Hotwire
Reviews and Complaints

Date: 26 July 2018
Phone No. [protected]
Hotwire itinerary: [protected]

I used the Hot Star 2.5 to do the search and at the time of booking, we had 4 options :- Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, Best Western.

On the right it says, "We partner with hotels to give you deeper discounts than standard rates. Hot Rate® Hotel names are revealed once you book".

I was of the impression that I will get to stay in one of the hotels mentioned above, however the booking was confirmed for University of Calgary Global Village. This was not even in the list of options. To me, this is a SCAM !

When called the customer service, the person who answered my call had no idea what he was talking about and was least interested in helping me. I paid approx $600 for this and now I am stuck with this hotel/campus/college for no reason.

I would appreciate a follow up on this since I will be going legal and will be filing a complaint against these Hotwire Scams.

Hotwire has become very misleading. While staying in a suite with my family including my newborn baby I was searching for a deal through Hotwire to remain at that location one more day. During my search I was advised by Hotwire to hurry up and book due to the fact that the hotel I was searching was almost sold out. However once I immediately booked like advised I realized that I'd gotten an entirely different hotel. Upon reaching out to Hotwire I explained how much of an inconvenience it would have been to try and relocate my infant to a hotel that wasn't equipped for family stay. I have been a loyal Hotwire customer for over a decade now however after being deceived by new advertising methods and receiving absolutely no compassion or help I will no longer be booking anymore stays through Hotwire.

Sonya Duffey

Hotwire Confirmation #[protected] SC Rental Car telephone # [protected]
I picked up the car from the Ontario Airport Hotel in Ontario, CA on 7/4/18. All of the seats were soiled and the floors were dirty. At the time of pick up I complained about the seats and asked if SC Rental had another car. They said there were none available. As a result, I took the car. That same day, I called Hotwire and made a complaint about how soiled the seats were. They called SC Rental and tried to resolve the matter. They were told the same thing that they told me (no cars were available). That same day, I called Hotwire again complaining about how dissatisfied I was with the car. Hotwire called SC Rental again to try to resolve the problem. Hotwire referred me back to the car rental company to see if SC Rental could resolve the problem. They said that they would not have any more cars until the next day (7/5/18). At that time, I could bring the car back and get another car. I told them that my husband was not available to bring the car back the next day because he had to attend a conference the next morning in Moreno Valley (we were staying in San Bernardino) and the rental car place was in Ontario and there was no room in our schedule to go back to Ontario to return the car. I asked if SC Rental could drop off the car to us the next morning in San Bernardino. They said that they did not provide that type of service. As a result, we kept the car. This was by far the worst car I have ever received. I am asking for a full refund and the pictures will show the reason.

I booked what I thought was a 4star hotel going by hotwire star ratings and price point and I believe this has to be a scam and my advice to everyone is not to use Hotwire. You are not getting a bargain. The hotel I got Ambassadors Bloombury London is definitely not a 4star hotel. Hotwire gave a rate of nearly $300 a night when Trivago and other sites were selling the same rooms for abot $110. For that price, I got a room that was so tiny and sparse that it could pass for a jail room. One bed, one tiny, tiny table and a single chair and that was it. The bathroom was so small, they actually leave the soap and shampoo in the room. Worse still, there is no shower tray so after you shower the floor is wet. Imagine using the toilet and your feet is on wet floors? It is so bad that you can't even sit normally on the toilet bowl as the toilet paper holder is too close to the bowl and your knee brushes against it so you have to sit side ways.
All of this and Hotwire rates this a 4 Star and charges over double what others are. It's a disgrace. This has completely ruined my holiday and experience. My advice to anyone booking with hotwire is when you express an interest in one of the hotels and you get the pop-up saying it would be one of 4 hotels, please don't book yet. Go to Trivago or other price comparison sites and check the prices there. You will find they are offering a better deal.

