Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - PL: be careful about name on reservation

When you bid on Priceline you are asked the name of person who will be using the reservation. This is not necessarily the person making the bid or paying for it. Priceline claims that the person named as the guest on the bid is only one that can use the reservation. They say that another person can come along but the reservation is specified. When I made a reservation for someone else but failed to put their name in the form, it wound up in my name. PL would not change it and said that I'd have to make another reservation and pay again, but I should check with the hotel. Of course, the hotel said it's no problem and simply changed the name. Priceline, as usual, is not helpful on this, so be careful.

My recent experience is exactly the opposite. I had booked a reservation under my name for a trip with a friend. However, due to schedule changes, my friend was expected to arrive at the hotel several hours before I was.

I called the hotel to have their name added to the reservation, and they said "No way - it's a Priceline stay and we don't have to". (other than that, the Chicago Sheraton staff was friendly)

I called Priceline, and they called the hotel on my behalf and added the name. They even called me back to confirm that it had been done - nice touch. Perhaps my dozen Priceline stays in the past 3 months helped...

My recent experience is exactly the opposite. I had booked a reservation under my name for a trip with a friend. However, due to schedule changes, my friend was expected to arrive at the hotel several hours before I was.

I called the hotel to have their name added to the reservation, and they said "No way - it's a Priceline stay and we don't have to". (other than that, the Chicago Sheraton staff was friendly)

I called Priceline, and they called the hotel on my behalf and added the name. They even called me back to confirm that it had been done - nice touch. Perhaps my dozen Priceline stays in the past 3 months helped...

Did you talk to the hotel (front desk) or to central reservation?
Usually the front desk isn"t a problem but central res rarely helps

I have on MANY Priceline stays called the hotel to have an additional name added to the room. You shouldn't call and ask to CHANGE the name; just tell them your roommate is checkin in separately.

I think the above incident was probably a fluke