Cindy

Urgent- Please post the telephone number for priceline.com customer service (not the automated number)

42 hours from now we will be in Los Angeles. I bid on a 4 star hotel and was notified my offer was accepted. Now, I find out that the hotel I received is only a 2 star and the rack rate is FAR LESS than what has been charged on my credit card! It has already been billed to my credit card as well. I feel like this was some type of "bait and switch". Luckily, I have the print out showing that I was bidding on a 4 star hotel....I can't seem to reach a Live Operator and just keep getting telephone prompts taking me in circles. I sent an email but haven't heard back and I'm running out of time. I've never felt so frustrated in my life.

I really need to get this resolved NOW before we leave/. If not, I guess we just really OVERPAID for a 2 star hotel and will need to take it since this is our only reservation and our credit card has already been billed. I have called directory assistance, searched the internet web site and can't find the phone number to reach a REAL PERSON. I know many swear by priceline.com (this was my first experience) so must have the phone number. The hours are ticking and I need to resolve this. HELP....please give me the phone number! I can't find anywhere that it is listed, all I get is automated prompts and I need a real person!
Thanks so much, Stressing, Cindy

Kay

Did you check to see if this hotel has misrated for others at www.biddingfortravel.com? It doesn't matter what rack rate is versus what you paid--no guarantee that you will get a lower price. It does matter if the hotel is misrated based on Priceline's standards (not AAA, Mobil, etc.)

Jim

As Kay has indicated, there is no universal star rating system in the US. Priceline has their own system and it is described on their web site. Biddingfortravel is invaluable in planning Priceline strategies, especially their lists of hotels that other people have won, which are sorted not only by city but also by neighborhood and star rating.

I think the only recourse you have is if Priceline doesn't rate this hotel as 4-star, or if you can connvince them that it does so erroneously.

Another possibility is to challenge the charge on your cc, providing documentation that Priceline did not provide what you bought (i.e., that THEY do not consider it a 4-star), based perhaps on info from biddingfortravel.

As far as I know, there is no way to reach a real person by phone at Priceline. It's one way they keep their costs down.

Frank

Below is the address, phone and Fax for Priceline's Corporate headquarters. Start at the top and work your way down. Let us know how you make out.

800 Connecticut Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06854
Phone: (203) 299-8000
Fax: (203) 595-0160

x

Can you tell us, Cindy, the hotel in question?

Jim

Cindy, Biddingfortravel.com lists the following 4 stars available via Priceline in the LA area. They ALL look like 4 stars to me with the Bonaventure and Radisson LAX a question mark. I'm curious now as to which you received.

(from biddingfortravel.com):
4 Star
Beverly Hills Hilton
Le Meridien Beverly Hills
Sofitel Los Angeles
W Westwood
Westin Century Plaza
Park Hyatt
Millenium Biltmore
Wyndham Checkers
Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites
Omni Los Angeles
Westin LAX
Radisson LAX
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
Wyndham Bel Age

John

Cindy: Calm down. Stop trying to contact Priceline. You would be wasting your time. There is no way to change or cancel your reservation. You cannot dispute the charge with your credit card company successfully. Throughout the bidding process on Priceline, you are reminded of their Terms and Conditions. You initial a box indicating that you agree with those terms and conditions before completing the bidding process. The entry on your credit card statement will read "Non-Refundable" or something like that.

I am guessing that you did not do your homework before bidding on Priceline. While many have quibbled over the star ratings, all agree that any complaints in that regard are more than overcome by the low rates.

I'm guessing that you simply overbid, or paid too much attention to the "median retail" prices for a 4* hotel when bidding, if your bid was far more than the hotel's rack rate.

Before using Priceline, you must shop extensively and do your homework. Hotel ratings vary, depending upon the source, but not usually by more than one star.

It would appear, also, that you bid on Priceline only a few days before your trip. Perhaps your desire to have your bid accepted led you to bid way too high.

I'd be real curious to know the name of the hotel, how many stars the hotel gives itself, and the amount of your bid.

Cindy

THANK YOU THANK YOU!
I got it all resolved and they apologized. I am to get a refund on my credit card. In the meantime, I booked a 4 star with hotwire.com and am very pleased (Westin in Century City area). Gotta run but just wanted to update and let you know the good news. I really thank you for your help!!! Cindy

Vicki

Happy to hear everything worked out for you. If there is some type of glitch within their system and you never "down graded to accept anything less than a 4 star, then you did deserve an apology and a refund" I would imagine there was quite a difference between a 2 star and a 4 star. By the way, what 2 star did you receive??