I booked a hotel on Hotwire in whitefish, Montana in April. On July 13, we were at the train station in Chicago ready to leave for Whitefish and got a call from Hotwire saying that we could no longer stay there because the hotel was booked. They found us a hotel 15 miles away in Kalispell, Montana. However, we now have an issue trying to get to Kalispell from Whitefish at 10 or 11 o'clock at night. They did pay the difference in what we paid and the new hotel, but It is not good business practice to call someone the day before they are to go on a trip and tell them the hotel room is no longer available. We have used them before and there was no problem, but we have not booked with them so far in advance. Hope we can get an Uber it taxi. We will never book with Hotwire again.

I am trying to sign into my account for weeks. I have called Hotwire numerous times with same answer "we don't know how to help you but we will get someone to call you back". Nobody has called back and don't seem to care.
I am a frequent traveler and have been forced to use another online service other than Hotwire. If you are interested in keeping me as a customer, please call me back and get this issue resolved.

Thanks
Dean Pepper
[protected]
[protected]@hotmail.com

I booked a room on Hotwire.com for a "Hot Rate" booking. Before I authorized the charge, it was clearly stated that

"Guaranteed hotel chain-This Hot Rate® Hotel is guaranteed to be a regional or national hotel chain. Here are few examples of chains you might get:..."

However, the hotel they booked me in is NOT a regional or national hotel chain. It is Motel M which is definitely NOT what they guarantee.

I called and asked them to honor they're guarantee and move my reservation to a hotel chain, as the guarantee stated, but they refused. The first lady I spoke to told me "even though it says guaranteed at the time of booking, it's not really guaranteed" She would not even consider looking into correcting this and only kept repeating that "hot rate booking are non refundable and cannot be modified." I then spoke to supervisor, Michaelangelo (emp #709), Who told me "yes they're guaranteed BUT if we run out of rooms then we will book you in a comparable motel that may not affiliated with any chain". However, nowhere does it say any such thing. The guarantee only says what is posted above. If I would have known there could have been a chance I would get that particular motel, I would have NEVER authorized payment. I am familiar with this Motel as I stayed there 3 weeks ago and was not happy with the rooms. There was roaches crawling up the walls, the door to the adjoining room would not lock and the vent cover in the bathroom was missing so there was a gaping hole above the toilet.

Again, all I asked was for them to honor their guarantee and move my reservation over to a national chain as they promised. I didn't care which motel it was, as long as it was a regional/national chain like the guarantee said. Michaelangelo told me since I didn't book my previous stay through Hotwire he couldn't go by my experience I had with this place, 3 weeks ago, and to "just give this Motel a chance" but still refused any refund or reservation change.

At this point I have no choice but to stay there, as they have already charged my debit card and cannot afford to pay for this room and another one.

Stay away from hotwire.. I paid in full for rental car with a travel package I got to my destination couldn't get rental car thru thrifty (stay away from too) my car was given away they had no car but of course that is not what they told us they said "our card was declined and not going thru" but a lie it worked just fine at budget and everywhere else... Anyways hotwire was supposed to issue a full refund and it's now been over a month and still no refund. Apparently it hadn't even been done, so now they say it will take 15 more days to process... So I have to wait 2 months... We shall see if I even get the refund... What a joke I called and called and got the run around, no phone calls back from managers... Beware do not use them..

Check in the hotel on June 23rd. Requests 2 weeks prior for adjoining rooms. No double beds no adjoining rooms. That evening needed blankets, pillows for the sleeper sofa. The personnel at the front desk exclaimed to my daughter"You have to come down and get it" It was not what he said but how he said it. The next day we had family day at Six flags with Union Pacific Employees weekend. All day from 9:00 am till 10:00 PM. Enter into one room pizza box from the night before. 302. Enter my room 304. Empty beer bottle, leaking ice bucket I placed on a tray in the bathroom water in it water under it. Sheets not changed. Because the blood stain from the night before from a nose bleed. OMG!😔😞😟. SAD.

