Priceline guests get a bad rap? How to fix?
Apr 7, 2010, 7:17 pm
#76
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Grand County, Colorado
Programs: IHG Plat, HH D, UA GS, Perm BonVoyed
Posts: 2,013
Interesting read, all.
FWIW, some PL NYOP customers were a royal PITA in my airline days.
What, I can't get a refund? I don't like the layover!
You mean I can't get a refund?
...etc
And their ICC customer (dis)service in my hotel days was idiotic.
FWIW, some PL NYOP customers were a royal PITA in my airline days.
What, I can't get a refund? I don't like the layover!
You mean I can't get a refund?
...etc
And their ICC customer (dis)service in my hotel days was idiotic.
Last edited by RoyalFlush; Apr 7, 2010 at 7:40 pm
Apr 9, 2010, 10:32 am
#77
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Southern California
Programs: Hertz 5 star, Priceline Hotel bidder. AA PLT, 1MM.
Posts: 2,910
In 1980, I was looking at graduate schools. I went to my local airport to buy a plane ticket and wanted to write a check. The airline wanted 2 credit cards to accept the check. My mother had to go to the airport and write the check. She only had 2 store cards. (JC Penney & I don't recall the 2nd one). Not so many people had credit cards at that time where I lived in MI.
In Austin, I wanted to rent a car. (In 1980). They required a credit card but I didn't have one. I mentioned my dilemma to someone in the Chemistry dept and one of the students said they would help me. They went to the airport and the rental agency allowed the student to be primary and me as co-renter. I did call a few days after to make sure they didn't find any damage or surprises to their bill. Would I do that today? NO! unless I knew the person very well & even then I would hesitate. I got credit cards after I'd moved to Austin and had a stable income. (however, small).
Fast forward to today. Even if agencies do not accept debit cards, one can get a secured credit card if the credit history is not good enough to get an unsecured credit card. Probably a secured card with at least a $500 limit may be enough. (>$1000 would be even better).
Getting back to hotels. Most of my hotel rentals are Priceline bidding. When we check out, we put trash in the cans, put towels on the floor and tidy up the room a bit. Usually, the room just needs normal housekeeping to be ready for the next guest.
Given there are people that will trash hotel rooms/rental cars, etc, we have no problem hotels/rental car agencies requesting a credit card.
Even Dave Ramsey would have little/no problem with only a debit card since he has plenty of assets backed behind his debit card(s).
Bottom line: I am all for hotels/rental car agencies asking for deposits, preferably by credit card.
In Austin, I wanted to rent a car. (In 1980). They required a credit card but I didn't have one. I mentioned my dilemma to someone in the Chemistry dept and one of the students said they would help me. They went to the airport and the rental agency allowed the student to be primary and me as co-renter. I did call a few days after to make sure they didn't find any damage or surprises to their bill. Would I do that today? NO! unless I knew the person very well & even then I would hesitate. I got credit cards after I'd moved to Austin and had a stable income. (however, small).
Fast forward to today. Even if agencies do not accept debit cards, one can get a secured credit card if the credit history is not good enough to get an unsecured credit card. Probably a secured card with at least a $500 limit may be enough. (>$1000 would be even better).
Getting back to hotels. Most of my hotel rentals are Priceline bidding. When we check out, we put trash in the cans, put towels on the floor and tidy up the room a bit. Usually, the room just needs normal housekeeping to be ready for the next guest.
Given there are people that will trash hotel rooms/rental cars, etc, we have no problem hotels/rental car agencies requesting a credit card.
Even Dave Ramsey would have little/no problem with only a debit card since he has plenty of assets backed behind his debit card(s).
Bottom line: I am all for hotels/rental car agencies asking for deposits, preferably by credit card.
Apr 9, 2010, 7:55 pm
#78
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,051
Reading this last post, I start to think maybe travelers should get the manager of the hotel or motel to come look at a room before signing out. The idea that a charge could show up for some alleged "damage" after you get home is kind of disturbing. How could you prove the hotel is wrong? Its like when they advise you to carefully inspect a rental apartment and show the caretaker any damage there before you rent, so that it isn't used to justify keeping your damage deposit at the end. Ideally, you wouldn't want ever to rent from a company like that, but when you are moving in, you really don't know how trustworthy the management is.
Apr 9, 2010, 8:13 pm
#79
Join Date: May 2003
Location: GEG
Programs: Motel 6 Club Avoir Le Cafard
Posts: 5,027
Reading this last post, I start to think maybe travelers should get the manager of the hotel or motel to come look at a room before signing out. The idea that a charge could show up for some alleged "damage" after you get home is kind of disturbing. How could you prove the hotel is wrong? Its like when they advise you to carefully inspect a rental apartment and show the caretaker any damage there before you rent, so that it isn't used to justify keeping your damage deposit at the end. Ideally, you wouldn't want ever to rent from a company like that, but when you are moving in, you really don't know how trustworthy the management is.
Don't give the hotel industry any ideas. It could easily become like the RV rental industry where you have to pay a stiff security deposit, nearly all of which is retained by the rental agency for bogus cleaning and damage charges.
.
Apr 9, 2010, 9:54 pm
#80
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,051
A cell phone photo is a totally inadequate protection. The management has to be cornered and forced to admit they rented a damaged unit.
As for introducing a stiff damage deposit, if it isn't reality already, they've concluded that in their industry, with so many competitors, they can't afford to give a person a reason to go to the competition. I know in my recent travels, it didn't take much for me to select a different place for lodgings. I had this wacky idea I could just decide when I was tired and dial up a few places for availability and rates. Sorta worked. But I know that the difference between the place I took and the ones I didn't was often trivial. If they'd said "we required a $200 damage deposit" that'd have caused me to call other places. Even though rooms I leave have only mussed bedcovers to reveal someone was there.
As for introducing a stiff damage deposit, if it isn't reality already, they've concluded that in their industry, with so many competitors, they can't afford to give a person a reason to go to the competition. I know in my recent travels, it didn't take much for me to select a different place for lodgings. I had this wacky idea I could just decide when I was tired and dial up a few places for availability and rates. Sorta worked. But I know that the difference between the place I took and the ones I didn't was often trivial. If they'd said "we required a $200 damage deposit" that'd have caused me to call other places. Even though rooms I leave have only mussed bedcovers to reveal someone was there.