When companies do make errors, I have a lot more respect when they just "own up" and do the right thing as it appears they did in your case. Enjoy Los Angeles and stop stressing....enjoy! Vicki

madge

Cindy, I think it's really great that your problem was resolved. Hope you have a wonderful trip.

In light of all the helpful responses you received, could you please come back to the board and let everyone know what exactly the mixup was, so that others can be aware? In other words, what was the 2 star you were originally given, what number did you use to contact Priceline, and what steps you and they went through in order to fix your problem? Thanks.

Nani

Definite troll post. Otherwise, hotel name and price would have been revealed. No way this is a true story.

Bruce

Nani, curious as to what makes you think this is a troll posting?? Cindy mentioned that she had sent an email so perhaps she did hear back from someone. I've emailed priceline.com before and heard back within the day....also, there was a phone number and fax number supplied. Just because she didn't indicate how it was resolved, doesn't make it not so.....ALL net sites get "bugs" in them from time to time....

Janice

I agree, doesn't sound like a troll to me (will we ever know?). The reason....1) she didn't mention the hotel she received as a 2 star because there was no need...she wasn't asking for our opinion of it!
2) although most travel web sites are 99.99% acurate, there are glitches from time to time. I've read too many once in a blue moon horror stories to know that these things DO HAPPEN. 3) Priceline.com is impossible to reach an operator. Hopefully, this is part of their customer service that they will improve upon. Seems like the #1 complaint I've heard.

Hopefully, Cindy wont' chalk this one bad experience up and give them another try sometime in the future. Maybe next time she'll get lucky and bid on a 3 star and accidently get a 4 star!! Give her the benefit of the doubt...not a troll.

Gas King Mountain

Not the first time I've heard of this happening on Priceline, hotels.com, etc. Before accepting a deal on a "discount" website, check with the property to see what their rack rate is for the same stay dates. I've found on many occasions that the Priceline price was identical, or at most $10 less than the rack rate... the only difference being that instead of the normal 24 hour cancellation policy, I've now locked myself into a non-refundable reservation. Get it? I think you can all do the math to see what is going on here.

joan

Today on the radio I heard an ad for Priceline, advertising their "new policy" on hotels: they will refund 100% of the difference if you can find a lower price on a hotel they book for you. Anyone else heard this?

Mark

Priceline Best Price Guarantee Details are on their website. Curious "details" include:

Hotel Rooms purchased through priceline's "Best Price Guarantee" cannot be cancelled, changed or refunded.

Guarantee does not apply if priceline refunds or cancels rooms for any reason.

Limit one refund per household per six-week period.

TRS

It would seem that "Cindy" overbid and/or was unhappy with the hotel, not that she got a 2* rather than a 4* (because she did not mention the name of the HOTEL). Over on BFT, there is not ONE (among many thousands) post where anyone has reported this ever happening. "Cindy" also states that "in the meantime" she booked a hotel with Hotwire but does not mention the PRICE. Priceline's hotel ratings have such specific amenity listings that it is impossible to believe that "Cindy" got a 2* rather than a 4*. "Cindy" probably went ahead and booked another room with Hotwire and plans to dispute the Priceline charges on her card when she gets home.

GiveMeGiveMe

If Cindy isn't a troll, she's an ungrateful poster at least. She cries for URGENT help and many other posters reply to assist her.

When she's done with 'us', she just moves on. The least she could have done is given the hotel and price she bid as a few posters had requested this info. I won't ever bother helping Cindy in the future.

madge

Part of me is inclined to agree with GiveMeGive that Cindy is for real, but simply ungrateful.

However, before labeling her as selfish, (and I'm one of the posters who asked her to give us some more information), I looked back and noticed that she said she was leaving for LA right away. So it's more than likely that she is away right now. And she did come back and say "thank you" which is more than many other posters do.

So, I'm willing to give her a chance to come back and give some more information. (And if she doesn't, THEN I'll call her ungrateful!)

Vicki

Yikes, what a tough crowd!

When I read her "thank you" posting (probably written as she was running out the door), I thought just the opposite....what a class act gal to take the time to thank everyone!