I attempted to book a weekend away using hotwire. When I went to "click" which hotel I wanted my computer screen jumped and I hit the wrong property. I immediately called hotwire to correct the property. I was informed that they would have to refund me and I would have to pay for the new reservation. I agreed and specifically told the representative that I wanted to stay in the in plainview/ melville property, I described the property, price, area exactly how it appeared on hotwire's website. When I received my confirmation, I was booked in a completely different hotel, which is now a motel, in a completely different unsafe area. I called hotwire to have this issue corrected but I was informed that I would have to pay again (3rd time) in order to have a refund. I do not have any more money. I also do not have the reservation that I requested or, a safe place to stay. I just want a refund or the correct accommodations without having to pay more money which I do not have. I called every telephone number I could obtain for hotwire but nobody would give me the corporate office or even the number to customer service to obtain a refund. All I wanted was to switch the motel to the hotel in my desired area without being charged for the 3rd time. I finally, after calling 6 times, spoke with a supervisor, eric. He told me that the town I wanted (melville) did not exist and could not do nothing for me. I cannot cancel nor will they let me get the hotel I wanted. Eric was very unprofessional and hung up the phone on me. I called again and asked for the the corporate office spoke with another supervisor, amanda, and again, was given the run around. I tried to explain what was going on and she said she could not do anything for me. I am not getting a refund, and I do not feel safe with the motel that was booked without my consent. I need my money back. I believe I am a victim of bait and switch and hotwire is stealing my money by forcing me to stay somewhere I do not want to stay.

In March of 2018, I made a pre-purchased car reservation for a trip to Orlando scheduled for May of 2018. The reason that I prepurchased is because Hotwire advertised that rate as a "hot rate", and by pre-purchasing, I would be getting a rate that was better that I would get by waiting until later, or by making a reservation. Reservations were available at the time for a few dollars more per day. As it turns out, the prepaid rate was not a "hot rate" at all. I was more or less the same rate that was available almost anywhere else at the time. And as time went on, the rates got lower and lower, on your site and on others. After I made the reservation, you sent me an offer a week-and-a-half later for 20% off. I called and asked for that discount, and you refused. I then called and tried to cancel the reservation as I could see that much lower rates were available almost everywhere. Again, you refused to accommodate my request. Finally, I called (recently) to ask if I could at least get a credit of some sort from your company to use for future service, and again, your company refused.

I am extremely dissatisfied with the treatment I received from your company, and due to the way I was treated, I will never be using your site again. I will also actively be sharing me experiences with any friends or colleagues that travel so that none of them get scammed by pre-purchasing travel services on your site. Good day sir (or madam)!

Sincerely,

Michael Chance

P. S. Feel free to do something to ameliorate my concerns.

We suffered a flood at our home in MI and had serious property damage. We had to drive all the way back to Mi with our four children straight through the night. Unfortunately I checked into the hotel in NC 16 hours away and shortly after that we got the news of our house. Then left to travel back to MI. It sickens me that I spend $300 on a hotel stay that we couldn't even use. The agent was rigid and non-empathetic. The agent wouldn't give me the number of another agent nor person to contact.

I made a reservation with hotwire and also purchased protection so that I could change or cancel the reservation. I called within 15 minutes to cancel the reservation and the Customer Service person said that I purchased a hot deal and it was their policy that I could not cancel. I explained that I had purchased protection and they said that was only for medical. I told them I did not see any where that I could not cancel or I would not have made the reservation and they said that I could not cancel. I told them it had been 15 minutes and that it made not since that they would not allow me to cancel as now I would never use then again. They said it is not their policy to cancel. They said the hotel had already confirmed with them so it could not be cancelled. I told them this made no sense. How could they sell protection and not allow me to use it. How could they not allow me to cancel in less than an hour. They said they would love to help me but they can't and laughed.

