Hotwire review: Worst experience 69

I was billed twice for the same service of changing the date of an airline ticket. I was unable to get an answer on multiple calls. I then got an answer and was told that this would be rectified in 72 hours. Nothing happened. I called back and put on hold multiple times for about a 30 minute wait on the phone altogether. I was then told I needed to fax a credit card statement for their review before any decision would be made. I consider this very poor customer service and wouldn't recommend this company to anyone.

so they should just give you free money just because you said it happened

personally you should be thankful that they are going the extra mile to help you

Checked Hotwire.com for ticket prices to Guatemal from LAX for two seniors. Their site said Mexican had just what we wanted, dates and times for $300 per person round trip. Called my travel buddy next day and we agreed to purchase.

Next day Hotwire told us airline had raised prices by $100 per person round trip. We foolishly believed them and booked the flights.

This was all at the end of December, 2017. Curiosity caused me to check with Mexicana Airlines (on which we were booked) and saw that their price was still at the $297 round trip per person. I asked if they had raised their price since the end of December and January 15, 2017 and they said NO.

Called Hotwire and they said rates change all the time and no refund or adjustment could be made.

THEY LIED. I CAUGHT THEM. FRAUD! RIPOFF!

My wife and I are going to Florida in two weeks. We live in PA and were looking forward to going to Florida to lay out by the pool and catch some sun. After booking my hotel with Hotwire I get a hotel with an INDOOR POOL. Now this is southern Florida, Fort Myers, not the northern section. They mislead me by having the Pool icon on thier listings and now me and my wife are stuck in a room with a pool and a hot tub. They will do nothing and I am on the hunt to speak to the office of the president.

I booked a hotel reservation on this website to stay in a town called Maple Grove, Mn. After I made payment, the website booked my hotel in another town, Brooklyn Center. I spoke with 3 customer service "agents" and sent an email without any resolution. The response by the telephone agents was that Brooklyn Center was "close" to Maple Grove.

This is a very misleading and unfair way to conduct business.

I was booking a holiday inn express in a VERY small town in Florida(Brooksville).Never dreaming there could be two. I caught the mistake a few days later and tried to just exchange hotels, both holiday inn express, same town . I was given their standard "all sales are final" speech and that It is all in there fine print. This was not a small amount. The total came to $747.40. They will not even consider a partcial
anything. They keep repeating the same "partners" agreement. I think two holiday inn express in brooksville florida, population 7600, would have "partners" that share customers.
Please be Very sure you need hotwire before you book. I really think they are theives.

Hotwire sucks - I b0oked three rooms for $76 at the Chicago Hilton for 2 nights only to find out they were going to charge me $43 per day, per motorcycle to park. Hotwire would not assist at all. There was no way for me to know astronomical fees would be racked up for crap like parking to make up the difference for the rooms. I can't wait to get there since I can't cancel the reservation and see what is waiting for me. First time with Hotwire last time with Hotwire. Thieves and liars is all they are. I have talked to 2 people who just repeat the same crap over and over but no customer service is available at all. Book anywhere but HOTWIRE! Crooks. There is a reason you can't see the hotel before you book it. $18 dollars a day to use a treadmill? $43 a day to park, glad I only booked 2 days and will be the hell out of Chicago. Won't go back, guess the governor spread around a little ethics while in office. Hilton would not help and would not refund Hotwire was the story to I got from HW. Work with legitmate companies and research your hotels before. If you can't don't fork over the money.

When booking with Hotwire in the past for hotels I always received a reputable brand as promised. Recently I was booking a three star hotel in Chicago and received the South Loop Hotel. I complained to Hotwire and they would not make any changes only stating that they inspected the property yesterday and was satisfied that they are a reputable brand. I will not use there service in the future because they do not honor their gurantees when it comes to booking a branded hotel versus a non branded one.

Hotwire's hotel rates are not "real" What they do not tell you about, until you have booked the stay, are the "tax recapture" and other fees.

