DON'T BOOK A HOTEL ON TRAVEL OCITY!
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:23 AM
#1
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DON'T BOOK A HOTEL ON TRAVEL OCITY!
SPOKANE, WA Best Western Peppertree
WE PAID BUT LEFT IT WAS SO BAD...We (husband, myself and 12 year old son) booked online through travelocity a half hour before arriving, but when we finally found the place we were shocked at the outside of this dingy place. Since we'd already paid, we figured we were stuck and hoped it would look better inside.
No such luck. The entire place was old and in need of a good cleaning. Dirty elevator and hallway rugs. Coat hangers and trash in the hallways. After viewing three separate rooms, we were at a loss at what to do and went back to the lobby figuring we'd settle for one of the rooms.
We had to wait for one pair of truckers check in while the young woman behind the desk endured the flirting of the drunk one with the prison tattoos. He wanted to know where the closest liquor store was, then argued when he didn't like her answer. His companion was leering nearby showing his remaining teeth. A second group of 4 truckers checked in and wanted to know the price of an in-room massage ($30 1/2 hour, $50 hour). It was clear they thought they were getting something "interesting".
At this point, we'd had enough. Dirt and dinginess is one thing, but we simply did not feel safe staying there, so we left. They informed us we would not get our money back since the room was prepaid. So we went to the Hampton Inn and had a beautiful, clean, safe room. The Hampton Inn was everything that these reviews claim of the Best Western. This Best Western Peppertree is a dive.
I contacted travelocity and the Best Western Corporation and asked for refunds. Best Western Corp contacted the owner who stated the maintenance reports indicated it was clean and that they can't refuse patrons based on appearance. Travelocity ignored my request!
Moral of the story: if you don't have to book online via travelocity, don't! Oh, and I agree, hotels can't turn away prospective guests based on appearance, so steer clear of the Best Western Peppertree and be sure to stay at the Spokane Hampton Inn near the airport!
WE PAID BUT LEFT IT WAS SO BAD...We (husband, myself and 12 year old son) booked online through travelocity a half hour before arriving, but when we finally found the place we were shocked at the outside of this dingy place. Since we'd already paid, we figured we were stuck and hoped it would look better inside.
No such luck. The entire place was old and in need of a good cleaning. Dirty elevator and hallway rugs. Coat hangers and trash in the hallways. After viewing three separate rooms, we were at a loss at what to do and went back to the lobby figuring we'd settle for one of the rooms.
We had to wait for one pair of truckers check in while the young woman behind the desk endured the flirting of the drunk one with the prison tattoos. He wanted to know where the closest liquor store was, then argued when he didn't like her answer. His companion was leering nearby showing his remaining teeth. A second group of 4 truckers checked in and wanted to know the price of an in-room massage ($30 1/2 hour, $50 hour). It was clear they thought they were getting something "interesting".
At this point, we'd had enough. Dirt and dinginess is one thing, but we simply did not feel safe staying there, so we left. They informed us we would not get our money back since the room was prepaid. So we went to the Hampton Inn and had a beautiful, clean, safe room. The Hampton Inn was everything that these reviews claim of the Best Western. This Best Western Peppertree is a dive.
I contacted travelocity and the Best Western Corporation and asked for refunds. Best Western Corp contacted the owner who stated the maintenance reports indicated it was clean and that they can't refuse patrons based on appearance. Travelocity ignored my request!
Moral of the story: if you don't have to book online via travelocity, don't! Oh, and I agree, hotels can't turn away prospective guests based on appearance, so steer clear of the Best Western Peppertree and be sure to stay at the Spokane Hampton Inn near the airport!
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:32 AM
#3
So sorry to hear of your bad experience. Good thing you were able to get a nice hotel nearby.
Why did you book online only a half hour before arriving though? Next time, just drive up and negotiate at the desk for a good room price.
Also, next time, take photos of the dirt and mess. You'll have a lot more evidence to support your claim for a refund with the booking agent, whomever it is.
Why did you book online only a half hour before arriving though? Next time, just drive up and negotiate at the desk for a good room price.
Also, next time, take photos of the dirt and mess. You'll have a lot more evidence to support your claim for a refund with the booking agent, whomever it is.
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:33 AM
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Feel free to disregard my advice. Perhaps you'd like the clientele of the Best Western Peppertree.
For other readers:
In the hotel industry, if a guest does not feel safe enough in a hotel BEFORE checking in, he/she should receive a refund. If not from the hotel itself on-site, then from the booking agent or the corporation.
Travelocity provided hotel reviews that were completely misleading and false and upon which we based our hotel selection.
This room was booked only 30 minutes before arrival.
For other readers:
In the hotel industry, if a guest does not feel safe enough in a hotel BEFORE checking in, he/she should receive a refund. If not from the hotel itself on-site, then from the booking agent or the corporation.
Travelocity provided hotel reviews that were completely misleading and false and upon which we based our hotel selection.
This room was booked only 30 minutes before arrival.
