Hotel: 3 different prices but charged another?
Hotel Prices
seriouslysanibel asked:
I stayed in a hotel this past weekend. When I first made the online reservation the price was $1649. I dropped a day but the total room rate changed dramatically giving me a charge of $647. After I noticed a larger pending charge on my credit card, which was eventually charged $945, the online past charges showed $1154 to be charged.
I stayed in a hotel this past weekend. When I first made the online reservation the price was $1649. I dropped a day but the total room rate changed dramatically giving me a charge of $647. After I noticed a larger pending charge on my credit card, which was eventually charged $945, the online past charges showed $1154 to be charged.
I am going to call this morning after my class but what can be done about this if not easily fixed? I have three confirmations, all with different total amounts and different room rates ($199, $329, $349), to which the $349 was what I was charged. I did not get a receipt from the hotel.
Debbie
December 31st, 2008 at 11:22 pm
next time get a receipt. which booking did you eventually use from the three. and are they all confirmed bookings? they sometimes charge you with a cancellation fee when you book and pay for a room and cancel then re-book it again. this happens even if you still stayed the same date.
January 6th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Show them the confirmation you got for the cheapest amount - and tell them that is the amount you are going to pay. You shouldn’t have to pay anything more than that. I don’t think they are allowed to increase the price without your prior knowledge. Did you read the small print before you booked? :-/
January 7th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Had that been in the UK, it would have been misleading and therefore a criminal offence. Trading Standards laws in the UK must be the strongest in the world. I don’t know how US Law is but I know it is weak. However, you could try “Contract Laws” to get a refund. If you have copies of the three confirmations, write to the hotel and inform them that they have overcharged your credit card. Inform them that you had been given confirmation that the room “IS” $199 per night and you had accepted that charge. Inform them that as the hotel has taken $954 and should have only taken $597, you request that they refund the difference with any interest charges that you may have incurred plus $100 for your inconvenience and time to process this letter. Make sure that you make it clear that unless they meet your demand, you will sue them for the difference and that would incurr more costs to them plus you will sue for damages for your stress, anxiety and inconvenience as well as any expenses including all legal and court costs. As for the receipt, your credit card statement is adequate proof of the transaction. Try to make your letter friendly, firm and demanding but not insulting. If they don’t respond, go to your courts, get the necessary forms and issue a writ against the hotel. At this stage, it would be worth tipping off the local media, that somebody is suing the hotel because it is ripping off it’s clients. Once they receive a writ and it is followed up by journalists calling, they’ll back down, guaranteed. As you have issued the writ, your first offer of your loss plus $100 compensation no longer stands. You now demand, the return of the overcharge plus $500 for your inconvenience and stress, any interest charge on the overcharge, the cost of filing the writ plus all transport costs, phone calls etc. and as a gesture of good will, to keep the case out of the the courts, you would like a further $250 as an apology. You should not only get all the money back, that went from your credit card account, you should also profit a little bit on top and justly so, as too many US companies rip off too many people and your stupid laws let them do it. Go for their blood and good luck!
January 8th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
did you sign a registration card when you checked in? typically this will have your room rate printed on it and when you sign it you are agreeing to be charged that rate. so i would request a copy of that from the hotel (not your receipt, but your signed registration card) and hope that it has the cheapest rate. If it has one of the higher ones you will probably be out of luck. But it never hurts to ask the hotel for a refund of the difference that you think you should have been charged. (Ask nicely–they are more likely to want to help someone who is nice to them!!! Trust me!) If they won’t refund anything you have the option to file a dispute with your credit card company. You will each argue your case and the credit card company will decide who is right. (Either party can also appeal a decision that the credit card company makes). If the hotel does not respond to the dispute, you will win the dispute and be refunded. I believe they have ten days or so to respond.
January 9th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Please try to obtain a receipt. Did you use a debit card to settle the charges? If you did, it might be a HOLD on the funds, not a real charge.