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I’ve used Hotels.com for years. Mostly fine. I am trying to book 7 rooms in a hotel I stay in every month and hotels.com shows sold out, not even one room available. The hotel confirms they are empty for that date. The hotel have tried to speak to Hotels.com and are getting nowhere. The chat person just keeps repeating that I should book direct with the hotel, astonishing ! Of course I can book direct but I’d like the 7 nights towards a free night.
I want to escalate this . Does anyone have an email address to escalate this with Hotels.com ?It’s not really that astonishing. Hotels.com’s parent (Expedia) probably haven’t purchased or don’t want to purchase allocation at said hotel. They are under no obligation to offer any property.
This happens quite regularly, it’s often noticeable that certain rooms aren’t available at Hotels.com but are available directly.I think you’d be wasting your time trying to escalate this. You’re effectively trying to complain that a seller is not selling something you want to buy, or a product they don’t (want to) stock.
Don’t think you have a complaint against Hotels.com
See what discount the hotel will offer you for booking direct. They would probably pay commission of 20pc to Expedia.
And see what’s available through other agents
@Annie – wouldn’t you rather have 20%+ off the room rate by going to the producer of the product, ie the hotel? Obviously if someone else is paying for the seven rooms and you want the stamps personally, then it’s different.
Direct booking is not always (or in my experience even often) cheaper. I have access to net rates, and regularly find the hotel will give a third party supplier a better deal than a customer direct – even after you’ve added on their profit. Does depend who you speak to though. You do tend to get treated slightly better if you book through the hotel (or a travel agent) if there’s a problem.
Are there other third party suppliers who are selling the hotel on the date?
Unfortunately you have no complaint against Hotels.com.
Expedia/Hotels.com doesn’t buy “allocations”, most hotels (that are not a chain) manage their own inventory and pricing either through their own channel manager software which integrates into the Expedia (and other OTAs, bedbanks) backend, or directly on the Expedia supplier portal.
If anything it’s the hotel you need to be chasing.
The hotel is as exasperated as I am, they’ve been trying to sort it and Expedia are not being helpful. They’re only accepting weekend bookings. The hotel is less than impressed as they could be losing a lot of business. This is a place where mid week is very busy and weekends very quiet.
Of course I can book direct and make a saving but I was hoping for the stamps.
It’s a corporate booking and the stamps were most welcome for me personally.
All good things come to an end I suppose.
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