For my 4 nite stay in Washington they charged me, without telling me in advance,
92.90 in fees.

I will not use them again

Perhaps if you were to book directly through the hotel you'd find out all of the extra costs and/or free inclusions. I've learned my lesson before and now only book directly through the hotel. Companies like Hotwire will tell you anything to get the sale...sad truth.

This company is a real rip off. I called hotwire while reserving a car as I had some questions regarding their fees. I was told that if you use a debit card there is a fee, however, if you use a major credit card the fee is slim to nothing. So I go ahead and reserve my car and when I go to pick it up. Boom, the sale is declined. Mined you they charged me for the rental already. The lady told me I was declined for the hold and I was just flabberghasted that now I have a hold. The hold was a huge amoutn. The agent said that the hold varies and runs from $200-$500 dollars. So, I leeft without a rental. Called hotwire and was told I couldn't get refund. I was told they don't know how much holds will be so they are not able to share this information. So if they don't know how are we to know.

This is a complete scam and they are rip-off artist. I would never use their service again. I am willing to help start a class action suit. If any one else wants to jump on board let's do this.

cant tell what motel u get until pay. thot it would be days inn, la quinta, or comfort. was microtel that was filthy. have stayed in other micros that were fine.

this one had messy lobby, filthy carpets in elevator and hallway. tdrapes were hanging loose and dirty. sheets unchanged and dirty.

took one look at room and walked off. reported this to microtel too.

are there any class actions currently pending against hotwire. seem to be a lot of bad experiences, deception, bait and switch and fraud.

Hotwire sent me e-mail announcing reduced rates for the period in which I was interested. When I clicked through to the website the rates were nearly twice as high, as they had been a few hours earlier. There had been no change to the website.

About two hours later Hotwire sent me another e-mail announcing rates of $12.95 per day. I was online less than 5 minutes after the e-mail. Again, when I clicked through to the website the rates were nowhere near what the e-mail announced.

I believe Hotsire promotes rates that do not exist. I cannot believe their explanations about how then rates have changed (and their websites were revised) in less than 5 minutes.

Yes! i agree with you 100 per cent they are a big ripoff, they are a Hot wire alright rigged to take your money, i placed reservation for a car and my Neice was listed as the driver, and i gave them my credit card and they took money off my card when i got to the rental place i was told i couldn't get the car because the account was in my Neice name but i paid for the card, and they f---- up the spelling of my name, called them and tried to get a refund cause i didn't get a car, a total waste of time and money yes they need a class action lawsuit against them.

Girlfriend and I booked a hotel using Hotwire.com for a huge concert in Chicago. Day later we find out the concert is moved up a date because of Aerosmith cancelling their tour. We asked for a refund on our hotel since it was on the wrong Date and they told us we give no REFUND!? This is a piece of ### business that rips the customers off like no other. So now we have to pay for a hotel that were not even going to use. Hotwire needs to be taken down.

Part of the deal of getting the cheap rate is you can not cancel. It says this in a few places. Do not book reservations that you can not cancel if you do not want this to happen.

Made a hotel reservation thru hotwire. Checked out a day early due to personal circumstances.
Hotwire would not refund me the one day or give me a credit for a future stay. Will never use this service again. Will book directly with the hotel. Also this was listed a 3.5 out of 4 star property. It was not. It is a regular median level hotel. Almost a residence inn. Actually the 2nd word is inn. And the rooms are small. It seems they inflated the prices and what I paid was the actual value.

