Using the Name your Own Price feature I won a bid for a 5 Star Luxury category hotel in NYC at $265 a night. The hotel I won was the Kimpton Hotel Eventi - a 4 Star Property in NYC by their own account (I even called the hotel to confirm). The next day the price dropped to $253 on booking.com. After spending more than an hour on the phone I was able to use their BRG and got the difference + bogus taxes refunded. Priceline was unwilling to refund the money, despite acknowledging that I paid for a 5 star property and received 4 stars.

To put this into perspective: I was bidding and paying for a 5 Star Luxury Property and received a 4 Star property, which priceline fraudulently markets and sells as a 5 star property.

I took to their Social Media team and tried to get this resolved but to no avail. They claimed my check in had passed, which is not the case. Ultimately it looks like they're asking me to dispute?
I've offered keeping the reservation if they bump the room to a suite or a full refund. I'm thinking of disputing the charge with my credit card company? Putting this on here as a warning. Also, thoughts? Advice?

Thanks!

Transcript below:
Chat Conversation Start - Facebook
12:21PM
hi guys, I gave your Name Your Own price a feature a go and selected only 5 star luxury properties in certain areas of NYC.
the booking went through (#248-272-xxx-xx), however, the property - Kimpton Hotel Eventi - is a 4 star property and not a 5 star as I selected.
I've called the hotel and they confirmed that they are a 4 star property, also also displayed on Google if you search for the property name.
Before referencing the priceline star-rating I encourage you to call the hotel as well and ask them to confirm how many stars they in fact have.

Your marketing on the website is misleading and fraudulent. If I would've wanted a 4 star property, I would've selected that in the drop down.
I entered a blind auction trusting to get a 5 star property (as I selected), but instead was sold a 4 star property.

Name on the reservation: xxx

What are the options here?

Thanks,
David

If you can confirm a premier suite instead of the current king room at no extra cost, I'm fine with keeping the reservation. Otherwise please refund the money in full to the credit card I used for payment.

Priceline rep:

I'm sorry to know you are not satisfied with the hotel received Davidoff. As an advise, our hotel star ratings are indicators of the general quality you can expect from your hotel. Like other well-known hotel rating systems, Priceline considers a number of factors in evaluating the quality of participating hotels such as: amenities, facilities, reputation, brand, other rating services, customer feedback from guests who have stayed at the hotel, etc., to assign a single star rating.

For more information on the exact rating scale, click on the link below.

http://www.priceline.com/help/#/faq/14135

In regards to the room type, it is based on availability. All rooms booked through us are Standard Rooms unless specifically stated, request for King, Queen or 2 Double beds should be confirmed directly to the hotel and is not guaranteed. If you need to upgrade the room you can reach the property; however, a fee will be imposed for the extra cost. Kind Regards! ^SM
www.priceline.com
*Priceline Name Your Own Price® and Express Deals® services are different from published price services. Exact hotel, airline and rental car company are shown only after booking. All sales final.
priceline.com

Me:

ok then refund my money please, you sold me a 4 star property as a 5 star property and that is simply put fraudulent. have you called the property and confirmed that they only have 4 stars?

Priceline rep:
Once you make your purchase online, we immediately charge your form of payment to lock in your rate and secure your reservation. Your reservation cannot be changed, canceled or refunded once it is accepted. ^SM

Me:
please escalate this to your manager and tell me his name and your name and agent ID
this is fraud

Priceline rep:
I understand you're not satisfied with the answer provided; however, there is not another department or person that I can escalate your case, that would address your issue differently.

I'd be glad to research and compare the property received. Please send us the trip number to access the booking. Thanks! ^SM

me:
the priceline number is in my original message on the top of this thread. just to put in this perspective: you are telling me that the hotel is a 5 star property when the hotel itself is telling me that they are 4 stars. I paid for 5 stars and not 4 stars. just in full transparency this escalation is going to go on social media as well as travel forums and our corporate contacts with the priceline group if not resolved properly.

Priceline rep:
I will be certain to document your feedback. Its unfortunate to know you are not satisfied with the outcome.

Since your check in date has passed, we are unable to issue a refund of any portion of the reservation once used.

I also show that a partial refund of the difference; for our Best Price Guarantee feature, was applied to your booking. The remaining balance was paid to the hotel to ensure the room and rate. We no longer have access to these funds to cancel and refund you.

As an advise, the properties will rate their hotels with a different system, actually Priceline's sistem is stricter than the hotels. Please access the link previously sent for more information. We truly regret being unable to provide you with a different answer. ^SM

me:
my check in date is coming up this friday 10/14
it has not passed. once again, I urge you to refund my money in full before I have to take this fraud attempt of priceline abusing the name your own price feature to scam people public

Priceline rep:
As a consumer, it's at your discretion to contact your credit card company or bank about any transaction. I will document your record that this is what you advised us you will do. We will provide them with any requested information regarding your purchase. ^SM