Complain about a product or service

Priceline - Hotels

Marco of Rancho Santa Fe, CA November 18, 2009

CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST PRICELINE FOR DECEPTIVE PRACTICES WITH HOTEL RESORT FEES: I am a long term customer, using Priceline at least 5 times per year, and 4 times in the last month I booked a 79 room at Treasure Island. I arrived to find out that there is a MANDATORY 20 resort fee. I do not wish to purchase any of these services. The front desk will not give me a key unless I purchase these services.

I complained to Priceline customer services. After getting nowhere with the CSR, I asked for a manager, and go nowhere with Patrick, employee 526 0111. I looked online, and found lots of other consumer complaints. I have been a good Priceline Customer for 2-3 years now, and I will NEVER use their service again. I would NOT complain if the fee had been disclosed up front, or was part of my bid, but this is totally [wrong]...SOMEONE NEEDS TO SUE PRICELINE, AND POSSIBLY THE HOTELS ENFORCING THE FEES!

20 PER NIGHT ADDED TO A 79 PER NIGHT ROOM. THAT IS A 25% INCREASE, WITH NO DISPUTE RESOLUTION! PRICELINE RESERVATIONS ARE NOT CANCELLABLE.

Lisa of Marietta, GA November 14, 2009

I went online to find a hotel in either one of two places about 20 miles apart. I saw on the left where they had 'prices from'. I clicked on next and they asked me the dates. When I plugged in the dates one place had 49.99 and another 69.00. This was higher than what the posted 'from' price was so I called Priceline. There call center, by the way, is not in the United States. The guy at priceline told me that in one area the cheapest was 69 and in the other area it was 49.99. Well, I went ahead and called the place that he said was 69 and the hotel confirmed that was their lowest price. I did not take the time to call the second place because I assumed that if one place verified his price he must be telling the truth and the first place that I called was actually my preference. I had to have a hotel in one of the areas so I went online and booked the 49.99.

I get to the hotel and they tell me that they rent rooms for 48.99. I was very upset. I told the woman that I would call priceline and get it straight. I called the next day as I did not even check in until about 7:30 p.m. When I called I was told that I had to call before I checked in or there was no possibility of any reimbursement. So, I am out the difference as 38.99 was cheap and I certainly would not have purchased knowing that I could drive in and get it 11.00 cheaper - that would be just crazy. I hate dealing with customer service out of the United States of America and I will not do so anymore. This company needs to be put out of business. Expedia has been good to me but I wanted to give priceline a chance and I wanted to try and find the cheapest price. So much for that!

Susan of Advance, NC November 4, 2009

I went to Priceline.com in Sept. to get a hotel for a family get together in Washington, DC. I was told by my family that they were getting hotels directly in the Dupont Circle area and that that's where I needed to be. I went to Name Your Own Price and there are blocks you check to designate the area you want to be in. I checked "Dupont Circle". I named my own price. What I got was a hotel in a different area, more than a mile away.

I immediately called Priceline but to no avail. I emailed. The next day I called 10 or more times and threatened to get an attorney and they did refund PART of my money back, but kept 105.00 of MY money. It was their mistake - not mine. They should refund it all. And to top it off, they wouldn't even work with me about letting me use that 105.00 against another room.

They are so crooked. They just take innocent citizens'money. Do not deal with them. Deal directly with the hotel or with Travelocity, Expedia or one of those. Priceline is the crooked company. The economic damage is 105.28. The emotional damage - well I didn't even get to go to the family reunion because of Priceline. All of this upset me so much. I don't have a job and to lose 105.00 is a BIG deal to me. It's been very upsetting.

DURGAPRASAD of REDMOND, WA October 26, 2009

I booked a air & hotel package on priceline.com. Total package cost was cheaper for the hotel (Cottonwoods Resort) compare to others. After arriving at hotel, they said they will charge 10 per day as resort fee. If you add that, once can get a upgraded hotel without any additional fee.

I think priceline and their travel partners are squeezing customers without any advance notice on additional fees like this. I called priceline, they said they can't do anything.