I just arrived in san diego to attend my daughters college graduation from ucsd. I booked a room at the st. James hotel. Ramada hotwire called this a 3 ½ star hotel. That’s a real joke. They should be embarrasssed. Doesn’t anyone go out and look at these ratings. I don’t mind older well maintained hotels, but this one doesn’t even have a newer elevator. Getting in the elevator with my suitcase was even hard. The elevator is about 6 foot long and 3 feet wide and has a metal gate that you have to hold open while you try and wrestle with your bag and then shut thoroughly. That’s a real joke. The stairs were no better, two people could not walk up the stairs together. I get in after traveling from jfk to san diego and it’s now 2:00 a. M est (Okay only 11:00 p. M pt.) my daughters are with me. I booked a room with 2 beds, only one bed available and then I go and look at the room. Three of us couldn't even stand in the room. (Room 818) this was a 10 x 10 room with a bathroom that was 3 feet wide by 8 foot long. Three of us couldn't even stand in the room. While two of us were in the room, my other daughter had to stand out in the hallway, from the entrance door to the bed was less then 4 feet. From the end of the bed to the bathroom is 2-3 feet. And lets give you the bathroom the sink is at one end and the shower at the other with a door entrance in-between. If you leave the bathroom door open, you don’t know there’s a shower there. (Btw, thanks to cells phones, I took pictures) there were noisy parties going on in the rooms on both sides of me. Heard from the valet that this is a party hotel frequented by the marines. Btw, parking is $10.00 if you park in the lot next door, but if the hotel parks you in the same lot it's $20.00. I had no place to even put my suitcase in the room (Couldn't even lie it down and open it up). I’ve had master bedroom closets bigger then this room. I guess they expected me to share a bed with my adult children. The hotel staff don't care. They tell you that it’s each persons preference in hotels. Why not, they use hotwire as a way to shake down their guests traveling to san diego they had no other room (According to them). I wound up leaving and going to my other daughters condo. Now the kids got to sleep on the couch and i’m out $352.00 dollars. I had booked for two nights and I didn’t even stay for one. They also make you sign a waiver before you even check in saying that you are aware that this is in a party district and it could be noisy. I expected noise from the street not from the guestrooms with all night parties. When they handed me the note, I asked if I could cancel my reservation then, and they told me since I had booked through hotwire, they wouldn't refund me anything. Hotwire setting me up in a hotel that should be down on their list as a 1 star. I trusted their ratings, and this should not be rated the way it is. So here's to three strikes and an out.. Didn't get the room I booked, wound up in a closet with a queen bed, wound up with noisy parties on both sides of me. Wound up not even staying in the hotel and out $352.00.

And no one answers the phone at hotwire so they'll be no satisfaction there either. This is only the second time i've been in ca but this will keep me away longer.

Ratings are given according to what hotels offer. If a hotel offers high speed wireless or complimentary breakfast, they automatically get a 2star rating, no matter what their rooms look like. I've been at my hotel for 11 years and I have not once seen someone from any of the booking companies "checking us out" like they show on tv. Go to hotel websites, look at pictures and read reviews to find something that you won't feel like you are wasting you money on.

I purchased a hotel booking through Hotwire and found that the hotel I was booked through had a better rate than Hotwire guarantees. I contacted them to ask them what I could do considering what I found. I was told you have only 48 hours to make a complaint to get a refund and they would not make any exceptions. I am in sales and our company never tells a customer no without any consideration especially if we are in the wrong. I spoke with 2 representatives and was not able to get a contact for anyone higher than the customer services supervisor. I emailed a complaint letting them know it has nothing to do with the money but the principal and I would never use there services and I would take an active stance at getting there name out to the public. They do not have the lowest rates and I have proof.

I recently booked a combination flight/hotel to LasVegas with Hotwire. Moving through the process, I selected the flight times and hotel and was given a final total price. I submitted my credit card information, printed the confirmation information then pressed "submit". The next screen confirmed the same hotel and flight but a higher price than the previous screen...$135.00 more for the exact same information I had just been given. I contacted Hotwire who explained that the flight is in "real time" and the price could change instantly. Now really, do you think the price changed in the 30 seconds it took for me to press the submit button? It's the old "Bait and Switch". Give you one price then charge your credit card with another. I was very upset...and still am! Obsolutely nothing was done to change the price. I will never use Hotwire again. No other company I have used in the past has switched prices.