I booked a reservation through Hotwire for the Le Meridian in Arlington for 3 nights. When I arrived the hotel was sold out. Hotwire had my 3 nights prepayment, did not book me at another hotel and told me I had to book myself and they would refund the money in 1-2 days. Two days later after paying a premium at two different hotels, Hotwire sends an email, today, stating I will receive an email in 5 business days. So I have had to spend more than double on hotels and still have to wait on a refund. Hotwire just lost a customer for life.

I made a reservation on Hotwire yesterday, (Jun-20), for 5 days in a Portland hotel in August. I immediately realized that I booked it for one day too many. I tried to correct w/i 24 hrs, but options I was given as a "courtesy" cost more or were too risky to accept. The "no changes/no refund" policy was clear, but seems unreasonable to me. As such, I will not be using Hotwire again. The "benefits" are not worth the risk or hassle. Kevin Kaufman.

Hotwire book me at a hotel that doesn't accept its local people.hot wire needs to takes these hotels off their list. When I arrive to my hotel to preceded to check into my hotel the manager told me that they do not accept locals. The manager at the hotel told me that there's nothing they can do i even ask to switch my hotel to another location. I tried to get my money back the manager at the hotel told me that I need to call hot wire so I call Hotwire to see can I switch my hotel I was on the phone for about 30 minutes due to high volume calls so a lady answered the phone I was explaining my situation to her to her about switching me to another hotel she told me that she could not switch me to another hotel she told me that she was going to give me a refund and it will to 24 hours receive my refund and she hangs up the phone so I call back and I got another [censored] he was not helpful at all after 24 hours I have not received my refund yet and it is now going on 2 days now this is reducles and it makes no sense at all I call back to see why my money was not on my card Hotwire told me I will have to wait 3 more days to receive my refund reduclus and I'm out of $56 of my hard working money I don't know what kind of [censored] house Hotwire running the need to get there [censored] together and treat there customers right this is not right at all I will never ever use Hotwire again if I would rate them I would rate them at a -0

I rented a car thru Hotwire on 6/18 for pickup on 6/28 and I did a mistake inputting the pickup destination. I called to correct it and they refused to change the pickup destination or cancel the reservation. I had to do a new booking at a higher rate in order to get refunded on the first booking. And my second reservation you did not allow it to be refundable. You said I would receive an email with new reservation and the refund. And I have not received either one. I need my reservation email and my refund email!

This was terrible. The hotel I booked through hotwire was being renovated. This was a Ramada that should have been closed I checked in around midnight. The place was dim when I got off on 3rd floor. The rooms had tape with numbers. The hall carpet looked like a truck drove on it. The walls had holes looked like they where putting fire boxes in. The room I stayed in had paint on floor and all on walls. The bed sagged yes I got a soar back. When attempted to call down no answer. I called first thing in morning and hot wire said there is no remodeling going on. I have pictures of this [censored] hole. Don't use hotwire!

We made a reservation and when we arrived they ran out card and said it was declined. They said they would resolve the issue since it was made on line through hotwire. We then waited 35 mins and told the hotel we were leaving. The next day we callex hotwire to inform them that we wanted to cancel that reservation since we were never checked in. The hotel said we were that to be certain to call back the next day to speak to the receptionist that supposeable checked us in. They followed up and she said she did not check us in with our card that we paid cash. How if we were never there. We then said then return the money to our card if we paid cash they couldn't do that till they spoke to another person . they then said they checked us in with cash and they had a room number we were in. We were never there so they should reverse that charge .

I have booked a hotel for 9 nights stay via hotwire - the deals - so didn't know which and was offered Baymount suite and inn in orlando florida - recent reviews are saying the stay of the hotel is wanting

I am uncomfortable staying there if the hotel is dirty as it has been reported and not fit for staying.

I would like to be offered a different hotel and not having to go there and deal with the situation

lots of reviews on this hotel are that it is in a poor state - Hotwire has a duty of care to its customers