Outrageous experience with Hotels.com and Best Western

[TrvlBug]

I hope His Holiness enjoyed your room.

 

[Bamaman]

I've tried all the big reservation systems, including Expedia, AirBnB, Hotels.com and Booking.com.

Booking.com is my favorite booking website, as they have the most listings worldwide. And they seldom charge my card when I make the reservation.

When booking rooms in the U.S., I stick to just a couple of chain hotels that throw the best sales incentives--like Choice Hotels 1 night free after 2 one night stays in different properties.

Unfortunately, problems do occur. I've been very fortunate to have no room booking problems in many, many years. And I stayed in hotels 4 nights most weeks for 10 years +

 

[Rickt]

Anytime you plan to arrive at a hotel after 6pm or so, no matter how you book, it's a very good idea to call them directly the day of arrival - the hotel, not their reservation service - get someone at the front desk who is going to be doing the check ins - and say "I am coming, I am arriving around XPM, please don't cancel my room".

Or if you're not planning on arriving late, but your flight or whatever is later than planned, call your hotel as soon as you land. When hotels are overbooked, and presented with the choice of turning away the person in front of them vs the one who isn't there yet... who do you think gets bumped. At least by having some note in your file there's a better chance they'll keep going thru the list and pick the one after you on the list.

I too always book hotels directly, and look for credit card protections for this sort of thing. With many cards, the hotel is obligated to at least "walk" you which means find you an equivalent near hotel on their dime. I would doubt these protections apply as often, when reservations are not made with a hotel but with a service.

+1

Booking directly with the hotel is the best way to go.

 

[akck]

Many years ago, I booked a hotel with a travel agent, long before the online options available today. Everything was good except the travel agent booked the reservation for one day less than what was wanted. Cost us an extra $50 for that one day. Since then, I only book directly with the hotel chain, initially calling and now online. I do use Costco for car rentals, but only if I get a better rate than booking directly.

 

[ivinsfan]

Well the only way to guarantee nothing EVER goes wrong is to stay home. Travel can be a B%$#h sometimes...

 

[Jack_Pine]

Well the only way to guarantee nothing EVER goes wrong is to stay home. Travel can be a B%$#h sometimes...

Well said.

 

[TrvlBug]

Just remembered another hotel nightmare...Athens, many, many years ago, ressies made through travel agent. Taxi dropped us off in front of hotel which was situated in a residential area. Note on front door, hotel closed for the foreseeable future, sorry folks. Phone # listed, but this was pre cell phones. Anyway, we finally got to the alternate hotel. A 'lovely' little place with limited times for heat and water access. We froze our touchies off. .

What could go wrong did during that trip. I actually should post on the 'you can laugh about it now' thread! We've had some nightmare experiences during our travels but wouldn't trade the experiences for anything.