Mary of Rose City, MI October 25, 2009

I reserved a 3 night stay at the Tradewinds for 3 nights, Priceline got me a price of 75.00 a night, but when I checked the motels web-site I found out they charge a extra 25.00 each day for phone calls, which I have my own cell phone, towels,beach and on and on with things everyone else expects to get with the room. They took my money, refuse to reimburse even a penny, was very nasty stateing over and over again that I accepted this room

JAMES of ROUND O, SC October 23, 2009

I went on Priceline to book a room in isle of Palms a specific hotel and they booked a room 9 miles away. When I tried to cancel they said that couldn't be done. Well, I finally got a cancellation after threats, but am still out of monies. They snateched out of my bank and now they won't put it back.

Why can't something be done with this company. They are a scam. The room was 75.00 and they took 93.21 out of my account. Why can't the consumer affairs put a stop to companies like these especially in these times when the economy is bad and people don't have the money to throw away. I had booked a room for my wife's and our anniversary on Saturday, but now we want be able to go because priceline has my money.

Sharron of SAn Francicsco, CA October 21, 2009

Bait and Switch on Hotel Rating Level of Trump tower in Las Vegas. I love how the Trump did not appear as an option when we were looking at 5 star hotels in Vegas. I have looked at various other sites Hotwire and Expedia and the Trump is listed as a 4-star. We both know what you are up to with the bait and switch. I am going to be blogging along with friends about my experience. If this appeared during our search and we received the Trump and if other companies listed the Trump as a 5 star then I would agree I would need to live with it, but we both know this was dishonest. I will never use your service again and will deter others as well.

Lisa of San Jose, CA October 17, 2009

I used the "Name Your Own Price" feature after hearing about Priceline from a friend. I already had a refundable hotels.com reservation for my 3-night stay in London for 120/night, but I just wanted somewhere reasonably clean and safe to stay, so I was hoping I could get something cheaper via Priceline. Since I knew Priceline was nonrefundable, nonchangeable, I planned to cancel my hotels.com reservation if I found something cheaper on Priceline. I submitted an 81 bid on Priceline and the website came back with a confirmation page congratulating me on reserving a 179/night hotel.

I called customer service twice, and they kept insisting that I had accepted their counteroffer by signing the contract page. However, I never saw the contract page for 179 (only for 81), and could not find any trace of this supposed page on my browser history. The customer service representatives were no help, only able to repeat that "you initialed this page and it indicated to us that you understand the reservation is non-changeable and non-cancellable." I tried to explain multiple times that I did not authorize the 179 transaction, but the representatives just kept repeating the contract agreement. Since a contract is not valid unless both parties actually agree to it, I believe this is an error or even fraud on the part of Priceline.

Joe of Stockbridge, GA October 15, 2009

Priceline is useless and risky! I have used Priceline in the past and been pleased with them, but not this time. I used Priceline to purchase a hotel room for 3 nights for my wife and her friend in Las Vegas. Even though it is my understanding that when you pay Priceline, the full price has been paid, the hotel (Trump Hotel) added a 15/day resort fee plus taxes. My wife complained to the hotel but they wouldn't do anything about it.

I called Priceline to complain actually expecting them to do something about this, but they said that during the process of buying the room, I agreed to accept the hotel being able to add fees. Maybe I did, who knows. But even assuming that to be true, Priceline is a complete risk and with that policy makes it completely unusable. You have no idea prior to purchase who the hotel will be, and they can add any fee they want? How does that allow me to name my price? I agreed to a certain amount per day, but Priceline allows the hotel to add any fee they want thereby nullifying the deal I got. What if the hotel wanted to add a 200/day fee? They could do it according to what I supposedly agreed to. That makes their sales slogan "Name Your Own Price" a fraud. False advertizing if you ask me.

Larry of Lawndale, NC October 5, 2009

Booked a room through Priceline for 96.97. On arrival hotel (Comnfort Suites, Morristown, TN) desk clerk advised that regular rate would have been 65 (+ change), but I had already paid priceline. Contacted priceline the follwing Monday, was advised, "There is no option to refund you the difference." Will never use Priceline again.

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