Hotwire had us billed a month after they canceled our reservations (due to some undivulged dispute w/ Hotel, ) and then cashed the $1300 check we sent, and never informed us that the reservations no longer existed. We only found out 6 months later because we called the hotel to see about extending our stay. Now we are scrambling to find some sort of sanely priced accommodations for the Vancouver BC Olympics and wonder if Hotwire will ever send us our money back.

I ended up paying much more for the hotel I booked through Hotwire than if I'd just booked the hotel direct.

And be warned - the Hotwire 'double the difference' guarantee isn't worth a damn.

Full details of my experience here:

http://hotwirescam.blogspot.com/

I have used Hotwire a few times before when travelling in the states, and been happy that I 'got what it said on the tin'.

However, when recently booking a hotel in central London, I ended up paying MORE than if I'd booked the hotel direct.

I wasn't initially worried as I believed that the 'double the difference' refund guarantee would resolve the problem.

Did it? Well - read the whole story here:

http://hotwirescam.blogspot.com/

I booked a room in Orlando Florida for two nights, 1 adult 2 children. Hotwire put us in 1 King Size bed. My 12 year old son and 10 year old daughter don't want to sleep with each other let alone me. Hotwire would not fix the situation, but for an additional charge we could upgrade at the Hotel. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. I'll never use them again. They can kiss the commission goodbye on the 11 rooms for 9 nights I need in April

Hi,

I have booked car from hotwire and my plans got changed and i canceled my car rental and I was expecting m funds back. I was under impression that if I canceled I dont need to pay but hotwire.com was simple taken my 77.05 $ and saying that if you cancel also dont pay you back. I was feel so bad about this hotwire.com.
can you please help me some one.

Thanks

I called to change my flight on Continental. They explained all the change charges and I said fine. They then said someone from the "change" department would have to call me back. Someone did two days later and I could not get to the phone in time. They left no return number and said they would call back in 36 to 72 hours.

48 hours later - no call. I finally called Continental directly and rebooked with them.

It cost me $35 more but was worth not waiting for a callback.

Does Hotwire think its customers have nothing to do but wait around for a telephone call.

Stayed in Calgary at holiday Inn that was a 3 plus. What a joke room was in basement the two beds would hold two kids not two adults with two small children. The hotel was suppose to be remodeled well if this is remodeling they got took. The carpet was worn out the doors didn't fit. Then its in the lowest possible spot in Calgary. Come on what the heck did the two star look like. We basically didn't stay just locked the door and got the hell out of their. Oh yea a rat trap outside the back door. YEA YEA. and when I complained to hot wire sorry but you booked it. Yea you guys made a 100 off me once never ever again. Its a joke company with a joke system. I travel lots so this was last stop in two week stint on road. and what a dive. Hot wire help to me was so sorry you booked it . Thanks you crooks.

Hotwire cost me $700 due to an oversight on their behalf! Do not use them they will not reimburse you for anything even if it is their fault!

On dec. 8th 2017 hotwire sent me an email regarding a cancellation of the first in my connecting return flights home from barcelona to madrid. The original flight from barcelona to madrid on aireuropa at 7:00am was now cancelled. So on dec. 9th I called hotwire after receiving the email from them and spoke to their customer service rep who did some checking and informed me that the new time was now going to be 9:10am from barcelona to madrid. He then sent an updated email to me showing me my old itinerary and the newly updated itinerary with the 9:10am flight. I asked him will hotwire notify me of any other changes/cancellations to my flights and he told me yes, and to just check my email for any other change notifications.

I checked for changes up until the night before the departing flight home (Feb 27) and never received anything. So still thinking the departing flight was at 9:10am I arrived to the barcelona airport to my check-in gate at 7:30am for the 9:10 flight (Plenty of time, 15 years of flying and I have never missed a flight). Aireuropa then informed me that the 9:10 flight had been changed back to 7:00am and they had no other flights to madrid that would get me there in time for my connecting flight from madrid - philadelphia. Apparently aireuropa changed the flight back to the 7:00am flight in late december and aireuropa told me all travel agencies were notified.in order to make the remaining connecting flights I was forced to purchase 2 tickets from iberia airlines @ 220 euro each ($700 approx).

