I booked a dream holiday with a friend to drive The Blue Ridge Parkway. As we had a long haul flight with a flight change in Washington, we decided to book one night at the Days Inn at Roanoke Airport before collecting our car the following day when we would be fresh from a nights sleep.
I booked our accommodation through "hotelclub.com" where we could build up points. I paid for this by credit card over the internet and was given a booking ID number and confirmation voucher. It clearly stated that the Confirmation Voucher should be printed off and shown at reception when checking into the hotel. We followed the instruction implicitly.
However, when we arrived at the hotel, although they had our booking, they told us that they had not received the PIN number from hotelclub.com in order to recieve payment. As a precautionary measure they asked to have a copy of my credit card, but would not charge it. Although I wasn't happy about this, they would not give us the key to our room until I had done this.
They phoned hotelclub.com to try to obtain the PIN number they required, but there seemed to be some difficulty. Reception then told us to leave the matter with them and to check the following morning with reception that it had been sorted out. Sure enough, it had not. The Manager then phoned hotelclub.com again and tried to get the number required. Hotelclub.com gave all manner of excuses such as "the system is down". We had to wait around the hotel for an extra hour to try to get this sorted out, but to no avail.
We then went to the airport to collect our car in the hope that when we returned all would be sorted. No. Between myself and the manager at the hotel, we then spoke to hotelclub.com on the phone for another half an hour with no solution. However I was assured by the hotel that my credit card would not be charged. We left the hotel some 3 hrs later than planned and lost valuable time on our driving holiday.
Upon our return to the airport 2 weeks later, we went back to the hotel to check that my credit card had not been charged. The receptionist supposedly looked on their records and told me it had not. Going away somewhat relieved, we returned to the UK.
However, upon receipt of my credit card statement, sure enough, the Days Inn in Roanoke had charged the room (which I had already paid for through hotelclub.com) to my credit card.
Over two months later, I am still trying to get back the overpayment. Hotelclub.com asked for a copy of my credit card statement as proof. I sent this to them. They are now asked for a copy of the receipt from Days Inn. I do not have one as they said they would not charge me. I have phoned and e-mailed them to send me a receipt, but I still have not had one.
My advice, don't book through hotelclub.com.
Karin
London
United Kingdom
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