Getaroom rant

T

Trooperdan

US Veteran
Bronze Supporter
Joined
Feb 15, 2006
Messages
1,620
Reaction score
1,479
Location
Wellington FL Aberdeen NC
I'm usually pretty careful and knowledgeable shopping on the Internet but I was had recently.
I was shopping for a particular Wyndham hotel and was a bit in a rush and maybe less careful than usual but I found what appeared to be a true Wyndham site and made my booking. My first hint that all was not as it appeared when I entered my card info and then was presented with a screen that said the reservation was non-cancellable and non-refundable and there was a $20 convenience fee added to the tab. True enough, I immediately tried to cancel but I was stuck.
When I arrived at the hotel I asked the desk clerk if they knew of the site I was describing and she did not. I explained that I wanted to book a room but I did not want to use the reservation made through Getaroom. Interestly, the Getaroom rate was $109 and I got the room for $58!
I contested the charge with my card company and have just gotten the outcome of that, they re-instated the fee. I consider what I experience as fraud and intend to further contest the fee with the Better Business bureau and possible the Internet fraud division that I beleive does exist somewhere.
So, just a word of warning, be careful out there and avoid Getaroom whenever possible!
 
Register to hide this ad
Right now I’m at the Artesia, NM West Western.
Nobody told me that the lobby and public areas are under construction.
Probably will be nice when the remodeling is completed.
It a mess now.
My room and rear entrance are unaffected.
 
I feel fairly confident about internet transactions once I get to the legitimate site, but there are so many fraudulent sites expertly camouflaged as the legitimate site that it is more difficult than it should be to know who you are really dealing with. If something is not done, this will bring a lot of internet commerce to a halt.
 
Haven't heard of Getaroom, but never had problems with the other well-known travel sites which handle hotel/motel room bookings.
 
There are any number of online travel site ‘resellers.’
Several years ago I made motel reservations in two different towns using Priceline.
They screwed up both, and the desk clerk and I had long conversions with folks who spoke broken English.
So I try to go direct to the actual hotel site or the Corp site.
Sometimes I just call them on the phone.
That don’t always work perfect.
I got this reservation using the Best Western site.
 
Last edited:
When traveling, We seldom know where we will stop for the night in advance. So I learned from "Contestant #2" (second former brother-in-law), just walk in and ask for the best price they can give you. If they have a room, they will come down! If it isn't a big enough discount, just walk out, the next place will treat you better!

Ivan
 
THE PILGRIM said:
Right now I’m at the Artesia, NM West Western.
Nobody told me that the lobby and public areas are under construction.
Probably will be nice when the remodeling is completed.
It a mess now.
My room and rear entrance are unaffected.
Click to expand...

I remember playing that game during a visit to London. Between the city being full of french teenagers, tennis fans (Wimbledon) and hotel remodeling, I was changing rooms or hotels like I was in a John Le Carre book.
 
I read your post yesterday, and my heart sank. I had just used getaroom for a reservation in the Denver area at Christmas time. So today I checked my credit card and sure enough they have already ran the charge through on my Cr Card. I looked up the direct number to the hotel itself, (a Holiday Inn) and spoke to a very nice young lady and she verified that YES, they had my reservation, and YES, it was paid in full.

I feel much relieved, but all these "Reservation Services" companies use foreign employees (may be in some foreign country), and I'm getting paranoid about anything to do with on line credit card purchases.
 
I've used Booking (dot) com many times with no problems.
The very cheapest rate, your card will be charged and a penalty for cancellation For slightly more your card is not charged and cancellation and changes are free up until 24 or 48 hours prior to your arrival.
 
I've stopped visiting the "cheap booking sites". There usually are not the cheapest. I now go directly to the website of the place I want to stay and deal directly with the motel. I've found they will have some special rate and it is usually cheaper that the "deal" offered by the "cheap booking sites". Also you can get a phone number and call the motel and talk to a person and NOT fill out endless screens of data.
 
H Richard said:
I read your post yesterday, and my heart sank. I had just used getaroom for a reservation in the Denver area at Christmas time. So today I checked my credit card and sure enough they have already ran the charge through on my Cr Card. I looked up the direct number to the hotel itself, (a Holiday Inn) and spoke to a very nice young lady and she verified that YES, they had my reservation, and YES, it was paid in full.

I feel much relieved, but all these "Reservation Services" companies use foreign employees (may be in some foreign country), and I'm getting paranoid about anything to do with on line credit card purchases.
Click to expand...

I'm way past that point!:D I very rarely do anything concerning money or vital information over the computer.

What ever I'm doing I will use the computer to look up the item in question, find out what I want to know and then get a phone number (hopefully a 800 type) and call the company.

I feel much safer talking to a person and giving out CC numbers or other info on the phone. Heck When I first applied for SS, I got a appointment by phone and went to the local office to fill paperwork.

Do whats in you best interests!:cool:
 
I see more votes for going direct to the actual Hotel or their franchise web site.
I spent last night in Hampton inn, Las Cruces - went to their site.
Circling home now.
And I have to tell the Truth, The Whole Truth.
I’m sitting in Macdonald’s, in Truth or Consequences , NM.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top