I have explained to hotwire the above situation, talked to clark howard on the radio, and sent letters to hotwire's marketing executives to get an answer. My letters are always returned and their customer service refuses to give me any money back.

After trying to talk to Hotwire 3 times about this, nothing was done so this is the email I sent them...
I understand that companies have polices and guidelines, but with what I dealt with today, I believe its time to review your policy when it comes to cancellations or trip changes. I made reservations through HotWire for a trip to Chicago July 5-7 to see the group U2 at Soldier Field. Because the lead singer Bono had to have emergency back surgery, the entire North American Tour which was to open in Salt Lake City June 3 has been postponed. I have no reason now to make my trip to Chicago. When I tried to cancel my reservation, I was told that because of your policy a refund would not be possible. When I suggested if I could change the name on the reservation so the trip would not be wasted, I was told that would not be possible. Your people made no effort what so ever to help me. THAT IS TOTALLY STUPID!
I had no control of what was going on with the band and feel that I should be given the chance to cancel my reservation and given a full refund. After positing what happened to me on U2.com, others posted back how they had no trouble getting a refund from their hotel. It's time for HotWire to learn what good customer service is and try going the extra mile to keep customers using there site. I however will never again use HotWire. Your nothing but a common thief who allow people to use your site for trips and don't give them a chance to cancel or change should something come up especially in this case since I had no control over it. Basically all your company does is steal people's money. I have no idea how many people used your company to reserve hotels for this tour and now you have made when hell of a profit from us. Hope you are all very happy about the service you provide. I'm sorry you don't provide a service do you other than the service of screwing others.

*run for the hills from hotwire* it is evil, pure evil!

I entered all my info, cc info then decided before I actually clicked purchase that I would first check priceline to see if I could get a better rate. Short version, priceline did have a better rate - so I exed out of hotwire, without clicking to purchase, and when I went to my email inbox I had a flight confirmation email awaiting me. Apparently if you click on "I read terms and conditions" that is actually approving charges and not the button to purchase flight.

It took me almost 2 and a half hours, 5 phone calls etc to get this charge taken off my credit card! I was livid.in 15 years of internet purchases this was my first encounter with internet fraud. And, I thought hotwire was a legitimate business. Finally the supervisor did the right thing and took it off, but I had 2 other supervisors, a few in the philippines, and 2 customer service reps refuse.

Never never never will I even so much at look at hotwire...

I booked a 2 nights hotel for my New York City trip a few days ago with a 3 stars hotel for $159 per night + taxes. I called hotwire today to extend my booking for 1 more night, they told me they can not do anything for me. I know I can not do any cancellation or refund, but I did not know I can't even extend my booking. OK, I accept the fact, and try to make another reservation online again, knowing that I would not getting the same hotel. I found a 4 stars Hotel listed under New York Downtown Soho for $159 + taxes. I typed in my visa card information and agreed all the terms (of course including acknowledge the non-refundable term). After I completed everything, I did not received any confirmation. I called Hotwire about 1 hour later, the associate can see my new booking, visa card, hotel information & grading in her computer, but she told me that type of hotel is already fully booked, that's why they never sent me the confirmation. I spent 30 mins talked to the supervisor "Tonia", she kept saying sorry but...she cannot offer the same grade hotel with the same price range to me, the only offer closer would be $279 + taxes. I told her that's totally unfair, when I type in all my visa information accepting their non-refundable term, I thought it's a mutal agreement/ contract, blinding both party, why they still have a chance to get out the agreement after receiving our credit card information? The funny thing she said to me is we did not charge to your credit card yet! I think we all know the secret now- after you give them your credit card information, you can not get out of the deal BUT HOTWIRE CAN GET OUT THE DEAL AT THEIR WILL.

Hotiwre's (I found out it is known as HotLiar with people who do travel for a living) rating system is internal and not considered acurate to the industry's standard. You can get the same or better price at any other travel site, and know where you are staying, or what you are renting, flying, etc, before they take your money.

