Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - duped by hotwire

So I searched for a room in Aruba for 1 night on Hotwire. They actually have two different zones in which you can search - Oranjestad and Palm Beach - I clearly indicated I wanted a room in Palm Beach. However, I received a room in Oranjestad, which is far from the nice beaches and the places I want to be. Given that I was given false information for my booking, is there anything I can do to cancel?

Send them a message and indicate that the hotel you bought is not in the correct zone. Give proof. i.e. provide internet links to maps that justify your claim.

I've a similiar situation happened to me that they indicate the hotel has fitness facility but it doesn't. They agree to either cancel for a full refund or issue a $50 credit and you accept the current reservation as is.

I won a hotel three blocks outside the stated zone. They gave me the same options: $50 credit or full refund.

So your task is to prove it's the wrong zone.

So they agree it is the wrong zone, but they claim I searched for all of Aruba, not a specific zone. This is completely false. I typed in Aruba to get the zones to come up, but then I clearly selected the Palm Beach zone. When I do it again, the same thing comes up. I hope this is worked out soon.

Wrong geographical information and misleading amenity listings used to be a great strategy for getting out of Hotwire bookings; a few years ago, I was able to cancel bacause the Seattle LaQuinta (yuk!) didn't have the promised 18-hole golf course. It really seems to be dependent on the agent you talk to, though; some give in quickly, while others bs you (burden of "proof" is yours, and so on). Call back, Aphrodite91, and good luck!

I wrote back saying I clearly selected the Palm Beach zone, but they then say that the map they show is all of Aruba. That's bs. I mean, I select a zone, they show me what looks like a picture of the island and that means somehow my zone selection is nullified. I mean, if they're going to not just use my zone, they should say they're going to search outside my zone - otherwise, what's the point of selecting zones. I wrote back another email and if this doesn't work, I'll call. Thanks so much for the support and the information, guys.

It certainly appears that Hotwire does present this in a very confusing manner. You have to select between Palm Beach and Oranjestad when you enter Aruba as the search, and even the search results indicate "we found x hotels in the Palm Beach, Aruba area". That said, it appears that the search encompasses all of Aruba.

I think it is a valid complaint. Good luck in resolving.

I wrote back saying I clearly selected the Palm Beach zone, but they then say that the map they show is all of Aruba. That's bs. I mean, I select a zone, they show me what looks like a picture of the island and that means somehow my zone selection is nullified. I mean, if they're going to not just use my zone, they should say they're going to search outside my zone - otherwise, what's the point of selecting zones. I wrote back another email and if this doesn't work, I'll call. Thanks so much for the support and the information, guys.

I don't think I'm having any luck. They keep insisting all the options they gave were "Aruba" even though it said at the top of the page "Hotels in Palm Beach, Aruba." Oh, well. Upon further investigation, it seems the hotel has a nice private island and it's only for one night.

I'm glad I posted here, though, and found out that when people actually do get screwed over by Hotwire, they've had some luck getting a cancellation or compensation. This is very good to keep in mind.

Well, here's proof that persistence pays off. They finally realise that the booking is misleading and confusing and offered me the $50 credit or a cancellation. It just takes a while for the emails to be passed on to the supervisor. Apparently, they will also try to make changes to the map in that particular destination (i.e. if the whole island is yellow, then it just looks like a picture of an island and the yellow doesnt seem significant.)

If you landed the Aruba Sonesta, its a very nice resort.