Why do hotels hate priceline

Should you blame the customer for expecting a great experience at your hotel and then giving you poor feedback when he is disappointed? Rather, you should blame yourself for happily using the channel to sell extra inventory but then treating Priceline guests differently than your other guests.

I hear it all the time. Daniel Craig talks about the Cycle of Positivity which applies here. A happy customer will lead to a great review which will lead to more bookings. An unhappy customer will lead to a bad review which will hinder bookings. So what do I suggest? When a Priceline guest checks into the hotel, be welcoming and transparent. If you need anything or have any questions, please let me know. Better service, plus perks: Hotel staff might not come out and say it, but they're inclined to treat guests better when those guests are giving them more money.

Direct bookings are more profitable to them than ones through third-party sites that take a cut, and staff generally can see right in the computer system how a room was booked. They're definitely checking the computer when a guest drops a hint about an upgrade.

Also, someone who reserves a room on a site like Expedia is a prime pick for "walking," which is when a guest is sent to another property because of overbooking a common practice according to Jacob Tomsky, author of Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles and So-Called Hospitality. Hotels also have the power and inventory to go above-and-beyond a standard hotel booking to create special packages or throw in perks like free breakfast. For example, Starwood is currently running an offer for its Mexico and Panama resorts that include free nights, food and beverage credits and upgrades.

Third-party platforms only work with the basics, which for hotels is just rooms. Points: The only way to earn hotel loyalty points for a stay and climb the hospitality stairway to status heaven is to book directly with the property.

Some platforms do run their own independent rewards programs , but those points are only good on their specific sites. Facebook Twitter Email.

Not only have I not received a response after a week, but when I called again yesterday, they promised a resolution by 8 p. I am looking for a refund and will never use Priceline again.

Thanks so much for any help you can provide. If your bid is accepted, Priceline assigns your reservation to a hotel of its choosing and charges your credit card immediately. Priceline needed to fix this star slip- up right away, offering either a refund or a change of hotel. As imperfect as it is, the integrity of the star system is important to customers like you.