If you see a HotLire star rating, take at least 1/2 point away from ther B.S. rating. If you do this and compare prices on other sites, you will see HotLiars prices are the same or higher 99% of the time.

I was taking a class in college and for a paper in our business practice and ethics class, decided to test the HotLiar site as a personal reference. I paid $1.00 more for the same room that all other site had listed. HotLiar clamied it to be a 2.5 star room, in fact all other sites including the hotel's own webiste had it listed a a 2.00 star place.

I have since made my report to others in my class and all others in my contact list. HotLiar has the right as a business to do what they do, and I imagine they have a deal or two for someone... just no one I was able to come in contact with.

Remember, take off AT LEAST 1/2 star rating from their site before comparing prices.

We booked a double bed room for two nights through hotwire.com for our party of 4. When checking in, the hotel informed us that they were overbooked and didn't have any two beds room available, as it was late 2:00 am in the morning we accepted an extra rolling bed to spend the first night. Next day we tried to get the two beds room and got they were still unable to provide one, so we decided to check-out since we were not sleeping comfortable in this hotel. When we called hotwire the informed us that we were not receiving a refund for the night that we didn't use because a:) we should be calling them when we arrived to the hotel and found the issue with the two beds not available so they could help us and b:) the hotel didn't document this issue, the most they could do for us is to do a credit for $25 for the "next" time we use the hotwire. My recommendation for all of you: DO NOT USE THIS JOKERS, they won't stand for "their customers" they will such your money and that is it.

What a joke! I used Hotwire to book a room in Calgary for "up to 50% off" and Hotwire got me such a LOUSY deal...they saved my $2.00! Wow, I could have just gone to the hotel's website myself. I called Hotwire's "customer" service (that's a joke) and they explained that they only guarantee the "lowest daily rate". Right, you saved me $2.00 Hotwire. Nothing can be done. I sure won't use this website again.

Booked a 3 1/2 star hotel in Sugar land Texas...Hotwire gives us a old Embassy Suites (now a Crowne Plaza) about 10 miles away...this place is musty, old, in need of many, many repairs...food is bad and very expensive...$25 for a below average breakfast buffet ...called Hotwire to complain and got nothing from them...they said they never looked at the properties ...just looked at what others rated the property...says to me that they did not send anyone out to see if this place is a dump or not...will stick with Priceline...

I actually just booked a hotel on hotwire that was suppose to be a 3 star and I recieved a 2.5 star room. Every website states that this is a 2.5 star room. I don't know how they get by with saying it's a 3 star.

I booked a flight 3 weeks in advance with hot wire from san diego, california to st. louis, missouri it was only $340 which was good. My boss recently sent me to phoenix to work so I need to change this flight. I called hotwire and change the flight from phoenix to st. louis and they said they would charge me %150 plus air difference..I was charged $520, so a $340 flight ended up costing over $700 dollars.. I recieved a new email with my new flight plans, and noticed that the new charge was pending in my bank account...I looked the next day and it was gone and was never charged. Im wondering if they will charge me the extra for this flight or I will have problems when i get to the airport.

HotWire makes a point of being a completely inflexible with regards to their policies. Don't use this company ever. I had booked a room that showed $241.50 as the price for two nights. Once you find out the hotel you're staying in, you get the beautiful information that its a resort with a $30/day fee attached to it. So really you pay $301.50, which is higher than some other comparable rooms on sites like Priceline that WILL give you a refund.
And in case you're wondering this is a subsidiary of Expedia. You will get the same terrible treatment with expedia.com and hotels.com. Protect your money. Use Priceline or Orbitz.

Yes, man. I just went thru the same thing with $117.17 for car rental, that I didn't even use, because I have to cancelled my trip. And my bank couldn't do anything about it. Basically, Hotwire robbed me and my bank allowed that to happen. I hope, people read this message, aware and help us to put Hotwire out of bussiness.