, BFT has basically evolved into a has-been board of half-baked information. Betterbidding.com is much more current and useful, not to mention friendly. Well, since BFT has no administrator anymore, it is no longer "unfriendly" but its content has seriously deteriorated. I used to post there, but stopped when I got harassing messages from the administrator both through BFT and even through FT. I can't support a business that harasses people. In fact, honestly, I would be ashamed to even mention I was associated with them in any official way.



BB has plenty of attitude just like BFT.

Why is there so much attitude associated with bidding sites?

^ Thanks for all your replies ^

My main objection was the lack of daily maid service, and a timeshare is not a hotel.

But guess what? We just got back, and it was great! Large room, all timeshare amenities (full fridge, dishwasher, etc.)

BTW, the property was not listed on BB until after I booked it and notified BB that it was a being sold on PL.

Thanks again for your replies. Hopefully, the "wrong dates" cancellation policy may help someone else.

OP: To paraphrase a prior post in this thread: So you were pleasantly surprised and had a great trip. One good thing about Priceline bidding is sometimes the hotel you get is a winner when you think you've come out badly before getting there.

What great news.

BB has plenty of attitude just like BFT.

Why is there so much attitude associated with bidding sites?

I believe it has a lot to do with the signal-to-noise ratio. For every single good post at BB there are 9 first time posters looking for a free lunch. Granted this is part of the target audience, but it's also understandable that there's some heavy moderation because of this.

BFT however, goes overboard. I never go their anymore.

Agree with the "great news."

I was on vacation the first half of October and the harsh posts made early in the month escaped my attention. Let's try and keep it civil!

Glad that it worked out for you.

I recently booked a hotel in Vegas and it put me WAY off the strip!

I contacted priceline and they let me rebook.

Contact them on their website and let them know you are unhappy.

It probably will cost you a $25 change fee but thats better then staying someone you hate

I had no problem cancelling priceline hotel. It was simple. There were no rooms available so they couldn't keep my money. And if they did try to say you couldnt cancell.....call your credit card and refuse to pay. YOU ARE PROTECTED

I had no problem cancelling priceline hotel. It was simple. There were no rooms available so they couldn't keep my money. And if they did try to say you couldnt cancell.....call your credit card and refuse to pay. YOU ARE PROTECTED

Welcome to FT, 1classicgirl.

When this thread mentions "canceling" a PL reservation, it's referring to calling Priceline in advance to cancel the reservation, not a refund for lack of rooms available. Of course you shouldn't have to pay if there are no rooms available.