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Need Miami Hotel/Motel
- Thread starter njb
- Start date
andynap
Senior Insider
didier said:
Diana - I have read some bad things about Hotwire especially the ratings they give to hotels.
Here is the article from Chris Elliott- Travel expert:
"Question: I bought a hotel through Hotwire that I’d really rather not stay at. A few weeks ago, I requested a two-star property in Flint, Mich. Hotwire gave me a nonrefundable, nonchangeable room at a Days Inn property.
A friend of mine in the area told me about how bad that hotel is. They had tried to stay there but had checked out within the hour because it was filthy and the staff was uncooperative. I did some research on reviews of this property and all the reviews I found, except one, rated it very poor for the same reasons.
I contacted Hotwire, but they were of no help and referred me to the Website to contact them by e-mail. I have not asked for a refund, but only to be allowed to upgrade to a higher-rated facility in the area.
Hotwire’s standard response to all my e-mail is that it meets the two-star requirements they have set. I have tried explaining to them that the star rating is not in question, but the fitness of the facilities. Can you help me? — Ed Boston, Woodland Hills, Calif.
Answer: Hotwire is right — and wrong. It had every right to assign a hotel of its choosing, but not to that particular property.
Hotwire’s terms, which you agreed to when you booked your hotel, are clear. You get to choose the city and a “star” rating based on certain amenities, but the site then reserves a nonrefundable room in a hotel of its choosing.
By the way, the Hotwire ratings system doesn’t get any lower than two stars, which is described as an “economy” establishment with basic features like an in-room coffeemaker, cable TV and an alarm clock. Hotwire does, however, promise its accommodations will be “reliable,” which your hotel arguably was not.
Although I usually recommend contacting a company by e-mail, there’s no reason a large, well-established company like Hotwire shouldn’t also be able to handle your grievance by phone. I find the fact that they insisted you contact them by e-mail to be problematic. What if you don’t have access to e-mail at that moment?
Your case and several recent ones like it, underscore the need for a universally recognized hotel ratings system. When an online travel agency rates the product it sells, there’s an inevitable conflict of interest. An independent grading mechanism would serve everyone better. But for now, these imperfect star-ratings are the only real option, since no nationally recognized ratings system exists in the United States.
Hotwire’s form responses suggest it didn’t take the time to review your written complaint. You weren’t griping about the nonrefundability of your room, but about the room itself. A quick look at some of the customer reviews of the property would have revealed that you weren’t just whining. You could have appealed the decision in writing (many companies give rebuttals to form responses a higher priority in the system) or, as a last resort, disputed this charge on your credit card.
It turns out neither of those were necessary. I contacted Hotwire on your behalf, and it allowed you to change hotels as an “exception.” It also stopped selling the hotel because of the volume of complaints, which, according to a company spokesman, “led us to believe that its overall quality was no longer up to Hotwire’s standards.”
SB HONEY
SBH Insider
The Miami Hotel right in the airport is very convenient. They have recently upgraded the rooms. Not exactly sure of the price as AA footed the bill since our missed connection was AA fault.
Here is the web site www.miahotel.com
Here is the web site www.miahotel.com
didier
Senior Insider
I agree andy, if you choose anything below a 3 star, you could be asking for trouble. whenever i use hotwire, i always choose 31/2 stars and above. I usually stick with the 4 stars and i have not been disappointed. I even was able to get a 5 star hotel in seattle called the nines for 100 dollars that was amazing.
If you look at also what is offered at the hotel, such as a pool or near a golf course, you can go on hotels.com and 90 percent of the time find out the name of the hotel that hotwire has selected for your 3 1/2 stars and above. remember nothing under 3 1/2 stars and you will be fine.
If you look at also what is offered at the hotel, such as a pool or near a golf course, you can go on hotels.com and 90 percent of the time find out the name of the hotel that hotwire has selected for your 3 1/2 stars and above. remember nothing under 3 1/2 stars and you will be fine.
It's been forever since I stayed in the hotel inside the airport but I believe it has been renovated.
We've stayed at the airport Marriott and more recently the Wyndham which now looks to be a Sheraton. I'd pick whichever one is nicer and has the best rate. Miami hotels have never impressed me.
We've stayed at the airport Marriott and more recently the Wyndham which now looks to be a Sheraton. I'd pick whichever one is nicer and has the best rate. Miami hotels have never impressed me.