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:34 AM
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I, too, don't understand what travelocity has to do with this. You booked a room at a hotel, knowing it was prepaid and non-refundable, and now you're angry that travelocity won't refund your money.
If you were 30 minutes from the hotel, why not just check it out before booking on travelocity? Or why not book the hampton inn on travelocity in the first place?
Also, you seem to be the only one of any recent posts at tripadvisor to think the place is dirty. So again, why would travelocity refund your money? Perhaps your standards are just too high, or who knows what else it might be, but if the place is generally well-liked, why does travelocity (or the hotel, really) have any responsibility for your dissatisfaction?
If you were 30 minutes from the hotel, why not just check it out before booking on travelocity? Or why not book the hampton inn on travelocity in the first place?
Also, you seem to be the only one of any recent posts at tripadvisor to think the place is dirty. So again, why would travelocity refund your money? Perhaps your standards are just too high, or who knows what else it might be, but if the place is generally well-liked, why does travelocity (or the hotel, really) have any responsibility for your dissatisfaction?
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:36 AM
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Oh, and I completely disagree that if you don't feel safe enough in a hotel you're entitled to a refund. Some people wouldn't feel safe enough in a hotel at Disney World. You can't please everyone all the time.
If you have documented evidence that the hotel is truly unsafe (and not just unpretty or unsavory), you might have a leg to stand on. Just because you didn't feel comfortable there doesn't mean anything. Especially on a reservation that you knew was prepaid, non-refundable.
If you have documented evidence that the hotel is truly unsafe (and not just unpretty or unsavory), you might have a leg to stand on. Just because you didn't feel comfortable there doesn't mean anything. Especially on a reservation that you knew was prepaid, non-refundable.
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:41 AM
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Sorry you had a bad experience. I also checked reviews of this specific hotel on tripadvisor and I might also have felt comfortable booking it since it was a usually reliable chain (Best Western) and got decent reviews.
Either something unfortunate has happened recently to this particular hotel or for some other reason your standards and taste disagree with the other reviewers. In any case, regardless of whether I had paid or not, if I found a place that unacceptable I would not have stayed there.
However, I do not see that travelocity is in any way responsible for this - if you have a complaint, I think it is with management and Best Western.
Either something unfortunate has happened recently to this particular hotel or for some other reason your standards and taste disagree with the other reviewers. In any case, regardless of whether I had paid or not, if I found a place that unacceptable I would not have stayed there.
However, I do not see that travelocity is in any way responsible for this - if you have a complaint, I think it is with management and Best Western.
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:42 AM
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We were on the road for over 10 hours and booked this online room from the car. Had the reviews for this property been accurate or the photos been actual recent photos of the property, we would not have chosen it. This run-down dive has off-the-chart reviews on tripadvisor. I can't for the life of me imagine who would write any of that about this place. Put it this way, I wouldn't have felt safe walking to the lobby alone and I travel by myself quite frequently.
Travelocity is a travel agent. They should stand behind their product which is representation of travel services.
Travelocity is a travel agent. They should stand behind their product which is representation of travel services.
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:46 AM
#10
I don't believe it is Travelocity's fault. I think you are looking for a service and guarantee that is simply not involved in booking rooms thru them.
As others mentioned, since you were on the road personally I would have just waited until I saw a place that looked good and had a vacancy, and stopped and checked in there.
As others mentioned, since you were on the road personally I would have just waited until I saw a place that looked good and had a vacancy, and stopped and checked in there.
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:49 AM
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Gail,
We realized we were most likely throwing $96 out the window, but this was also about showing our 12 y.o. son that feeling safe is more important than money. When he said to my husband, "Do we have to stay here?", we just looked at each other and we were out of there!
We met the manager at the Hampton Inn the next morning during breakfast and told him about our impressions of the Best Western Peppertree. He laughed and said that it was a pretty rough place. He said there had been a fire there a while ago and the place has never recovered from the impact. He also said that the Hampton Inn never refers guests there when they are overbooked.
We realized we were most likely throwing $96 out the window, but this was also about showing our 12 y.o. son that feeling safe is more important than money. When he said to my husband, "Do we have to stay here?", we just looked at each other and we were out of there!
We met the manager at the Hampton Inn the next morning during breakfast and told him about our impressions of the Best Western Peppertree. He laughed and said that it was a pretty rough place. He said there had been a fire there a while ago and the place has never recovered from the impact. He also said that the Hampton Inn never refers guests there when they are overbooked.
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:56 AM
#13
I'm not disagreeing that it sounds like a pretty awful hotel or that you should have stayed there.
Only that it's not Travelocity's responsibility to give you a refund. I'm guessing there is fairly specific language when you use their service about what they are or aren't going to cover for you.
Only that it's not Travelocity's responsibility to give you a refund. I'm guessing there is fairly specific language when you use their service about what they are or aren't going to cover for you.
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:59 AM
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If you truly feel that travelocity is misrepresenting a property, pursue it with them. You said you contacted them and they ignored your request, but you don't say how you contacted them, or what your request was.
Call their customer service and work your way through that way before lambasting them all over the internet.
