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Hotel booking through Hotwire, not as described

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  • 06-05-2013 3:31pm
    #1
    simonw
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I booked a triple room in Salthill through hotwire for 2 nights, as the description on the site stated explicitly that there was free breakfast included in the booking with this hotel. I made the booking and contacted the hotel with another enquiry. They mentioned that the booking was room only, and that breakfast would be 12.50 pp per day, meaning an extra 75 euro on top of what I had paid. Had I gone straight to the hotel I could have gotten the room and breakfast for about 35 euro cheaper than what I am now paying.

    I contacted hotwire to clarify, and they apologised, but told me the only options they could give me were to keep the booking and get $50 off my next booking through them as a goodwill gesture, or a "refund and re-book", meaning they would refund me for that booking, but I then have to re-book through them with the same search criteria as the original booking.

    Hotwire only have one hotel listed in salthill, so if i accept this "replacement", i will just be rebooked into the same hotel, with no breakfast, which has gone up a few euro since I made the original booking. (It also still shows up as having a free breakfast included... so it still wouldn't be as described)

    Under consumer law, is that a legitimate replacement/remedy?

    Thanks


Comments

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    #2
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    The "no warranties" section of their T&C would seem to cover them. Any advertised services are not guaranteed.


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    #3
    emeldc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,597 ✭✭✭emeldc


    That sounds like a nice little <SNIP> alright. Wait until this thread is a few pages long and send it on to them.

    In fact it's a wonder they don't tell you that there's a 4 course meal and a bottle of wine included as well.


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    #4
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    athtrasna wrote: »
    The "no warranties" section of their T&C would seem to cover them. Any advertised services are not guaranteed.
    I disagree with that interpretation. A room with breakfast included is a fundamentally different offer from a room-only deal.

    The best defence that Hotwire can use is error (the worst being fraudulent misrepresentation). Error would free them and OP from contractual obligations. The appropriate action for Hotwire to take is to make a full refund of OP's money.


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    #5
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    P. Breathnach wrote: »
    . The appropriate action for Hotwire to take is to make a full refund of OP's money.

    And that is what they offered. A mistake - case closed.


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    #6
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Melody Glamorous Waistline wrote: »
    And that is what they offered. A mistake - case closed.

    They offered him credit on his account, not an exact refund?


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    #7
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Sully wrote: »
    They offered him credit on his account, not an exact refund?


    'or a "refund and re-book", meaning they would refund me for that booking, "


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    #8
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Melody Glamorous Waistline wrote: »
    'or a "refund and re-book", meaning they would refund me for that booking, "

    My understanding was that it went onto his account (a refund) but he can only use it with them (re-book)?


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    #9
    simonw
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭simonw


    Sully wrote: »
    My understanding was that it went onto his account (a refund) but he can only use it with them (re-book)?

    It's a refund, BUT then you have to rebook for the same search criteria as the original booking, ie the same dates and location. It also has to be one of their secret hotel deals, as that was what we booked originally.


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    #10
    P. Breathnach
    Registered Users Posts: 12,089 ✭✭✭✭P. Breathnach


    simonw wrote: »
    It's a refund, BUT then you have to rebook for the same search criteria as the original booking, ie the same dates and location. It also has to be one of their secret hotel deals, as that was what we booked originally.
    If your "refund" is conditional on rebooking, then it is not a genuine refund.


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    #11
    jhegarty
    Registered Users Posts: 6,440 ✭✭✭jhegarty


    athtrasna wrote: »
    The "no warranties" section of their T&C would seem to cover them. Any advertised services are not guaranteed.

    A contract can't override your consumer rights.

    The service needs to be as advertised or the op gets their money back.


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    #12
    simonw
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭simonw


    Hotwire are refusing to refund the booking. The have offered me $60 compensation instead. I'm absolutely fed up with them now, and the booking is for thursday night, so I think I'm going to just take it.

    I just thought i'd leave this as a warning, if Hotwire mess up, be prepared to have to fight their awful customer service and apparent disregard for consumer law...


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    #13
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Why not ask one of the consumer helplines for directions or email the Consumer Show on RTE? I fail to see how Hotwire can get away with offering credit when the product you bough was not as a described and I fail to see how your consumer rights can be over ruled by their own terms & conditions.

    You need to speak with someone on this and armed with facts, if what my assumptions above are correct, be firm with Hotwire. If Hotwire are allowed do what they do, than so be it and we all learn to remember this if ever using their service in the future. But if they are not, don't just lie down and roll over, fight for your rights and perhaps no other unlucky sole will get into the same spot of bother as you in the future. :)


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    #14
    slimjimmc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,786 ✭✭✭slimjimmc


    Sully wrote: »
    Why not ask one of the consumer helplines for directions or email the Consumer Show on RTE? I fail to see how Hotwire can get away with offering credit when the product you bough was not as a described and I fail to see how your consumer rights can be over ruled by their own terms & conditions.

    You need to speak with someone on this and armed with facts, if what my assumptions above are correct, be firm with Hotwire. If Hotwire are allowed do what they do, than so be it and we all learn to remember this if ever using their service in the future. But if they are not, don't just lie down and roll over, fight for your rights and perhaps no other unlucky sole will get into the same spot of bother as you in the future. :)

    How about the fact that they are a US based company with no physical presence in Ireland. Since they are not based here it will be nigh on impossible to enforce Irish law on them.

    http://www.hotwire.com/ie/about


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    #15
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    OP, get on twitter and tweet the @hotwire account. Had a double booking issue with Priceline due to a technical fault. Customer service agent (international phonecall to the US to try to sort it) refused to do anything. Tweeted priceline, it's sorted within an hour. You'll be amazed at how much more helpful companies' twitter people are than their customer service agents. Have found it with so many companies.


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    #16
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,997 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    slimjimmc wrote: »
    How about the fact that they are a US based company with no physical presence in Ireland. Since they are not based here it will be nigh on impossible to enforce Irish law on them.

    http://www.hotwire.com/ie/about

    How about dong a charge back on the OP's CC, nothing to do with what country they#re based in and Hotwire didn't provide what the OP booked.


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    #17
    goz83
    Registered Users Posts: 8,034 ✭✭✭goz83


    Cancel the booking based on the FACT that the offer is not as described. DO a charge-back if hotwire refuse to refund you properly.

    Contact the hotel and ask to speak with a manager. Inform the manager that hotwire are mis-selling their products and services and point him/her to the search criteria used. Ask if the manager will provide you with the deal advertised on Hotwire and pay the hotel directly. If not, vote with your feet.


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