Anyone ever get a Hotwire refund?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: AS MVP, Elevate, AAdvantage, Mileage Plus
Posts: 1,992
Anyone ever get a Hotwire refund?
Anyone ever have luck getting out of a Hotwire bid? I recently made a Hotwire purchase for the first time (normally use Priceline). Due to unforeseen circumstances, I cannot use this reservation.
I know people who have gotten complete refunds from Priceline or a refund minus a $25 fee. What about Hotwire?
Anyone have an experience they'd like to share?
Thanks.
I know people who have gotten complete refunds from Priceline or a refund minus a $25 fee. What about Hotwire?
Anyone have an experience they'd like to share?
Thanks.
Last edited by EIPremier; May 17, 2004 at 10:19 pm Reason: spelling
#2
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: oak
Programs: UA slave, DL hostage, HGP tool, HH captive, SPG reject
Posts: 408
during the northeast blackout i got a hotel priceline bid refunded. even with the blackout i think it would have been within the hotel's right to have refuse the refund, so i was grateful that they gave it to me.
i also had a kind of semi-refund on hotwire before. i originally wanted a ticket coming back on the 20th, but the 19th had a cheaper price. i dunno what i did but a combination of back buttons and re-submits confused the system enough that it gave me the lower price for the 20th so i took it. however when i paid for the ticket the system gave me a ticket for the 19th. i called customer service and they refunded me the ticket and re-booked me on the 20th and took off the corresponding amount to match the lower price. ^
i also had a kind of semi-refund on hotwire before. i originally wanted a ticket coming back on the 20th, but the 19th had a cheaper price. i dunno what i did but a combination of back buttons and re-submits confused the system enough that it gave me the lower price for the 20th so i took it. however when i paid for the ticket the system gave me a ticket for the 19th. i called customer service and they refunded me the ticket and re-booked me on the 20th and took off the corresponding amount to match the lower price. ^
#3
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Central Texas
Programs: Starwood Gold , HH Gold, Hyatt Gold, Aadvantage, Rapid Rewards CP
Posts: 1,586
Hotwire refund
I once was looking to bid for a hotel in Fredricksburg, TX...Priceline had no bidding and when I went to Hotwire Fredricksburg came right up. I bought and then on the confirmation page...uh oh. It was Fredricksburg, VA. On Priceline it would have told you, no bidding available in that city, but how about these other cities? Well not on Hotwire. You put in a city and state and it can bring up a same name city in another state without a thought or mention of that fact. I called customer service and said I thought it was misleading to say the least. The CR did not agree. I asked to speak to his supervisor...he advised that the supervisor would only reiterate his position. Fine let me speak to them. The supervisor immediately gave me refund after first offering to place me in a city nearer to where I wanted to be.
This is a case where I thought I had a leg to stand on...not so sure that your case will have merit though. Good luck. Maybe if you press the case that you would accept the same on another stay or that you would re-try on the website.
This is a case where I thought I had a leg to stand on...not so sure that your case will have merit though. Good luck. Maybe if you press the case that you would accept the same on another stay or that you would re-try on the website.
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: CO PLAT, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver, NW, AA, UA
Posts: 219
had a similar issue happen to me about 3 years ago... was booking a ticket for my mom... confirmed some dates with her... went to hotwire.. boooked the ticket.. 5 minutes later, mom calls and said she messed up, and gave me the wrong dates...
i immediately called hotwire, and explained the situation to the rep... i was a customer with a few previous bookings... she said, policy was NO REFUNDS.. but i pleaded and told her I'd book right away with the new dates...
then she sprung a heart, and went ahead and issued the refund... they're nice people if they want to be.. just be nice and kiss some butt... they may help you
i immediately called hotwire, and explained the situation to the rep... i was a customer with a few previous bookings... she said, policy was NO REFUNDS.. but i pleaded and told her I'd book right away with the new dates...
then she sprung a heart, and went ahead and issued the refund... they're nice people if they want to be.. just be nice and kiss some butt... they may help you
#6
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3
5 Things Hotwire won't tell you
http://5thingshotwirewonttellyou.blog.com/
These tips were learned through a first time purchase made through Hotwire on 07/20/2011 Confirmation # 5090426857. Customer service refused to consider that I was given less than what I paid for even though they saw the star rating was downgraded a few days ago in Orbitz for the hotel. I hope my experiences with Hotwire Hot Rates® will help someone else shop smart. Happy Traveling!
8/23/11 Full refund received from PayPal: How to get a refund from Hotwire
These tips were learned through a first time purchase made through Hotwire on 07/20/2011 Confirmation # 5090426857. Customer service refused to consider that I was given less than what I paid for even though they saw the star rating was downgraded a few days ago in Orbitz for the hotel. I hope my experiences with Hotwire Hot Rates® will help someone else shop smart. Happy Traveling!