And regardless of how it turns out - if they feel they are really not misrepresenting this hotel, they aren't obligated to offer any compensation. As I said, they really can't please everyone on everything. If you can't convince them of their error, it may be that it's really not their fault at all, nor that there is anything actually wrong with the hotel that would make them not list it.
Call their customer service and work your way through that way before lambasting them all over the internet.
And regardless of how it turns out - if they feel they are really not misrepresenting this hotel, they aren't obligated to offer any compensation. As I said, they really can't please everyone on everything. If you can't convince them of their error, it may be that it's really not their fault at all, nor that there is anything actually wrong with the hotel that would make them not list it.
Sep 20th, 2006, 12:06 PM
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Suerich68-
The way we looked at it, $96 was a small price to pay for our safety and comfort AND for the lesson shown to our son.
We travel quite a bit and have had the "hair in the bed", unvacuumed floor, noisy neighbors, and all the other usual hotel issues that can be easily remedied.
This was a situation of following your instincts when your mind is telling you that you are in a dangerous place. The fact that all three of us were experiencing the "flee" feeling simultaneously made it imperative to get the heck out of there pronto!
Yes, I agree Travelocity is explicit in their non-refundable statements, but they did not sell what they represented. And Best Western Corporate's response was to pass on my complaints to the owner, who probably knows quite well the state of her property and the activities that go on there!
Hey, guys, I only posted here to let you know that I am SOL on this one! Yes, I read the fine print, but as a consumer, figured someone would stand behind their promises. Trying to save you all from the same fate.
The way we looked at it, $96 was a small price to pay for our safety and comfort AND for the lesson shown to our son.
We travel quite a bit and have had the "hair in the bed", unvacuumed floor, noisy neighbors, and all the other usual hotel issues that can be easily remedied.
This was a situation of following your instincts when your mind is telling you that you are in a dangerous place. The fact that all three of us were experiencing the "flee" feeling simultaneously made it imperative to get the heck out of there pronto!
Yes, I agree Travelocity is explicit in their non-refundable statements, but they did not sell what they represented. And Best Western Corporate's response was to pass on my complaints to the owner, who probably knows quite well the state of her property and the activities that go on there!
Hey, guys, I only posted here to let you know that I am SOL on this one! Yes, I read the fine print, but as a consumer, figured someone would stand behind their promises. Trying to save you all from the same fate.
Sep 20th, 2006, 12:11 PM
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I'm sorry that you had a bad experience. Thank you for the review of the hotel. I think your post should have been about the hotel itself instead of Travelocity. I am leary of glowing positive reviews on all sites and tend to pay more attention to the negative reviews. There can always be "plant" reviews either way but I tend to believe the negatives and worry that the positives are from employees and owners.
Sep 20th, 2006, 12:17 PM
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Here is some text (I cut and pasted) from travelocity's Customer Guarantee page:
All travel booked on Travelocity will be consistent with the promise of its detailed description on our site and your travel itinerary (as confirmed on our site 24 hours prior to departure).
Human error happens; nobody's perfect - but in those rare cases that we make a mistake you can count on us to take responsibility for it
...and...
We can't control some things, like the weather or mechanical difficulties, but we can be there to help you navigate when a problem arises. We can also be there to help you avoid some problems altogether. For instance, if we learn of something that might make your trip less enjoyable, like a closed hotel pool or fitness center, we'll contact you before you go and give you the option to make other arrangements.
And it doesn't stop there, because we at Travelocity are fundamentally value seekers. We know that great trip value is the sum of a quality experience and a low price. That's why we offer a low price guarantee.
All travel booked on Travelocity will be consistent with the promise of its detailed description on our site and your travel itinerary (as confirmed on our site 24 hours prior to departure).
Human error happens; nobody's perfect - but in those rare cases that we make a mistake you can count on us to take responsibility for it
...and...
We can't control some things, like the weather or mechanical difficulties, but we can be there to help you navigate when a problem arises. We can also be there to help you avoid some problems altogether. For instance, if we learn of something that might make your trip less enjoyable, like a closed hotel pool or fitness center, we'll contact you before you go and give you the option to make other arrangements.
And it doesn't stop there, because we at Travelocity are fundamentally value seekers. We know that great trip value is the sum of a quality experience and a low price. That's why we offer a low price guarantee.
Sep 20th, 2006, 12:18 PM
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and more:
We guarantee that with Travelocity, "you'll never roam alone" because we have complete faith in the core strength of our partner relationships and the skill and passion of the entire Travelocity Team. We trust that if you book with us, just once, you'll share this faith in Travelocity, and continue to enjoy both the peace-of-mind and low prices associated with the Travelocity Guarantee
I just didn't have "peace-of-mind" experience that night!
We guarantee that with Travelocity, "you'll never roam alone" because we have complete faith in the core strength of our partner relationships and the skill and passion of the entire Travelocity Team. We trust that if you book with us, just once, you'll share this faith in Travelocity, and continue to enjoy both the peace-of-mind and low prices associated with the Travelocity Guarantee
I just didn't have "peace-of-mind" experience that night!
