Don't use "Hotel Advisor"
 

Long story short, they charged me for canceling a reservation and then failed to cancel it, resulting in my being invoice by the hotel for a "no show".

I have REPEATEDLY contacted them about making good on their error, and the only response I have received was dishonest and dishonorable.

I'd be delighted if anyone would take the time to write to Wojciech Borowy at [email protected] and tell him that you will not use their services due to his mistreatment of Mr. Jacobi with regard to the Golden Tulip Hotel Olymp. That would REALLY make my day...

In any event, DO NOT USE THESE SLUGS TO BOOK A HOTEL ROOM.

you register just to post this? We only have one side of the story and no idea if you are legit or not. Maybe it happened, maybe it didn't, and maybe somewhere in the middle. And I'm certain no sensible fodorite will e-mail them for you!

I just love these guerilla hits where someone signs on to slam something - never to be heard from again . . . .

One who makes judgments without a factual basis would hardly qualify as a "sensible fodorite".

Oh, you've posted twice by now, huh?

So, how was your problem resolved?

It was "resolved" by Hotel Advisor refusing to accept responsibility for their error (even though they admitted that they canceled the wrong reservation).

And, hopefully, you were able to get the name of the person who made that admission.

Yes, the general manager whom I named in the initial message.

Out of curiosity, I opened that website. Hotel Advisor is just a look-up site. For reservations, I got transferred to some SSL site.

There is a note of a service fee, but no total, not saying how much the credit card will be charged BEFORE giving them the number.

"Contact us" offers 2 options: e-mail through website (no e-addres!!) or call some "call center".

If an address is not posted, for me it's a red flag. Yes, the initial post is fishy, but I wouldn't use the website doesn't matter who posted what.

I made the initial reservation last October, and it seemed OK at the time: no charge until the hotel stay, no charge from Hotel Advisor (they get paid by the hotel) UNLESS you cancel.

I made the initial reservation for January 2, but my plans changed and I asked them to change my reservation to December 29.

After four days, I contacted them again, and they said that they had not received confirmation of the change from the hotel.

After another three days, I told them to simply cancel the reservation (and I made one directly with the hotel).

They sent me a confirmation that they had canceled my reservation for December 29, and I wrote them AGAIN, stating that I did NOT cancel my reservation for December 29, I canceled it for January 2.

Hotel Advisor charged me $10 for the cancellation - which I protested due to their inability to confirm a change in my reservation within a full week of asking.

I heard nothing more until the "no show" charge appeared on my credit card bill.

I have email copies from Hotel Advisor to the hotel stating that they did - in fact - cancel the wrong reservation, but they refuse to compensate either me or the hotel for the "no show" charge.

Why on earth would anyone write to Mr. Borowy on behalf of a total stranger on a message board?

Sheesh!

I feel for you as I have wondered about this sort of thing happening.
I really think you may have a case with the hotel. As the other person for whom they did cancel the reserv. did show up, have you considered following this up with the hotel?
Deny the Visa charge - make the company prove the reservation. Then hit them with your copy of the email.
Contact better business bureau or tourist bureau of the city or country involved.
Submit a claim to travel ombudsmen if your country has one.
Small claims court?
Golden Tulip Hotel Olymp. sounds big enough to have a president, lawyer, etc.
Make the hotel plead your case.
Post with Trip Advisor.

I don't quite understand the hostility expressed here to the original poster. I have also had experience with an error made by a hotel booking site that resulted in us being charged for a room we did not book. It's true that I likely would not go out on a limb to e-mail the hotel for Peidippides without having evidence of both sides of the story. However, he/she has already apparently been screwed once, and doesn't need to come here and get another beating.

He registered at 10:15 last night and immediately posted this rant. How on earth are we to know if he was cheated by hotel advisor or not?? As I said - could have happened just as he explained - or the details could be entirely otherwise.

He has since posted to a thread about electricity. So maybe he isn't a hit and run like some. But when someone logs on 5 months after the fact to kvetch - I just have my doubts.

Mary Fran wrote "I don't quite understand the hostility expressed here to the original poster."

I understand the reactions of janisj and St Cirq, the ones that I think you considered hostile. Pheidippides has no track record here and so we cannot make a reasonable judgement about how fair and accurate the report is.

From time to time one finds people who sign up to groups, post an attack on some hotel, restaurant, tour company, agency, or other service provider, and then disappear. I will grant that Pheidippides is a little more persistent than some others, and adds a bit to the first posting.

But I will not sign up a vengeance campaign led by somebody of whom I know nothing.

Welcome to Fodor's message board. Come here and ask questions before making travel decisions and your decisions will be more informed. Not perfect but better because of the amount of experience represented here.

Hotel Advisor sounds like someone wanted an address similar to Tripadvisor. Imitation always sends up red flags for me....

I posted this 5 months later because I've been doing everything within my power to fight it the entire time and really have no further hope of accomplishing anything.

I've corresponded with hotel and with the bank and with Hotel Advisor and have received no satisfaction. I'm stuck paying the credit card company, and it sucks.

I posted primarily as a warning to others. I suggested an email simply because I would love for Hotel Advisor to know that I'm reporting my experience and others are reading it.

I can understand that most people wouldn't write, and that's just fine with me.

However, my first post here had to be about SOMETHING, and I thought it may be useful to someone else.

If you wish to ignore it, simply do so.

If you choose not to believe it, so be it.

If you wish to be rude about it, that's a reflection on you and not me, so go right ahead.

Who's been RUDE? Some have legitimately questioned your authenticity, me included, but who the heck's been rude?

Seems like you're undermining yourself all over the place here. Every time I read something you write I'm glad I wasn't tempted to act on your behalf.

Sorry, dude....

Sorry, Pheidippides, both for the aggravation and expense you've obviously gone through and for the chilly reception you've received here on the board.

Did you try Robjame's excellent suggestions? Sorry you went through this.

Pheidippides - Apparently you've raised the ire of "The Club". Welcome to Fodor's. Believe me, not everyone here is so quick to condemn. I find it hard to fathom why or how the Inquisitors have time to go through the trouble of determining how many posts you've made then assuming your motives. Where I come from that IS considered rude.