8/23/11 Full refund received from PayPal: How to get a refund from Hotwire
Last edited by t8937; Aug 23, 2011 at 1:11 pm
#8
In memoriam
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,697
Really? The hotel can't deliver a room with electricity and you don't think they should be obligated to refund you? Of course they should. You didn't book a tent in a park.
#9
In memoriam
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,697
And would your family sue the hotel if you couldn't see to escape a fire and you died? Or what if you fell in the shower because the water was freezing and you fell and broke your neck trying to get out of a dark bathroom and you became a quadripeligic?
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,044
BTW, I have gotten a full refund from Priceline for a hotel I had booked at DFW when DFW was closed due to a blizzard, and my flight, as well as all other flights into DFW was cancelled. I also had notified the hotel that I would not be arriving that night due to the airport closure, prior to their normal cancellation deadline of 4 PM. Not sure if I would have gotten the refund if I had not managed to notify the hotel prior to their 4 PM deadline.
I've also gotten a full refund from PL when a hotel's quality rating was downgraded between the time I "won" the stay, and the actual date of the stay. Actually, in that circumstance, PL gave me the option of keeping the room or getting the refund, and since the place had gotten lousy reviews, I was glad to take the refund.
#11
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,458
Priceline will always cancel your hotel if you can show your flight was canceled.
#12
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: NJ
Programs: AA, DL
Posts: 456
Got a refund for Hotel in Fairbanks AK. I got a 2 1/2 star hotel was supposed to be comfort inn type hotel etc and I got the best value inn which was rated on multiple other hotel sites as 1 star. I argued my case and they gave me a refund! Was back in 2008...
#13
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Flying out of CHI-MSP-CWA
Programs: UA, PC Plat
Posts: 1,036
OTOH, I frequently travel using Hotwire so they have made me a Hotwire Express member, so maybe they make exceptions a bit easier for people like me that spend thousands with them every year...
Last edited by IrishRed; Jul 31, 2011 at 4:59 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NJ
Programs: Avis Preferred, Hertz #1 Gold, National Exective, United Premier Silver
Posts: 1,363
Absolutely not the case. Had a reservation 3 summers ago in the Charlotte area. Inbound flight canceled due to Thunderstorms. -- Next available flight wasn't until next day. Neither Priceline nor the Hotel directly could do anything.
#15
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NJ
Programs: Avis Preferred, Hertz #1 Gold, National Exective, United Premier Silver
Posts: 1,363
My Hotwire Refund Tale of Woe
I used Hotwire for a Hotel at the Syracuse Airport. While the airport is expansive, the actual airport entrance has only 5 or 6 hotels in its immediate vicinity.
Using Hotwire's mobile site, I searched for hotels in the 'Syracuse Airport' area. -- No map was provided on the mobile site -- but I had been to Syracuse numerous times before and booked hotels on Priceline in the 'Syracuse Airport' area, and was booked in one of the 5 or 6 mentioned above.
I found a 2 star opaque hotel at a good price, so I confirmed.
Come to find out, I was booked in a hotel which while less than a mile as the crow flies from the Airport property line, was in actuality a 10 minute trip (with toll) or 20 minute on surface streets away from the Airport entrance.
In addition, I was confirmed at a hotel that "Used to Be" a Holiday Inn, but was now a brand X independent, which I've never had good experiences in.
I called Hotwire a total of six times, and spoke with a supervisor each and every time, receiving a total of 11 denials for my refund until the final supervisor finally provided me a full refund.
I used Hotwire for a Hotel at the Syracuse Airport. While the airport is expansive, the actual airport entrance has only 5 or 6 hotels in its immediate vicinity.
Using Hotwire's mobile site, I searched for hotels in the 'Syracuse Airport' area. -- No map was provided on the mobile site -- but I had been to Syracuse numerous times before and booked hotels on Priceline in the 'Syracuse Airport' area, and was booked in one of the 5 or 6 mentioned above.
I found a 2 star opaque hotel at a good price, so I confirmed.
Come to find out, I was booked in a hotel which while less than a mile as the crow flies from the Airport property line, was in actuality a 10 minute trip (with toll) or 20 minute on surface streets away from the Airport entrance.
In addition, I was confirmed at a hotel that "Used to Be" a Holiday Inn, but was now a brand X independent, which I've never had good experiences in.
I called Hotwire a total of six times, and spoke with a supervisor each and every time, receiving a total of 11 denials for my refund until the final supervisor finally provided me a full refund.