Romelle

It sounds like Hotwire made good on this deal, but I want to add that with opaque Priceline deals there is (almost) no similar risk. I've gotten a written response from them saying that all their hotel rooms are private rooms with private baths, no matter the star level. I put the "almost" in because there is always that tiny chance of an error, but one would have have the written response to help get things sorted out properly.

Romelle

B1

It's the hotel that actually assigns the room. Their contract with Hotwire is specific and requires a private room for their customers and perhaps may allow for a shared bath (but that must be disclosed in the listing). It seems that the OP found a hotel that had someone who didn't follow the contract. If the hotel has private rooms and hostel rooms, Hotwire would not allow them to be interchanged. An agency can only tell the hotel what to offer and they better listen or they can be in violation of a contract. On the positive side, I successfully bid low on Priceline last week for a very expensive hotel. When I got there, they gave me a premium room. The desk clerk told me that she has no information about what any guest paid for their room.

31570324

Any news about this?
I've booked a 2.5 star hotel in Beijing for 4 nights. What they gave me was the "Beijing Hutongren Courtyard Hotel".
I did a fast research and found out, that this hotel is called "Beijing CU National Youth Hostel" at expedia.com. And they offer shared rooms with shared bathrooms. So I wrote Hotwire and asked them to confirm what kind of room I will get. After a couple of emails Hotwire called the hotel and they told them it will be a shared room with a shared bathroom.

Well I wasn't happy with this. There wasn't any word about a Hostel, Dorm Bed or shared bathroom on their website. To clarify, they write Hotel in their T&C, no word about a possible Hostel.

This property also offer private rooms with private bathrooms, so I asked Hotwire to put me in one of these rooms. But they refused. They offered a 25% credit in Hotdollars for my next booking or a free cancellation. I refused both. My opinion is, that we have a valid contract and Hotwire should arrange a private room with a private bathroom for me. They forced me to call them as they don't answer to my offers by email.
On the phone they repeat many times, that they can only offer a 25% credit or a cancellation, nothing else. I asked them to connect me with a supervisior, but they refused. Finally, after a lot discussion, they put me on hold. When they came back to me they said they will refund the original booking and give me a 50 dollar discount for starndard hotel booking.

Well, I'm not happy with this. I have a valid reservation and if I made a mistake, maybe choose wrong dates, I couldn't cancel it. So they should also be responsible to provide me a private room with private bathroom. Btw. I'm pretty sure, a 2.5 star "hotel" should offer only private bathrooms, otherwise it wouldn't be a 2.5 star accommodation.

And if they have a contract with the hotel which only allow them to provide rooms with private bathrooms, like others wrote here before, it shouldn't be a problem for them to force the hotel to give me another room. So I don't really understand why they not just do this.

Btw they wrote it would be a 63% discount for this "hotel", but the dorm room has the same price for a regular booking at expedia.com, so it's a 0% discount booking.

SK AAR

Sorry, but I don't understand all the fuss.

You booked a 2˝ star hotel - presumably at a very very low rate (hotel rates in Beijing are in general very low) and all of a sudden it so important to you that you get your own bathroom rather than a shared, that you are prepared to spend endless phone calls (and emails?) on this? Maybe you shouldn't have used Hotwire in the first place or booked a 3 or 4 star hotel to avoid this situation?

First of all a shared bathroom cannot be the end of the world to you since you booked a 2˝ star hotel and it can hardly be a surprise to anyone booking a 2˝ star hotel that the room may come with a shared bathroom.

Let it go and enjoy your stay and time in Beijing - I'm sure you will have a terrific time there shared bathroom or not.

As you have already learned there is nothing saved by using Hotwire - the times where PL and Hotwire meant significant discounts on hotel bookings in the US are long gone. Never ever use PL or Hotwire outside US - did you notice the exorbitant fees and surcharges added to your bid?

31570324

It's not just a shared bathroom, it's also a shared room. There was no word about this before the booking and if you study their T&C you will see, that they only advertise Hotels and Rooms, no Hostels or beds in shared rooms.
They also advertised a 63% discount for this booking, but the price I paid is just the Standard Expedia Price for this "bed".
If a customer made a fault they never try to help them. So now they made a fault, why should I accept a cancellation?
But of course you are right, they waste a lot of my time.

paperwastage

you should read the contract

they did follow the terms on their contract (Which you accepted by clicking "BUY")

if you think their contract is invalid (breaks laws in your country), go ahead and take them to court (actually, they mandate arbitration or SCC)


suck it up... accept the cancellation and find another hotel and put hotwire on your blacklist if you feel like it

coolc7116

I just booked a reservation on Hotwire at what I thought was a private room at a property called VIP Suites Apartelle in Manila, Philippines. The property has dorm rooms, rooms with shared bathrooms, as well as full suites. However, I phoned the property and they tell me that my reservation is not for a private room.

I contacted Hotwire Executive Customer relations and left a message. We'll see what they have to say...

31570324

Finally, after a lot complaints, they gave me a $50 discount for another booking.