Rented a car from Hotwire and did not see anything about absolutely no refunds. Was heading out west for a real estate purchase. The owner of the property accepted another offer a couple hours later and so I cancelled my flights. I went to cancel the car and they told me they would not allow it. I told them I would send them the email from the realtor with proof I had lost the property. They didn't care and said they would refund no matter what. This is plain theft as I only booked the car a couple of hours earlier. They have a rackett and have set up a ripoff operation. Beware!
Boycott of Hotwire
Hotwire boycott details
Boycott Originator
bryan15 | Email this userBoycott Title
HOTWIRE STOLE $187 FROM ME!Boycott Description
I RENTED A CAR IN MIAMI IN JANUARY AND SHOWED UP 10 MINUTES AFTER MY SCHDULED RESERVATION AT MIDNIGHT. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS LATE AND MY RESERVATION HAD BEEN CANCELLED. I ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR (VON) WHO BECAME ANGRY AND FINALLY TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD NOT REFUND MY MONEY AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT IT. I HAD PRE-PAID FOR THE CAR RENTAL SO IT REALYL DID NOT MATTER IF I WAS 10 MINUTES OR TWO DAYS LATE.I ASKED FOR THE EMAIL OT THE PRESIDENT OF HOTWIRE BUT WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS FAR TOO IMPORTANT TO SPEAK TO ME. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CONVERSATION WAS RECORDED SO I LOVED THAT RESPONSE.
I ENDED UP GETTING TAKEN CARE OF DIRECTLY BY THE RENTAL CAR COMPANY AT A BETTER PRICE WITH AN UPGRADE. THE TOO UNDERSTOOD HOW POOR OF SERVICE HOTWIRE GAVE ITS CUSTOMERS.
WHEN I RETURNED HOME I DISPUTED THE CHARGE WITH MY CREDIT CARD COMPANY. I NEVER RECEIVED THE SERVICE I PAID FOR. HOTWIRE CLAIMED IT WAS A VALID CHARGE AND I LOST MY MONEY.
THE CHARGE WAS VALID BUT THE SERVICE WAS NEVER PROVIDED. I SHOWED UP FOR A MIDNIGHT RESERVATION AT 12:10 A.M. HOTWIRE'S ARGUMENT WAS THAT I WAS 24 HOURS LATE INSTAED OF 10 MINUTES LATE. REMEMBER, I HAD PRE-PAID THE ENTIRE RENTAL.
Boycott Demands
HOTWIRE SHOULD RETURN MY MONEY IN FULL WITH AN APOLOGY.HOTWIRE SHOULD HOLD ITS EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
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Company responses
I was in New York las week and booked a 4 star hotel through Hotwire.com. It turns out the room does not have the bed I booked (KING) but the queen bed instead. I asked the hotel from desk to verify me order. The hotel clerk (Hotel New Yorker) told me they have no way to contact the agent and I could find any contack nuber either. The room I got is much cheaper for the regular rate and the smallest in the hotel. The hotel is very old and smells and noisy. The scheme hotwire use is you pay first and they do not disclose the name of the Hotel until you paid; so it turrns out I paid higher rate then the market rate and got the worst services from the hotel they booked me. Will never use hotwire.com any more.
They claim discounts up to 50% then you find out discount is less then 4% and you could get better rate with AAA or just call the hotel directly. They refuse to discuss. I will never use Hotwire again. Their customer service is non existant. All they can do is read their policy manual. Which we should have read before we booked with them. They are not interested in customer satisfaction.
DO NOT TRUST THEM
Others should know about Hotwire and their unwillingness to do anything for customer support. They will gladly take your money but will not accomodate any kind of adjustment to your itinerary. I've been trying to find someone there that is willing to help my situation, since my reservation is two months out, but unfortunitly it seems that everyone that works there is insincere to the needs of their customer base.
Hotwire has not responded to this boycott yet.