Hotels.com
Holiday Inn pool closed, no refund via third-party booking

I accidentally booked through hotels.com. I asked if I was speaking to the Holiday Inn they said it was a "centralized location." I just assumed it was Holiday Inn switch board or something to that effect. I was told they had a pool no problem. I get there, pool is down. I asked for a refund while my kids are standing there with all their swim stuff. I was told the hotel does not have to refund because the reservation was booked through a third party (to my surprise) (hotels.com) Further, hotels.com will not refund my money because the hotel will not refund theirs.

One would assume hotels.com books your hotel and gets some kind of kick back from the hotel. No, they charge you directly and pay the hotel! The hotel told me that hotels.com should have disclosed the pool situation. They are right. No refund, I did get 2 fifty dollar coupons for my next stay from hotels.com. In order to use these you have mail them in after your stay and they supposedly credit money back to your credit card.

SO, like an idiot, I make another reservation through hotels.com since you have to, in order to redeem the coupons. 2 hrs after I make it I try to modify it from two rooms to one. NO way, the hotel does not have to refund the money because it was made through a third party, hotels.com will not refund my money because the hotel will not refund theirs. More coupons? We will see. Moral of story, hotels.com offers no advantage only disadvantage.

If you use them, you set the hotel free of any financial responsibility to the person staying there. They do not have to deal with you because you didn't pay them, hotels.com did. You paid hotels.com. Hotels.com will not give you money unless the hotel gives them money, and they will not, because they don't have to. The only loser in the scenario is the one staying at the room (me 2x). Please do not use them, use a travel agent personally or deal with the hotel directly.

My experience is hotels can be very accommodating when they HAVE to be. Hotels.com and other companies say they guarantee lowest rate, you can get the same rate and an even better one if you can get a discount... Fact.

Company: Hotels.com
Country: USA
State: Texas
City: San Antonio
Site: www.hotels.com

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